BPC Streaming Network

Fuel price fluctuations stemming from the war in Iran are shaping near-term business strategy and consumer decision-making, according to industry leaders in trucking and convenience retail. This episode of the Iowa Economy Podcast, hosted by BPC President Chris Conetzkey explores how energy markets influence freight demand, purchasing behavior and broader economic expectations. In this episode: Co...

Renee Crowell, Executive Director of The Ingersoll, shared the deeply personal story of how she and her husband Chris found their way to Des Moines — and how the timing felt undeniably right. What stood out most wasn’t just a career move, but their genuine love for the community and their desire to invest in something meaningful. The Ingersoll isn’t just a venue to them — it’s a treasure. A gather...

BPC Senior Director of Events Stacey Thompson and Business Record Editor Sarah Diehn host the weekly recap of statewide news you may have missed in the last week. Stories shared were first reported between March 25-31. Explore the Emerging Leader MBA Scholarship — a full-ride designed to develop Iowa’s next generation of business leaders.   Full ride. Full potential. Learn more and apply here.

On this episode of Made in Iowa, John Mickelson lays out a hard truth: many of America’s strongest manufacturing and industrial companies face a two-fold threat. First, founders and long-time owners are aging out without clear succession plans. Second, many of these businesses—while profitable—have never been fully operationalized. They’ve grown on grit, relationships, and instinct, but lack the s...

BPC President Chris Conetzkey and Business Record Editor Sarah Diehn host the weekly recap of statewide news you may have missed in the last week. Stories shared were first reported between March 18-24. Explore the Emerging Leader MBA Scholarship — a full-ride designed to develop Iowa’s next generation of business leaders.   Full ride. Full potential. Learn more and apply here.

In a recent episode of Made in Iowa, Stacey Sime, CEO of LifeServe, shared the remarkable preservation effort behind reclaiming the hardwoods used in their new headquarters. She pointed us directly to the creative force behind that transformation — Megan Aronson of Aronson Woodworks (https://www.aronsonwoodworks.com/). In this episode, Megan joins us in studio alongside her self-proclaimed “greate...

In this month’s episode of the DSM Wealth Podcast, we ask a powerful question: What if your investments could do more than just perform and also reflect what matters most to you? In “Aligning Your Investing With Your Values,” we explore how values-based investing has evolved over the years, and how this type of strategy can enhance your overall portfolio while creating meaningful impact. Joining t...

When women negotiate they’re often labeled, perhaps called too direct or too soft. How can women gain confidence in negotiating, and what can be done to overcome stereotypes that create barriers for women during negotiation? In this episode of the Fearless podcast, co-hosts LaDrina Wilson and Macey Shofroth talk about negotiation with Cristy Tackett-Hunt, general counsel of Perfusion Solution Inc....

BPC Senior Director of Events Stacey Thompson and Business Record Editor Sarah Diehn host the weekly recap of statewide news you may have missed in the last week. Stories shared were first reported between March 11-17. Explore the Emerging Leader MBA Scholarship — a full-ride designed to develop Iowa’s next generation of business leaders.   Full ride. Full potential. Learn more and apply here.

Iowa State University distinguished professor and historian Pamela Riney-Kehrberg joins us once again to discuss the Farm Crisis of the 1980s. American farmers and agricultural communities nationwide — and especially in Iowa — were thrown into economic turmoil after several missteps coalesced into a farming bust. Policies and practices that helped the nation recover continue to shape the agricultu...

In this episode, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about the forces shaping the future of Iowa agriculture. We discuss global trade dynamics and the ways tariffs and international relationships influence Iowa’s agricultural economy. Secretary Naig also shares how the state is actively recruiting food manufacturers and expanding food production capacit...

BPC President Chris Conetzkey and Business Record Editor Sarah Diehn host the weekly recap of statewide news you may have missed in the last week. Stories shared were first reported between March 4-10. Explore the Emerging Leader MBA Scholarship — a full-ride designed to develop Iowa’s next generation of business leaders.   Full ride. Full potential. Learn more and apply here.

In this episode of the Iowa Economy Podcast, economist Bryce Kanago and Directors Council Executive Director Jerrica Marshall join host Chris Conetzkey to explore how the conflict involving Iran, shifting consumer behavior and workforce changes could influence inflation, interest rates and business activity. Marshall also shares insights from regional economic data and her experience as an adviser...

