Don Wettrick Unleashes the Seekers: Innovating Education with Grit & Vision

Tim Branyan sits down with Don Wettrick, founder of StartEdUp Foundation and a trailblazer in education, at Vision Studio in Kokomo. From a 20-year teaching gig to sparking a “bizarre” class on innovation and entrepreneurship, Don’s journey is wild—think Skyping Tim Ferris on Halloween, coaching kids to Forbes 30 Under 30, and turning moaners into seekers. He shares how a Daniel Pink TED Talk lit the fuse, leading to StartEdUp and Innovate Within, a free program that’s impacted thousands of students by turning problems into opportunities.

Don breaks down the magic: juggernaut teachers, a crazy network (Seth Godin consults, anyone?), and a mission to see kids pivot, fail, and win big—like the rural Indiana teens who scaled a fishing lure empire. Recorded in partnership with the SBDC, this episode dives into empowering youth, retaining top educators, and why 2025’s teacher accelerator expansion has Don buzzing. Got a mayor or a teen with a dream? Don’s got you.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro: Name Drops & Golf Drives

3:15 - Don Wettrick: Teacher to StartEdUp Visionary

8:00 - The “Bizarre” Class That Started It All

14:30 - Seekers vs. Moaners: A Mindset Shift

21:00 - Innovate Within: Solving Problems, Not Just Plans

27:45 - Juggernaut Teachers & Accelerator Vibes

34:00 - Success Stories: Forbes, Y Combinator, and Beyond

40:15 - What’s Next for 2025

45:00 - How to Connect with Don

Connect with Don:

Email: dwetrick@startedupfoundation.org

Website: startedupfoundation.org

LinkedIn: Don Wettrick

Resources:

SBDC Support: Free help at isbdc.org

Vision Studio: Video magic at bookvisionstudio.com

Innovate Within: Learn more at innovatewithin.org

Like, subscribe, and comment—what problem are you turning into an opportunity? Thanks for tuning in!