Outsider Inc.
Podcast Description
Outsider Inc. is dedicated to visionary leaders breaking the mold of tech entrepreneurship. Hosted by Ian Hathaway—co-author of The Startup Community Way: Evolving an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and co-founder of seed-stage venture capital firm FOVC—each episode delivers exclusive interviews and insider insights from exceptional founders building generation-defining companies. Join us for an in-depth exploration into the real-life stories of entrepreneurs from unexpected places and backgrounds who overcame early setbacks, built resilient teams without following the traditional Silicon Valley playbook, and created thriving ecosystems in overlooked markets. Whether you’re a first-time founder, seasoned innovator, or investor, you’ll gain actionable strategies, unconventional wisdom, and practical takeaways to help you navigate your entrepreneurial journey—no matter where you come from. Join our community today by subscribing on your favorite podcast app and dive even deeper on our newsletter at outsiderinc.substack.com.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast centers around themes of entrepreneurship, resilience, and community impact, featuring guests from diverse backgrounds who have built successful companies outside traditional tech hubs. Episodes include discussions on building businesses amid economic challenges, fostering local talent, and creating supportive ecosystems, such as the inaugural episode with Scott Dorsey discussing the founding of ExactTarget and its implications for the Indianapolis tech landscape.
Outsider Inc. is dedicated to visionary leaders breaking the mold of tech entrepreneurship. Hosted by Ian Hathaway—co-author of The Startup Community Way: Evolving an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and co-founder of seed-stage venture capital firm FOVC—each episode delivers exclusive interviews and insider insights from exceptional founders building generation-defining companies. Join us for an in-depth exploration into the real-life stories of entrepreneurs from unexpected places and backgrounds who overcame early setbacks, built resilient teams without following the traditional Silicon Valley playbook, and created thriving ecosystems in overlooked markets. Whether you’re a first-time founder, seasoned innovator, or investor, you’ll gain actionable strategies, unconventional wisdom, and practical takeaways to help you navigate your entrepreneurial journey—no matter where you come from. Join our community today by subscribing on your favorite podcast app and dive even deeper on our newsletter at outsiderinc.substack.com.
In this episode of Outsider Inc., host Ian Hathaway sits down with Seth Levine, co-founder and longtime partner at Foundry, to explore a two-decade journey at the center of entrepreneurship, venture capital, and ecosystem building outside traditional power centers. Levine reflects on helping build Foundry into a top-tier venture firm based in Boulder, his belief in entrepreneurship as a driver of economic mobility, and the lessons behind his new book Capital Evolution. He also discusses backing overlooked founders, the philosophy of “give first,” winding down Foundry by design, and his latest chapter launching Good Bread, a lending platform that expands access to capital for small business owners traditionally shut out of the financial system.
Show Notes:
(02:10) Why Entrepreneurship Fuels Job Creation and Innovation
(03:25) Capital Evolution and the Case for Dynamic Capitalism
(06:05) Long-Term Thinking vs. Short-Term Market Pressure
(08:45) Declining Economic Dynamism and Barriers to Opportunity
(12:00) Family Roots, Class Mobility, and Early Entrepreneurial Influence
(15:45) Lessons from the Dot-Com Boom, Bust, and Corporate Humility
(19:30) Entering Venture Capital After the Crash
(23:10) Founding Foundry and Betting on Non-Coastal Startups
(27:05) Backing Overlooked Founders and Scrappy Entrepreneurs
(31:40) Building a National Venture Platform from Boulder
(35:10) Deciding to Wind Down Foundry and Make Space for New Funds
(38:30) Writing The New Builders and Reframing Entrepreneurship
(41:30) Launching Good Bread to Expand Access to Small Business Capital
(45:45) What Makes Startup Ecosystems Resilient Around the World
(49:40) The Enduring Power of “Give First”
(54:00) Beyond the Bio: Seth Levine
✅ Host: Ian Hathway – Co-Founder & Managing Partner, FOVC
✅ Guest: Seth Levine, Co-Founder of Foundry
Produced by Spellbinder Media. Executive Produced by Bridge Five Ventures. Copyright ©️2025, Bridge Five Ventures, LLC, All rights reserved.
Listen & subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or at outsiderinc.substack.com.
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