

You Don't Need This Podcast
Ben McDougal
If you’re a remarkable student, entrepreneur, intrapreneur, or community builder thirsty enough to make a ruckus, welcome to innovative energy brewed to keep you building.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 16, 2023 • 36min
Manufacturability
Ethan Davidson molds ideas into reality! He is the President of Beratek Industries, a Co-Founder in FliteBrite, and just launched Conduit Direct Group. If you've ever wanted to manufacture a new product, you'll want to sip on this delicious discussion. Ethan talks through product design, materials, prototyping, and manufacturability. We also discuss the lasting value of transparency, role clarity, execution in sales, and remaining friends at all cost. Cheers!

Oct 9, 2023 • 37min
Data Enablement
Ryan Gerhardy puts data to work. This friend from Australia started in investment banking and worked within venture capital before launching Pitchly. We unclip from our snowboards to chat about data enablement and leadership to scale a startup. As we discuss his team raising over $10M, Ryan outlines three stages investors look for: Potential, Promise, and Proven. This episode is invaluable for intrapreneurs looking for productivity within big data, non-technical founders raising capital, and investors looking for fresh opportunities.

Oct 2, 2023 • 37min
Fourteeners
Jeff Reed is a problem solver who uses the art of connection to design the future. Awarded the 2023 innovation ENTREPRENEUR of the Year, Jeff is a caring leader who is fueled by the unmatched energy of accelerating others. This elevated episode will make you feel like you're on top of a mountain as we discuss idea navigation, design thinking, mentor madness, long-term content creation, and hiking through the finite journey of life.

Sep 25, 2023 • 38min
Schoolhouse Rock
Anika Yadav is a remarkable high school student leading on the timeline of now. She is an award-winning advisor with Pi515 and a national officer with Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). Tune into this special interaction that will motivate students to build without permission, while inviting us all to activate more innovative conversations with students.

Sep 18, 2023 • 39min
Funnel Canyoneering
Kaylee Williams is a sales savant and an empathetic venture capitalist dedicated to accelerating fellow founders. As the Investment Director at InnoVenture Iowa, she manages a $30M public fund focused on investing in early stage companies throughout Iowa, with applications for this year's $100K InnoVenture Challenge now open! Together, we chat about hiking in the Appalachians, raising capital, and filling the sales funnel to keep entrepreneurs building in the wild. As Kaylee reminds us with her closing canyoneering story, we are all capable of so much more, so push yourself into positions where the only way out, is through.

Sep 11, 2023 • 35min
Monster Trucks
Danny O'Halloran defines founder-market-fit and Jake Miyazaki is a data scientist. These high school friends, turned roommates, and now co-founders are building MetaFuel. This team worked through the Techstars Iowa Accelerator in 2022. Today, they deliver a turnkey smart fleet platform that plugs into vehicle telematic systems. The MetaFuel Card is their latest innovation, which helps small trucking companies automate IFTA compliance, identify operational inefficiencies, and drive uptime. Meet Me Half Way as we crush this episode in our monster truck, with a thoughtful discussion around technology in trucking, web3 ideas for a web2 industry, automated transportation, and much more. Bonus: Connect with Trailrock

Sep 4, 2023 • 38min
Drams of History
Tej Dhawan is an advocate for entrepreneurs building within all stages of growth. He's been building technology and has been connecting dots since the earliest days of the Des Moines startup community. Many may hear their name mentioned in this special relic and cheers to all that was StartupCity Des Moines back in 2011! Now at Principal Financial Group, Tej serves as Strategic Initiatives Officer and helps leads innovation as an intrapreneur within one of the largest companies in the world. He continues to connect angel investors with Plains Angels and is always up for a good chat over great scotch. You're going to love this history lesson on Des Moines, Iowa, but no matter where you're listening from, there are tons of takeaways that can be applied where entrepreneurs are leading the evolution of an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Aug 28, 2023 • 39min
Growing the Garden
Hit the trail and plant some seeds with Diana Wright! As the Startup Community Builder for Greater Des Moines Partnership, Diana is a generous leader who uses the art of connection to evolve the Des Moines startup community, while also weaving webs throughout Iowa and beyond. Together, we explore building within complex entrepreneurial ecosystems, how to plug into a startup community, the importance of learning from failure, communities of practice, and ways ecosystem allies can push through a J Curve by always adding diverse energy into the mix. BONUS: Listen closely to snag a free NFT airdrop or the YDNTB audiobook!

Aug 21, 2023 • 41min
Enough is Plenty
Welcome back to school! Tom Swartwood has made the world a better place by accelerating endless students around the globe. We talk about activating the entrepreneurial spirit within academia and redefining retirement for leaders who will never stop making a ruckus to fuel positive change around the world.

Aug 14, 2023 • 33min
Sustainable Swagger
Russel Karim is a technologist building on the frontiers of sustainable fashion. Refill your mug and enjoy this caffeinated conversation with the CEO of Dhakai. We dance with topics like phygital apparel, being entrepreneurial as a college student, designing swag to make an impact, this founder's Techstars Iowa experience, and how we can stitch together the fabric of a global supply chain.