Entrepreneurship
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Sen. Joni Ernst on Entrepreneurship, AI, and Biotech
At the Ernst Entrepreneurship Expo, hosted at Iowa State University, host Kaylee Williams sat down with Senator Joni Ernst to discuss the state of entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation in Iowa. Ernst opened by pointing to the Working Families Tax Cuts Act as a driver of new investment in small businesses, paired with Iowa’s strong base…
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The Athletic Director’s Secret Weapon: Behind Bound’s Explosive Growth
Kaylee Williams hosts Natalie Merrill, COO and CFO of Bound, a high school athletics scheduling and ticketing platform experiencing remarkable growth. In just one year, Bound expanded from 600 to nearly 1,200 schools across the Midwest and beyond, nearly tripling its user base. The company is now launching its Series A funding round, marking a…
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Why You Should Attend EntreFest 2026
In this episode, host Kaylee Williams speaks with Jan Finlayson, Director of Events at NewBoCo, about EntreFest—Iowa’s 14-year-old entrepreneurship conference. After pivoting through COVID, EntreFest has emerged stronger, offering over 70 speakers across 33 sessions plus 3 keynote programs designed to deliver instant, actionable takeaways for attendees. The conference features diverse programming, including an AI…
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Breaking Down the 7(a) and 504: Inside the SBA Loan Programs Built for Growth
Kaylee Williams sits down with Ryan Lincoln, District Director for the Small Business Administration in Iowa, to explore the SBA’s role in supporting entrepreneurs and small business owners across the state. After 21 years serving in the Marine Corps, Ryan transitioned into public service because of his deep belief in American small business—shaped by watching…
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Iowa Startup Week
What is Iowa Startup Week? Kaylee is joined by Safiya Lee-Evans and Tej Dhawan, co-organizers of Iowa’s inaugural Startup Week, taking place September 29 through October 1st in Des Moines. The three discuss the vision, structure, and significance of bringing a Startup Week model to Iowa for the very first time. Tej explains why the…
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Building products people touch (and having fun doing it) with Derek Brooks
Host Kaylee welcomes Derek Brooks, a Des Moines-based technologist and builder, to discuss his winding career across startups, big tech, campaigns, and fintech. Raised in eastern Iowa, Brooks took an intro web class at Cornell College that sparked everything: he launched hobby websites and even monetized early mobile wallpapers. After college, he joined Pioneer (now…
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Building Siouxland’s Startup Ecosystem (Iowa’s West Coast Initiative)
Host Kaylee interviews Anastasia Williams, the entrepreneurial community navigator for Iowa’s West Coast Initiative, a nonprofit serving Monona, Plymouth, and Woodbury counties from Sioux City. The initiative connects entrepreneurs and small business owners to resources and people, with a growing focus on building a grassroots entrepreneurial ecosystem so founders don’t feel they must leave to…
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Strengthening the Heart of Iowa’s Rural Ecosystem: Insights from Kelly Prickett
In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee sits down with Kelly Prickett, the Director of Economic Development and Entrepreneurship at Indian Hills Community College. Representing the Iowa Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Kelly shares a passionate look at how rural entrepreneurship serves as the vital heartbeat of Iowa’s ecosystem. The Power…
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Inside the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program with Jacki Boldt
In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee Williams sits down with Jacki Boldt, the Executive Director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in Iowa. Since its arrival eight years ago, the program has evolved from a “pop-up” initiative into a cornerstone of Iowa’s economic development landscape. More Than Just…
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Insurance in an Era of Possibilities: Julie Pearce on the Global Insurance Symposium
In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee welcomes Julie Pearce, co-chair of the 12th Global Insurance Symposium, to preview this year’s event happening April 14–15 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. The program is designed by industry executives for industry professionals. Making the theme “Insurance in an Era of Possibilities,”…