Entrepreneurial Leadership In One Of America’s Fastest Growing Community Colleges With Dr. Dan Walden

Today’s episode is a little different—and honestly, it’s one I’ve been looking forward to for a while. I’m joined by someone who really gets it. Not just the mechanics of leadership or the theory behind entrepreneurship—but the deeper stuff. The mindset. The attitude. The way of seeing the world that changes how we show up every day.

Dr. Dan Walden is the superintendent and president of Victor Valley College. But what makes Dan stand out—what really sets him apart—is that he doesn’t see entrepreneurship as just something you do. He sees it as a way of being. A way of thinking and acting that empowers people at every level—not just to do their job, but to take ownership, to lead, to build something that matters.

Dan’s entrepreneurial journey started at the age of ten, selling seeds and mowing lawns as a way to pay for new shoes. These early entrepreneurial experiences led him to transform a dying church into a thriving community. Today, Dan is using that same mindset to lead one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the country.

What I love about Dan is that he’s lived this. It’s not just theory to him. It’s who he is. And in this conversation, we explore how he’s bringing mindset-driven leadership into higher education, not just to drive institutional change, but to empower students, staff, and the broader community. Dan’s story is a powerful example of what happens when purpose, humility, and entrepreneurial thinking come together to create real impact.