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Welcome to Florida State University's official entrepreneurship and innovation podcast, The InNOLEvation® Mindset! Hosted by Mark McNees and powered by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. This podcast features audio and video versions of our podcast, which highlights student and alumni entrepreneurs and innovators from FSU.
Get inspired by the next generation of young business leaders and hear their inside stories. Learn from faculty who teach entrepreneurship and innovation courses at FSU as they share key insights.
On this channel, you'll find:
-Full video episodes of our podcast conversations with founders of startups born at FSU
-Business advice and thought leadership from FSU professors focused on entrepreneurship
-Fireside chats and interviews recorded live with enterprising alumni making their mark
-Special segments and speaker events at FSU focused on innovation
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a current business owner, or you just love hearing success stories - subscribe now to see inspiring individuals daring to turn ideas into reality. With new episodic content added regularly, The Innovation Mindset podcast tells tales of vision, grit, failure, and triumph straight from the FSU community.
This channel visually brings the podcast to life with photos, graphics, and video. Join us by subscribing if you bleed garnet and gold!
Episodes
May 24, 2026
May 24, 2026
51 min
The InNOLEvation® Mindset Host Mark McNees interviews Michael Dalby, CEO of the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, about what surprised him after arriving (the scale of business tied to government), the region’s distinct North Florida character, and why students should engage with the chamber as a connector to local employers and opportunities. Dalby discusses Tallahassee’s “innovation economy” potential driven by FSU, FAMU, TSC, and research assets, and the need to bridge university IP into the marketplace through support systems like IGNITE, plus post-incubator real estate, mentorship, and a more growth-oriented regulatory environment. He describes the importance of balancing small business strength with attracting larger employers, cites Austin and Columbus as transformation examples, and notes challenges like air connectivity, limited business/industrial parks, and trailing spouse jobs. The conversation highlights quality-of-life strengths, collaboration across sectors, and a gap in local angel/seed capital; Dalby closes with advice on giving yourself grace and learning to sell.
Powered by: FSU, Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
00:49 Tallahassee Business Surprise
01:56 Discovering the City
02:52 What the Chamber Does
04:20 Universities and Innovation
06:23 Building the Innovation Economy
08:29 Chamber Priorities and Identity
10:58 Small Business Support Network
12:38 Keeping Startups Local
14:28 Economic Mix and Corporate Growth
17:32 Models Austin and Columbus
21:23 Barriers Air Travel and Real Estate
25:41 Quality of Life Pushback
26:44 Tallahassee’s New Appeal
27:24 Commutes and Spouse Jobs
30:46 Growth Fears and City Balance
31:59 Building Opportunity Ecosystems
34:56 Who Must Be at the Table
38:21 Breaking Silos for Momentum
40:10 Outdoor Assets and Tourism Wins
42:34 Open-Door Business Culture
44:58 Student Feedback to the Chamber
46:15 Angel Investing Capital Gap
49:14 Career Advice Grace and Sales
50:35 Wrap-Up and Call to Action
May 23, 2026
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