Q&A With Grow-NY Mentor Flossie Hall

As the Grow-NY Food & Agriculture Summit approaches, anticipation is building for the announcement of this year’s finalists. Once selected, teams will spend the fall working alongside experienced mentors who provide industry expertise and regional insight, helping founders strengthen their businesses and prepare for the competition. 

New mentor Flossie Hall brings extensive experience as a serial entrepreneur, educator, and ecosystem builder. She currently serves as Director of Operations at the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center and has built and exited multiple 7-figure businesses across e-commerce, ed-tech, and CPG. On top of her work at Nasdaq, Flossie teaches entrepreneurship at SUNY Brockport, invests in early-stage founders, and advises startups nationwide. 

Flossie is also the former CEO of the Stella Foundation, a global nonprofit that has supported more than 12,000 women entrepreneurs and helped facilitate over $250 million in early-stage capital. She is the founder of the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs (AMSE), which has empowered over 2,000 military spouses worldwide through entrepreneurship training and support. 

Read our Q&A with Flossie below to learn how her background informs the way she supports early-stage founders. 

Question: What is your experience in food and ag innovation? 

My first company was a food business I scaled from my home kitchen to seven figures and 100 staff in a commercial operation, all in its first year. I know firsthand how hard it is to scale a food product. Over the last 15 years, I’ve supported founders across the globe by building entrepreneurial programs for veterans, military spouses, women, and now all founders at the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. I’ve had the privilege of working with founders at every stage, from startup to IPO, from college students to second-career builders. 

Question: What makes the Grow-NY region the ideal place for startups to put down roots? 

New York has a historical leadership role in food, manufacturing, and agriculture, and that legacy is in the region’s DNA. Beyond that, the practical advantages are real: an affordable cost of living, genuine natural beauty, and a community that actually rolls up its sleeves to support you. Here, a founder can stand out and get people and programs invested in their success in a way that’s harder to find in more saturated markets. 

Question: What should food and ag startups keep in mind as they grow? 

Never ignore your business foundations, your mentors, or your network. The tallest skyscraper is built on the strongest foundation, and never by one person alone. Growth is exciting, but it exposes weak fundamentals fast. The founders who last are the ones who build deliberately and lean on the people around them. 

Question: What excites you about mentoring a Grow-NY finalist? 

I love giving back. So many people invested in me early in my entrepreneurial journey, and if I can use my knowledge, experience, or network to remove even one roadblock or help a founder reach success, that’s a win in my book. Mentoring founders is the part of this work I love most. 

The 2026 Summit will take place November 12-13 in Rochester, NY and virtually. Registration will open later this summer.