Real Success with Nate Kaeding

Britton Langdon is the Founder and CEO of the startup BuildFactory, an off-site construction ecosystem that is connecting teams, streamlining procurement, and cutting risk. Britton shares the story behind building a cutting-edge software ecosystem for construction prefabrication, drawing on his experiences founding and scaling MSuite before a successful exit to Stanley Black & Decker. He offer...

Nate Kaeding, the former University of Iowa All-American and NFL All-Pro kicker who has since become a prominent real estate developer and entrepreneur, is interviewed by J.R. Ogden , celebrated journalist and sports columnist for the Corridor Business Journal. Nate shares the vision behind his group's latest passion project: a new, destination-style golf club in the Corridor. He explains the "nat...

Jeremy Wilhelm is working to reshape the agricultural landscape in Eastern Iowa as the Co-Owner of Lamb’s Quarter Livestock and Rhubarb Botanicals. Jeremy shares the story of returning to his family’s land near Springville and Mount Vernon, transforming it from decades of monocrop corn into a regenerative, pasture-based operation focused on lamb, flowers, and botanicals. He offers insight into the...

Luke Eustice is the director of the Iowa City Area Sports Commission where he leads the charge in recruiting, supporting, and executing sporting events across Johnson County and the Corridor. In this episode, Nate is also joined by J.R. Ogden , a veteran sports journalist who spent 48 years as an editor and contributor at the Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and now brings his wealth of experience t...

Taylor Getting is a pilot, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Calyx Creek Lavender & Lodging, an innovative agritourism destination just outside North Liberty, Iowa. Taylor shares the story of how he and his wife transformed a sand-laden Iowa farm into a thriving lavender oasis complete with thousands of plants, on-site product lines, and architecturally unique treehouses. He discusses the challe...

On Today's Episode: Nate sits down with Mike Hlas, a sports journalist who has spent more than 40 years chronicling Eastern Iowa athletics and beyond for the Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mike looks back on his legendary career including his perspective on the changing journalistic landscape, what he believes makes a good story, and how he approaches telling sports stories today. Additionally, Mi...

In this episode of Real Success, Nate is joined by Alexandra Olsen and John Lohman, the editor and CEO/Owner of the Corridor Business Journal, respectively, to discuss the biggest business-related news stories of 2025 and take a look ahead at what’s in store for the corridor in 2026. This podcast is sponsored by MidWest One Bank, the proud partner for doers and entrepreneurs in the corridor and be...

Audrey Wiedemeier is the Executive Director of the Iowa City Bike Library, a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to making bicycling accessible, sustainable, and fun for everyone in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids Corridor. Audrey shares the story of how she discovered the Bike Library as a University of Iowa student, her path from volunteer to leader, and the organization’s mission to empower community...

Bennett Stirtz is the Iowa native who has transferred to the University of Iowa to spend his senior year playing guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes Men’s Basketball Team.  Bennett shares a look into his unique journey from Northwest Missouri State to the University of Iowa, his relationship with his coaches, and how he is approaching the upcoming season. He also gives a detailed perspective on his N...

Robert Gallery is a former professional football player in the NFL and teammate of mine from our days at the University of Iowa together who now serves as the Co-Founder and CEO of Athletes for Care, a nonprofit organization supporting research and advocacy for athlete mental health. Robert begins by looks back on his time at Iowa with me, including how he was raised with a sports mentality, how h...

In this episode, business leaders hear from Sawyer Whisler, founder of Farmer Grade, a direct-to-consumer meat company. Whisler discusses building a transparent supply chain by partnering with farmers who share their practices on social media, navigating USDA processing logistics, and the importance of trust in branding. He addresses challenges facing family farms, shifting consumer protein prefer...

Mike and Nate Dunn are the father and son duo leading F&M Bank, the local Iowa bank celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Nate currently serves as the President and CEO, and his father, Mike, now serves as the Chairman. Mike and Nate join me to discuss how they’re celebrating 100 years of business, how they give back to their community, and what it takes to grow in today’s world. The du...

Clare Duffy and Eric Hanson are the Co-Hosts of The Morning Scramble, the morning radio show on KZIA (known by its broadcast frequency, “Z102.9”) the independent Top 40 radio station based in Cedar Rapids, IA. Clare and Eric join me to discuss the golden age of country music, Eric’s experience at Z102.9 in the late nineties, and how differentiating a radio station then was much different than it i...

