The Certified Entrepreneurial Community® Program is a joint, entrepreneurial venture between Creative EDC, Entrepreneurial Places, and Innovative Economies. The three firms have a wealth of experience and a commitment to helping communities develop sustainable economies. In addition to our team, we have a partnership with the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship that provides coaching to the coaches to ensure our communities are receiving the lastest innovative strategies in entrepreneurship.
Crystal Morphis, Founder and CEO, Creative Economic Development Consulting
Creative EDC was formed to bring a unique approach and innovation to economic development. With 20 years’ experience in economic development, Crystal believes that most communities share similar challenges. What sets us apart is how we choose to address our challenges. Creative EDC purchased, redesigned, and relaunched the Certified Entrepreneurial Community® program in 2015 as a way to help communities build sustainable communities.
Leslie Scott, Founder and Principal, Entrepreneurial Places LLC
Leslie has studied and witnessed community and regional economic development for 20 years. She knows the pitfalls to avoid as well as the ingredients of a strong ecosystem for business startup and growth. Leslie helped to build the N.C. Business Resource Alliance, a network of dozens of organizations that help small businesses and entrepreneurs. More than 20 of these organizations collaborated on a three-year project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to build rural entrepreneurship systems in five states. Now Leslie is a Senior Fellow with the national Center for Rural Entrepreneurship.
Emily Breedlove, Co-Founder and Partner, Innovative Economies, LLC
Having spent the past 13 years working in regional economic and community development, Emily has been fortunate enough to have experienced this space from both the entrepreneurial approach and the resource provider perspective. She currently manages programs such as the SBA-funded ScaleUp WNC program, Innovate Appalachia initiative, LEAD Scholars Youth Camp and the Authentic Communities Summit.