Stephen Green, founder of Pitch Black, joins Rick Turoczy for The Long Con podcast (Apple or Spotify). We discuss Stephen’s history, his upbringing in Portland and Detroit, his motivations for supporting founders, and his views on the Portland startup community.
Stephen is a nationally recognized entrepreneur, community advocate, and ecosystem builder based in Portland, Oregon. As the founder of Pitch Black, a groundbreaking pitch competition spotlighting Black and Brown founders, Stephen has helped drive follow-on funding for participants and created an award-winning platform that now spans multiple cities across the US. In 2024, he co-founded Vanport Studio, a mission-driven startup studio supporting underrepresented founders through brand development, business modeling, and strategic growth services. Named in honor of the historic city of Vanport, the studio is redefining what inclusive entrepreneurship looks like in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Stephen also serves as executive director of Better Portland, where he helps more than 400 businesses navigate civic engagement and advocate for equitable economic policy. A sought-after speaker and podcast guest, Stephen brings candid insights on funding disparities, community leadership, and what it really takes to build a more inclusive startup ecosystem.
In this episode, Stephen shares his journey from banker to builder, why he believes in Portland, and what’s next for the causes he’s championing.
A few topics that come up
- 00:00 What are we going to talk about…?
- 05:30 Making your hobby into a business
- 12:20 Stephen Green’s history in Portland, Oregon
- 22:15 Being an athlete
- 41:35 How to be a founder
- 46:20 Stop, start, continue for Portland
- 58:40 Buy local
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