What actually moves a small town forward? It's not a lack of ideas, it's a lack of execution. This episode digs into the mindset shift from planning to ownership, showing how consistent action, local investment, and focusing on the people who show up can create real momentum over time. It's a practical, experience-based take on how we make things happen on the ground.

About Andrew: After a 15-year career working in rural North America with the various businesses and economic development organizations, Andrew founded Mashup Lab (www.mashuplab.ca); a for-more-than-profit company focused on one thing: unleashing the entrepreneurial potential of rural places.

Mashup Lab's activities fall under two business units; virtual business incubation programming, and a network of rural co-working spaces that operate under the brand WorkEvolved (www.WorkEvolved.ca).

To date Mashup Lab has successfully scaled its Virtual Business Incubator to rural regions throughout Canada & the US, working with more than 1,200 entrepreneurs to start and grow 700+ businesses in 600+ rural communities.

Andrew is also co-founder of Awesome South Shore (www.awesomesouthshore.ca), a community-backed micro-fund that has given away over $90,000 in no-strings-attached cash to people that want to do something awesome in their community.

Andrew holds an MBA from Saint Mary's University and a BBA from Acadia University. Most recently he was selected into the Wallace McCain Institute's Entrepreneurial Leaders Program as one the Top 30 high-growth potential entrepreneurs in Atlantic Canada.

Andrew is from a small rural community in Newfoundland, married a girl from a small rural community in Nova Scotia (Eva) that they now call home with their two boys (James & Josh).

In this episode, we cover:

• Why most communities don't have an idea problem—they have an execution problem

• The difference between chasing big wins and building sustainable, incremental growth

• How to think about participation without getting stuck on who isn't involved

• What generational transition really means—and how to adapt instead of resist it

• Why ownership, not titles or committees, is the real driver of progress

Links + Resources Mentioned: 1) Folks can connect with Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abutton/

2) If listeners would like to chat about what they're working on in their small town and how Andrew and/or Mashup Lab might be helpful (or anything else we touch on during our conversation, for that matter!), Andrew is kindly offering a free, no obligation Discovery Call! Book here: https://tidycal.com/mashuplab/discovery-call

3) If listeners would like more details on our Dream Business Program (aka Mashup Lab Virtual Business Incubator), please fill out this form: https://wkf.ms/4bMNmhV

Want to get your business in front of our audience? We are looking for podcast sponsors! Each season, we feature a select group of Small Business Partners—brands that share our mission to celebrate small-town life and big ideas. With a 4–6% average Facebook engagement rate (well above the industry average), 2,600+ loyal followers, and 45,000 monthly content views, we have an amazing, highly engaged audience of people who can't wait to learn more about you. When we feature you, your story, and your product/service, it's like a friend's recommendation, because it is. Want to know more? Reach out to us at [email protected] We have a membership! Join the GST Club — a virtual support community built for those leading change in small-town America. For $30/month, you'll get twice-monthly live calls with Rebecca, access to a private network of fellow small-town changemakers, replay recordings, frameworks, and early access to GST events. It's for anyone from volunteers and entrepreneurs to city officials who believe small towns deserve big ideas and better leadership. Part think-tank. Part pep-talk. Part creative jam session. All support. We Want to Hear From You! We really, really do, and if you'll let us, we'd love to feature your actual message just like we did with Terri's (with your permission, of course!) Some of the best parts about radio shows and podcasts are listener call-ins, so we've decided to make those a part of the Growing Small Towns Podcast. We really, really want to hear from you! We're have two "participation dance" elements of the show:

1. "Small town humblebrags": Call in and tell us about something amazing you did in your small town so we can celebrate with you. No win is too small—we want to hear it all, and we will be excessively enthusiastic about whatever it is! You can call in for your friends, too, because giving shout-outs is one of our favorite things.

2. "Solving Your Small-Town People Challenges": Have a tough issue in your community? We want to help. Call in and tell us about your problem, and we'll solve it on an episode of the podcast. Want to remain anonymous? Totally cool, we can be all secretive and stuff. We're suave like that.

If you've got a humblebrag or a tricky people problem, call 701-203-3337 and leave a message with the deets. We really can't wait to hear from you!

Get In Touch Have an idea for a future episode/guest, have feedback or a question, or just want to chat? Email us at [email protected]

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