From concept to succession, KCSourceLink provides resources for entrepreneurs. Their signature event each year is Global Entrepreneurship Week — and Global Entrepreneurship Week Kansas City (GEWKC.com) is where entrepreneurs find their community and level up, locally. We caught up with Becca Castro, Senior Director and Network Builder at KCSourceLink as she gears up for the 2025 event at Union Station Nov. 17-21, 2025.
Transcript:
Jeff:
Welcome to the Small Business Miracles Podcast. I’m Jeff Randolph. This small business podcast is brought to you by EAG Advertising and Marketing. We’re here to talk about marketing, and we’re also here to celebrate entrepreneurs by diving into their stories and learning a little bit more about what makes them tick.
Today—entrepreneur resources. That’s right, we’re talking to Becca Castro, Senior Director and Network Builder. She has more than 20 years of experience in public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She’s led research and development at a Fortune company and guided the relaunch of LaunchKC to accelerate Kansas City’s tech startups.
Let’s bring Becca Castro into the conversation, shall we?
Jeff:
I am here with Becca Castro, Senior Director and Network Builder at KC SourceLink. Becca, welcome to the show.
Becca:
Thanks for having me. Happy to be here.
Jeff:
Yeah, it’s exciting to have you because this is a big week. We’re definitely going to get to Global Entrepreneurship Week—but before we do, let’s put a pin in that. KC SourceLink has a ton of resources. You support entrepreneurs in all kinds of ways. Can you tell us more about KC SourceLink? Let’s start there and then get into the signature programs.
Becca:
Sure! KC SourceLink is part of the UMKC Innovation Center. We’re not seated on campus because we want to be in a place that’s easy for the community to access. There’s a lot that goes on there that I think is a bit of a kept secret.
There are four pillars at the Innovation Center, and KC SourceLink is one of them. The other three include:
Entrepreneur Education – Where entrepreneurs can receive one-on-one coaching, mentoring, and classes for all stages, from startup to scaling.
Technology Venture Studio – Focused on tech startups, offering grants, investor connections, and support.
National Replication – We’ve taken what works here in Kansas City and offered it to over 200 communities nationwide.
At KC SourceLink, our mission is to connect entrepreneurs to the resources they need to start and grow. The Kansas City ecosystem has over 230 resources available—many at low or no cost. The problem is, it’s hard for entrepreneurs to find them all.
That’s where we step in. We have six community network navigators, all entrepreneurs themselves, who meet one-on-one with business owners to help them create a plan of where to go for what—and it’s a free service.
We also work with support organizations to provide professional development and collaboration opportunities, and we track the overall health of the ecosystem—looking at metrics like jobs, capital, and growth.
Jeff:
Outstanding. Having someone help you build that plan is so helpful, especially when you don’t even know what to look for yet.
Becca:
Exactly. That’s why we love our navigators—they’ve been through it. Sometimes someone comes in and says, “I need capital,” but as we dig deeper, we find out there’s a better place to start. Some entrepreneurs even tell us we’re the first people they’ve told about their business idea. It’s personal, exciting, and we get to see that spark when they’re ready to announce it.
Jeff:
That’s amazing. Is there a “sweet spot” for who you serve?
Becca:
We help everyone—from the person who hasn’t told anyone their idea yet to those planning succession or retirement. We’re a great first step, especially when other organizations require you to have certain things in place first.
Jeff:
Speaking of resources, let’s take that pin out—Global Entrepreneurship Week. It’s a huge program, right?
Becca:
Yes! It’s actually a global program, not just national. Communities all over the world celebrate entrepreneurship during the same week. Kansas City is one of the largest and has been recognized by the Global Entrepreneurship Congress as a model community.
We source all our speakers locally—entrepreneurs, support organizations, and established business leaders. This year, someone from Zillow will be presenting about AI and innovation.
We use a blind review process to select topics, focusing on sessions that will help entrepreneurs most. This year, we received over 200 submissions and ended up with roughly 80 sessions happening November 12–14.
