The Iowa Business Podcast
By The Iowa Business Podcast
Categories: Business, News, Business News
From iconic leaders in finance, politicians shaping regulations, manufacturing icons, or unsung SMB heroes, the Iowa Manufacturing Podcast is now The Iowa Business Podcast. Get a weekly deep dive into the stories and strategies that drive Iowa business success. Led by a small-but-mighty team of hosts, this show brings you critical conversations to grow your business and make profit in Iowa. What do new policies from Iowa lawmakers mean? How does the global supply chain impact you? How is local SEO and Ai impact foot traffic to your Iowa storefront? It's all here.
41 episodes indexed on podsearch.
Recent episodes
- Is the laborious task of farm record keeping over? One Iowa tech founder built a solution.
Farmers aren't data analysts but they're expected to track hundreds of data points and present neatly structured data for regulators, insurance companies, and bankers. Dr. Sree Nilakanta, founder of Big Data In A Box says farmers enjoy the actual farming but the increasing demands of farm record…
- WearLab Solutions in Ames: using fashion to enhance prosthetics comfort
Prosthetic limbs allow amputees the ability to manipulate objects, walk up stairs, and better fit into our 4-limbed world, but for hundreds of years, comfort still plagues people who use them. Chafing, rashes, muscle and join pain come with the territory but co-counders Dr. Rachel Eike and Bahar…
- Booze-free and drug-free cocktails for health-minded "drinkers"
What do you reach for if you want to wind down with a delicious cocktail, but don't want alcohol or THC? Your options are fruit juice or sparkling water. Taylor Grasso, co-founder of Pesche and a certified nutritionist, says that gap is an opportunity to create a new beverage product focused…
- Congressional Candidate Rick Stewart on UBI, drugs, RFK call, mystery signatures.
Libertarian candidate for US Congress, Rick Stewart defends Universal Basic Income from a Libertarian viewpoint, abolishing income tax, legalization of drugs, erased portions of his call with HHS Secretary Bobby Kennedy, and in a bonus wrap-up chat, how he never collected signatures to get on the…
- Iowans milling flour at home for health? Meet organic farmer, Jeff Hafner
Organic Iowa wheat farmer, Jeff Hafner was a bit confused earlier this year when Iowans started grinding their own flour at home using their own countertop flour mills. The stories all started sounding familiar, people who thought they were gluten sensitive, were eating their own homemade bread…
- U of I students create pace-keeping LEDs for track athletes - Nicholas Gorsich of Stridelane
Long distance runners need to strike a delicate balance to win. If they go to slow, they fall behind. If they go to fast, they lose precious energy. Nicholas Gorsich, co-founder of Stridelane explains how their high tech LED pacing lights solves the problem and how their first version was made of…
- Dave Dawson, running for Iowa's red 4th Congressional district.
Dave Dawson is running for a Seat in the US House of Representatives in Iowa's very red 4th Congressional district. The last Democrat Congressman from the region was Berkley Bedell of Spirit Lake in 1986, and he makes his case explaining how he can break the trend. As a prosecutor who won a case…
- Using Ai for stroke recovery! Dr. Michal Brzus of NeuroPred explains their tech
Stroke recovery isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. It may require patient monitoring over months. Sadly by the time enough data is collected, the recovery and healing window may be closed. Enter NeuroPred, founded by Dr. Michal Brzus. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player…
- How the NA Movement is helping Iowa-based Repour Wine Saver
You'd think Tom Lutz, founder of Repour Wine Saver would be shaking in his boots with restaurant traffic down and the NA movement driving down the consumption of alcohol, but you'd be wrong. In a counterintuitive local-Iowa victory story, lower alcohol sales are big business. 💡 Find this show on…
- Iowa Company Plas-Tech Goes to DC For Freedom 250 Patriot Pitch
Iowa-based Plas-Tech has been named one of five national finalists out of 1,182 applicants) to pitch in the SBA Freedom 250 Patriot Pitch competition and CEO Dean Sonquist joins us in studio to discuss. $1 Million in total prizes is available to finalists Sonquist heads to Washington DC September…
- Building a boutique made-in-Iowa golf brand? Jared Doerfler of Hanna Golf
Want a boutique, Iowa-made putter? Jared Doerfler of Hanna Golf says even though their premium golf gear is shipped all over the world, but surprisingly, 30% of his business still comes from within the state. Doerfler explains how they maintain their boutique quality, why their limited drops sell…
- Pork! An evolving mainstay of Iowa's economy with Dr. Steve Larsen
The pork industry's facing major challenges, but therein lie some new opportunities. Jeff Caldwell fills in for Justin Brady in his discussion with Dr. Steve Larsen of R3 Consulting. New business models help, but it takes a concerted effort to understand what's behind those challenges and the ways…
- Iowan breathing new life into old ag equipment with Ai retrofits.
