San Francisco, Boulder, New York City. These are the kinds of cities you expect to hear in a lineup of top cities with startup activity. But there’s something in the water in an old industrial Midwest city.

Dave Knox called Cincinnati his home for years and worked with one of the largest companies, Procter & Gamble, for nearly a decade. The marketing skills he gained during his work for a Fortune 50 company set him up to co-found The Brandery, a startup accelerator focused on businesses where branding and strategic marketing are some of their most differentiating value propositions.

Knox will join a founder-fueled lineup of keynotes for this October’s Powder Keg conference, and The Brandery’s Demo Day is this week. With so much going on, we figured it would be the perfect opportunity to get to know Dave Knox a bit better. Here’s the interview:

Dave Knox and The Brandery Accelerate Entrepreneurship in the Midwest

Themes in this video:

• Serendipity is a good thing.
• Figure out what you want to learn and find the best place in the world to go learn it.
• Know your audience and find innovative ways to reach them.
• Find your “Bowling Pin Strategy.”
• Embrace tenacity and a proactive drive.
• Support the community and pay it forward.

Watch the interview with Dave Knox to learn these entrepreneurial lessons and startup strategies from The Brandery. You can also find more lessons in entrepreneurship and startup marketing by following Dave on twitter and his personal blog, Hard Knox Life.