33. How Strategic Partnerships Create Exponential Impact with Jill Vaughan

Collaboration isn’t a soft skill. It’s a growth strategy.


In this episode of the B-Student Podcast, Betsy sits down with Jill Vaughan, President & CEO of the Downtown Orlando Partnership, for a powerful conversation about partnership, leadership, and why choosing collaboration over competition changes everything.

What begins as a discussion about working across organizations becomes a masterclass in playing the long game, building trust, and creating exponential impact without duplicating effort. Jill shares how intentional partnerships helped fuel the revitalization of Downtown Orlando and why saying “yes and” instead of guarding territory leads to stronger businesses, stronger nonprofits, and stronger communities.

In this episode, we explore:

Why collaboration is a smarter strategy than competitionHow partnerships help you scale without burning outLetting go of credit and focusing on collective impactPlaying the long game in business and relationshipsWhy mentorship, presence, and trust matter more than everHow to identify partnership opportunities hiding in plain sightDowntown revitalization, place-making, and community leadershipTurning disruption into opportunity after COVID

You’ll also hear about the newly announced partnership between the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Orlando Partnership, designed to give small businesses and nonprofits expanded reach, visibility, and SEO value across Central Florida.

Time Stamps:

00:00 – Intro and why collaboration beats competition02:07 – First impressions, presence, and approachability04:01 – Playing the long game in business relationships06:03 – Letting go of credit to create greater impact08:05 – Partnership as a growth strategy, not a risk10:12 – Redefining community beyond geography12:18 – Overcoming fear, intimidation, and territorial thinking14:21 – Downtown revitalization and leading through disruption16:36 – Trust, mentorship, and exponential growth through partnership18:42 – The Winter Park + Downtown Orlando partnership announcement21:04 – What small businesses and nonprofits gain from collaboration23:02 – Final takeaways and invitation to lead collaboratively

 
Connect with Jill at: 
Linkedin: @jill-vaughan

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Connect with Betsy Gardner:
Website: https://www.betsygardner.com/ 

Learn More about Winter Park Chamber of Commerce: https://www.winterpark.org/
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Podcast produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/