Ai is allowing farmers to scale and cover more ground, but new Ai systems can be insanely expensive, costing nearly one million dollars. Craig Rupp of Sabanto Ag sees a more efficient path. His approach retrofits existing, older farm equipment with Ai packages, making old "dumb" farm equipment…
- Iowa's hidden workforce? Why executives overlook an easy recruiting pipeline
One common complaint from recruiters, HR professionals, and skilled trades organizations, is Iowa's talent shortage. But are we ignoring a massive hidden talent pool in our own backyard? Joseph Johnson, CEO of Change Course talks about a specific group of people who can fill roles including felons…
- Where do ag startups get funding? Mikalya Mooney with Ag Startup Engine explains
If you're an agriculture startup founder in Iowa, where do you get funding? Mikayla Mooney of Ag Startup Engine joins us to discuss why Iowa is leading in ag, but still catching up when it comes to investment for ag-focused startups and companies. Iowa has some of the best soil in the world and we…
- Employees don't quite jobs, they quit bad managers. There's a fix.
Employees aren't quitting jobs, they're quitting bad managers says Mike Wagner of White Rabbit Group. Joining fill-in host Jason Kiesau he explains how great leaders build connection, and outlines practices that develop positive direct reports, regular one-on-ones, better questions, feedback…
- Up to $20 trillion worth of businesses to be sold over next decade
Guest host Jason Kiesau talks to Mike Barratt, a certified exit planning advisor with Choreo about the Iowa impacts of the "Silver tsunami." With 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every single day, the landscape of business ownership is about to experience a massive shift. 💡 Find this show on your…
- How the midwest won the autonomous vehicle race with Colin Hurd of MACH
The coasts may get the headlines, but the midwest holds the crown for real-world autonomous vehicles. In fact, Ai-driven vehicles have been operating in Iowa for 10 years already. Colin Hurd, CEO of MACH recounts past Iowa successes, and why future of "off road autonomy" is thousands of different…
- University of Iowa Student invents platform to give students career clarity
"What am I supposed to do now?" It's the question every student wants to know the answer to, but few mentors or advisors know how to answer. The Founder of NexPath, Sriram Pullapantula says this is the challenge he is focused on solving. The platform finds valuable skills, certifications and…
- Iowa Secretary of State, Paul Pate announces new business record!
It's official, 38,591 new businesses were formed in Iowa in fiscal year 2026, the state's biggest single year jump in at least a decade. That brings out total to 344,679 active businesses and Iowa Secretary of State, Paul Pate comes in the studio to break it all down, also discussing their…
- Managing Gen Z: Financially savvy, purpose-driven, high-touch check ins
Like every generation before them, Generation Z has often received criticism and accusations of being soft or poor at communication. While it may be true they have lacked social interactions due to COVID-19 related shutdowns, Jeff Garrison of Results on Purpose explains how their unique…
- Jethro's BBQ Social media team shares strategy: people over tech
Tens of thousands of views for balancing drinks on a server tray? Jethro's BBQ social media team posts content that, upon first inspection, doesn't seem to have anything to do with their line of business. But clearly something is working. Social media leads, Mason Jeffries and Macy Dirksen…
- Managing employee trauma and building loyal cultures with Dr. Nataliya Stone
Almost every employee will go through a traumatic experience in their life and whether you recognize it or not, they will bring emotional baggage into the workplace. Should leaders support their staff in these times or keep a respectful distance? Nataliya Stone, PhD shares detailed research that…
- Iowa Startup Week? Founder Kaylee Williams says the 4-day conference will be a major midwest draw.
What is Iowa Startup Week? The inaugural 4-day conference is coming to Des Moines, Iowa and will draw startup talent, investors and startup ecosystem advocates from the entire midwest. Founder Kaylee Williams (and host of our own Iowa Tech Podcast) joins us to break down the event, who's behind…
- Iowa's biggest entrepreneurial stage isn't just for venture-backed companies
When it comes to startup-land and entrepreneurial-focused events, does it seem like the discussion always revolves around big Series A raises, venture capitalists, and adding the word "Silicon" to everything? Jan Finlayson, Event Director of EntreFest explains what Iowa's largest entrepreneur…
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