Tarsha Hearns
Founder and Principal, Economic Growth Strategies
Tarsha Hearns, MBA, EDP, is a nationally recognized entrepreneurship ecosystem strategist and economic development leader with more than two decades of experience designing initiatives that strengthen local economies[cite: 7]. As Founder and Principal of Economic Growth Strategies, a Dallas-based consultancy, her work helps communities build entrepreneur-focused programs that expand business formation, improve resource access, and drive inclusive economic growth[cite: 7].
Tarsha is a former Urban League Young Professionals Dallas chapter president[cite: 7]. She is an IEDC Certified Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development Practitioner and is also a national trainer and facilitator with the International Business Innovation Association and IEDC supporting ecosystem-building cohorts[cite: 7]. And, she serves on the ESHIP Alliance Leadership Council, a national organization for ecosystem building[cite: 7].
In North Texas, Tarsha has shaped major entrepreneurship and capital-access initiatives, including the Dallas Collaborative for Capital Access and the Southern Dallas Guarantee Fund, a place-based credit enhancement strategy expanding lending opportunities in historically disinvested communities[cite: 7]. Her leadership has strengthened entrepreneurship infrastructure across the Dallas–Fort Worth region and delivered resources, mentorship, and funding pathways to thousands of business owners[cite: 7].
A serial entrepreneur herself, she founded The Marketing Lady, LLC, and authored Making an Impact: How to Build a Powerful Personal Brand[cite: 7]. Her work bridges entrepreneurship, economic development, and community engagement to help ecosystems—and the entrepreneurs within them—thrive[cite: 7].