Building In A Small Town

Hi Friends! Welcome back to Building in a Small Town. My guests today are Brenda & Neal Schwager of JB Knacker/Gin & Tarnish on Main Street in Jewell. Brenda is an O.G. in the junkin and repurposing industry. You’ll hear all about how the business was born out of necessity and has morphed to fit their lives over the years. She is FULL of knowledge & experience. I really enjoyed this ep...

Hi Friends! Welcome back to Building in a Small Town. My guests today are Mollie & Josh Boersma. They are the owners of The Milford Schoolhouse on the outskirts of Ames. In this episode, you’ll find out who started their first business when they were 10 years old, what it was like to walk away from the schoolhouse 3 times, and what their plans are for 27,000 square feet of one-of-a-kind space....

Hi Friends! Welcome back to Building in a Small Town. My guest today is Hanna Nuss of Denver, Iowa. Hanna is the founder of Local - which I would call a movement more so than just a business. She is a dedicated author, speaker, and social entrepreneur. Starting her journey with a personal journal podcast, she transformed her passion for storytelling into two impactful books and a mission to uplift...

Hi Friends! Welcome back to Building in a Small Town. My guest today is Robin Bostrom. Robin is the Director of Empower Rural Iowa, a program housed within the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Robin was born & raised in Hawkeye and still resides in rural northeastern Iowa. You’ll hear about her time running a rural independent grocery store & how she started looking at data before it w...

It's another husband and wife special! We update you on the crime situation in Collins, tell you about a recent land acquisition, and the upcoming opening for The Back Yard.

Hear the story of us waking up to our loaded truck and trailer missing. We still can't believe it happened, but we're glad it's mostly taken care of. Thanks for listening!

Hi Friends! Welcome back to Building in a Small Town. It’s been a little while since I stepped away for a bit of a summer break, but we’re back in action! Today is a quick episode with a very special guest - Senator Joni Ernst. I first connected with someone from her staff back in May when I was in DC for a Meta event. That staffer thought she would be a great fit for the podcast and I absolutely...

I have some pretty big news: I'm no longer The Cricket Lady. Listen for the deets.

Hi Friends! Welcome back to Building in a Small Town. My guests today are Joan & Grant Fairchild of Gravy Home Goods in Jewell, Iowa (1,187). Gravy Home Goods is a brick & mortar shop on Main Street in Jewell. It’s full of vintage, new, repurposed, upcycled, fun, eclectic home items ranging from custom built barnwood tables to sassy textiles and everything in between. In this episode, you’...

My guest today is Susan Frantz the owner & head brewer at Fenceline Beer Lab in Huxley, Iowa. Fenceline Beer Lab is a nano-brewery and they want you to Meet your neighbor at your fenceline. They have a rotating lineup of beers brewed in-house and some PHENOMENAL eats that incorporates those beers. I 10/10 recommend their sourdough pretzels with the mustard sauce. You wont regret it! This episo...

My guest today is George LaCava of Nevada Barbell. Nevada Barbell is where fitness is approachable with  power Lifting, Olympic Weightlifting, and everything in between. In this episode, you’ll learn about George’s career in the Air Force that took him around the world, his brief stint as a trained meat cutter and butcher shop owner, and his unexpected and unintentional journey into gym ownership....

Matt Cleverly is the owner of Gotcha Amusements, a traveling carnival. He is based out of Collins, Iowa. Matt is born and raised in Ames, IA were he started at a young age building and fixing things. After high school, he dabbled in the construction industry, before becoming a mechanic for Honda. After that, he started working for the Ames School district in the custodial/maintenance department. W...

My guest today is Shelly Greving of Em3rge Marketing Solutions. That’s her main project, but you’ll hear that it’s far from her only endeavor. During the episode, you’ll hear what it was like trying to find a job after the early 2000’s tech bubble burst, what a turtle has to do with the beginnings of Shelly’s business, and why there’s a 3 stuck in the middle of her business’s name. Shelly is a tru...

