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Lay of The Land

166 EpisodesProduced by Jeffrey SternWebsite

Telling the stories of entrepreneurship and builders in Cleveland and throughout Northeast Ohio. Every Thursday, Jeffrey Stern helps map the Cleveland/NEO business ecosystem by talking to founders, investors, and community builders to learn what makes Cleveland/NEO special.

49:39

#46: Steve Potash (OverDrive)

Our conversation this week is with Steve Potash  — Founder, President, and CEO of OverDrive.


Steve founded OverDrive here in Cleveland back in 1986. Over the last 3 decades Steve has led OverDrive to become the leading digital reading platform for ebooks, audiobooks and other digital media for libraries, schools, government agencies, corporate learning centers and colleges and universities worldwide. OverDrive now manages the largest global network of digital book lending libraries — over 40,000 libraries and schools worldwide in over 72 countries, with over a billion checkouts of eBooks.


As CEO, Steve focuses on OverDrive’s vision to create a world enlightened by reading. A pioneer in the digital content and distribution industry, Steve was among the first to develop useful applications for digital books in the 1980s. He began his career offering innovative floppy diskette, CD-ROM and print-to-digital conversion services, and introduced early versions of digital books to the law, accounting and healthcare industries, which we cover in our conversation!


Really enjoyed Steve's perspective on the importance of libraries in our society and technology's implications for reading and literacy. Hope you all heed Steve's advice to visit your local library and enjoy my conversation with Steve Potash.


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Learn more about OverDrive

Learn more about OverDrive’s Libby app

Follow Steve on Twitter @OverDriveSteve

Connect with Steve on LinkedIn


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Learn more about Jeffrey Stern @ https://jeffreys.page

Connect with Jeffrey Stern on Linkedin or on Twitter

Follow Lay of The Land on Twitter and on LinkedIn


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