Rural Business Innovators Podcast

Mitchell talks with friends Tyler Gathercoal and Tollef Sorenson about their studio, uniquely situated in Jefferson, Iowa to give music artists and filmmakers in the midwest an opportunity to professionally hone their craft and present their work. They talk about how creativity meets entrepreneurship, and how the friends learned to develop their passion into a business.

Mitchell talks with Titan Immel, the owner of Aghub Midwest, which specializes in seed treatment, fertilizer, chemical application, and even farm equipment. Titan unpacks the intersection of family and business, as well as the importance of being able to replicate something you've done once already as an entrepreneur.

Mitchell meets with Kristin Lang, owner of Warm Wishes, a craft, gift, and stationery store in Jefferson, Iowa. They talk about how managing a card shop means being a part of birthday parties and special announcements in the town, and getting to be a part of special traditions like Jefferson's annual Bell Tower Festival.

Mitchell talks with Chad Rieck about multiple unique business ventures -- specifically working in radio broadcasting communications, as well as Champion Steaks in Creston. He talks about what he hopes to see for Champion in the future, and how doing radio work has permeated his family life in a fun way.

Megan Waters and Nikki Uebel talk about Midwest Wellness + Recovery, their joint effort to have a safe addiction recovery program. They discuss how the pain of addiction has impacted their lives, why this sort of space makes sense for Iowa, and what the future of their mission looks like. 

Meet Allen Thomlinson, the owner of Fish Fix in Thayer, Iowa. Learn about the complications and unique aspects of running a fish store, what kind of customers look for fish, and why Thayer is a good location for providing guests with fish, tanks, and more.

Mitchell meets with CoriAnn Theroux, the owner of The Green Dragon Bookshop in Fort Dodge! They talk about which genres speak to her, as well as how Cori has found a home among the other local bookshops in Iowa by creating the Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour -- connecting The Green Dragon to other local bookshops across the state in a new way.

Mitchell meets with entrepreneur Mark Allen to discuss The Moose Fireplace Grill, an innovative way to combine the campy aesthetic and function of a fireplace with the power and efficiency of a grill! They discuss family, pitching, and finding a release for creative energy in entrepreneurship.

This week, Mitchell talks with Abby McConnell, who turned her love for event-planning into a business reality! She talks about the different aspects of an event-planning business, like where to store materials, what kind of mindset someone should have, and the beautiful legacy that helping one family can grow into.

In this episode, Mitchell Kearns meets with Dr. Frances Johnson, the physician cofounder of Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, now merged with Isoray to become Perspective Therapeutics. They talk about her education at Stanford University, the process of finding angel investors, and the importance of keeping your day job while pursuing entrepreneurship.