In addition to the discussion, our GEN Leadership will share updates on the future of GEW in the United States, and how you can continue to engage meaningfully with the movement.
Session Recap: Building a Stronger Global Entrepreneurship Week in the US
This session at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Indianapolis provided a deep dive into the strategies and tactics for expanding the reach and impact of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) campaigns across the United States. Led primarily by Gary, with initial remarks setting the stage, the discussion brought together GEW organizers, coordinators, and partners to share insights, challenges, and successes. A core philosophy emphasized throughout the session was to "catalyze, don't organize," focusing on empowering communities and partners to host events and activities, thereby building a decentralized, broad-based movement. The session highlighted the importance of collaboration, storytelling, and leveraging resources to lift up entrepreneurs and support startup ecosystems nationwide.
Session Outline
• Introduction and Welcome to the session on the US Global Entrepreneurship Week campaign.
• Overview of Global Entrepreneurship Week, its global reach, and its decentralized nature.
• Emphasis on the core philosophy: Catalyze, Don't Organize.
• Discussion of the Hallmarks of Successful GEW Campaigns in the US, including reaching all parts of a community, involving trusted partners, hosting high-profile events with VIPs, engaging credible brands, and securing media coverage.
• Presentation and discussion of Seven Tactics for Success, covering strategic guidance, building leadership committees, cultivating credible partners, recruiting champions, collecting metrics, securing resources, and unearthing impactful stories.
• Open discussion and sharing of experiences, challenges, and best practices by community organizers from various states, including Nevada, North Texas, Indiana, Florida, Michigan, Puerto Rico, and Arkansas.
• Discussion around aligning existing community events with GEW dates.
• Closing remarks and information on available resources and next steps.
Notable Quotes
• "We've been running Global Entrepreneurship Week since 2008. It's an advocacy campaign... The campaign slogan that we've adopted since day one... has always been... catalyze don't organize."
• "This isn't just me trying to get you... publicity for my organization. This is about trying to convince members of the press that this is a huge movement to support entrepreneurs and to lift them up."
• "People connect with people. Stories humanize data and mission. Stories inspire action, investment, and community."
Key Takeaways
• Empower Partners ("Catalyze, Don't Organize"): Rather than directly organizing all events, focus on enabling and supporting partners and community organizers to host their own activities during GEW, leading to a broader, more decentralized campaign.
• Build Strong Coalitions: Form committees and connect with trusted community leaders and organizations to build buy-in, expand reach to diverse demographics, and distribute the effort.
• Leverage Available Resources: Utilize specific audience guides, marketing materials, and the official GEW website (gw.co) to tailor outreach, streamline event listings, and provide visibility for partners.
• Prioritize Storytelling: Focus on collecting and sharing authentic stories from entrepreneurs and local change-makers to humanize the movement, demonstrate impact, and engage media and stakeholders more effectively than focusing solely on event details or organizational publicity.
• Be Present and Visible: Actively engage within your local ecosystem by attending other organizations' events to build relationships, identify potential partners, and advocate for GEW.
Resources Mentioned
• Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) official website: gw.co. Organizers are encouraged to create profiles and upload events here.
• GEW Audience Guides: Specific guides exist for reaching audiences such as military personnel, rural communities, college/universities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and military spouses.
• Post-GEW USA Survey: A survey sent around after GEW to collect data and metrics about campaigns.
• Marketing Material: Includes logos and other collateral for partners to use. Specific resources like speaker graphics and templates for creating video clips were also mentioned as helpful tools.
• Restreaming Tool: Mentioned as a tool used by one organizer to rebroadcast recorded events during GEW.
Action Items
• Community organizers should encourage their partners and event organizers to create profiles and upload their events directly onto the official GEW website (gw.co).
• Participants are asked to complete the post-GEW USA survey when it is sent out to contribute data and help demonstrate the campaign's impact.
• Local organizers are encouraged to compile a short list of 2–3 highlight events from their community campaign to share for potential national promotion.
• Organizers should write a preview article or narrative that paints a broader picture of the overall GEW celebration in their community, not just individual events.
• Individuals who are new to GEW or interested in becoming a community organizer are encouraged to connect with Gary.
To gain a deeper understanding of these strategies, hear firsthand accounts from community organizers, and get energized by the collective effort, we encourage you to listen to the full session audio or watch the video!
