Endeavor comes to Cincinnati

Endeavor is a global community that identifies founders with the greatest growth potential, inviting them to participate in a proprietary international selection process. It offers the selected founders mentoring programs and a peer-to-peer community, along with other support on their respective journeys. Now, Endeavor has opened an office in Cincinnati. We spoke to Tim Barr Jr., a Cincinnatian who has joined the team, about what will be happening in the new office.

Tell us about your path to Endeavor.

Barr: For the better part of the last three years, I’ve been working with entrepreneurs. I was previously with MORTAR, an organization that focuses on building entrepreneurs and communities by offering a 15-week entrepreneurship course. Working with entrepreneurs there, we helped them get access to capital, finding brick-and-mortar spaces and then connecting them with other community resources. This was what led me into my work with Endeavor.

What will you be doing at Endeavor?

Barr: I’ll be working with entrepreneurs to find local talent here in Cincinnati and finding entrepreneurs that are looking to scale.

Are there particular verticals with which you will be working?

Barr: We’re going to be across the board, whether it’s fintech, health tech or insurance tech.

What’s the method for finding the budding entrepreneurs?

Barr: The great thing about Endeavor is that the network is huge. Currently, we’re in about 40 different locations worldwide. Companies find us, but then we also connect with others already in the network to find those companies that have yet to be discovered.

We have Endeavor entrepreneurs already here in Cincinnati. For example, Brian and Candice Brackeen of Lightship Capital and Rodney Williams of LISNR are here. We can connect those guys as mentors to other people who are seeking to scale up and grow their businesses. With the Cincinnati office, it’s about harnessing the potential that already exists for our neighborhoods.

What does the Endeavor process look like?

Barr: There are different levels with Endeavor. An entrepreneur goes through a screening process, including a first-round review and a second-round review. We have both a local selection panel and an international selection panel that make more entrepreneurs and investors aware of that business. We then connect companies with talent, mentorship, access to capital and other markets.

Endeavor is recognizing a movement in growth toward the heartland.

Barr: Absolutely. The West Coast has its thing, and the East Coast has its thing. Then there’s also the magic that happens here in the Midwest. We want to make sure that we’re capitalizing on that, not just here in Cincinnati but also in Akron, in Columbus and maybe even in Toledo. We want to capitalize on the Ohio market.

You’re very familiar with Cincinnati.

Barr: Yes. I am originally from Dayton. I’ve been living in Cincinnati since 2010 and graduated from Xavier. Cincinnati has a very special place in my heart.

What are some of Cincy’s advantages?

Barr: Oh my gosh, the potential here. The time I’ve spent here, the circles that I found myself in and the conversations that I’ve had. A lot of large companies are headquartered here, including P&G and Fifth Third Bank. Those companies draw a lot of transplants from other cities, making the talent that filters through Cincinnati amazing. It’s just really exciting to look at the growth that can happen here.

What is your first step at Endeavor?

Barr: My first step is just getting my feet wet and really learning. One of the things I love about being able to work with a company like Endeavor is its global impact. I want to get a better scope on that first. Then, I’ll be connecting with the resources that already exist here in Cincinnati.