Sports teams are one of the greatest motivators of our time. They inspire commitment, dedication and risk-taking. they also teach us a thing or two about an individual’s ability to push limits, manage success and failure as a learning step to becoming great. Moreover, sports teams tend to be inclusive, diverse and unscripted. These cultural characteristics are critical traits of successful entrepreneurs and thriving innovation ecosystems. 

But what about the similarities of startups and the actual management of the franchise? In 2018, the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrated ten years since relocating from Seattle and changing its name from the Seattle SuperSonics. Since the move, the team has seen a drastic evolution, but the transition and beginning of a new brand in a new market, hasn’t always been a smooth ride. Similar to the argument some still make that a startup can’t be prosperous outside larger markets with abundant access to capital, there were several people who questioned the viability that a professional sports franchise would survive in a smaller market.

Join us as Brian Byrnes, Senior Executive with the Oklahoma City Thunder recaps the last ten years of the team, the transition from Seattle to Oklahoma City, the loss of high profile players and recruitment of new ones and their ultimate strategy for success: community. 

Sylvan Goldman invented the shopping cart in the mid-1930s. Like a lot of entrepreneurs, Goldman was solving a problem for himself. He owned a supermarket in Ardmore, Oklahoma called Humpty Dumpy and although business was good, he knew he’d be able to sell more if he could figure out how customers could carry more products while shopping. Although Goldman continued to make modifications to his original design, it was another Oklahoma inventor who managed to make the shopping cart more functional for parents. 

Imagine going grocery shopping with a toddler and a newborn. The toddler is in the cart seat, and the baby carrier is in the basket taking up all the room where your groceries are supposed to go. What do you do?

Lisa Pinnell, the Founder and Inventor of Binxy Baby found herself in this situation and felt very frustrated. At first, she tried using front and back carriers, then baby wraps, she even resorted to pushing two carts at the same time, and although that was a great workout, it didn’t really solve the problem. After sharing her frustration with her husband Matt, they decided to come up with a solution. 

Using her experience as a purse maker in college, Lisa invented a shopping cart hammock that wraps around the cart and leaves room for groceries around and under the baby. Lisa and Matt worked on at least 50 prototypes before going to market. The product is now sold all over the world. Matt and Lisa are well on their way to expansion and introducing additional products to their line. Matt recently became Lt. Governor of the State of Oklahoma as well as Secretary of Tourism and Branding. A position he is using to bring awareness to the importance of investing in local entrepreneurs, creatives and inventors. Join us as we learn more about Lisa and Matt’s journey, the early days of Binxy Baby and how they are managing the nuances of entrepreneurship and serving in public office.

Managing the nuances of returning to work, while caring for an infant is a heroic endeavor.  That’s why having the support of management and peers is not only encouraged but critical. Particularly for moms who choose to breastfeed. Nearly 4 million babies are born each year in America and according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 out of 10 moms choose to breastfeed. Many of these moms are going back to work quickly for economic reasons -- in fact, it’s not uncommon for women to cut their maternity leaves short. 

Companies that commit to supporting working mothers during this time, experience higher retention rates and increased engagement. Yet to this day, most workplaces don’t have access to a private and clean place to pump milk. This despite legislation requiring employers with 50 employees or more to provide ample break time and a private space other than a bathroom -- for nursing moms. 

Stephanie Conduff wants to change that. A lawyer by trade, Stephanie considered becoming America’s premiere lactation rights attorney. But, she quickly realized, she could get settlements for her clients but she wouldn’t achieve the social change she ultimately wanted. So she took an entrepreneurial approach instead and founded Leche Lounge, a company providing portable units for pumping and nursing mothers (and as she explains in the episode, dads too). Stephanie is defeating the odds on multiple levels. She has pitched on national competitions to prominent female investors and leaders like Ariana Huffington. As a bootstrapped founder, she has managed to place her product in multinational corporations, like Nike’s Headquarters in NY, airports, convention centers and she is even working with the Air Force to provide a solution for our servicewomen who are deployed while still breastfeeding. She’s also been featured on Good Morning America, Entrepreneur, and Forbes. Join us as we learn more about her journey of solving problems for working mothers while creating employment opportunities for the Cherokee Nation.

There have been three Presidents who’ve served as mayors prior to taking office. Grover Cleveland, served as the mayor of Buffalo, NY. Andrew Johnson, as mayor of Greeneville Tennessee and Calvin Coolidge as mayor of Northhampton, Massachusetts. Today, Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend, Indiana is running for the 2020 presidential bid - and until recently, many speculated that Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti would also run though he’s publicly decided against the presidential bid. 

Although, most people look at federal and state governments for solutions. When it comes to our most serious social, economic and environmental challenges, the roadmap to creating change often lies in the communities where people actually live and work. It all goes back to designing the city in which you’d like to live. That’s why we believe that Mayors can play a huge role in building sustainable economies and communities. 