On this episode of Made in Iowa, host Leisa Fox sits down with entrepreneur Billie Asmus, founder of Repaint Studios, to share the story behind a simple frustration that turned into a national retail brand. Billie didn’t plan to become an inventor or retail entrepreneur. As a busy mom trying to pause a painting project when her daughter woke up from a nap, she grew tired of using plastic wrap and...

BPC President Chris Conetzkey and Business Record Editor Sarah Diehn host the weekly recap of statewide news you may have missed in the last week. Stories shared were first reported between Feb. 25-March 3. Explore the Emerging Leader MBA Scholarship — a full-ride designed to develop Iowa’s next generation of business leaders.   Full ride. Full potential. Learn more and apply here.

In my conversation with Erin Rollenhagen, CEO of Entrepreneurial Technologies, and Ann Staudt, the dynamic duo behind Water Rocks!, listeners discover how a passion for Iowa’s natural resources has been transformed into an innovative educational movement. These two leaders are on a mission to make water science exciting and accessible for learners of all ages. Through engaging online games, captiv...

BPC President Chris Conetzkey and Business Record Editor Sarah Diehn host the weekly recap of statewide news you may have missed in the last week. Stories shared were first reported between Feb. 18-24. Explore the Emerging Leader MBA Scholarship — a full-ride designed to develop Iowa’s next generation of business leaders.   Full ride. Full potential. Learn more and apply here.

Three-quarters of parents with children under 6 work outside of the home in Iowa, making child care a significant need for Iowa parents. But affordability and lack of access causes significant barriers for many families. In this episode of the Fearless podcast, co-hosts Emily Wood and LaDrina Wilson talk with Iowa Women’s Foundation interim CEO Claudia Schabel and former executive director of Post...

In this episode of Made in Iowa, we sit down with Will Rogers, founder of Monks Brandy, to talk about what it looks like to take a bold leap later in life. Will shares the story behind the name Monks Brandy, why he chose brandy as his spirit of focus, and what motivated him—in his 50s—to step into the adult beverage world with confidence and intention. Rooted in memories of growing up when Brandy...

BPC President Chris Conetzkey and Business Record Editor Sarah Diehn host the weekly recap of statewide news you may have missed in the last week. Stories shared were first reported between Feb. 11-17. Explore the Emerging Leader MBA Scholarship — a full-ride designed to develop Iowa’s next generation of business leaders.   Full ride. Full potential. Learn more and apply here.

Deb Fenton-Roe is a Wapello County Veterans Affairs Commissioner and co-coordinator of the Veterans Mobile Food Bank in Wapello, one of only two veteran-specific distributions in Iowa. As a United States veteran herself, she feels passionate about helping others who served to access benefits they need. She talks us through how she gets involved and how others can help veterans in their area.

Stepping out on your own takes courage—especially when your reputation, relationships, and livelihood are built on trust. In this episode of Made in Iowa, we sit down with Laura Peterson, co-founder of Unison Design Studio, to talk about the bold decision to launch a purpose-driven architecture and design firm rooted in clarity, collaboration, and care. With more than 90 years of collective experi...

BPC Senior Director of Events Stacey Thompson and Business Record Editor Sarah Diehn host the weekly recap of statewide news you may have missed in the last week. Stories shared were first reported between Feb. 4-10. Explore the Emerging Leader MBA Scholarship — a full-ride designed to develop Iowa’s next generation of business leaders.   Full ride. Full potential. Learn more and apply here.

At the end of our Economic Forecast event, there are always questions and discussions that there isn’t time to cover. So, the day after the event, host Chris Conetzkey asked several of the panelists back along with an event attendee to hear what questions and thoughts lingered for them after hearing the panel’s insights. In this episode: The landscape of ongoing uncertainty facing Iowa businesses,...

On this episode of the Made in Iowa Podcast, I sit down with Loras Schaul, whose career story is anything but conventional. After decades of success in executive-level sales leadership, Loras made a bold, later-in-life pivot—cashing in all his chips to purchase Douglas Machine & Engineering. What followed was not a quiet transition, but an energizing leap into ownership, vision-setting, and hands-...