Inextinguishable Light

SEASON 1 FINALE!

Ben McDougal and Jim Morgan compose a symphony of sound and share BIG news to tie a beautiful bow on a sensational season of You Don’t Need This Podcast!

Recorded at the largest sound stage in Minnesota, together we jam on producing new music every day, sleeping in a kick drum, and being a part of other artist’s creative process. Before the break, we hear the story of Conduit Sound, then celebrate pure wonder and serendipity by talking about inspired leadership within creative, inclusive, and open environments.

In a special break without commercials (17:30), you’ll be first to hear news of the brand new Collector Hardback Edition of You Don’t Need This Book: Entrepreneurship in the Connected Era! This relic is now available in limited supply, so click here to experience the feel of finished.

After the break, we put hands on the author’s proof for the Collector Hardback Edition of YDNTB! We then click into AI within music and transitioning from behind the camera to in front of an audience. We close by appreciating the support of family, invite you to ship your own art, and fight to a fun finish for Season 1. Thanks to listeners who have been a part of this experience and to all who have helped evolve this idea into a reality.

Wait…there’s more! You’ll want to stick around for the last drop, as BEN BOT articulates a transmission from the future. Revisit timeless insight from all 55 episodes at YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com as we get ready for next.

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Blurring Lines

Welcome back to Wisconsin! Ben McDougal was visiting UW Stevens Point to deliver You Don’t Need This Keynote at the 2024 Think Like an Entrepreneur event. As part of a wonderful whirlwind, he visited a local coworking and makerspace to record this special “In The Wild” episode.

Kevin Neuman leads the way as Assistant Dean within the Sentry School of Business and Economics at UW Stevens Point, while Christopher Klesmith is the Neighborhood Planner at the City of Stevens Point. Special thanks to Dr. Elizabeth Martin for coordinating such a unique collision between ecosystem allies!

Together, we discuss how placemaking connects with higher education and how entrepreneurial ecosystems can integrate students. We also celebrate agility within the future of work, ask what is school for, discuss collaboration between educational institutions, and close by solving the power paradox. EP54 is a timeless reminder for those who are blurring the lines between the classroom and community, which paints a reality that activates innovative ways for leaders to interface with the world.

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Now & Later

Welcome to Wisconsin! Ben McDougal was visiting UW Stevens Point to deliver You Don’t Need This Keynote at the 2024 Think Like an Entrepreneur event. As part of a wonderful whirlwind, he jumped into a local recording studio with two local leaders at different stages in life.

Evan Stanislawski is a recent graduate of UWSP, while Matt Vollmer did the same 10 years ago. After a traditional start to his career, Matt is now an adjunct professor and the CEO of Arbré Technologies, which enables data to help the horticulture industry track the lifecycle of plants. Evan is making a ruckus in vintage clothing, while also turning a wrench in the family plumbing business, which may lead to business succession opportunities.

Together, we chat about building on the timeline of now, while staying patient to make better business decisions. We also jam on real skills, diversified career portfolios, activating digital depth, and how the non-linear path toward success often includes combinations of achievement and lasting fulfillment.

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Become What You Think

We hear the Internet is a big deal. Drew Harden is a web development wayfinder, author, and culture-building leader at Blue Compass. After some rich thoughts on creating significance within a company’s culture, we dive into the world of web development. Ben was in web development for 8 years back in the day, so this was a fun chance to hear how web design and development continues to evolve. Ben and Drew chat about key things for different types of websites. After BEN BOT suggested an average cost to have a web development company create a website, we talk about budgeting for web design projects, but also remember that it’s never one size fits all. Before the break, we run through content creation and the marathon of search engine optimization.

After the break, we double click on SEO (here’s a link to the Blue Compass SEO Guide), but stay plugged in! Drew and Ben shift into a great chat on writing and publishing your first book. Hear Drew share stories from his book writing quest that led to RETAIN: How to Create an Incredible Company Culture that No One Wants to Leave. Ben and Drew then have fun reflecting on narrating your own audiobook. In fact, let’s extend the fun! Use an Audible credit to enjoy Drew’s audiobook here and Ben’s audiobook here. If writing a book keeps you up at night, this is a fun listen. Drew then closes with a neat moment, which inspired the poetic title.

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