I’ve been in awe of today’s guest, Natalie Hodge, since I first learned about her show Hometown Hustle.

As of summer 2023, the show is in its second season telling the stories of entrepreneurs building their big business ideas in the small towns of rural America and changing the narrative about rural entrepreneurship.

Today, Natalie shares why she believes it’s so vital to share the stories of rural entrepreneurs, the joys and challenges of producing a web series from scratch on a tight budget, and how we can build buy-in on these stories from community and corporate partners.

Natalie Hodge is the founder and owner of Rudy’s Girl Media, a Martinsville, Virginia-based multimedia content creation company specializing in developing a diverse array of engaging projects ranging from film to literary works. Natalie is a writer, producer, and transformation coach with a background in higher education and workforce development with degrees from Guilford College and Cornell University. She is an authentic and inspiring speaker who focuses her messaging on fearlessness and the power of positive being.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How Natalie went about building her slate of entrepreneur stories
• Why it’s so important for her to share the positive impact of rural entrepreneurship on local economies
• How Natalie builds buy-in with partners from community economic development teams to corporate sponsors
• How telling stories of rural entrepreneurs has the ability to impact local economies

Learn More About Natalie Hodge:

• Rudy's Girl Media
• NatalieHodge.com
• Hometown Hustle
• Instagram: @NatalieKHodge, @RudysGirlMedia

Learn More About Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator

Resources:

• Entrepreneurship on the RISE Podcast, RISE Collaborative
• Browntown Farms
• The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials Into Triumph, Ryan Holiday
• EcoMap Technologies