Entrepreneurship
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Women’s Entrepreneurship, NAWBO, and the Power of Place w/ Rachel Formaro
Interview Transcript This transcript was created with help from Ai. Please report errors to us and always refer to the video as your primary source. Kaylee Williams: Hi, everyone. Welcome back to the Iowa Tech podcast. I’m your host, Kaylee, and today I am in the Jethro’s BBQ Studio with Rachel Formaro. Hi, Rachel. Hi.…
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How Music League Is Turning Playlists into a Global Social Platform with Eric West
In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee Williams sits down with Eric West, founder and CEO of Music League, a competitive music discovery game that’s quietly grown to over 1.1 million registered users, starting from a handful of people in a break room. West breaks down how Music League works: players submit…
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From NFL Running Back to Tech Founder: Trevor Bowlers on Belief, Pivots, and Product-Market Fit
Former NFL running back and University of Iowa Hawkeye Trevor Bowlers joins host Kaylee Williams to share his journey from immigrant kid in Guyana to professional athlete to founder and CEO of Letter B Global Technologies. Trevor talks about the “impossible” moments that shaped him—from his father’s leap of faith moving their family to Canada,…
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Building in the Age of AI: Grant Jameson on Startups, Apps, and Experimentation
Grant Jameson, an AI engineer and entrepreneur from Des Moines, traces his journey from a curious kid obsessed with coding and hacking to a career in software, cybersecurity, and ultimately AI engineering. Jameson talks about growing up in Johnston, Iowa, studying computer science at the University of Iowa, and earning security certifications before moving into…
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Building Startups in Iowa: Alex Taylor on Entrepreneurship, Growth & Community
In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee Williams sits down with Alex Taylor, Director of Entrepreneurship at NewBoCo, to explore what it takes to build and grow a successful business in Iowa. Drawing on decades of experience as an entrepreneur, educator, consultant, nonprofit leader, and small business owner, Alex shares practical insights…
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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…