In today’s episode, we follow one of those Mayors with a strong influence in the community. Oklahoma City’s Mayor, David Holt, was elected to office in 2018 with 78% of the vote. He is the youngest and first Native American person to serve as Mayor of Oklahoma City. Mayor Holt has a long history in public service. Prior to serving as Mayor, he served as State Senator, Chief of Staff to former Mayor Mick Cornett, and in the White House during the George W. Bush’s Administration. 

Mayor Holt believes that even though Oklahoma City has come far, as one of the fastest growing midsize cities in the country, the long-term sustainability of that growth, needs to ensure that every part of the city benefits from its momentum. 

Join us as we learn more about Oklahoma City’s Mayor early start in politics, his vision for a unified city and his approach to managing the fast pacing growth of one of the most up and coming cities in America.  

With only 18 percent of startups ever accessing a bank loan, finding community banks that see the long-term value of working with early stage entrepreneurs even if they are not bankable right away, is a rare find. Jill Castilla, President and CEO of Edmond Citizen’s Bank is one of those rare finds. As a Fintech inventor herself, she believes in fostering the next generation of businesses and has even transformed 15,000 square feet of unused office space into Vault 405, a co-sharing space for startups and early stage entrepreneurs. Jill is also a big proponent of organic growth and is the chief architect of Heard on Hurd, an outdoor community appreciation event drawing more than 45,000 visitors.

 But the Journey hasn’t been a smooth ride for Jill. She took over the bank at a time of turmoil and was forced to make difficult decisions in order to save the bank. She also had to deal with peers who didn’t believe in her unconventional approach. Jill ultimately led a successful turnaround and changed the bank’s story from one of near collapse and failure to one of transformation.

 Jill has been named “Most Innovative CEOs in Banking”, "Community Banker of the Year" and one of the "Most Powerful Women in Banking". But she still remembers her humble beginnings, and like most of us, she suffers from the impostor syndrome from time to time. Join us as we find out more about her passion for entrepreneurs and how she’s managed to keep her small bank competitive using technology and social media. 

After receiving a lot of criticism and little to no support when launching her bakery, Elizabeth Ellison identified a gap when it came to supporting entrepreneurs in the community. In a world where technology and high growth ventures tend to dominate the conversation, Elizabeth wanted to create a better environment for traditionally overlooked entrepreneurs - food entrepreneurs. Through her Family’s Foundation, she’s created several programs to support all types of entrepreneurs in Tulsa. Most recently she celebrated the launch of Mother Road Market, Tulsa’s first food hall where she houses 21 food entrepreneurs. But for someone who’s ran the NY Marathon, climbed the Colorado 14er, hiked the Inca Trail and completed the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon for fun, just helping entrepreneurs is not enough. Following her passion for criminal justice and leveraging her vast network in San Francisco, she helped manufacture a strategic partnership between The Last Mile, the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation, other philanthropists and government agencies to create a better pathway for incarcerated women in Oklahoma by teaching them how to code. 

Elizabeth describes herself as a mom to two boys (three if you count her husband Chris), Personal Assistant to two dogs, a runner and a terrible tennis player. Join us as she shares her passion for entrepreneurs, the struggles she’s had to overcome, and how she makes commuting between San Francisco and Tulsa work. 

How does an underdog win an election against a two-term incumbent by 17 points while running a very unconventional campaign? To win elections in today’s political environment conventional candidates often resort to their base, fear-based rhetoric and divisive instincts. But as a candidate for mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma, G.T. Bynum took on challenging equity conversations and decided to skip the smear campaigns. Instead he challenged the community to think like an entrepreneur and dream big again. 
Join us as Mayor Bynum recounts what he admires the most about his grandfather’s legacy and conviction, why he believes entrepreneurship is key to economic growth and how he applies his experience as a former business owner when tackling critical problems in the community.

This episode of the StitchCrew PodCast is a fascinating interview with Oklahoma State Senator, Stephanie Bice.  Stephanie joined the Senate at a time when Oklahoma was 49th in the country for female legislators, despite being one of only five females in the senate and a first-term senator, Stephanie received national attention when she managed to challenge the status quo by changing the Oklahoma Constitution to allow the modernization of the state liquor laws. The first overhaul since 1959.  We also get to know Stephanie on a personal level as we dive into what led her into politics in the first place after being a successful entrepreneur and working in multiple leadership roles for her family’s technology company. Enjoy! 

The role of barbershops has always been about more than a haircut. Barbershops have always propagated around creating a sense of community, dating back as early as 296 BC when greek men used to gather in marketplaces to get their hair and beards trimmed while debating politics and life. The trade was formally introduced in the US in the 19th century, as AB Moler opened a barber school in Chicago, making it the first institution of its kind anywhere in the world. It brought training, education and professionalism in the world of facial hair trimming, giving rise to a new industry.

Serving as a cultural staple, barbershops were one of the founding industries that boosted the African American economy after slavery was abolished by allowing black men to become entrepreneurs. Join us as we learn more about the founders of En-Root and Rooted, their journey, the challenges they’ve had to overcome and the impact they are having in the community.