Leadership

Win Win Win

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 2025 podcast be her first interview as the new leader within Iowa ABI. We toast Mike Ralston and his 20+ years of generous leadership, then discuss negotiating, public policy, and advocacy that is valued by members. Nicole wraps up the first part of EP72 by shared timeless insight for students pursuing a business degree.

After Ben narrates Significance, Alessandra and Stella welcome us back by asking our featured guest, what’s worth sacrificing to pursue progress? We then let future-forward ideas flow, scratch on innovative community building tactics, and share how existing business can weave succession planning into their strategy. Congrats to our featured guest on the new role, and here’s to a fantastic 2025!

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BONUS MATERIALS

https://IowaABI.org

Roasted Reflections Break: Significance

http://Win-Win-Win.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com

EP32 – Connecting Leaders 🎙️ Jessi McQuerrey

EP40 – Big Business 🎙️ Joe Murphy

EP30 – Exit Ramps 🎙️  Brian Crotty

http://PlayforcePrinciples.com

http://BENBOT.ai

By Ben McDougal, ago

Game Time

Joe Roth leverages game play to build community. This proverbial camp director ignites camaraderie through The Dealt Hand and connects people through a shared experience. Listen as we talk analog game play, event management, and embracing activities that bring you pleasure. Enjoy your time playing in this real and keep doing hard things.

After Ben narrates Echos from the Roasted Reflections library, Joe jams on leading within the startup community. Specifically, his time as the lead organizer for 1 Million Cups Des Moines. We brew on identifying roles amongst a volunteers, fueling diverse collisions within an audience, tips for presenting at 1MC, and how graduating gracefully adds valuable thickness in an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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BONUS MATERIALS
https://TheDealtHand.com
http://Game-Time.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com
http://1MillionCupsDSM.com
https://1millioncups.com/s/communities
Reading Break from Roasted Reflections: Echos
http://BENBOT.ai

By Ben McDougal, ago

Intentional Connections

How do you get comfortable with being uncomfortable? Having lived on two different islands in Japan, Italy, and the Philippines, Lisa Behrends is a seasoned business strategist and executive with an explorer’s perspective.

Follow your instincts and surround yourself with EP61, as Lisa and Ben are in-studio talking about all the things! This episode’s title pays homage to a quest you’ll hear more about here, called Intentional Connections. Within these community-driven environments, we talk about how to show up, stand out, and following up to thicken an engaged network. This will help you find a healthy slowness to help those you meet, be seen, heard, and valued.

After a special break with another writing from the Roasted Reflections library. In this episode, Ben narrates “Anxiety”. After this mindful moment, Lisa talks about ways to live intentionally. Being aware of how you brew life’s resources, time, and relationships. A powerful closing shines as we close. Enjoy, share with one friend, and thank you for strolling on a thought-filled walk with us.

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BONUS MATERIALS

https://LisaBehrends.com

https://IntentionalConnectionsEvents.com

http://Intentional-Connections.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com

Reading Break from Roasted Reflections: Anxiety

http://CollectorHardbackEdition.com

http://RoastedReflections.com

http://BENBOT.ai

By Ben McDougal, ago

Agents of Change

Amner Martinez goes for the heart and bridges cultural gaps by inviting us all to tell our stories. Along with The Amner Martinez Podcast and Amplified DSM delivering an inspired environment for podcasters, Infinite Resources connects companies recruiting diverse talent and job seekers looking to fuel positive change within a new team.

If you’ve thought about starting a podcast, Amner and Ben will help you stay creative without a roadmap. After the break, we explore hiring talent and how job seekers can find a team to sing their own song of significance.

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BONUS MATERIALS
https://AmplifiedDSM.com
The Amner Martinez Podcast
https://InfiniteResourcesDSM.com
http://Agents-of-Change.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com
https://BenMcDougal.com/Producing-a-Podcast
http://CollectorHardbackEdition.com
http://RoastedReflections.com
http://FliteBrite.com
http://BENBOT.ai

By Ben McDougal, ago

Plateaus of Purpose

The highs and lows of an entrepreneurial lifestyle are dramatic, but the plateaus can be just as wild. Find your own feng shui as Vanessa Mcneal guides us on a lovely ride through the internal parts that make you move. This episode reshapes our appreciation toward the inevitable plateaus of life.

Mid-way through, you’ll hear a fresh addition to how our coffee breaks will add value throughout Season 2. Ben narrates a writing from Roasted Reflections.

After the break, we dive into the vindication that is keynote speaking! Vanessa and Ben have spoken to so many different types of audiences, so listen to how they share tips on giving an engaging talk, building trust to connect with an audience, slide deck design, collaborating withing different budgets, and appreciating times of slowness that offer a waiting room to prepare you for next. We open with an unplanned appreciation toward love and trusting our powers. We close by contrasting the acceleration that comes with coaching, versus the processing that can come from therapy.

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BONUS MATERIALS
YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com
VanessaMcneal.com
New S2 Thread on X
Roasted Reflections
BenMcDougal.com

By Ben McDougal, ago