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Live with Living Cities
"Live with Living Cities" is a podcast that explores the work, impact, and partnerships driving inclusive economic growth in cities across the United States. Hosted by Living Cities, this series highlights innovative strategies, transformative policies, and community-driven solutions that expand access to capital and create a more inclusive economy.
Episodes introduce who we are, what we do, and feature insightful conversations with changemakers—from government leaders and nonprofit innovators to entrepreneurs and residents—working to remove barriers to financial opportunity. Through storytelling, expert analysis, and real-world case studies, Live with Living Cities uncovers the challenges and successes of building economic systems that work for everyone.
Listeners gain a behind-the-scenes look at initiatives that drive investment in undercapitalized communities, foster entrepreneurship, and help more people build long-term financial security. Whether discussing new models of capital deployment, public-private partnerships, or community-led investment strategies, this podcast provides actionable insights for those committed to driving meaningful economic change.
Join us as we amplify the voices of leaders, share lessons from the field, and explore what it takes to build cities where everyone has the resources and opportunities to thrive.
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Live with Living Cities
Beyond Silos: How Cities Build the Relationships Small Businesses Actually Need
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This month on Live with Living Cities, we're replaying the first in our Rewiring Capital for Strong Local Economies webinar series. In this webinar our facilitator and guests explore the role cities play in shaping the relationships that help small businesses move from survival to long-term growth.
While many local governments invest in programs intended to support entrepreneurs, uneven participation, low capital readiness, and fragmented efforts across departments remain common challenges. This conversation looks at why that happens and what cities can do differently. Centering examples from across the country, the discussion highlights how strong coordination within city government, combined with intentional partnerships with community-based organizations, can create a more connected and effective small business ecosystem.
Rather than focusing only on funding or individual programs, this episode examines the relational groundwork that makes those efforts work: trust, shared understanding, access to information, and collaboration across systems. Listeners will gain insight into how cities can serve as ecosystem builders and connectors, and how stronger internal and external relationships can open new pathways for entrepreneurs to become investment-ready and fully participate in local economies.
This episode features Andrea Blackman, Chief Impact Officer for the City of Nashville; Alycia Levels Moore, Main Street America consultant and Owner and Founder of ASL Creative Firm and POLARIS; Sheila Nelms, Senior Associate for Local Impact and Innovation at Living Cities; and Nia Webster, Assistant Director in the City of Kansas City’s Neighborhood Services Department.
You can view the webinar's slide deck here.