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The Iowa Idea: Don Smithmier
“Culture became everything.”
In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with songwriter, musician, and serial entrepreneur Don Smithmier. As is the case with many guests, we have to talk about Cheap Trick and Don shares his story about meeting the pride of Rockford, IL. Don and I met about 20 years ago when we worked for a pre-IPO educational start-up, Capella University, founded by Iowa native Steve Shank.
Don has had a hand in creating, building, and launching seven startups spanning education, music, and journalism that have attracted $150 million in funding and created more than $1 billion in enterprise value. An active musician and songwriter, Don has recorded 7 albums which included several hits on the national Billboard charts. As a performer, he has shared the stage with stars ranging from Willie Nelson to Miranda Lambert to Cheap Trick.
We dig into the connection between musicians and innovators, as well as Don’s journey as a musician and tech leader. Don shares his insights on building successful corporate cultures, how he has used the Entrepreneurial Operating System, the power of culture, and the importance of values. We discuss creativity within constraint and the importance of collaboration. I appreciated Don sharing Steve Shank’s advice that “nobody gets the full deck of cards in life.” It’s important to understand what cards you possess and what cards you don’t. You have to find those that have the cards you don’t.
It was an honor having Don join me on the show. I thank him for sharing his time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode.
About Don
A serial entrepreneur, Don has had a hand in creating, building, and launching seven startups spanning education, music, and journalism that have attracted $150 million in funding and created more than $1 billion in enterprise value.
Don is presently the Founder and Executive Chairman of The Big Know, a provider of branded health and wellness education for the Netflix Age. He also leads the Digital Product Studio for West Monroe Partners via their acquisition of GoKart Labs, a Minneapolis-based digital product lab he co-founded in 2009 that was twice listed among Inc. magazine’s fastest-growing private companies.
Don spent the first 14 years of his career as a pioneer in online education with Capella Education Company where he held executive leadership roles in marketing, technology, and business.
An active musician and songwriter, Don has recorded 7 albums which included several hits on the national Billboard charts. As a performer, he has shared the stage with stars ranging from Willie Nelson to Miranda Lambert to Cheap Trick.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and his MBA from the University of Minnesota. He currently serves on the board of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation.
Credits
Episode produced by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/)
The Iowa Idea Podcast music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).