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by Iowa Tech Podcast
Welcome to the Iowa Tech Podcast, your gateway to the vibrant world of technology and innovation right here in Iowa. Each week, we dive into the dynamic landscape of Iowa's tech industry, showcasing the brilliant minds, groundbreaking startups, and transformative ideas that are shaping the future. Join our host, Kaylee Williams, as we sit down with tech entrepreneurs, industry experts, and thought leaders who are driving change and pushing boundaries in fields ranging from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to agtech and clean energy. Whether you're a seasoned professional, a budding innovator, or simply tech-curious, the Iowa Tech Podcast offers insider insights, inspiring stories, and practical advice to keep you at the forefront of the digital revolution. Tune in to explore how Iowa is making waves on the global tech stage and discover how you can be a part of this exciting journey.
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Rachel Formaro is CEO and Founder of Collabry and newly named president of NAWBO Iowa. She traces her journey from ad agencies in Toronto to corporate life in San Francisco, and finally to building a purposefully designed consultancy in Des Moines. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/rachel-formaro 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq Rachel shares how moving to Iowa created the financial runway to start her company in her early 40s, why intention matters more the second (or third) time you become a founder, and what she learned from saying "yes" to the wrong clients, building a flexible collective model, and eventually hiring her husband into the business.
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. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/music-league-eric-west/ 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq West breaks down how Music League works: players submit songs around a theme, listen to an anonymous playlist, and then vote - creating winners, losers, and a surprising amount of nostalgia, discovery, and community along the way. He explains the power of open leagues connecting players across the globe and why labels are obsessed with catalog rediscovery, from forgotten deep cuts to songs that suddenly go viral again.
In this episode, Kaylee sits down with Connectify HR's leadership team, CEO Melissa Ness and COO Krista Turner, to unpack how a modern, people-first PEO can radically simplify HR for growing companies. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/connectify-hr 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq From payroll and benefits to compliance and employee experience, they share how Connectify HR is helping small and midsize businesses get enterprise-level HR support without losing the personal touch. You'll hear how their complementary leadership styles shape the company's culture, why they chose to build as a locally owned Iowa firm, and what they're seeing on the ground with founders and operators across the region.
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. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/trevor-bollers 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq Trevor talks about the "impossible" moments that shaped him—from his father's leap of faith moving their family to Canada, to grinding four years on the bench before finally starting for the Hawkeyes and earning a shot in the NFL. He connects those experiences to entrepreneurship, emphasizing belief in yourself, relentless preparation, and surviving in a world where someone is always being groomed to take your spot—just like in pro sports.
How does cybersecurity affects everyday Iowans? Doug Jacobson, professor of cybersecurity at Iowa State University, and Corey Munson, Vice President at PC Matic share a decades-long mission to "teach every Iowan to be safe online" and explains how cybersecurity has evolved from a niche, tech-only concern to a people-centered challenge that touches schools, churches, small businesses, critical infrastructure, and families. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/CyberSafe-Communities 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq Munson complements this perspective by describing how PC Matic approaches security from home users all the way to the federal government, and why hyper-local, trusted relationships are essential to helping people feel safe enough to ask "basic" questions about cyber risks without shame or fear.
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. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/grant-jameson 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq Jameson talks about growing up in Johnston, Iowa, studying computer science at the University of Iowa, and earning security certifications before moving into his current AI role. He shares candid takes on the true costs of AI, including how token-based pricing models are reshaping the industry, and why he believes AI is powerful but far from an existential threat (at least, not yet).
In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, Kaylee Williams sits down with Alex Taylor, Director of Entrepreneurship at NewBoCo, to discuss what it really takes to build a successful business in Iowa. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/alex-taylor 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq Alex shares lessons from his own entrepreneurial journey, offers practical advice for early-stage founders on customer discovery, financial discipline, and building the right advisory team, and explains why Iowa's collaborative startup ecosystem is one of its greatest competitive advantages. The conversation also explores AI, startup funding, small business growth, and the resources available to entrepreneurs across the state.
At the Ernst Entrepreneurship Expo, held at Iowa State University, Senator Joni Ernst discussed why Iowa is well-positioned for entrepreneurship right now, citing the Working Families Tax Cuts Act's incentives for small businesses and the state's pipeline of skilled workers. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/joni-ernst-working-families-tax/ 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq Enrst emphasized building a workforce that can analyze problems and create solutions, starting early in education. On AI, Ernst rejected the idea of moratoriums, arguing they'd let adversaries pull ahead, and instead favored flexible "guardrails" that protect consumers and national security while allowing innovation—pointing to Iowa examples like precision agriculture (targeted herbicide spraying) and cancer research advances.
Welcome to the Iowa Tech Podcast, your gateway to the vibrant world of technology and innovation right here in Iowa. Each week, we dive into the dynamic landscape of Iowa's tech industry, showcasing the brilliant minds, groundbreaking startups, and transformative ideas that are shaping the future. Join our host, Kaylee Williams, as we sit down with tech entrepreneurs, industry experts, and thought leaders who are driving change and pushing boundaries in fields ranging from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to agtech and clean energy. Whether you're a seasoned professional, a budding innovator, or simply tech-curious, the Iowa Tech Podcast offers insider insights, inspiring stories, and practical advice to keep you at the forefront of the digital revolution. Tune in to explore how Iowa is making waves on the global tech stage and discover how you can be a part of this exciting journey.
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