Entrepreneurship

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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By Ben McDougal, ago

Rubik’s Cube

Curt Nelson and Beth Meyer help entrepreneurs spin the Rubik’s cube that is starting (and scaling) a business. The Entrepreneurial Development Center is celebrating 20 years of really getting involved to make an impact. Curt also leads the Iowa Venture Capital Association.

Together, we chat through the origin story of the EDC, then shift gears to chat about tracking milestones with mentors, giving advice, raising financial capital, managing startup boards, and the investor landscape throughout Iowa.

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By Ben McDougal, ago

Do What You Love

Scotty Russell is a web3 artist, podcaster, and business coach for creators. His cosmic illustrations are minted on Solana and other blockchains. He’s also recorded 250+ episodes of the Side Hustler’s Perspective and has coached 1,500+ artists to extend their creative seasons.

Scotty was in Des Moines for a web3 gathering, so he and Ben popped in the studio to record this relic. We talk about building into side hustles, fine artists leveraging digital art, and gamifying different buckets of value.

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By Ben McDougal, ago

Flight Control

Cody Retlich is an alumni of the Techstars Iowa Accelerator (see Cody on-stage at #TSDemoDay in 2022) and this is the first of a new In The Wild category. Recorded after the launch of 1MC in Madison and Milwaukee, Cody and his Wisconsin-based team at DroneAdair, help drone pilots manage their business.

This leader knows what’s up when it comes to drone technology. Strap on your seat belt, as Ben and Cody elevate a conversation around content creation, exploring new industries, and activating beta testers as an entrepreneur. After the break, we fly by emerging drone technologies that will captivate your imagination and talk tactics as we all tell stories with photos and video.

BONUS CONTENT: Cody has also launched Legacy Liftoff, which is another cool podcast dedicated to drone technology and the pilots who create art from the air. Enjoy!

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By Ben McDougal, ago

Additive Manufacturing

Brandon Hart is a builder who helps others do the same. EP41 is all about 3D printing and how additive manufacturing helps evolve ideas into reality, while boosting sustainability in manufacturing and providing a path to our own neon future.

Along with talking about the futuristic things we can “print”, such as nanotechnology, boitech, and food; Brandon shares his winding entrepreneurial path and makes news by introducing the HSP1-I, an all-new industrial 3D printer! Hartsmart Products delivers 3D printers, eco-friendly filament, 3D printer resins, and endless parts to upgrade the nerdery, so it was neat to share this milestone moment within a hartfelt episode you’re sure to enjoy.

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By Ben McDougal, ago