In this episode of the Parallel Entrepreneur – Innovation Series, Mark Cleveland and Johnny Anderson sit down with Dakota Simpson, Chief Program Officer at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center.

Dakota is focused on a simple idea: founders don’t succeed in isolation. They succeed when the right systems, support, and structure are in place around them.

At the NEC, he leads the strategy and execution behind accelerator programs and founder development, helping entrepreneurs access the resources, networks, and guidance needed to grow.

But this conversation goes deeper.

It’s about what actually drives founder success beyond the idea.

They cover:
• Why ecosystems matter more than individual effort
• The role of structure in startup success
• What founders actually need at different stages
• Aligning programs, people, and outcomes
• Building more inclusive pathways to growth

Short, practical, and grounded in real experience.

Links 
- https://www.boringcompany.com/
- https://technologycouncil.com/
- https://nashvillechamber.com/
- https://ec.co/
- https://williamsonchamber.com/

About the Guest
Dakota Simpson is Chief Program Officer at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, where he leads startup accelerators and founder programming. With a background in government and nonprofit leadership, he focuses on building systems that improve access, strengthen execution, and help entrepreneurs grow with clarity and support.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dakota-simpson-566358306/

About the Hosts

Mark A. Cleveland
Managing Director at Kensington Park Capital, entrepreneur, M&A advisor, and host of the Parallel Entrepreneur Network
https://www.linkedin.com/in/macleveland/

Johnny Anderson
Nashville tech leader, GNTC board member, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center, and host of The Impodsters™
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyonbrand/

Links & Resources

👉 Learn more about the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center (EIC):
https://www.wcs.edu/secondary/entrepreneurship-innovation-center-eic

👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network:
https://www.parallelentrepreneur.com/#about-me

👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders building aligned systems across business, education, and community.

👍 If this episode resonated, leave a comment or share it with someone shaping the future of leadership.

Chapters
00:00:00 Speed to market and why it matters
00:00:50 Meet Dakota Simpson + role overview
00:01:54 What innovation actually means
00:02:40 Building a founder support system
00:03:42 The current surge in entrepreneurship
00:05:02 Growth in founder demand and programs
00:06:14 Shifts in founder demographics
00:07:46 Younger founders entering earlier
00:09:08 The rise of the parallel entrepreneur
00:10:32 Lower barriers and earlier risk-taking
00:11:05 Entrepreneurship by acquisition
00:11:37 AI’s impact on founders
00:12:30 What AI means for SaaS and business models
00:13:55 Speed of change and access to knowledge
00:15:00 What founders actually need to succeed
00:17:30 Building systems that support growth
00:19:30 Final thoughts on supporting entrepreneurs
00:21:00 Episode close