From Accidental Entrepreneur to Tech Trailblazer: Alyssa Nolte's Journey
Release Date: 01/28/2025
From ultra-marathons to urban farming: how to build a resilient startup with Clayton Mooney
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In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviews Clayton Mooney, the Co-Founder and Chief Farmer at Clayton Farms, discussing his journey from a small family farm in Iowa to creating a successful indoor farming business. Clayton shares his experience with ultra-marathon training and compares the perseverance required in athletics to that of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of tenacity and grit. He details his career path, including his initial reluctance to return to agriculture and his subsequent ventures like Kinosol, which developed solar food...
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Building Iowa startups with Curt Nelson and Ben Clark of the Entrepreneurial Development Center
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An Interview with Clair Williams-Vavra, Winner of Startup Weekend DSM
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The latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Kaylee Williams, comes to life from the Jethro's Barbecue Studio in the East Village, where Kaylee chats with Clair Williams-Vavra, the Chief Operating Officer at SI Delivery Consulting. Clair, the recent winner of this year's Des Moines' Startup Weekend, shares her eclectic journey from hospitality to technology and entrepreneurship. She reflects on her past ventures, like the B2B mason jar salad company, Green Mason, and her deep-seated entrepreneurial spirit that traces back to childhood endeavors. The discussion takes a heartfelt turn...
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Looking back on the 2025 Startup Weekend Des Moines with co-organizer Colleen Kinsey
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The Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Kaylee, is a vibrant exploration of the startup ecosystem in Des Moines, Iowa. Recorded from the unique atmosphere of the Jethro's Barbecue Studio, Kaylee brings listeners into the heart of entrepreneurial innovation by featuring dynamic interviews with key figures, such as Colleen Kinsey, co-founder of SoftVoya and co-organizer of Startup Weekend Des Moines. This episode captures the essence of Startup Weekend, a transformative 52-hour event where individuals from diverse backgrounds unite to brainstorm, develop, and pitch viable business ideas. Listeners are...
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Unlocking the Future of Real Estate: How Emigrait's AI is Revolutionizing Home Buying Predictions
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Unlocking the Future: Dive into Crypto, Blockchain, and Decentralization with Scott Herren on the Iowa Tech Podcast
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Building a MedTech Giant in Iowa with Dr. Melissa Bates
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In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams engages in a captivating conversation with Dr. Melissa Bates, CEO and founder of LSF Medical Solutions. Dr. Bates shares her journey from being a faculty member at the University of Iowa to pioneering a groundbreaking medical device, Pnumero, aimed at transforming lung disease care. Pnumero is designed to bring advanced lung function monitoring into patients' homes, providing vital data that can preemptively indicate worsening conditions long before symptoms appear. This innovation not only enhances patient autonomy but also...
info_outlineIn this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviews Alyssa Nolte, CEO and founder of TruVue, a company that emerged from an innovative idea nurtured through a blend of accidental entrepreneurship and strategic risk-taking. Alyssa shares her journey from a traditional career path to founding a successful startup, spurred by a chance encounter with a University of Northern Iowa professor who was exploring the commercial potential of eye-tracking technology. With no initial customers or revenue, Alyssa embraced the challenge, driven by her father's advice and the support of the local entrepreneurial community. This journey led to the bootstrapping of TruVue, which was eventually acquired by a consulting company, marking a significant milestone in Alyssa's career.
The podcast also delves into Alyssa's insights on the importance of forming emotional connections with customers and how TruVue's Brand Health Score helps businesses measure and enhance these connections. As she transitions from a bootstrapping background to exploring venture capital for her new venture, Alyssa shares her experiences and challenges in navigating this unfamiliar terrain. She emphasizes the value of being open to change and learning from feedback, highlighting the difference in approach between Midwest and West Coast venture capitalists. Through her candid reflections, Alyssa underscores the significance of taking risks, leveraging community resources, and maintaining resilience in the face of entrepreneurial challenges. Her story offers valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs about the power of perseverance, adaptability, and strategic networking.
Hear the full show: https://iowapodcast.com/alyssa-nolte-iowa-entrepreneur-story