Inclusion Archives - Ben McDougal

You Don't Need This Podcast

Unrelenting

Abena Sankofa is an unrelenting author, founder, and fellow podcaster who hosts Black & Privileged in America. This leader celebrates Africana, challenges historical narratives, and advocates for a just world. Together, we share time on a Tuesday by chatting about reading, writing, podcasting, and building a healthy bookshelf.

After another narrated break, we update the “minority” business owner narrative, discuss ways to leverage resources geared just for you, and explore the perceived religious vibes that are more like the constant governance of cultural interactions within business environments and beyond.

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BONUS MATERIALS

https://AbenaSankofa.com

Omari’s Big Tree and the Mighty Djembe

“Iowa Nice” Interrupted | TEDxDesMoines

Roasted Reflections Break: Bookmarks

http://Unrelenting.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com

EP33 – Health Equity 🎙️ Corey Dion Lewis

EP59 – Agents of Change 🎙️ Amner Martinez

EP65 – Aromatherapy 🎙️ Kourtney Perry

EP86 – Red Jalapeño 🎙️ Taufeek Shah

http://YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com

By Ben McDougal, 4 months ago July 9, 2025

You Don't Need This Podcast

Aunt Julie

Julie McDougal shares a chat before she retired from IBM. Can you imagine being at IBM for over 35 years?! The featured guest in EP47 has lived on the edge of technology her entire career! Julie worked within the culture and this fun episode is a glance at how she united others. As you’ll hear, Julie is also Ben’s aunt. Fun! Cheers to everyone at IBM and cheers to a long, interesting, and impactful career. Happy retirement, Aunt Julie!

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By Ben McDougal, 2 years ago April 22, 2024

Ben McDougal is an energized friend, author, founder, technologist, and community builder in the connected era.

Ben has been called a polymath. He evolves ideas into reality and accelerates others through the art of connection. Check out the innovations this leader has activated over time!

2004 | Iowa 3v3 Soccer Challenge <SOLD>
2006 | Jet Set Studio
2007 | The Hunt Zone <SOLD>
2012 | FliteBrite
2017 | 1MC Regional Rep
2020 | OpenOpen
2020 | Pour Over Publishing
2021 | You Don’t Need This Book
2022 | NFT Collection
2022 | web3dsm
2023 | BEN BOT
2023 | You Don’t Need This Podcast
2024 | Collector Hardback Edition
2025 | You Don’t Need This Keynote
2026 | Brewed From Within

You’ve likely met Ben over a brew, read his writings, listened to his podcast, watched his films, or heard him speak. Along with being an intrapreneur, founder, and community leader, You Don’t Need This Book was published in 2021. The literary journey continued as 3 years of weekly writings evolved into the Roasted Reflections library and paved a path toward an all-new format coming soon. You Don’t Need This Podcast has also emerged as a remarkable collection of 100 timeless episodes, all recorded in-studio with remarkable featured guests!

The quest that is FliteBrite also remains a compelling part of Ben’s work as a founder. Since 2012, their electronic serving system and beer festival app have ignited new opportunities for craft breweries and event organizers. This tasty story continues with fun, friendships, successes, learnings, and more fun, every step of the build.

Alongside his ventures, Ben caffeinates a nationwide movement called 1 Million Cups. After leading 1MC Des Moines for 5 years, Ben has collaborated inside the Kauffman Foundation, as @1MCMidwest Regional Rep since 2017. What glorious collisions, with generous leaders, in countless communities. Ben loves this role brewed to connect and support 1MC organizers from 100+ communities throughout the United States!

When it comes to nationwide efforts, Ben also had the privilege of teaming up with Techstars as an Entrepreneur in Residence and Ecosystem Builder. Investing 2021-2023 to build through the Iowa Techstars Accelerator was fantastic. That marketing-flavored, community building, culture, and founder-support role allowed Ben to continue accelerating inspired entrepreneurs… while connecting mentors and investors worldwide.

Such experiential wisdom is translated into BENergy to energize different audiences. For example, You Don’t Need This Keynote activates students, while other workshops and keynotes accelerate fellow founders, side hustlers, and intrapreneurs.

While this is a delightful amuse-bouche, the full story is linked below and his creative museum visualizes work that feels like play. As you’ll see, Ben also enjoys travel, golf, EDM expeditions, reading, Seth Godin, philosophy, wine, craft beer, pinball, and spending treasured time with his wife and daughter. May the best of your todays, be the worst of your tomorrows. Cheers!

FULL STORY