Build In Norfolk

Ryan Ruff brings his serial entrepreneur experience to Norfolk as Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Invest Nebraska, guiding early-stage founders through their startup journeys. His entrepreneurial spirit has deep family roots, leading him from selling Christmas greenery as a child to developing SpendPal, a financial tool using behavioral psychology to improve spending habits. • Entrepreneurship runs in Ryan's family, with his early sales experience at 12 raising enough money to fund his Scout t...

Storytelling has power—especially when it amplifies the voices of those working to transform their communities. Sheila Jenkinson knows this firsthand. After 20 years behind the radio microphone, she discovered new creative freedom through podcasting that allows her to showcase the renaissance happening across rural Nebraska. During our conversation, Sheila shares her journey from adjusting cassette tapes and cart machines at her first radio gig to launching "Growing Small Town Nebraska," a p...

Dustin Southworth shares how he transformed his frustration with inaccurate museum information into Museum Go, an interactive app connecting museum visitors while providing reliable details about cultural institutions across Nebraska. • Started with the simple problem of inaccurate museum hours on Google • Evolved concept from "Museum Hours" to a social community space • Used no-code tools like Bubble before discovering AI-powered development through Replit • Created Passport to Nebraska Art...

Hunter Bergman, founder of XPM (Experience Marketing) and producer of Build in Norfolk, shares his entrepreneurial journey from small-town Nebraska to leading a growing marketing agency. His path demonstrates how community spaces and mentorship can nurture startup success in Northeast Nebraska's evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem. • Started entrepreneurial ventures early, influenced by his mother's side hustles • Developed passion for media and storytelling through student newspaper at North...

This is a special episode with guest Ben McDougal, which was shot the day Norfolk launched their 1 Million Cups Chapter! Ben is known for his ability to evolve ideas into reality and accelerate others through the art of connection. He believes that nobody cares about your great ideas, but they care about how you make those ideas happen. Ben's entrepreneurial ventures include Iowa 3v3 Soccer Challenge, Jet Set Studio, The Hunt Zone, FliteBrite, OpenOpen, and his latest book, You Don't Need Thi...

In this episode, we talk to Matt Foley, the Program Director at Invest Nebraska about why you should build a company in Nebraska! Matt helps with portfolio management for the venture fund and leads operations for The Combine AgTech Incubator. The Combine supports early-stage agtech companies in various fields such as row crops, animal health, digital agriculture, and sustainability. The incubator provides go-to-market support, access to a network of partnering producers, and seed funding to ...

Have you ever wondered how a simple idea could transform into a thriving business? If so, this engaging podcast episode is just the ticket. We're joined by Jake Christensen, the visionary behind LawnHero.com, a revolutionary platform that has reshaped the lawn care industry. Inspired by the ease and efficiency of Uber and Lyft, Jake presents a fascinating account of how he built an on-demand lawn mowing service. As our conversation unfolds, Jake takes us behind the scenes of his entrepreneur...

Welcome to the Build in Norfolk Podcast! Today's episode features a special guest who is a seed-stage venture capital investor and an active supporter of Nebraska's startup ecosystem. In this conversation, we will be covering a variety of topics including: Understanding the importance of having a North Star and how it can help guide your business decisions.Risk appetite - What it means and why it's essential to consider when building your business.Nebraska's superpower - the value of being ...

Have you ever wondered how a serial entrepreneur can build multiple successful businesses all while maintaining a passion for music? Join us as we sit down with Chad Barnhill, the man behind Midwest Music Center, Barnhill Piano Service, and Premier Batauns, to explore the fascinating intersection of music and entrepreneurship. Chad shares his inspiring journey, the challenges he faced along the way, and his invaluable advice for those looking to turn their dreams into reality. Discover the i...