Monica Doss has been a leader in entrepreneurship and innovation since 1986 when she joined the Center for Entrepreneurial Development (“CED”) as its first full-time employee and longtime CEO.
In 2008, Monica joined the Kansas City-based Kauffman Foundation as Director of Entrepreneurship and Advancing Innovation. She led a nationwide FastTrac LaunchPad initiative as a resource for employees displaced by the restructuring automotive and financial services industries.
Returning to North Carolina, Monica launched Business of Science in 2011 to work with a diverse mix of research and higher education institutions, economic development organizations, and communities to develop strategies and programs that are both transformative and organic.
Monica thrives in a variety of “in-house’’ roles—for example, as Entrepreneur in Residence at Wake Forest Innovations and in leading in-depth strategic assessments and recommendations for clients such as the Danville Regional Foundation.
1. What is in your pockets?
There’s nothing too exciting: a debit card, a handful of vitamins I forgot to take this morning, and a long-lost St. Michael’s medal from the Franciscan gift store in downtown Greensboro.
2. What exciting thing has happened recently for you or your organization?
First, I want to congratulate CED on its 40th anniversary, and I’d like to give a shout out to some of the early CED team members who went on to join, start, support, or invest in tech and biotech startups: Adam Smith, Tracy Harris, Andrea Cook, Dan Allred, Dhruv Patel and, of course, current CED Board Chair Bill Spruill.
For me, 2024 [marked] more than a decade for Business of Science, my “boots on the ground” consulting company. We’ve helped public, private, and university clients launch and run accelerators and coworking spaces, as well as develop location-centric strategies and programming. October marked a 10-year client milestone with Russ Read, Executive Director of the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce (NCBW) with the latest of seven Impact publications.
3. What is your favorite coffee spot?
I have several that I cycle through, depending on where I’m working and the time of year. Two of my favorites are Open Eye Café in Carrboro and Cup 22 , which overlooks the Haw River in Saxapahaw and [is] closest to my house. Besides good coffee, both are good for spreading out and fly-on-the-wall people watching, which are my top criteria.
4. What keeps you up at night?
Nothing except too much caffeine or a full moon literally keeps me up at night. I process much of what’s on my mind during sleep, and then I wake up early and spend some quiet time sorting through to a path forward. I’m a big fan of the clear light of day.
I know you’re really asking what I worry about. Big issues like democracy, justice, and civility—but focused closer to home. I try not to dwell on things that are completely beyond my control or influence.
5. What is your favorite restaurant or happy hour?
Fiesta Grill on Highway 54, five miles west of Carrboro in Orange County in an unremarkable white building with an always-full parking lot. We’ve been going there for decades. On any night you’ll see the full range of O.C. residents and characters. The food is excellent, the mood is always festive, and the owners and staff are like family.
6. What is next for you or your organization?
My pre-CED background was as a writer, editor, and communicator. Lately, I’ve had more opportunities to flex those muscles. I really enjoy building authentic, compelling stories for organizations, companies, and communities in a variety of ways: from websites, articles, and reports to grant applications and position papers.