Tiffany Earl Williams is the CEO of Midwest Equity and a Broker at Skogman Commercial Real Estate.  Tiffany joins me to discuss the current state of the real estate market in Eastern Iowa, what makes a good real estate investment, and how she got her start in the industry. She also shares the origin story of her company, Midwest Equity, gives us an inside look into their move to an iconic bui...

"Jordan Sellergren is the new owner and publisher of Little Village, the Iowa City-based alt weekly magazine where she has worked the past 10 years. Jordan joins me to discuss why she purchased Little Village, what it has been like to take over operations during our current news climate, and her memories of the early days of Little Village. She also shares how Little Village stands out amongst the...

On Today's Episode: Caleb Knutson is the new executive director of Downtown Cedar Rapids, a role he began late last year following a decade of industry experience. Caleb joins Nate to discuss the ways that downtown Cedar Rapids is unique, how he approaches his new role, and explores some of the strengths and opportunities for growth within the community. He also shares how they’re using AI to trac...

Jesse Sauerbrei is the Owner of Lincoln Winebar, the acclaimed wood fire pizza and wine restaurant in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Jesse joins me to discuss how he came upon the opportunity to purchase the wine bar, his childhood love of pizza, and an inside look at how the business operates. He also shares the unique story behind their pizza oven, how he manages negative reviews and social media, and why...

Sam Gelman is the Co-Owner of The Webster and The Paper Crane, two restaurants in Iowa City that are leading Iowa’s culinary scene. Sam sits down to discuss his perfect winter meal, how he sees the Midwest developing in the culinary world, and what he feels the average customer may not understand about owning and operating a restaurant. Plus, Sam shares the story behind his hit restaurant, The Web...

On Today's Episode: Ryan Miller is the Co-Owner and President of Farmers Hen House, the Kalona-based company providing organic, cage-free eggs to the nation. Ryan sits down to discuss how his family made their way into this business, why the egg business pulled him away from a career as a school guidance counselor, and what goes into a day in the life of a cage-free chicken. Ryan also shares an in...

On Today's Episode: Bob Brown is the Chief Executive Officer of Modern, the comprehensive full-service mechanical contractor that has been serving clients for 85 years. Bob sits down to discuss what it’s like to take over a major company at the age of 30, how his family’s legacy has impacted his life, and how three generations of leadership have all benefited the business in different ways. Bob al...

Seth Wallace and Tyler Barnes joined Nate for a live recording earlier this summer to discuss their upcoming season, how NIL and the transfer portal have changed their approach to recruiting, and how managing the Iowa football team is often similar to managing a business. Seth Wallace previously worked as the Assistant Defensive Coordinator for the University of Iowa Football Team before being ele...

On Today's Episode: Charlie Rohde is the President of King’s Material and Dakota Red Corporation, a legacy company that has been meeting the Midwest’s construction needs since 1882.  Charlie sits down with Nate to discuss the history of King’s Material, his father’s history and legacy, what his experience has been like as President of the company, and what the next generation of King’s Materi...

On Today's Episode: Michael Gerdin is the Chairman and CEO of Heartland Express, a truckload carrier based in North Liberty, IA that serves customers throughout the United States and Mexico, and has been a legacy business in Iowa since it was founded by Michael’s father, Russell Gerdin, in 1978. Michael shares with me the humble origin story of Heartland Express, an inside look at the company’s la...

On Today's Episode: Dawn and Brittany Schorg are the mother/daughter duo behind Czech Feather & Down, the Cedar Rapids-based bedding company that has been helping people get better sleep for over 100 years. Dawn and Brittany share with me how Czech Feather & Down started as a household business, how remaining small has given them their unique niche, and how being a women-owned business has...

On Today's Episode: Nate sits down with Naftaly Stramer and Ofer Sivan, the founders of Oasis Street Food and Falafel Restaurant, the Iowa City staple serving and distributing Mediterranean food throughout the state since 2004. Naftaly and Ofer share their early experiences with Mediterranean food and how it inspired them to bring better experiences to the midwest. They also discuss the ad hoc ori...