The University of Denver's Entrepreneurship Podcast

In this episode of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, host Joshua Ross sits down with DU alum Eric Schneider, founder of Futureproof Studios. Eric shares how his background in art and design fueled a career at the intersection of creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship, and why he believes curiosity and user-centered thinking are essential for innovation.

In this episode of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, host Joshua Ross welcomes DU alum Ethan Whitson, founder of The Guide Network, a platform built to help outdoor guides streamline operations and grow their businesses. What started as a marketplace to connect customers with guides quickly evolved—through trial, error, and customer feedback—into a full-service software solution now used by guides from solo operators to high-end lodges.

In this episode of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, host Joshua Ross sits down with DU alums Owen Locke and Rick Talley, co-founders of Lock & Co. Distilling. What started as a garage experiment between two lifelong friends has grown into a gold-medal-winning whiskey brand rooted in Colorado tradition.

In this episode of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, host Joshua Ross sits down with University of Denver students Gina Parker and Charlie Peterson to talk about building community through entrepreneurship on campus. Gina and Charlie share their experiences leading and growing Pop-Up Palooza, a signature event that brings students, alumni, and the Denver community together to showcase student ventures. They discuss how the event has evolved and how it fosters creativity, connection, and an inclusive entrepreneurial culture at DU. The conversation also explores their leadership in Launchpad (formerly the DO U Entrepreneurship Club), lessons learned from starting a business, and how entrepreneurship has shaped their mindset and personal growth. Gina and Charlie reflect on the skills they’ve gained, the importance of getting involved, and their vision for building an even stronger innovation community and ecosystem on the University of Denver campus.

In this episode of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, host Joshua Ross sits down with Dr. Julia Roncoroni — psychologist, University of Denver professor, and co-founder of Cocina Libre Collective. What started as a cookbook highlighting immigrant chefs has blossomed into a movement: dinners, workshops, a documentary, and now a podcast — all rooted in storytelling, culture, and the universal language of food. Julia shares powerful stories of resilience, discusses the barriers immigrants face in the food industry, and offers insights into building mission-driven businesses from lived experience. Noah shares his journey from growing up in Missouri to serving in the Marines, including his firsthand experience during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He discusses how these life-changing experiences shaped both his perspective and the mission behind Pentilla.  The episode dives into how Noah and his co-founder are building a vodka brand that also focuses on community, adventure, and giving back to veterans. Noah reflects on lessons learned in entrepreneurship, balancing school, business, and personal life.

In this episode of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, host Joshua Ross interviews Noah Hampton, a first-year student at the University of Denver, Marine Corps veteran, and co-founder of Pentilla Vodka.  Noah shares his journey from growing up in Missouri to serving in the Marines, including his firsthand experience during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He discusses how these life-changing experiences shaped both his perspective and the mission behind Pentilla.  The episode dives into how Noah and his co-founder are building a vodka brand that also focuses on community, adventure, and giving back to veterans. Noah reflects on lessons learned in entrepreneurship, balancing school, business, and personal life.

In this episode, our host sits down with Sean Kearns and Neil Pollard, to discuss Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA)—a growing approach to business ownership. Together, we explore why ETA has gained momentum, how it lowers risks compared to startups, and what makes it a compelling choice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Listeners will learn about key steps to identifying, financing, and scaling an acquired business, as well as the critical role universities like the University of Denver play in fostering ETA education and ecosystems. Whether you're curious about transitioning into business ownership or understanding new market opportunities, this episode provides actionable insights and ways to engage with ETA.

In this episode of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, host Joshua Ross interviews Chris Jerard, serial entrepreneur and current VP of Marketing at Outside. They discuss Chris’ journey from an English and poetry major at the University of Colorado to becoming an influential entrepreneur in the outdoor industry. Chris shares how his early entrepreneurial experiences, from running a painting business in college to co-founding Free Skier Magazine, shaped his career. The episode concludes with insights into Chris’s current role leading experiential and event marketing for Outside, including the successful launch of the Outside Festival and his passion for outdoor adventures.

In this episode of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, host Joshua Ross interviews DU alumni Will Palmquist and University of Denver faculty member Ryan Elmore. Together, they discuss their journey as co-founders of First Team Analytics, a sports analytics company focused on collegiate soccer. The authors discuss their passion for helping entrepreneurs succeed through their framework of five essential pillars: strategy, structure, people, processes, and cash. Through their real-world experiences helping businesses scale from $1M to $50M in revenue, they emphasize the importance of building company culture by design rather than default and how entrepreneurs can create sustainable growth while maintaining their company's values and mission. They discuss their experiences in the intense six-week program, highlighting the challenges they faced, the valuable mentorship they received, and the crucial skills they developed, such as market validation and rapid adaptation to feedback. The guests offer encouraging advice to prospective Basecamp participants, emphasizing the program's impact on their entrepreneurial journeys and urging listeners not to hesitate in applying. This episode provides a compelling insider's view of the Basecamp accelerator program, a must-listen for anyone interested in entrepreneurship education or considering applying to BASE Camp program.

