Urban Game Changers Podcast Archive - Urban Entrepreneurship Initiative

Alecia Gabriel and Deirdre Roberson are scientists who left the academic and corporate worlds on a mission to make STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) excellence a fact of life for young people from all segments of society. Their mission was born of their experiences in Detroit, Michigan, where they found that their own excellence in science was all too rare. They set out to correct that situation with their business, The Lab Drawer, and in doing so, developed a B2B (business-to-business) model that amplifies the reach and effectiveness of their venture. Based on what they’ve learned, they aim to scale what they’ve built to create widespread, equitable access to STEAM knowledge and careers.

In this episode of the Urban Game Changers podcast, the founders of The Lab Drawer discuss their mission to expand access to STEAM (STEM + Arts) education through hands-on learning experiences for K–12 students. The conversation explores how early exposure to science and technology can shape career pathways, especially for students historically underrepresented in STEM fields. The guests explain how their company partners with school districts, universities, and youth organizations to provide engaging, educational kits and curriculum experiences. They also discuss the importance of representation, creativity, and entrepreneurship in building educational systems that prepare students for the future workforce. The episode closes with a discussion about AI, emerging technologies, and why human-centered, physical learning experiences may become even more important in a rapidly digitizing world.

00:00 – Introduction to The Lab Drawer Overview of the company mission and why STEM exposure matters early in childhood.
05:00 – The Origins of the Company The founders discuss their backgrounds and the inspiration behind creating The Lab Drawer.
12:00 – Why Representation in STEM Matters Discussion on exposing children to scientists and innovators who look like them.
18:00 – Creating Hands-On STEM Kits How the company develops experiential learning products for schools and youth organizations.
23:38 – Naming “The Lab Drawer” Story behind the company name and the evolution from early prototypes to current kits.
29:00 – Business Model & Customers Discussion of the company’s B2B model serving school districts, STEM organizations, and universities.
36:00 – Building Inclusive Futures Through STEM Why diverse participation in STEM leads to better societal outcomes.
43:00 – Creativity, Entrepreneurship, and Problem Solving The founders discuss how artistic thinking shaped the company’s growth and innovation process.
50:00 – AI, Technology, and the Future of Education Conversation around AI as a collaborative tool and preparing students for emerging careers.

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Bill Brinkerhoff and Kathy Sample are the co-founders of Argus Farm Stop, a pioneering local food business designed to strengthen regional farms while expanding community access to fresh, locally sourced food. Since launching Argus in 2014, they have developed a farmer-first model that has returned millions of dollars to producers and helped demonstrate how mission-driven business can support both economic and social impact. Through their work in food systems innovation, entrepreneurship, and community development, they continue to advance a replicable model for building stronger local economies from the ground up.

In this episode of Urban Game Changers, host David Tarver sits down with Bill Brinkerhoff and Kathy Sample, co-founders of Argus Farm Stop, to explore how a mission-driven grocery model can strengthen local economies, support small farms, and expand food access. From the origins of Argus to the mechanics of its farmer-first 70/30 revenue model, the conversation reveals how entrepreneurship, systems thinking, and community values come together in practice. Bill and Kathy share how Argus has grown into a replicable model for local food infrastructure, discuss scaling through impact rather than extraction, and reflect on what it means to build a business where success is measured not just by profits, but by the strength of the ecosystem it helps create.

00:00 Introduction to Argus Farm Stop and the farm stop model
03:42 How the idea for Argus began
10:18 Building a farmer-first business model
18:34 Why local food systems matter for communities
26:55 Can the farm stop model scale?
30:02 Inside the 70/30 revenue model and how Argus makes money
34:52 Tour of the market: sourcing, merchandising, and local producers
42:00 Reducing food waste and managing operations
51:35 Produce boxes, logistics, and growing the model
55:05 Measuring impact and growing the local food ecosystem
58:08 What Argus can teach us about business and community
1:03:43 Venture capital, impact capital, and protecting the mission
1:06:04 Closing reflections

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Lisa Prasad emigrated to Michigan from India at age 10. She learned English by watching episodes of Gilligan’s Island, an experience that was an early indication of Lisa’s voracious curiosity about her newfound home and the world in general. By the time Lisa completed her college education at University of Michigan and University of Pennsylvania, she had the analytical and business skills to turn her curiosity into real value.

Lisa cut her teeth as an urban innovator by first working in the consulting industry, then working for a pioneering U Penn initiative to revitalize the West Philadelphia neighborhood around the university. She later took what she learned from that effort to co-found U3 Ventures, a company dedicated to revitalizing the community around “anchor institutions” like universities and hospital systems. This work brought Lisa back to Michigan, where she is today the Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Henry Ford Health. In her current role, Lisa is leading a new wave of health care innovation and incubating a new cadre of health care entrepreneurs.

