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Enactus: Durham College’s Journey of Inspiring Youth

Enactus, a student-led organization at Durham College, is redefining entrepreneurship through its flagship podcast, Founders Drive, showing that the entrepreneurial journey is open to everyone.

“I’ll describe Enactus as a community of individuals who are socially inclined,” said Emmanuel Echoga, the organization’s co-president, who took on the role in September.

He sees himself as a “facilitator,” helping students and the team reach their goals.

“I like to see myself as someone … who builds structure and works in the background to help move things along, giving students and the team the tools they need to achieve what they want to achieve,” he explained.

Enactus stands out among student-led initiatives for its emphasis on building meaningful connections between members and guests.

“When it comes to Enactus, you end up meeting individuals passionate about the same thing or with mutual interests. I think that’s what makes us different from other clubs,” said Echoga.

Emmanuel Echoga and Danielle Harder of Enactus Durham College are reviewing plans on a laptop.
Emmanuel Echoga and Danielle Harder are planning for Enactus. Photo credit: Izza Adil

A key part of Enactus’s mission lies in Founders Drive, a podcast that challenges the idea that entrepreneurship is only for those with privilege or specific skills.

The podcast began as a small idea proposed by a former student but has since grown into a project that shares the stories of under-represented entrepreneurs who have faced significant challenges.

Megan Foster, the project lead for Founders Drive, explained her role: “I basically organize meetings, delegate tasks, and coordinate with the rest of the Enactus team members,” she said.

She collaborates closely with Enactus members and faculty adviser Danielle Harder. Foster joined Founders Drive as a first-year journalism student after learning about it during an open house. This year, she stepped into the project lead role as one of the few returning team members.

Megan Foster, project lead for Founder’s Drive, is writing in her notebook with her laptop open beside her.
Megan Foster, project lead for Founders Drive, takes notes while working on her laptop during the weekly meeting on October 30, 2024. Photo credit: Izza Adil

Founders Drive, the podcast spearheaded by Enactus Durham College, has evolved from a small project to a significant platform highlighting the stories of entrepreneurs.

“At first, it was just a podcast for FastStart … meant to inspire young people to want to be entrepreneurs. Then it became an Enactus project, and we were able to hire a whole bunch of students,” Harder said.

Each season of the podcast takes a deep dive into the lives of entrepreneurs with unique challenges.

The first season featured entrepreneurs with disabilities, those who faced racial discrimination and those who came from low-income backgrounds.

The second season, which was focused on Indigenous entrepreneurs, was inspired by an impactful interview with Anong Migwans Beam, an Indigenous woman from Manitoulin Island.

“That story made us think differently about entrepreneurship and it inspired us to focus on Indigenous entrepreneurs for season two,” Harder recalled.

For the third season, the focus shifted to newcomer entrepreneurs, inspired by the experiences of international students on the Enactus team.

“There are a lot of international students on our team and international business owners in Enactus who face challenges starting businesses here, even though they were successful back home. We wanted to highlight those unique challenges,” said Foster.

One of the most rewarding experiences for Foster was a field trip last year to Akwesasne, a First Nations reserve near Cornwall.

“We spent two days there, spoke to entrepreneurs, and met high school students interested in podcasting and business. It was a really unique experience,” Foster said, adding that it was her first time visiting a First Nations reserve.

Harder added, “A lot of all of the students had never been to a First Nations reserve before so just spending time with youth was really memorable.”

Community feedback on Founders Drive has been positive, with listeners appreciating the opportunity to hear about businesses and entrepreneurs they might not otherwise encounter.

Two Enactus awards, with the main award reading “Impact Through Innovation.”
Enactus Durham College displays its “Impact Through Innovation” awards, celebrating its achievements. Photo credit: Izza Adil

“For me, it really opened my eyes to businesses here in Durham. I think just raising awareness is one of the biggest things we’ve accomplished,” said Foster.

The podcast continues to reach beyond Durham College, as Enactus has partnered with other institutions. “This year, we’re co-producing season three with Enactus SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) from Calgary, and we’re also hoping to work with Enactus in Nigeria,” Harder said.

Harder and the team connected with Enactus SAIT at a conference, which led to a new collaboration. As part of this collaboration, the Calgary team will produce two episodes of Founders Drive from their location, while Enactus Durham College will create two episodes from Oshawa.

Danielle Harder, Faculty Advisor for Enactus Durham College, looking at her laptop working.
Faculty Advisor Danielle Harder is on her laptop, preparing files for the Enactus project. Photo credit: Izza Adil

For Echoga, the future of Enactus and Founders Drive lies in building connections and creating a lasting impact.

“The potential for stories to inspire other youths to become business owners is really the core of what Founders Drive is all about,” he said.

Both Echoga and Harder emphasized the importance of “social wealth,” relationships and connections that empower individuals to make a difference in their communities.

“It’s really about building relationships … finding people willing to listen, share, and work together toward a common goal,” Echoga said.

The team thought that Enactus wouldn’t go past season one but then all of a sudden there was an interest in season two.

Seven members of Enactus Durham College sitting at a table, engaged in a team meeting.
The Enactus Durham College team gathers for their weekly meeting on October 30, 2024, to discuss upcoming initiatives. Photo credit: Izza Adil

“I think Founders Drive will go on for as long as there’s student interest; as long as we can keep tackling new topics, I think it will continue to evolve,” Harder said.