Jennifer Brin Kovach, South Florida Director, Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship

May 2026 — Invest: spoke with Jennifer Brin Kovach, South Florida director of the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, about how leadership development, peer connection, and adaptability are shaping the region’s small-business and nonprofit landscape. “There is so much information available that it can be difficult to sort through what is relevant and what actually applies to your business. Leaders often tell us that they value our trusted experts and peer relationships because those connections help them navigate change more effectively,” Kovach said.

What changes have you seen in the small-business and nonprofit landscape in South Florida over the past year, and how have those changes affected leadership needs?

Every year, there seems to be a new challenge that no one was talking about the year before. We can point to things like COVID, inflation, pricing pressures, or now artificial intelligence. AI may have been on people’s radar previously, but it really became a top issue last year. It’s still very relevant, but it’s no longer new in the same way.

At the same time, many small-business owners are still focused on the fundamentals. They are thinking about how to find customers, how to adjust pricing, how to manage expenses, and how to find and retain great employees. AI may be coming quickly, but leaders are still asking very basic and important questions about what makes their business unique and how they differentiate themselves.

As an organization, which recently celebrated our 30th anniversary, we’re asking similar questions. We’re an educational institute within Florida State University’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, and we’re constantly thinking about relevance. How do we stay relevant 30 years from now? How do we continue to serve leaders in meaningful ways as the environment around them and us changes?

How are business leaders balancing technology, particularly AI, with the need for human connection and trust?

One thing we see very clearly is that technology can be overwhelming. There is so much information available that it can be difficult to sort through what is relevant and what actually applies to your business. And yes, right now, many business leaders are looking for ways to enhance the human connection with their customers while leveraging technology and AI.

Leaders are making time to educate themselves and often tell us that they value our trusted experts and peer relationships because those connections help them navigate change more effectively. That’s one of the reasons our programs across the state have remained intentionally in person. Our no-cost executive programs are structured, multi-month experiences for business owners, nonprofit, and veteran leaders who apply and are accepted into a cohort. Over the years, we’ve explored and tested fully virtual programs, and time and time again, we’ve found that the in-person experience matters. Leaders open up more, build trust more quickly, and form relationships that last well beyond the program itself. 

How are small-business owners approaching growth, risk, and long-term planning in today’s economic environment?

The leaders who come to us are generally growth-oriented, but their approach is more thoughtful and cautious than it might have been in the past. Some are pursuing additional capital, expanding to new locations, or hiring more people. Others are focusing on partnerships, collaboration, or operational improvements rather than rapid expansion.

What they all seem to value is being in a room with other leaders who share that growth mindset. There is something powerful about hearing how others are thinking through similar decisions, whether that’s expansion, hiring, or long-term planning. That peer environment gives them confidence and perspective as they move forward.

What skills or mindsets are becoming most critical for leaders trying to build resilient organizations?

One of the biggest shifts we see is leaders becoming more open to asking for help. When people come into our programs, they are often reserved at first. They may not be used to sharing challenges with peers, especially if they are at the top of their organization.

As the program progresses, that changes. Leaders realize they are not alone in facing these issues, and they begin learning from one another. They hear what has worked for someone else and start asking deeper questions. That openness creates breakthroughs, both personally and professionally.

Leadership can be isolating. Many CEOs don’t have peers within their own organizations to talk through challenges with, so creating that external peer network is incredibly valuable. By the end of the program, we often see participants carpooling together, meeting outside of class, and continuing conversations well beyond the classroom.

How does the Jim Moran Institute encourage connections beyond the formal program?

Early on, we realized that education itself was only part of the value. Leaders needed each other just as much as they needed the curriculum. We intentionally build time into the program for icebreakers, shared meals, breaks, and informal conversations so that relationships can form naturally.

After participants graduate, they also have the option to join peer-to-peer groups that meet monthly. These groups allow leaders to stay connected, share updates, and continue supporting one another as new challenges arise. That ongoing connection has become one of the most impactful aspects of what we do.

Whether leaders are navigating supply chain disruptions, workforce challenges, or new technologies like AI, having a trusted group to turn to makes a significant difference.

They can gain additional support by attending our annual conferences, workshops, and other executive education courses, where they can connect with business leaders from our other locations in Northwest, Central, and Northeast Florida, as well as with our fellow Florida State University and Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship faculty and staff. 

From your perspective, how is South Florida’s entrepreneurial ecosystem maturing, and where do you still see gaps?

South Florida is very pro-business, and there is a strong sense of optimism around entrepreneurship. I don’t see a lot of forces actively working to stifle small-business growth, and there are many organizations focused on supporting business owners.

One of the most encouraging developments has been the increased collaboration among organizations that serve entrepreneurs. Several years ago, a group of us who work in education and training for small business leaders began meeting regularly. What started as informal conversations has grown into a collaborative network of about 18 to 20 organizations, including universities, colleges, county agencies, and nonprofits.

Rather than operating in silos or viewing one another as competitors, we now coordinate efforts, share information, and think collectively about how to best serve the community. That collaboration is healthy for the ecosystem and helps ensure that business owners can find the right resources more easily. We call ourselves the Alliance of Entrepreneur Resource Organizations (South Florida), and our website address is SouthFloridaBiz.org.

Is talent recruitment and retention still a major concern for business leaders?

Absolutely. Finding great people, affording them, and creating a workplace culture where employees want to stay remains a consistent challenge. Leaders are constantly thinking about how to build environments where people feel valued and engaged.

There’s also the ongoing pursuit to inspire employees to care about the business in the same way the owner does. While that level of passion may never fully match, transparent leadership and supportive cultures can go a long way in building commitment and loyalty.

These topics come up repeatedly in our programs, and leaders benefit from hearing how others are addressing similar challenges within their organizations.

Looking ahead, what are your top priorities for the Institute over the next three to five years?

We’ve worked with thousands of small business owners and nonprofit CEOs across the state, and creating pathways between those networks and emerging entrepreneurs is powerful. One major priority is continuing to strengthen our leaders’ connection to our Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University. We are seeing more and more students graduate with degrees in entrepreneurship, and we know how valuable it is for them to have meaningful connections with experienced business owners and nonprofit leaders.

Mentorship, internships, and apprenticeships can benefit both students and established leaders tremendously. 

We are also exploring ways to build stronger online communities that complement our in-person programs. While we remain committed to face-to-face experiences, virtual tools can help us stay connected with leaders across Florida and provide ongoing support between programs.

As we expand our reach across the state, finding the right balance between in-person engagement and digital connection will be key to sustaining impact.