# Ep 410: Building a Startup in a Small Town Why You Don't Need a Big City to Win

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/game-changers-for-government-contractors-51555/ep-410-building-a-startup-in-a-small-town-why-you-don-t-need-a-big-city-to-win
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/game-changers-for-government-contractors-51555/ep-410-building-a-startup-in-a-small-town-why-you-don-t-need-a-big-city-to-win.md
Podcast: [Game Changers for Government Contractors](https://stenobird.com/podcast/game-changers-for-government-contractors-51555)
Published: 2026-02-16T15:05:45+00:00
Episode link: https://rsmfederal.com/game-changers-podcast/ep-410-building-a-startup-in-a-small-town-why-you-dont-need-a-big-city-to-win
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/e80feb3d-96b1-43ab-a929-8b867f8570fa.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/game-changers-for-government-contractors-51555/episodes/ep-410-building-a-startup-in-a-small-town-why-you-don-t-need-a-big-city-to-win
Duration seconds: 2474

## Resource

What if building your business in a small town is actually an advantage? In this episode, I sit down with Lauren Mullins, co-founder of Personality Pool, to talk about what startup life really looks like outside of big cities and venture-capital hype. We unpack the real pros and cons of building a company in a smaller community, from cost of living and mental health to networking challenges and unexpected opportunities. Lauren also shares how her own hiring struggles inspired Personality Pool, a video-based screening platform designed to help businesses hire for culture and personality, not just resumes. If you’ve ever wondered whether you need to move to a big city to grow your business, or how to build something meaningful exactly where you are, this episode will challenge a lot of assumptions. This one’s honest, practical, and refreshingly real. ----- Frustrated with your government contracting journey? Join our group coaching community here: 👉 https://federal-access.com/gamechangers Grab my #1 bestselling book, I’m New to Government Contracting. Where Should I Start? 👉 https://amzn.to/4hHLPeE Book a call with me here: 👉 https://calendly.com/michaellejeune/govconstrategysession

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## Transcript

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