Prognostication Archives - COMMUNITY BUILDER

You Don't Need This Podcast

Prognostication

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 continues with mathematics in the real world, then Ben narrates an exponential writing.

After the break, Ehrich writes a haiku in real-time and climbs through thoughts from atop the mountain. EP83 continues with stories from inside the Iowa Techstars Accelerator, communicating complicated products, and what people look for when it comes to their new home. We finish with thoughts on polyhedrons, infinity, and beyond.

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BONUS MATERIALS

https://Emigrait.com

https://linkedin.com/in/ehrichpakala

Techstars Iowa Accelerator Demo Day

http://Prognostication.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com

Roasted Reflections Break: Linear

EP6 – Computer Vision(ary) 🎙️ Brad Dwyer

EP22 – BioMathemAttorney 🎙️ Cassie Edgar

EP29 – Borderless 🎙️ Kerty Levy

EP34 – Measured Twice 🎙️ Ryan Glick

http://YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com

A Trip to Inifinity (Netflix)

How to Win at Chess

http://BENBOT.ai

By Ben McDougal, 4 daysMarch 26, 2025 ago

Ben McDougal is an author, founder, technologist, and entrepreneurial ecosystem 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
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 | now brewing – let’s chat

You’ve likely met Ben or heard him speak.

You Don’t Need This Podcast has been the place to enjoy a podcast every Wednesday morning for a while now! McDougal’s latest creation unites 80+ timeless episodes, each with featured guests in-studio! Listen and watch as leaders brew through the fabrics of an entrepreneurial lifestyle. The content creation never stops either. 160+ writings are now minted into Roasted Reflections. This library is a literary journey for the mind and could present a compelling path toward an all-new format coming soon.

Shifting gears, the quest that is FliteBrite remains compelling and an active part of Ben’s journey as a founder. Since 2012, their electronic serving system and beer festival app have created tech-infused paths for craft breweries and event organizers. This tasty story continues to be written, 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 now collaborates with the Kauffman Foundation as the @1MCMidwest Regional Rep. He’s been making a ruckus in this position for over 5 years. What glorious collision, with endless generous 1MC organizers, in countless entrepreneurial ecosystems. Ben loves this leadership role brewed to connect and support 1MC organizers from 100+ communities throughout the Midwest and nationwide!

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 from around the globe.

Such experiential wisdom is translated into BENergy as McDougal speaks with a variety of different audiences. For example, You Don’t Need This Keynote activates students, while other talks accelerate young professionals, founders, side hustlers, and intrapreneurs. Watch fantastic examples here, then let’s chat about your next event, keynote speaker ideas, workshop collaborations, and/or entrepreneurial initiatives.

There’s so much more too. The full story is linked below and a spacious museum will keep you appreciating work that feels like play. As you’ll see through stories, 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