In this episode of Urban Game Changers, Lisa Prasad, Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Henry Ford Health, shares her journey from consulting and academia to entrepreneurship and healthcare leadership. She discusses how innovation happens inside complex systems, the role of anchor institutions in driving economic development, and how Detroit is emerging as a hub for healthcare innovation. Lisa breaks down the realities of building and scaling new ventures—emphasizing that the most successful founders start with a clearly defined problem, not just a compelling idea or technology. She also offers a behind-the-scenes look at how health systems evaluate, pilot, and commercialize new technologies, and what it takes for startups to successfully navigate highly regulated environments. From lessons learned during the 2008 financial crisis to building innovation ecosystems that connect clinicians, entrepreneurs, and investors, this conversation highlights the intersection of entrepreneurship, healthcare, and community impact—and what it really takes to turn ideas into meaningful change.

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to Urban Game Changers and share this episode with someone building or supporting ventures in their community.

00:00 — Why startups fail to define the problem
00:26 — Introduction to Lisa Prasad & Henry Ford Health
01:08 — A non-linear career across consulting, startups, and healthcare
02:10 — Growing up between India and the U.S. & embracing uncertainty
03:15 — Education: University of Michigan & UPenn
04:24 — Starting in consulting: lessons from early career
06:05 — The pros and limits of consulting work
08:20 — Moving to University of Pennsylvania & community development
09:24 — Transforming West Philadelphia: anchor institution strategy
13:05 — How institutions catalyze private investment
15:53 — Becoming an accidental entrepreneur (U3 Ventures)
18:00 — The realities of starting a company
21:24 — Navigating the 2008 financial crisis as a founder
23:20 — Applying anchor strategies to cities like Detroit
25:03 — Commercializing innovation inside healthcare systems
28:00 — Returning to Michigan & building Henry Ford Innovations
29:25 — What the Innovation Institute actually does
32:30 — Example: solving hospital inefficiencies (OR delays)
34:49 — How healthcare systems generate ROI from innovation
36:00 — How startups partner with large health systems
37:00 — The #1 mistake founders make
38:30 — Evaluating startups: what makes the cut
39:40 — Turning ideas into real-world healthcare solutions
41:00 — Building an innovation ecosystem in Detroit
43:00 — Measuring success in innovation programs
46:30 — What founders don’t understand about healthcare adoption
50:00 — Lessons from a career across sectors
52:00 — Empathy for entrepreneurs navigating uncertainty
54:00 — Scaling innovation at Henry Ford Health
55:00 — Final advice: just start

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Jonathan Kumar was born in Buffalo, New York, where his parents had landed after migrating from India. His father was a student, his mother a homemaker. They barely had enough to get by, but supportive community organizations and people made an important difference and enabled the family to survive and later thrive in their adopted country.

Jonathan didn’t forget that lesson. As a business school student at the University of Michigan, he grew familiar with entrepreneurship as a career path. Though he had not intended to be a “social entrepreneur,” his early experiences in business and advice from a trusted mentor pushed him in that direction. He moved to Seattle after graduation, and seeing the large numbers of people living on the streets there motivated him toward finding a solution.

In this episode of Urban Game Changers, Samaritan founder Jonathan Kumar shares a candid look at what it takes to build and sustain a venture in a field that doesn’t seem amenable to entrepreneurial solutions. He unpacks the realities of addressing homelessness through technology and business model innovation, and highlights challenges related to public perception, access to capital, and limitations of traditional philanthropy. The conversation explores a key shift in thinking: moving from donor-dependent models to customer-driven, sustainable solutions. Jonathan reflects on his career journey, which didn’t initially include thoughts of being a “social entrepreneur.” He emphasizes resilience, adaptability, and the satisfaction he derives from solving important problems for “real people.” This episode offers a grounded perspective on what it means to build for impact—balancing mission with strategy, and vision with execution.

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to Urban Game Changers and share this episode with someone building or supporting ventures in their community.

