Rural Business Innovators Podcast
The Rural Business Innovators Podcast is an educational podcast by the Iowa Small Business Development Center, interviewing rural entrepreneurs and Iowan innovators to effectively share their stories. In each episode, SBDC staff meet with a new small business in rural Iowa and ask them how they have navigated business ownership. You will hear how the business was formed, how it was funded, and how they are currently operating. Business owners will share the highs and lows of their journey and offer advice and wisdom to budding entrepreneurs.
Episodes

Jun 26, 2025
Jun 26, 2025
49 min
On this episode of the RBI Podcast, Mitchell Fox discusses the process of seeking visibility for his app, LogIQ Hunt, and how hunters can utilize innovative technology to change how they hunt.

Jun 19, 2025
Jun 19, 2025
24 min
In this episode, Mitchell meets with Thuy Nguyen to talk about taking huge risks in her life to leave the career she felt obligated to pursue for the one that she felt more passionate about -- real estate. They talk about the enormous sacrifices she had to make to make her dream a reality, and what real estate means to her.

Jun 12, 2025
Jun 12, 2025
45 min
Mitchell Kearns talks with Aaron Warner, the CEO of Procircular, a cybersecurity consulting business in Coralville. They talk about the trust between clients and businesses, especially when it comes to offensive cybersecurity.

May 29, 2025
May 29, 2025
45 min
Mitchell talks to mother/daughter duo Lorraine Williams and Isabella Santoro about their effort to build a new social culture in downtown Washington, Iowa by bringing in Italian influence. This effort has led to Café Dodici and Northside Diner in Washington, introducing a new restaurant element to the town. They discuss the struggles of getting residents of Washington to see the vision in this new café culture, and stories of how customers have had an influence on the story of these fun dining spots.

May 6, 2025
May 6, 2025
40 min
Spring is a season of frequent natural disasters in Iowa. If you are a small business owner, how have you prepared?
In this special episode of the Rural Business Innovators Podcast, Iowa SBDC members Mitchell Kearns, Tricia Rivas, and Scott Swenson discuss how unprecedented disasters have impacted small businesses in Iowa, and how you can prepare for unpredictable events like natural disaster, times of civil unrest, and even death.

Dec 19, 2024
Dec 19, 2024
46 min
Mitchell Kearns talks with Nicole Hutchison, the founder of Statera, about the unique take on healthcare that Statera offers the Dubuque community. They dive deep into the daily practices that happen within Statera on the management, team, and client levels, and the wide variety of healthcare services that Statera encompasses!

Dec 12, 2024
Dec 12, 2024
42 min
Host Mitchell Kearns sits down with Scott Putnam, the inventor of the Swat-N-Scoop, which acts as both a swatter for unwanted bugs and a tool to remove them safely from your home! They talk about the process of getting featured on the Amazon Prime Video series "Buy It Now", and the process of patenting a unique product to sell commercially.

Dec 5, 2024
Dec 5, 2024
31 min
Ray Hansen chats with Joe Brincks of Seventy One 30, a drone photography business in Carroll, Iowa. Learn about what drones are the best on the market right now, and what it's like to keep up with an industry that is rapidly growing and changing.

Nov 21, 2024
Nov 21, 2024
34 min
Tomorrow on the RBI Podcast, Mitchell Kearns talks with Jeremiah Wright, a personal trainer who runs Get It Wright Ftiness in Des Moines! They talk about finding motivation for clients, finding motivation for yourself, and the unique perspective that comes from running a personal service-based business.

Nov 14, 2024
Nov 14, 2024
17 min
Victor Oyervides sits down with Berenice Valderrabano in the 25th episode of the RBI Podcast -- our second Spanish episode! They talk about Mr. Burrito Mexican Food, which has served Iowa State students for years.







