We Talk, We Build, We Change—Conversation as Catalyst in Ecosystems

This past Sunday afternoon in a hotel meeting room overlooking the Delaware River, we stepped into a fictional scenario that quickly surfaced very real dynamics. During the second half of Everything Moves at the Speed of Trust, following a great presentation by Fay Horwitt of Forward Cities, I led a simulation activity for a group of about 50 attending this conference on innovation, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem building.

Prior to the simulation, Fay’s presentation and small group discussions got everyone thinking about cultivating systems change in the face of cultural shifts. She shared Forward Cities’ brand new framework called “STROLL” (Strategy, Timing, Risk, Opportunity, Listening, and Language), and participants dug into a conversation building on these ideas. It was the perfect prelude to our simulation!

Then workshop attendees stepped into the messy, hopeful, and sometimes heated world of a fictional place called Rivertown. There, an Entrepreneur Hub pilot program had shown promise, but the future was uncertain. Tensions surfaced around turf, equity, sustainability, and control. People wore “big hats” (system-wide perspective) and “little hats” (on-the-ground implementation perspective). And yet—through a simulation rooted in authentic stakeholder perspectives—we talked. And we listened. And we found common ground.

What struck me most was that even as people role-played stressful conversations, they were laughing, leaning in, and listening more deeply than most real-world meetings ever allow. The Rivertown simulation reminded me: conversation isn’t just a tool for collaboration—it’s where collaboration takes root.

This idea echoed across the InBIA ICBI39 conference in Philadelphia (check out the agenda for details about the sessions I reference here). Over and over, I saw that ecosystem building is fundamentally relational work. Whether the topic was rural resilience, inclusive capital, or scaling good jobs, the throughline was clear: ecosystems grow through the quality of their conversations.

In a session called Telling the Story of Philadelphia’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, for example, we saw how the city’s innovation identity has been shaped by narrative—crafted in partnership by government, media, entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs), and entrepreneurs. In another session, Relationship-Led Economies in Action, panelists stressed that what moves capital and opportunity isn’t just business plans, but trust. And in Building ESO Capacity for Collective Impact, collaboration across programs and institutions was discussed as requiring ongoing, intentional communication—not just shared goals, but shared language and rhythms.

So how do we take these insights and apply them to our own work?

Five Conversation-Centered Strategies for Ecosystems

1. Tell Your Region’s Story Together
Philadelphia’s session on ecosystem storytelling reminded us that no one actor owns the narrative. Media, ESOs, entrepreneurs, and public officials each hold part of the story. Convene partners across sectors to shape and share your region’s narrative—with attention to place, history, and values.

2. Design for Relationship, Not Only Transaction
From mentorship networks to place-based capital systems, Relationship-Led Economies in Action offered models of support grounded in trust, not gatekeeping. Build programs that prioritize long-term relationships in addition to one-time interventions. Track how often partners refer to each other and co-host events.

3. Measure Collaboration, Not Just Output
In Building ESO Capacity for Collective Impact, presenters emphasized that collaboration isn’t a buzzword—it’s a performance metric. Include indicators like co-created programming, joint grant proposals, and shared intake systems in your evaluation plan.

4. Support the Humans Behind the Work
Building the Field Together reminded us that ecosystem builders are often under-resourced and overstretched. Supporting their well-being is a strategy, not a side note. Normalize space for reflection, peer coaching, and vulnerability among those doing the work. Prioritize the health of relationships in your ecosystem building practices.

5. Make Conversations Easy and Inclusive
Several sessions pointed to the need for broader participation—especially by those who haven’t always been included. Use accessible formats, language, and platforms for ecosystem dialogue. Don’t wait for consensus to invite people in—start by inviting their story.

As one panelist put it, “Entrepreneurship is a social process.” So are ecosystems. If we want more resilient, inclusive, and effective ecosystems, we need to keep talking—and keep listening.