My guest today is Liesl Seabert from the UNI Institute for Decision Making. Liesl is a serial public servant with a focus on planning & economic development. In this episode, you’ll learn how a Florida girl has fallen in love with all things Rural Iowa, what it’s like to help shape and implement multiple statewide programs simultaneously, and how important leadership is, especially when it com...

Hi Friends! Welcome back to Building in a Small Town. My guest today is Amanda Severson. Amanda is one half of the husband and wife duo behind Grand View Beef out of Clarion, Iowa. In this episode, you’ll hear how Amanda originally dreamed of a career in professional sports, how she went from a small town in Washington state to a small town in Iowa, and how social media has changed their business....

Brett Comegys is the Mayor of Collins and a big reason that Willie & I landed in this little tiny town (pop 498). Brett is a veteran, serving several years in the Marine Corp. He is currently an 8th grade social studies teacher in the Marshalltown School district and a major history buff. Brett's wife, Jenny, is a lifelong Collins resident. Over a decade ago Brett decided to run for mayor...

Billie Asmus is an entrepreneur & inventor based in Hampton, IA (pop 4,295). She's the founder of Repaint Studios and the inventor of the Repaint Tray. Here's Billie's story in her own words: "In 2021, I had a small business refinishing and refurbishing furniture in my tiny basement studio. I quickly noticed the constant waste I was going through with plastic paint tray liners...

Ross Naylor is the Co-Founder of Renomads, a design, construction, and handyman services firm based in Cambridge, IA (pop 827). Ross played college football with my husband at Wartburg College in Waverly, IA before heading off on an international adventure with his younger brother, Seth. Here's Ross's bio from the Renomads site: " Ross Naylor graduated college with an extensive struct...

Mel & Russ Terhaar are the husband & wife team behind The Clean Machine & Public House 421 based in Slater, IA (pop 1,588). Here's more about them in their own words: " The Clean Machine, LLC was formed in the spring of 2008 by Russ and Mel Terhaar. Russ's carpet cleaning experience began in 1999 in Charlotte, NC and continued over the years in New York, Colorado, and Mont...

Aaron Johnson is the founder of Joygrow, a gourmet mushroom farm out of Cambridge, IA (pop 844). After losing his job on a Friday in 2015, Aaron vowed to never be in that position again. He took to the interwebs and learned about growing mushrooms. As a self-proclaimed science nerd, he took to the process like a duck to water. Over the years he's expanded his customer base, varieties offered,...

Bill Frederick & James Holz are owners of Iowa Cover Crop, based in Jefferson, Iowa (pop 4,136). Here's their story in their own words: Before they were business partners, Bill Frederick and James Holz were 4-H buddies and classmates growing up in Greene County, Iowa, near Jefferson. In 2014, they founded Iowa Cover Crop (ICC) as a way to help a few neighbors and diversify their family far...

Mary Lewellin is the owner of Red Dragon Herbs & Teas based in Polk City, IA (pop 5,751). She also happens to be one of my best friends! I had a blast sitting down to talk to her about the origins of Red Dragon and the transformation it's been through in recent years. I'm sure this is the first of at least a few conversations we'll have for the pod. Here's the story of Red Drag...

Robin Collins & Amy Cox are the mother-daughter duo behind The Vinery. The Vinery Flowers is a flower farm located outside of Nevada, Iowa. Both Robin Collins and Amy Cox are both born and raised in Iowa and descended from a long line of farmers. As the fifth generation on their land, they are proud to be the first in their family to farm flowers. I really enjoyed this conversation about build...

Meagan Ausborn is the heart & soul behind Blue Moon Holistic Wellness. Her journey to business ownership begins in healthcare and includes her own trials and tribulations with a sudden-onset, still not-really-diagnosed autoimmune condition. I really enjoyed this conversation and I think you will too. Here's a bit more about Meagan in her own words: "My name is Meagan Ausborn and I am...

Jessica Lenahan is the owner of Landy Lou & Devie Too. This all handmade shop started about 12 years ago when her first son was born. Her talents have grown right along side the business. She started with onesies and has moved into full outfits and crib sets. Over the course of the last couple years, she's added women's clothing. She's also one of the founders and organizers of the...