Builder at Heart: Ryan Ruff on Startup Mindsets & Tech in Rural Nebraska

Ryan Ruff brings his serial entrepreneur experience to Norfolk as Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Invest Nebraska, guiding early-stage founders through their startup journeys. His entrepreneurial spirit has deep family roots, leading him from selling Christmas greenery as a child to developing SpendPal, a financial tool using behavioral psychology to improve spending habits.

• Entrepreneurship runs in Ryan's family, with his early sales experience at 12 raising enough money to fund his Scout troop's camps for four years
• Ryan developed SpendPal to solve the problem of budget adherence using behavioral psychology rather than focusing on discipline
• Rural communities offer significant advantages for startups: lower living costs, less competition, and more accessible mentorship
• The Builder Bootcamp program provides a structured approach to entrepreneurship that minimizes risk while maximizing learning
• Everyone has entrepreneurial potential - defined by Ryan as problem-solving ability rather than business ownership
• Modern tools like video conferencing and AI have leveled the playing field, making rural entrepreneurship more viable than ever
• Community support and accountability are crucial factors in entrepreneurial success
• Focus first on solving a problem elegantly before worrying about business models
• Norfolk's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem creates momentum through regular meetups and collaborative learning

Check out our Builder Bootcamp program or stop into the coworking space if you have an idea or product you want to build. You don't have to do it alone!