00:00 – The Reality of Homelessness in Seattle
Opening reflection on visible human suffering and the problem that sparked the mission

00:14 – Introduction to Jonathan Kumar & Samaritan
Overview of Samaritan as a for-profit solution to homelessness

01:24 – Immigrant Upbringing & Early Exposure to Poverty
Growing up on public assistance and the impact of community support

03:25 – Education & Early Entrepreneurial Path (University of Michigan)
Informatics, interdisciplinary learning, and startup exposure

06:59 – First Ventures & Entrepreneurial Origins
North Campus community building, TEDx, and self-created opportunities

09:00 – Building a Startup Without a Path
Creating your own internship → documentary → early startup thinking

11:00 – Food Circles: First Startup & Key Pivot
From “eBay for restaurants” to a social impact business model

13:00 – Solving Needs vs Wants
The critical shift toward meaningful, mission-driven entrepreneurship

14:30 – Expansion Challenges & Business Model Failure
Scaling to new markets and why unit economics didn’t work

16:00 – Moving to Seattle & Facing Failure
Second market struggles and questioning long-term direction

19:00 – Food Circles as “Grad School” for Entrepreneurship
Lessons learned from failure, sales, and building

20:00 – Identifying the Real Problem: Homelessness
Observing systemic issues and missed opportunities to help

21:00 – The Idea Behind Samaritan
Making giving easier, more effective, and more human

22:00 – Customer Discovery on the Streets
Conducting hundreds of interviews with unhoused individuals

23:30 – Key Insight: Relational Poverty
Why lack of social capital—not just money—drives homelessness

26:30 – Why It’s So Hard to Escape Homelessness
The compounding barriers: health, sleep, logistics, and stigma

28:00 – Can You Build a Business Solving This?
The challenge of making impact both scalable and sustainable

29:00 – For-Profit vs Nonprofit Decision
Why scale, technology, and sustainability led to a for-profit model

30:00 – Funding Challenges in Social Innovation
Why traditional philanthropy doesn’t fund tech solutions

32:00 – Customers vs Donors Mindset Shift
Building a repeatable, scalable business vs relying on donations

34:30 – The Origin of Samaritan (Pitch Story)
Rewriting a pitch mid-flight → silent pitch → early traction

36:00 – Startup Weekend & First Team Formation
Finding a technical co-founder and building the first prototype

37:00 – Initial Business Model: Transactions & Donations
Bluetooth beacons + app-based giving experiment

39:00 – Why the First Model Failed
User adoption challenges and unsustainable monetization

40:00 – First Breakthrough Story (Charles)
How trust + consistent engagement led to housing outcomes

44:00 – Proving Value to Nonprofits
How Samaritan improved engagement and outcomes

45:00 – Early Funding & Survival
Living lean + small angel investments

46:00 – First Real Customer: Paul Allen’s Real Estate Group
$100K pilot validating the model

48:00 – Evolving Toward a Sustainable Model
Shifting from philanthropy to outcome-driven funding

50:00 – The Pivot to Healthcare as a Customer
Why hospitals and insurers became the key revenue driver

52:00 – How the Healthcare Model Works
Reducing ER visits → saving money → creating a viable business

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Carla Walker-Miller is Founder and CEO of Walker-Miller Energy Services, a Detroit-based energy efficiency and clean energy solutions company focused on helping utilities, communities, and businesses reduce energy burden while expanding economic opportunity. A civil engineer by training, she began her career in the power and electrical equipment industry with Westinghouse (later ABB), where she spent nearly two decades in sales engineering and distribution leadership roles across the United States. Known for her leadership at the intersection of energy, entrepreneurship, and community impact, Carla has built a career centered on advancing access, innovation, and long-term economic vitality in Detroit and beyond. This episode is the second in a two-part series. Episode 1 focused on Carla’s origin story. This episode focuses on Carla’s experience building Walker Miller Energy Services.

Carla Walker-Miller explains how she left her corporate position at ABB after spotting a gap: manufacturers sold complex utility equipment but often neglected after-sale service and reliability. She built Walker-Miller Energy Services around that missing support layer and kept the company name to honor her father and father-in-law. She describes the hard transition into entrepreneurship, including learning that large-company cost assumptions did not translate to a small business. The 2008–2009 financial crisis then wiped out demand, triggered cancellations, and pushed her into debt, forcing her to improvise new revenue streams and rebuild.

The conversation shifts to Michigan energy policy creating an energy efficiency market through utility mandates. Walker-Miller entered first as a trade ally, then scaled into a prime implementation contractor managing utility contracts, budgets, and KPIs at large scale. She emphasizes workforce development through BPI certification, and says the company’s advantage is a values-driven culture focused on equity, stewardship, and delivering results with low stress, anchored by her line: courage is a renewable resource.

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Carla Walker-Miller is Founder and CEO of Walker-Miller Energy Services, a Detroit-based energy efficiency and clean energy solutions company focused on helping utilities, communities, and businesses reduce energy burden while expanding economic opportunity. A civil engineer by training, she began her career in the power and electrical equipment industry with Westinghouse (later ABB), where she spent nearly two decades in sales engineering and distribution leadership roles across the United States. Known for her leadership at the intersection of energy, entrepreneurship, and community impact, Carla has built a career centered on advancing access, innovation, and long-term economic vitality in Detroit and beyond. This episode (pt. 1) focuses on Carla’s origin story. The next episode (pt. 2) will focus on her experience building WM Energy Services.