In this episode of the Entrepreneurship at DU podcast, host Joshua Ross interviews DU alumni and entrepreneurs Stephen Adele and Zach Lewis about their book "Ready, Set Scale: Scaling Your Business Without Losing Your Soul." The authors discuss their passion for helping entrepreneurs succeed through their framework of five essential pillars: strategy, structure, people, processes, and cash. Through their real-world experiences helping businesses scale from $1M to $50M in revenue, they emphasize the importance of building company culture by design rather than default and how entrepreneurs can create sustainable growth while maintaining their company's values and mission. They discuss their experiences in the intense six-week program, highlighting the challenges they faced, the valuable mentorship they received, and the crucial skills they developed, such as market validation and rapid adaptation to feedback. The guests offer encouraging advice to prospective Basecamp participants, emphasizing the program's impact on their entrepreneurial journeys and urging listeners not to hesitate in applying. This episode provides a compelling insider's view of the Basecamp accelerator program, a must-listen for anyone interested in entrepreneurship education or considering applying to BASE Camp program.

This Entrepreneurship@DU episode features an insightful conversation with two recent graduates of the E@DU Basecamp Accelerator program: Leah Nieboer, a PhD candidate and podcast creator, and Sam Fordyce, an undergraduate student and dumpling entrepreneur.   They discuss their experiences in the intense six-week program, highlighting the challenges they faced, the valuable mentorship they received, and the crucial skills they developed, such as market validation and rapid adaptation to feedback. The guests offer encouraging advice to prospective Basecamp participants, emphasizing the program's impact on their entrepreneurial journeys and urging listeners not to hesitate in applying. This episode provides a compelling insider's view of the Basecamp accelerator program, a must-listen for anyone interested in entrepreneurship education or considering applying to BASE Camp program.

Dive into the future of work with John Winsor, University of Denver alum and expert on Open Talent. In this episode of the Entrepreneurship@ DU podcast John shares his entrepreneurial journey from magazine publishing to disrupting the advertising industry, and offers invaluable insights on navigating the evolving landscape of work.

In this episode, host Joshua Ross sits down with Ashley Thomas and Art Saltarelli from the University of Denver's Office of Technology Transfer. They discuss the mission and work of this important office, which supports innovation and entrepreneurship across the university community.

In this podcast episode, join Joshua Ross for an interview with Josh Berlo, vice chancellor for athletics and Ritchie Center operations at the University of Denver, and Niko Blankenship, director of athletics communication, as they delve into the profound impact and importance of name, image and likeness (NIL) in collegiate athletics. Learn how this rule change has impacted college sports by enabling student-athletes to earn money through their name, image and likeness.

In this episode of the E@DU podcast, we sit down with Robert McIntosh and Jonny Boyarsky, the innovative minds behind Literally Helping Startups. Unlike typical investors or mentors, Robert and Jonny have embarked on a unique journey with a clear mission: to assist founders in growing their startups, navigating adversity, and securing funding.  Throughout our discussion, they provide insight on successful strategies for startups, focusing on how to find product-market fit and engaging with the right target markets. Whether you're an entrepreneur or an established business professional, this episode offers valuable perspectives on fostering growth and success in the ever changing world of startups.

Episode 18 was recorded live in front of an audience of 150 students, faculty, entrepreneurs and innovators on the University of Denver campus. Two amazing individuals, DU alumni and investors, Caroline Gash and Bill Powell discuss how to unlock capital for startups seeking funding. They share their insights and advice on how to pitch your business to investors, how to navigate the investment landscape, and what investors are looking for in a startup. We cover the following topics in this episode:  -How to pitch your business to investors  -How to navigate the investment landscape  -What investors are looking for in a startup  -The dos and don'ts of fundraising  -Lessons from successful first-time entrepreneurs  -How to overcome the fear of failure  -The importance of networking   This episode is for you if you are:  -A first-time entrepreneur -Curious about starting a business  -Looking to raise money for your business  -Interested in learning more about the investment landscape  -Want to hear from experienced investors

60% of restaurants fail in the first year fail and 80% fail within five years. What is the secret to Pete Newlin and his partner Jean-Philippe’s success?  On episode 16 of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, we sit down with Pete Newlin, co-founder of Gastamo Group & Birdcall, to discuss the restaurant business, hospitality, Pete’s entrepreneurial journey from DU to successful restauranteur. Pete and his partner Jean-Philippe are the founders of several successful Denver based restaurants such as Birdcall, Park Burger, Homegrown Tap & Dough, Perdida, Lady Nomada & Park & CO. If this was not enough, they have started a music festival, Denver Deluxe. Don't miss out on this episode, as it transforms the way you apply life design to entrepreneurship, your career, and to provide insight as to how to make smart choices and prioritize tasks to support your broader life goals.

On our first episode of season two, we have, not one but, two amazing guests—Laura Louise Broady and Bob Kumagai providing their expertise and experience on life design; designing a life that provides opportunity for, both, personal and professional success; for those who want to take agency over their life. Don't miss out on this episode, as it transforms the way you apply life design to entrepreneurship, your career, and to provide insight as to how to make smart choices and prioritize tasks to support your broader life goals.

On episode 14 of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, we chat with Jon Niermann, co-founder and CEO of Loop TV. Niermann worked for the Walt Disney Company for over a decade, working his way up the ladder and eventually serving as President of Disney Asia. With years of corporate experience under his belt, Niermann left his C-Suite roles in pursuit of entrepreneurship. His current venture, Loop TV, has found success in the "out-of-home" streaming market. In September 2022, the company went public on the New York Stock Exchange

On episode 13 of the Entrepreneurship@DU Podcast, we chat with Janney Carpenter and John Sebesta, two experts in the Social Entrepreneurship field. Both Carpenter and Sebesta have several years of experience working first-hand with social enterprises, which are businesses and organizations that leverage market forces to address social issues. As the world's problems become more complex, subjects like environmental sustainability and social justice are being incorporated into more and more organizations, whether they take form as nonprofits, for-profit businesses, or B Corporations.