You Don't Need This Podcast

Taufeek Shah brings the heat! We pour on the sauce and dip into salsa as we hear how Lola's Fine Sauces delivers spicy goodness in 22,000+ locations worldwide. Taufeek and Ben discuss the science of edible product development, freshness in a distributed supply chain, and physical experiences with digital depth.

Jacob Kruse invests corporate innovation funds. Corporate venture capital is a growing trend, so let's chat through how founders can interact with corporate partners and how internal innovation teams can leverage their position within an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As an intrapreneur within the insurance industry, listen how to co-create with founders and stay in-tune with a startup community. Large companies must stay thirsty to st...

Join us at base camp as Jon Kallen builds a mountain for us to climb. We lean into the pain and carry our own gear with stories from Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, and more high altitudes worldwide. When he's not craving gummy worms on snow capped peaks above the clouds, this impactful leader mentors founders commercializing business strategies. We reflect on this leadership alongside our closing message to the mountains.

Ehrich Pakala is a mathematician, software engineer, and founder who uses machine learning to unlock data-driven understandings. His team at Emigrait leverages insight to find future home buyers and sellers for real estate professionals.

While they play chess in-studio, hear Ben and Ehrich chat about avoiding the measurement trap, Ehrich's favorite math equation, machine learning, and predictive modeling in real estate. The nerdery...

Rachelle Keck is the 14th president of Grand View University. Students join us in-studio as we discuss the energy of leadership. We also talk about writing a book and how to leverage an adapttitude, which is an attitude that fosters an aptitude for adaptation.

After an extended break that celebrates Playforce Principles and Seth Godin's Real Skills, we navigate the ROI of higher education, cosmic curiosity, and what's worth sacrifi...

Put your laser eyes on as Carl Lippert swings through the studio to brew some technology soup. Together, we compile Carl's global hackathon tour to hear how such curiosity paired with initiative helped this small town technologist explore the world.

From farming to AI, to blockchain networks, to prototyping, to nomading, to atoms, cryptography, and truth, EP81 is loaded with tactics and innovative energy to optimize your time and e...

scottrepreneur is a nerd you need to know.

How does blockchain layering work? What can composability provide? What's the value of money being mechanized? Can you translate the difference between centralized, protocol, and blockchain networks? Maybe you're exploring ways to add digital depth to existing products?

So many questions, here are some answers!

After the 10 Commandments of UX are echoed in the break, we talk about how bloc...

Max Schaeffer is an Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame Inductee jamming on a new kind of mic. EP79 features a friend and professional conversationalist sharing insight from 40+ years in radio!

This influencer is also an award-winning theatrical director, actor, and producer. Ben and Maxwell discuss timely vs. evergreen content, regulations of radio, metrics that matter vs. opinions of estimates, and curating dollowers beyond passive fo...

Sarah Oyibo is a friendly founder and creative content creator. This influencer explores the realities of an entrepreneurial lifestyle by teaching others how to efficiently create lead magnets built on pillars of content.

In EP78, we hear how Sarah introduced herself to digital design as a student, then escaped a cubicle by leveraging paying clients to start her business. Ben and Sarah keep building with timeless insight on content...

Gerald Beranek is an executionist and a professional problem solver who helps others bring product ideas to life. We talk product design, manufacturing, business, and his new quest. We get reps in on financial modeling, pain relievers vs. vitamins, leadership, and enjoying the process as well. Thanks to Gerald for making the trip to join us in-studio! The results is EP77, which brews timeless value for anyone building a product or ...

Manufacturing and business geek, Mike O'Donnell is inside Iowa State University. He leads the Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS), which helps small- to medium-sized industry compete and win in the modern world. EP76 is light and fun, but rich in now value. Manufacturing is the largest industry in Iowa. We talk manufacturing types, environmental complexities, manufacturing 4.0, exoskeletons, talent matching, and futu...

Tiffany Tauscheck is the President & CEO of Greater Des Moines Partnership! This special episode highlights the results of Tiffany's recent 11-county listening tour with 23 different chambers of commerces and how different communities can collaborate even when environmental factors are different. We then shift gears to discuss leadership within transitional times, data-driven storytelling, and the future of the Des Moines metro.

Af...

Erik Dominguez equips leaders to confidently communicate. He transforms fears into fuel and speaks nationwide. Whether you're interested in paid public speaking or working to unite a team, EP74 will inspire you to pause, listen, then come off mute.

After your friendly host narrates Anticipation within another classic break without commercials, Ben and Erik share a handful of specific terms to avoid, assets to extend your reach, and...

Dr. Jon Van Der Veer took a path less traveled. He shifted gears later in his practice as a doctor, and Examplar Care has since activated a direct primary care experience brewed to provide patients more personalized healthcare. We chat about transparency, affordability, access, and convenience in healthcare, but also get nerdy with zero knowledge proofs, DNA computing, and life extension.

After a quick break that invites you to enj...

Nicole Crain is the incoming president for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry. She's been helping to build business throughout Iowa for over 15 years, so it's neat to have this be her first interview as the new leader within Iowa ABI. We toast Mike Ralston and his 20+ years of generous leadership, then discuss nogotiating, public policy, and advocacy that is valued by members. Nicole wraps up the first part of EP72 by sh...

🥂 Happy New Year 🥂

Alex Myers and Ben McDougal return from the future to refill our mugs and translate nerd into normal. BEN BOT kicks off 2025 with a compelling thought on accelerationism. The humans then chime in on the evolution of AI, nuerotech, and the confluence of human and machines.

After the break that invites openess, we discuss the state of web3, corporate networks vs. blockchain networks, state management, material sc...

🎄 Holiday Special 🎄

Grandpa Dale visits the studio. At age 92, open this gift of a chat between a grandpa and his grandson, released on Christmas morning. The love of family, stories of riding a horse over a mile to school, peaceful gratitude, and so much more.

Ben had a number of ideas for narrating the break, so tune through to enjoy Santa is Real, then we keep the nestaglia brewing. Ben's dad sat in on the fun and twas cool to...

Chris Snider is an educator who helps students explore the landscape of communications. Knowing so much information is online, digital communication becomes apart of endless discussion. How does multimedia technologies flow so prevalently within marketing? Chris has been exploring the frontiers of social media and has taught at Drake University for over 15 years!

Listen as we surf the continuum of content creation. We approach the ...