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

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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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...

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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...
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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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November 7, 2024 37 mins

Mitchell Kearns chats with Ashley Stout from Stitch N Sew Cottage about helping customers discover quilting, and managing a business in one of Iowa's coziest small towns.

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October 31, 2024 43 mins

Mitchell sits down with Howard Urnovitz, the co-founder of FBB Biomed, to discuss the process of looking for a cure for cancer, innovative HIV tests, and relearning what it means to be an entrepreneur.

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October 24, 2024 33 mins

Mitchell Kearns meets with Janey Stahl, the founder of People and Profit System, where she consults small businesses with the unique perspective of seeing the people involved and building trusting relationships. They talk about her story of learning to balance family life with business life, and what she has learned along the way.

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October 17, 2024 40 mins

Mitchell Kearns chats with Emily Steele, the founder of Hummingbirds, a social media marketing platform that highlights small businesses!

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October 10, 2024 20 mins

The Iowa SBDC's Ray Hansen chats with Dakota Belling, the inventor of Bovi-Jet, an applicator for pour-on products for cattle that maximizes efficiency when it comes to breeding cattle!

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October 3, 2024 21 mins
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September 26, 2024 22 mins

Mitchell chats with Matt Curtis, the owner of Wayne's Ski, Cycle & Fitness in Mason City, about taking over a business from a previous owner, getting help from the SBDC, and taking care of both employees and family.

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