Hello Reader,

Launch week is behind me, and the book is finally out in the world! It's been an exciting week🎉

I celebrated the launch of my book with close to 100 people over three days; what a delightful experience! I can't tell you how much it means to have so many people show up for something you have been working on for close to three years.

Hot Take: Ecosystems don't thrive on their own

Last week, Jason Schneider interviewed me on the ESHIP Commons (details on how to join below). We discussed why we need ecosystem builders in the first place, and I argued that at first glance, people assume referrals happen because people are good-natured, introductions get made because people are nice, and collaboration is natural among stakeholders who all pursue the same goal.

And while we all want that to be true, the reality is different: Unless we nurture and actively model this culture, ecosystems become stagnant and fragmented. Without an ecosystem builder whose job it is to build trusting relationships and help information move freely between those who have it and those who need it, everyone operates in their own siloes, and nobody looks for ways to reduce friction for the entrepreneurs (and other stakeholders) trying to navigate the ecosystem.

We need ecosystem builders so the systems that help the dreamers and doers in our communities thrive can function at their full potential.

Have you ever felt like the invisible line item? What was that experience like?

In part 1 of It Takes a Valley, we explore the role of the ecosystem builder and why they do what they do.

And yes, you get a definition of entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Curated Resource: Join the ESHIP Commons (for free!)

Imagine an online community where 700+ entrepreneurial ecosystem builders from across the US hang out; a shared space to discuss what's working, what isn't, and how to learn from one another.

Now imagine that it's completely free.

That's the ESHIP Commons. Here's what you'll find after creating an account:

• Opportunity Board (RFPs, jobs, grants, etc.)
• Fieldwide calendar of in-person and virtual events that are relevant to ecosystem builders
• Ask-a-Builder: an opportunity to ask your most pressing questions and get insight from your peers
• Builder Resources (ecosystem building case studies, reports, tools & discounts)
• Builder Circles: Sub-communities for special interest groups (such as self-employed ecosystem builders, women ecosystem builders, etc.)

Think of this space as your virtual playground specifically for ecosystem builders.

Sounds too good to be true?

Yes.

We're testing out what the field could look like if we all had access to one another, and I invite you to come along and see for yourself:

Once you join, you get a tour of the space and can fill out your profile. To learn more about the Commons and how to make the most of this space, watch this Commons Connect I hosted in August.

Book Updates

For everyone who pre-ordered their book, thank you for your patience! The first batch of pre-orders has been delivered.

I'm taking the next batch to the post office later today!

And I'm excited to hand out signed first editions at the Startup Champions Network Summit next week!

Bonus: I dropped 66 signed first editions at seven independent bookshops in the Shenandoah Valley, so if you're local, grab your copy there!

Need a bulk order? Respond to this email with your address and how many books you need and we'll get those on the way prontissimo!

Bookish

Here's what I've read and thoroughly enjoyed these last few weeks

• ​Come and Get It, Kylie Reid: This was an unexpectedly great read! The characters stayed with me days after I finished, and I can't even tell you what I loved about it. But it's a small college town story about a visiting professor and her perspective on student life.
• ​Die Assistentin, Caroline Wahl (German only): Caro Wahl has been a German sensation. I devoured her first two books, and while this one made me uncomfortable throughout (as intended), I commend her for not sticking to a trope and for writing something completely different from her first two novels.
• ​Lügen über meine Mutter, Daniela Droescher (German only). An equally uncomfortable yet deeply insightful memoir by the author about her mother's body image and gender stereotypes in West Germany of the 1980s.
• ​Romantic Comedy, Curtis Sittenfeld: This one came recommended by a German influencer, and while I didn't want to love it, I could barely put it down. It's a romance novel set against the backdrop of a fictionalized Saturday Night Live and it was very entertaining.
• ​The Hunting Wives, May Cobb: If you're in a reading slump, this will pull you out of it! Fast-paced, witty, and with some character nuance that I miss in other books. Rich people jumping off the cliff and doing some crazy rich-people shit, very entertaining!

Shen-Anika-ns

3 opportunities for us to build better ecosystems, together, this fall:

• Sept 24, 1 p.m. EST: Beyond the Panel: Event Formats That Center Entrepreneurs and Build Trust in Your Ecosystem. I'm hosting this free webinar in collaboration with InBIA to tell you everything I know about hosting more meaningful ecosystem events.
• Sept 29 - Oct 1, Richmond, VA: Startup Champions Network Summit. Join us for two and a half days of professional development and some much-needed peer support! I'll launch my book locally on kickoff night and host an ecosystem exchange session on October 1! Bonus: Newsletter subscribers receive $50 off their Summit ticket with the code ITTAKESAVALLEY.
• Nov 17-18: ESHIP Converge is a two-day virtual convening connecting ecosystem builders and building a stronger, more sustainable field. I'll be joining as a content partner and look forward to connecting with the field!

I'll be back in your inbox in two weeks!

In camaraderie,

Anika

P.S. Missed my last newsletter? Check out the previous issues of Impact Curator.