Rural Business Innovators Podcast

Rural Business Innovators Podcast

The Rural Business Innovators Podcast is an educational podcast by the Iowa Small Business Development Center, interviewing rural entrepreneurs and Iowan innovators to effectively share their stories. In each episode, SBDC staff meet with a new small business in rural Iowa and ask them how they have navigated business ownership. You will hear how the business was formed, how it was funded, and how they are currently operating. Business owners will share the highs and lows of their journey and offer advice and wisdom to budding entrepreneurs.

Episodes

September 4, 2025 53 mins

Mitchell talks with friends Tyler Gathercoal and Tollef Sorenson about their studio, uniquely situated in Jefferson, Iowa to give music artists and filmmakers in the midwest an opportunity to professionally hone their craft and present their work. They talk about how creativity meets entrepreneurship, and how the friends learned to develop their passion into a business.

Mark as Played

Mitchell talks with Titan Immel, the owner of Aghub Midwest, which specializes in seed treatment, fertilizer, chemical application, and even farm equipment. Titan unpacks the intersection of family and business, as well as the importance of being able to replicate something you've done once already as an entrepreneur.

Mark as Played
August 21, 2025 45 mins
Mitchell meets with Kristin Lang, owner of Warm Wishes, a craft, gift, and stationery store in Jefferson, Iowa. They talk about how managing a card shop means being a part of birthday parties and special announcements in the town, and getting to be a part of special traditions like Jefferson's annual Bell Tower Festival.
Mark as Played
August 14, 2025 55 mins

Mitchell talks with Chad Rieck about multiple unique business ventures -- specifically working in radio broadcasting communications, as well as Champion Steaks in Creston. He talks about what he hopes to see for Champion in the future, and how doing radio work has permeated his family life in a fun way.

Mark as Played
August 7, 2025 39 mins

Megan Waters and Nikki Uebel talk about Midwest Wellness + Recovery, their joint effort to have a safe addiction recovery program. They discuss how the pain of addiction has impacted their lives, why this sort of space makes sense for Iowa, and what the future of their mission looks like. 

Mark as Played
July 31, 2025 36 mins

Meet Allen Thomlinson, the owner of Fish Fix in Thayer, Iowa. Learn about the complications and unique aspects of running a fish store, what kind of customers look for fish, and why Thayer is a good location for providing guests with fish, tanks, and more.

Mark as Played
July 24, 2025 47 mins

Mitchell meets with CoriAnn Theroux, the owner of The Green Dragon Bookshop in Fort Dodge! They talk about which genres speak to her, as well as how Cori has found a home among the other local bookshops in Iowa by creating the Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour -- connecting The Green Dragon to other local bookshops across the state in a new way.

Mark as Played
July 17, 2025 49 mins

Mitchell meets with entrepreneur Mark Allen to discuss The Moose Fireplace Grill, an innovative way to combine the campy aesthetic and function of a fireplace with the power and efficiency of a grill! They discuss family, pitching, and finding a release for creative energy in entrepreneurship.

Mark as Played
July 10, 2025 44 mins

This week, Mitchell talks with Abby McConnell, who turned her love for event-planning into a business reality! She talks about the different aspects of an event-planning business, like where to store materials, what kind of mindset someone should have, and the beautiful legacy that helping one family can grow into.

Mark as Played
July 3, 2025 37 mins

In this episode, Mitchell Kearns meets with Dr. Frances Johnson, the physician cofounder of Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, now merged with Isoray to become Perspective Therapeutics. They talk about her education at Stanford University, the process of finding angel investors, and the importance of keeping your day job while pursuing entrepreneurship.

Mark as Played
June 26, 2025 49 mins

On this episode of the RBI Podcast, Mitchell Fox discusses the process of seeking visibility for his app, LogIQ Hunt, and how hunters can utilize innovative technology to change how they hunt. 

Mark as Played
June 19, 2025 24 mins

In this episode, Mitchell meets with Thuy Nguyen to talk about taking huge risks in her life to leave the career she felt obligated to pursue for the one that she felt more passionate about -- real estate. They talk about the enormous sacrifices she had to make to make her dream a reality, and what real estate means to her.

Mark as Played
June 12, 2025 45 mins

Mitchell Kearns talks with Aaron Warner, the CEO of Procircular, a cybersecurity consulting business in Coralville. They talk about the trust between clients and businesses, especially when it comes to offensive cybersecurity.

Mark as Played
May 29, 2025 45 mins

Mitchell talks to mother/daughter duo Lorraine Williams and Isabella Santoro about their effort to build a new social culture in downtown Washington, Iowa by bringing in Italian influence. This effort has led to Café Dodici and Northside Diner in Washington, introducing a new restaurant element to the town. They discuss the struggles of getting residents of Washington to see the vision in this new café culture, and stories of how c...

Mark as Played
May 6, 2025 40 mins
Spring is a season of frequent natural disasters in Iowa. If you are a small business owner, how have you prepared? In this special episode of the Rural Business Innovators Podcast, Iowa SBDC members Mitchell Kearns, Tricia Rivas, and Scott Swenson discuss how unprecedented disasters have impacted small businesses in Iowa, and how you can prepare for unpredictable events like natural disaster, times of civil unrest, and even dea...
Mark as Played
December 19, 2024 46 mins

Mitchell Kearns talks with Nicole Hutchison, the founder of Statera, about the unique take on healthcare that Statera offers the Dubuque community. They dive deep into the daily practices that happen within Statera on the management, team, and client levels, and the wide variety of healthcare services that Statera encompasses!

Mark as Played
December 12, 2024 42 mins

Host Mitchell Kearns sits down with Scott Putnam, the inventor of the Swat-N-Scoop, which acts as both a swatter for unwanted bugs and a tool to remove them safely from your home! They talk about the process of getting featured on the Amazon Prime Video series "Buy It Now", and the process of patenting a unique product to sell commercially.

Mark as Played
December 5, 2024 31 mins

Ray Hansen chats with Joe Brincks of Seventy One 30, a drone photography business in Carroll, Iowa. Learn about what drones are the best on the market right now, and what it's like to keep up with an industry that is rapidly growing and changing.

Mark as Played
November 21, 2024 34 mins

Tomorrow on the RBI Podcast, Mitchell Kearns talks with Jeremiah Wright, a personal trainer who runs Get It Wright Ftiness in Des Moines! They talk about finding motivation for clients, finding motivation for yourself, and the unique perspective that comes from running a personal service-based business.

Mark as Played
November 14, 2024 17 mins

Victor Oyervides sits down with Berenice Valderrabano in the 25th episode of the RBI Podcast -- our second Spanish episode! They talk about Mr. Burrito Mexican Food, which has served Iowa State students for years.

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.