We’ll have four rooms going simultaneously, conference-style. Meals are provided, but what’s new this year is that breakfast, lunch, and happy hour are networking-only—no programming—so people can connect and process.
Jeff:
That’s great. Those networking pockets are where the magic happens.
Becca:
Exactly! And this year, we’re also doing a Maker Fair, which features local product-based businesses—great for holiday shopping. We’ll have around 40 makers per day, about 120 total.
We’ve also expanded our Spanish-language track—from four sessions last year to eight this year.
Jeff:
That’s fantastic. I’ll have to pop in—though I might need AirPods translating my “all-inclusive” Spanish!
Becca:
Same here! I get nervous speaking, but I love that we’re expanding accessibility.
Jeff:
How long has Kansas City been doing this?
Becca:
Since Global Entrepreneurship Week started—we were one of the first.
Jeff:
What kind of feedback do you get from attendees?
Becca:
Most people say the connections are the most valuable part. Entrepreneurship can be isolating, so meeting others who “get it” is huge. And we focus on actionable content—things entrepreneurs can implement right away, no matter their stage.
We have sessions for micro, tech, main street, and second-stage businesses. From creating a lean canvas to raising capital or building culture—there’s something for everyone.
Jeff:
Kansas City really does have an amazing ecosystem, between KC SourceLink and Global Entrepreneurship Week.
Now, if it’s okay, let’s go into the lightning round.
Becca:
I’m ready!
Lightning Round
Jeff:
All right. First—spy movies. Who’s your quintessential spy?
Becca:
I love spy movies and books! The first one that comes to mind is The Americans. I love Keri Russell. Also The Diplomat—not exactly spy, but close!
Jeff:
I watched two episodes of that last night. So are you more serious spy or funny spy—like Austin Powers or The Kingsman?
Becca:
Serious spy for sure. The more stressful, the better!
Jeff:
I need a palate cleanser after those—maybe a travel video before bed.
Becca:
Mine is Schitt’s Creek.
Jeff:
Excellent choice. Okay—best thing about working with entrepreneurs?
Becca:
My background is in adult learning—I have a doctorate in it. Entrepreneurs are adult learners in action. They’re chasing dreams, solving problems, innovating—it’s inspiring.
Jeff:
Then I’ve got to ask—worst thing about working with entrepreneurs?
Becca:
They often don’t see what’s right in front of them! They’re juggling so much they forget how amazing they are.
Jeff:
Totally. We see that too. They’re thinking about HR, numbers, everything. Sometimes we have to pause and say, “Here’s where we are and where we’re going.”
Becca:
Exactly!
Jeff:
How do you celebrate a big win—like finishing Global Entrepreneurship Week?
Becca:
I love bubbles.
Jeff:
Champagne or bath?
Becca:
Both! But yes—sparkling wine, and they do seem to get more expensive as I get older!
Jeff:
Last one—what’s your small business miracle moment?
Becca:
I’ve only been in this role a little over a year, and I got to rebuild the team. You never know how that’ll go—but I look at my team now and feel so proud. We built something special on a small budget. Everyone’s passionate and talented—it’s a real small business miracle.
Jeff:
That’s a perfect answer. Let’s wrap up. Tell everyone how they can connect with you and get involved.
Becca:
If you’re an entrepreneur, reach out to one of our navigators at kcsourcelink.com. You can view navigators, book meetings, and see upcoming events.
For Global Entrepreneurship Week, visit gewkc.com to view the full schedule.
You can find me on LinkedIn—I love connecting with entrepreneurs and new people in Kansas City. Or email me at castrob@umkc.edu
.
Jeff:
That’s great. Becca Castro, Senior Director and Network Builder for KC SourceLink—thanks for being on the show.
Becca:
Thanks for having me!
Jeff:
And that’s our show. Thanks to Becca and thanks to you for listening to the Small Business Miracles Podcast. Remember to subscribe, leave a five-star rating, and drop us a line at eagadv.com if you have thoughts.
Until then, we’ll be out here helping entrepreneurs with another small business miracle.