Jan. 25, 2022

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Jeff Hayward, program manager at Startup Sioux Falls.

Name: Jeff Hayward

Age: 37

Hometown: Pierre

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

My wife and I relocated to Sioux Falls from Rapid City in 2015 to be closer to family and for an employment opportunity for my wife.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

Friends, family and opportunity. I lived in Sioux Falls briefly in 2005 before returning again 10 years later; the change I saw during that time away was drastic — not just the general growth of the city along its border but reinvestment downtown and throughout the city as well. The amenities of our community continue to grow and so do the professional opportunities. I’m thankful to the many business, community and elected leaders who have invested their time and energies into our community – it’s paying dividends.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I’m excited about the opportunity to engage with entrepreneurs in our area and support our partners in offering entrepreneurial accelerator programming to underserved communities. It’s pretty great to be inspired on a daily basis by the current and future business and community leaders in our area.

How did you get connected to your field?

I spent many years in the workforce development space, specifically career-building for disadvantaged youth. I’m also an entrepreneur and have started two small businesses over the past several years, so I’m excited to marry those two skill sets with Startup Sioux Falls.

Describe Startup Sioux Falls in three words.

Entrepreneurialism. Empowerment. Ecosystem.

What is something someone might be surprised to learn about you?

I met my wife for the first time while in high school in Pierre – I played alto sax and my wife, the clarinet. I swept her off her feet by drawing mustaches and blacked-out teeth on the Abercrombie & Fitch models on her book cover – how could she resist?! As is the case with most high school relationships, we broke up and parted ways when she graduated and left for college. Fast-forward 10 years when we met again while I was visiting Sioux Falls for a friend’s wedding. We hit it off immediately and were married just a few short years later.

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

I enjoy supporting individuals and agencies who look to make a positive impact on our community and its citizens, whether that be volunteering for municipal and legislative candidates or supporting local fundraisers such as The Pad Party drive. I try to remind people as often as I can that you don’t have to be appointed to a board or elected to an office to make a difference in our community. Attend a fundraiser, volunteer for an area nonprofit or at an event, whatever you can.

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

You know, a quick instinct is to say Trader Joe’s. It’s a guilty pleasure when we travel somewhere. But honestly, there are some great local businesses that fill that need here. The Sioux Falls Food Co+op and Look’s Marketplace are two great examples, and I’m happy to buy local.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Great question. I see myself having a large impact on one or more business startups, whether that’s supporting founders through Startup Sioux Falls, being part of a new company’s leadership team or leading my own next big idea. Regardless, my focus will always be on helping people and organizations do and be more.