Episode Details

In this Innovation Series episode of Parallel Entrepreneur, hosts Mark Cleveland and Johnny Anderson sit down with Dr. Jeremy Qualls, Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center (EIC) and College, Career & Technical Education at Williamson County Schools.

Jeremy leads one of the most compelling early-stage entrepreneurship models in the region—where students don’t just learn about innovation, they practice it. Inside the EIC, high school students launch real businesses, products, and services while earning academic credit and developing leadership skills that typically come much later in life.

During the conversation, Jeremy shares examples of how this model comes to life, including:

• Anthony Beckett, founder of Markify → http://Markifyapp.com
• Abigail Goddard, National Program Champion and creator of Spikey First → http://Spikeyfirst.com

These stories reflect what the EIC is built to do: help students move from ideas to execution, and from confidence to ownership.

Under Jeremy’s leadership, the EIC has grown from 70 students to more than 500 applicants, secured over $17 million in grants, and built a mentor network of 100+ business and community leaders—all focused on developing entrepreneurial thinkers early.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why entrepreneurship is a mindset, not a job title
• How leadership development changes when it starts earlier
• What founders can learn from education systems—and vice versa
• Why culture and coaching matter more than curriculum
• How community partnerships create real-world opportunity

CHAPTERS
 00:00:00 Entrepreneurship as the Heartbeat, Not a Track
 00:00:50 Building the Future of Work Before It Starts
 00:01:00 Jeremy Qualls and the Vision Behind the EIC
 00:01:45 Rethinking Traditional Career & Technical Education
 00:02:15 From Ideas to Action: National Pitch Competitions
 00:03:10 Teaching Business Plans, Ownership, and Real Skills
 00:04:10 Why Culture and Coaching Matter More Than Curriculum
 00:05:20 Discovering What’s Possible: The Markify Story
 00:06:30 Giving Students Real Responsibility Early
 00:07:35 Mentorship, Trust, and Community Partnerships
 00:08:50 When Student Ideas Become Real Businesses
 00:10:05 Scaling Leadership Development Inside a System
 00:11:40 What Schools and Founders Can Learn From Each Other
 00:13:10 Building Confidence Before Credentials
 00:14:30 Why Starting Earlier Changes Everything
 00:15:40 Final Reflections on Leadership and Opportunity

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dr. Jeremy Qualls is the Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center (EIC) and College, Career & Technical Education for Williamson County Schools. A leadership strategist, coach, and educator with more than two decades of experience, Jeremy has built a people-first model for developing entrepreneurial thinkers and future leaders. Under his leadership, the EIC has grown from 70 students to more than 500 applicants, secured over $17 million in grants, and built a mentor network of 100+ business and community leaders. His work focuses on cultivating culture, ownership, and leadership at every level.

ABOUT THE HOSTS
Mark A. Cleveland — Managing Director at Kensington Park Capital, entrepreneur, M&A advisor, and host of the Parallel Entrepreneur Network.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/macleveland/

Johnny Anderson — Nashville tech leader, GNTC board member, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the EC, and host of The Impodsters™.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyonbrand/

👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network: https://www.parallelentrepreneur.com/#