What do you think of when you hear the word “entrepreneur”? For a lot of people, the same kind of image comes to mind: a founder, usually a man, who finds a gap in the market, builds something to fill it, and becomes incredibly wealthy—like Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos. In this episode, we challenge that prototype and the idea that entrepreneurship is only about risk, innovation, and profit. Because for many people, especially those from marginalized communities, entrepreneurship is about much more than making money. It’s about community, liberation, autonomy, and survival. We’re going to explore the concept of emancipatory entrepreneurship, and what it can teach us about who entrepreneurship is really for, and what can happen when it becomes more inclusive. 

This episode was made possible thanks to funding from Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce’s 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, with backing from the Government of Canada. GATE’s Busted podcast is also made possible by generous support from BMO.

Featured guests:  

Mick Elliott, PhD Candidate, Haskayne School of Business, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Calgary

Dr. Micah Rajunov, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alberta

Resources:

Pick, B. and Ravanera, C. (2026). Rainbows Ahead: Pathways for 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Research, Policy, and Practice. Institute for Gender and the Economy. https://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/faculty-and-research/research-centres/gender-economy/insights/reports/2026/rainbows-ahead/

Rainbow Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub: https://www.rekh.ca/

Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang 

Edited by: Ian Gormely