This episode (part 1) focuses on Carla’s origin story. The next episode (part 2) will focus on her experience building WM Energy Services.

In this episode, Carla Walker-Miller, reflects on her journey from growing up in a large, hardworking family in Nashville to navigating the realities of corporate America as a young engineer. She shares how a full-ride scholarship shaped her path into engineering, the lessons she learned during nearly two decades in the energy industry with Westinghouse and ABB, and the emotional toll of constantly proving she belonged in spaces where she was often the only one. Through candid stories—including a pivotal moment when a distributor refused to work with her—Carla explains why performance alone is not always enough for success. The conversation follows her move to Detroit in 1990, where family, resilience, and community ultimately reshaped her perspective and laid the foundation for her future as an entrepreneur.

The post Queen of Clean (*energy) – Pt. 1 appeared first on Urban Entrepreneurship Initiative.

In this episode of Urban Game Changers, we speak with Nathan Baar, Founder and CEO of HealthBar, a Grand Rapids–based healthcare service reimagining how primary and preventive care is delivered. HealthBar operates a hybrid model that embeds clinical teams directly into workplaces and schools, supported by virtual access via phone, text, and email. Health Bar makes primary medical care care more accessible, personal, and proactive.

Nathan explains how HealthBar’s fixed-fee, cash-based model shifts incentives away from volume-driven sick care and toward healthy outcomes. By contracting directly with organizations instead of billing insurance, HealthBar provides unlimited primary care services while reducing reliance on emergency rooms, urgent care, and hospital systems. The intended result is better health for patients and lower costs for organizations.

The conversation also explores Nathan’s journey from registered nurse and emergency department director to entrepreneur, including the challenges of bootstrapping through COVID, navigating financial risk, and rebuilding the business around a long-term vision. We discuss healthcare access in urban communities, the importance of trust and continuity in care, and what aspiring healthcare entrepreneurs should understand before trying to scale a solution.

This episode offers a candid look at what it takes to build a mission-driven healthcare business: one focused on relationships, prevention, and sustainable impact.

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In this episode of Urban Game Changers, David talks on location with Justin Kosmides and Chris Nolte, co-founders of Bloom, about delivering a new way for hardware companies to build, scale, and operate in today’s evolving mobility economy.

Drawing on backgrounds spanning investment banking, e-bike manufacturing, sales, and national distribution, Justin and Chris share why Bloom was founded in Detroit and how the company connects hardware brands with North American manufacturing, logistics, and operations partners. Bloom wants to be the place where startups and established companies alike go to create a custom, purpose-built supply chain for their new-age mobility products. Ultimately, they aim to make it almost as easy to produce an e-bike as it is to produce an e-book. Bloom aims to build supply chains for a wide range of mobility products, including small delivery vehicles, scooters, drones, and devices that have not yet been envisioned.

During the informal conversation, David, Justin, and Chris explore the meteoric rise and precipitous fall of the U.S. e-bike industry, the broader shift toward domestic production, and how emerging technologies like micro-mobility, drones, and robotics are reshaping the urban scene.

This conversation highlights how smart systems, local talent, and efficient supply chains can unlock sustainable growth while strengthening cities and communities.

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After medical school, Dr. Thomas left the traditional insurance-based healthcare system determined to build a patient-first model centered on transparency, trust, and long-term relationships. We discuss the real challenges facing urban healthcare, how Plum Health serves a diverse Detroit community, and why momentum around Direct Primary Care is growing nationwide.

Dr. Thomas’s practice shows what can happen when healthcare is treated not just as a service, but as a foundation for community vitality and economic stability.

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Dr. Cleamon Moorer is striving to bring quality vision care to every neighborhood.

Dr. Cleamon Moorer is on a mission to deliver quality vision care to homebound people in Detroit and throughout the state of Michigan. It is a mission born of his personal experience. Cleamon Moorer was born with congenital cataracts in both eyes. By the age of 21, he was legally blind, and his family could not afford the surgery needed to restore his vision. In a desperate bid, his mother penned a heartfelt letter to the Grace Guild of Sinai-Grace Hospital, and the Guild stepped in and covered the cost of the surgery. That act of mercy was the driving force. Today, Dr. Moorer is a businessman who is determined to create a sustainable, scalable operation to address the vision needs of many. We dropped by to get to know Dr. Moorer, to understand his business model, and to discuss his vision and aspirations.

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