29 - "Startup Mom" to Ecosystem Builder: Joelle Foster on Taking the Leap, Supporting Entrepreneurs, and Daring to Do!

# **"Startup Mom" to Ecosystem Builder: Joelle Foster on Taking the Leap, Supporting Entrepreneurs, and Daring to Do!**   **Featuring:** Joelle Foster, President & CEO of North Forge  In our latest episode of @exechotseatpodcast, Lisa Thompson and Amanda Buhse sit down with Joelle Foster, President and CEO of North Forge, entrepreneur, mentor, advocate, and one of the driving forces behind Manitoba's startup ecosystem. With a career spanning television, entrepreneurship, Futurepreneur, the University of Calgary, and the creation of North Forge, Joelle has spent decades helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into real businesses. She shares the lessons she's learned from working with more than 800 founders, including one quality she believes every successful entrepreneur needs: **coachability.** From taking on leadership roles before she felt ready, to moving her family to Calgary, returning home to Winnipeg, and helping build North Forge into one of Canada's most unique innovation hubs, Joelle's story is a powerful reminder that sometimes you have to take the leap before you feel completely prepared. The conversation also gets personal, as Joelle opens up about becoming a mother through adoption, how motherhood shaped her leadership style, and how the nickname "Startup Mom" came from the fiercely protective way she advocates for the entrepreneurs she believes in. Lisa, Amanda, and Joelle explore everything from entrepreneurship and funding to AI, women in tech, mentorship, financial literacy, and the importance of human connection in an increasingly digital world.  At its core, this episode is about having the courage to begin, staying open to feedback, and doing the hard, unglamorous work required to build something real. ## **Key Highlights:** 🗝️ Why coachability, emotional intelligence, and being willing to check your ego are critical traits for entrepreneurs 🗝️ What Joelle learned from stepping into major leadership roles before she felt completely ready — and why sometimes you just have to take the leap 🗝️ The personal story behind Joelle's "Startup Mom" nickname and how her experience as a mother has shaped the way she supports entrepreneurs 🗝️ Why understanding your customers and listening to the market can be more important than being in love with your original idea 🗝️ How Manitoba's startup ecosystem works together to support founders through mentorship, funding, networking, and specialized programming 🗝️ Why AI is creating both more opportunity and more competition — and why soft skills, empathy, communication, and critical thinking still matter 🗝️ Joelle's advice for anyone who feels like they aren't ready yet: the worst that can happen is someone can say no 🗝️ What "Dare to Do" really means - and why building a business requires doing the hard, unglamorous, customer-facing work Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, an established business owner, a young professional, or simply someone who needs a reminder to take the leap, Joelle brings an honest, energetic, and deeply human perspective on what it takes to move an idea forward. * * * 👉 Connect with Joelle: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joellefoster/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/northforgemb/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northforgemb/ Website: https://www.northforge.ca/ Email: [jfoster@northforge.ca](mailto:jfoster@northforge.ca) Sign up for the North Forge newsletter to stay connected to Manitoba's tech-enabled innovation ecosystem and upcoming opportunities. * * * Founder + Host: 👉 Lisa Thompson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabrd/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandrevivaldesign/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brdagency.ca/ 🌐 https://brdagency.ca/ * * * Co-Host: 👉 Amanda Buhse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-buhse/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coalandcanary/ 🌐 https://www.coalandcanary.com/