288. Awesome Inc: Brian Raney on Building Kentucky's Startup Ecosystem

Brian Raney is the CEO and Co-Founder of Awesome Inc - a company that exists to create and grow high tech startups through a variety of initiatives, such as hosting community events, leading technology education courses, and offering a shared workspace environment.This episode was part of a live recording event in collaboration with Awesome Inc and Chase Bank. Brian shared stories from the early days of Awesome Inc, how permission to fail was the advice that encouraged him to start the company, and how they’ve built the startup community that we know today. Be the first to see new episodes, along with a summary, key takeaways, and upcoming events, by subscribing to Middle Tech's Spotlight Series Newsletter: ⁠https://middletech.beehiiv.com/ Get in touch in the comments below, or reach out to us on social media:Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/middletechpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/middletechpod/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middletech/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middletechpod?lang=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/middletechpod Logan Jones’ SocialsX: https://x.com/lojo_kyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lojo_ky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lojo/ Evan Knowles’ SocialsX: https://x.com/EvanKnowles_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanmknowles/ Middle Tech is proud to be supported by:KY Innovation: https://www.kyinnovation.com/Bolt Marketing: https://www.buildwithbolt.com/Hunsicker: https://www.hunsicker.co/firesides 00:00 Permission to Fail: Embracing Entrepreneurship 00:37 Introduction to Middle Tech Podcast 01:15 Sponsorship Acknowledgements 02:57 Brian Rainey's Journey: From College to Entrepreneurship 06:23 The Birth of Awesome Inc. 09:38 Challenges and Early Days of Awesome Inc. 15:13 The Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame 18:49 Common Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs 21:28 Personal Impact Stories 23:15 The Genesis of Fuji and Entrepreneurial Beginnings 23:48 The Role of Awesome Inc. in Entrepreneurial Growth 24:35 Community and Team Effort in Entrepreneurship 26:16 Teaching and Cultivating Entrepreneurship 29:09 The Awesome Fund and Addressing Capital Needs 32:00 Success Stories and Talent Retention in Kentucky 34:55 The Future of Kentucky's Startup Ecosystem 40:07 Engagement and the Entrepreneurial Life Cycle 45:03 Upcoming Events and Final Thoughts