Today I’m joined by John Dearie — founder and president of the Center for American Entrepreneurship, a nonpartisan policy and advocacy organization in Washington, D.C.

As the policy director at the Financial Services Forum, a CEO-led industry association, John had a front-row seat to the 2008 financial crisis. In the wake of that upheaval, he began to realize something critical: Washington’s traditional stimulus playbook was no longer working. Policymakers were out of fresh ideas for how to spark real economic growth and job creation.

That insight led him to a powerful revelation: entrepreneurship is the engine of the American economy — and it’s profoundly misunderstood.

In our conversation, John offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the economy really works — and what most people, including policymakers, get wrong about entrepreneurship. We explore the surprising data that changed his perspective, the policies that could unlock innovation, and why mindset — not capital — is the most important entrepreneurial resource.

If you’ve ever wondered how everyday entrepreneurs can reshape our economy and our future — this episode is for you.