Exploring Resilience and Community with Entrepreneur Joe Edgar In this special flash episode of the Project Good Podcast, hosted by Annemarie Hilton, we delve into the life journey of Joe Edgar, a seasoned entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Loca. The conversation explores Joe's experiences growing up on a reservation, his early start in real estate, and his transition into the tech industry. Joe discusses his perspective on life, resilience, community, and the importance of hard work. He also introduces Loca, his innovative app aimed at supporting small businesses and local communities. The episode highlights critical issues like poverty, wealth distribution, and the role of small businesses in the economy.

00:00 Introduction to Project Good Podcast

00:26 Special Guest: Joe Edgar's Background

02:04 Joe Edgar's Early Life and Influences

06:36 The Importance of Community and Real Estate

20:42 Transition to Technology and Education

31:13 Resilience and Perspective from Ukraine

33:16 Resilience Amidst Adversity

33:40 Comparing Hardships

34:40 The Spider Web of Debt

35:27 The Mental Aspect of Poverty

6:54 True Wealth and Capitalism

38:55 Family Dynamics and Motivation

41:26 Growing Up on a Reservation

44:43 Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

50:30 The Silver Tsunami and Wealth Distribution

59:14 Supporting Local Businesses with Loca

01:04:08 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Bio for Joe Edgar

Joe Edgar is the founder and CEO of Loca, which helps small businesses find, manage and reward customers. Prior to Loca Joe founded TenantCloud and was the CEO of Rentler. Prior to TenantCloud he was a Principal with Petros Partners and prior to that, the Managing Director of the J4T Venture Fund; a $50 million venture fund focused on Texas early-stage companies.

He was also a member of the U.S. Treasury’s SSBCI Venture Capital Steering Committee. Prior to the J4T Venture Fund, he was with Governor Rick Perry and managed $487 million in state authority with a focus on Texas’ early stage and emerging companies. He was also an advisor to the Texas Rural Health & Economic Development Advisory Committee. He is a founding member of the Texas Pace Authority, a non-profit, which aims to bring clean energy to Texas commercial property owners. Joe also has an extensive background in real estate investing and development, which started when he was 14, and now includes investments in Texas, Oregon, Arizona, and Utah. Joe is writer for Forbes and a graduate of the University of Oregon with high honors, holds an MBA from Cornell, and is a Kauffman Fellow.