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The Iowa Idea: Alyx Coble-Frakes

“I had to stop being shy about it.”

In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Alyx Coble-Frakes. Alyx is a Holistic Coach and the CEO and Co-Founder of The Agenda. App who specializes in period empowerment. After returning from the Peace Corps in 2015, she felt out of touch with her own health, so she started on a path of healing. This healing became her passion, and she now works with entrepreneurs to help harness the power of their monthly cycle for maximum impact and revenue in their businesses.

We discuss Alyx’s journey growing up in Iowa, traveling to twenty countries, as well serving in the Peace Corps in Peru. Alyx describes her unexpected journey, originally thinking she would be an ESL teacher to becoming a business major and eventually becoming an entrepreneur. We talk about Alyx’s company, The Agenda Period, as well as the importance of having women entrepreneurs and business leaders as examples for girls and young women.

We dig into health coaching, menstrual health, and entrepreneurship and how those elements converged with The Agenda Period. Alyx describes her work to de-politicize menstruation and why menstruators deserve dignity and equal opportunities around the globe and why it’s so important to reduce shame and help support fully embodied women.

I always appreciate Alyx’s positive energy and her drive to help open opportunities for everyone to be their best selves and reach their true power and potential. Through her work, she also provides important perspectives on social justice and allyship.

It was an honor having Alyx join me on the show. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Alyx

Alyx Coble-Frakes is a Holistic Coach and the CEO and Co-Founder of The Agenda. App who specializes in period empowerment. After returning from the Peace Corps in 2015, she felt out of touch with her own health, so she started on a path of healing. This healing became her  passion, and she now works with entrepreneurs to help harness the power of their monthly cycle for maximum impact and revenue in their businesses.

Links

https://www.facebook.com/TheAgendaPeriod

Facebook group

Website

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 theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: John Hagel

“I’ve always been attracted to edges.”

In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by John Hagel. John is an author, strategist, management consultant and entrepreneur with more than 40 years’ experience. After retiring as a partner from Deloitte, he released his latest book, The Journey Beyond Fear, that addresses the psychology of change, and he is developing a series of programs to help people navigate through change at many levels. John works with companies and people who are seeking to anticipate the future and achieve much greater impact. John is widely published and quoted in major business publications including The Economist, Fortune, Forbes, Business Week, Financial Times, and Wall Street Journal, as well as general media like the New York Times, NBC and BBC.

We discuss John’s new book The Journey Beyond Fear and its three pillars – narrative, the passion of the explorer, and learning platforms. We cover how elements of the book serve as an extension of his earlier book The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion.

I appreciated John’s perspectives regarding the need for life-long learning and why we need to cultivate leaders that don’t rely on threat-based narratives. I loved John’s framing “if we all came together, imagine what we can achieve.”

It was an honor having John join me on the show. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About John

John Hagel III has more than 40 years’ experience as a management consultant, author, speaker and entrepreneur. After recently retiring as a partner from Deloitte, McGraw Hill published his new book, The Journey Beyond Fear, that addresses the psychology of change and he is developing a series of programs to help people navigate through change at many levels. John has founded a new company, Beyond Our Edge, LLC, that works with companies and people who are seeking to anticipate the future and achieve much greater impact.

While at Deloitte, John was the founder and chairman of the Silicon Valley-based Deloitte Center for the Edge, focusing on identifying emerging business opportunities that are not yet on the CEO’s agenda.  Before joining Deloitte, John was an independent consultant and writer and prior to that was a principal at McKinsey & Company and a leader of their Strategy Practice as well as the founder of their E-Commerce Practice.  John has served as senior vice president of strategy at Atari, Inc., and is the founder of two Silicon Valley startups.

John is also a faculty member at Singularity University where he gives frequent talks on the mounting performance pressure created by digital technology and promising approaches to help traditional companies make the transition from a linear to an exponential world. He is also on the Board of Trustees at the Santa Fe Institute, an organization that conducts leading edge research on complex adaptive systems. He has also led a number of initiatives regarding business transformation with the World Economic Forum.

John is the author of The Power of Pull, published by Basic Books in April 2010.  He is also the author of a series of best-selling business books, Net Gain, Net Worth, Out of the Box, and The Only Sustainable Edge. He is widely published and quoted in major business publications including The Economist, Fortune, Forbes, Business Week, Financial Times, and Wall Street Journal, as well as general media like the New York Times, NBC and BBC. He has won two awards from Harvard Business Review for best articles in that publication and has been recognized as an industry thought leader by a variety of publications and institutions, including the World Economic Forum and Business Week.

John has his own website at www.johnhagel.com, and for many years wrote personal blogs at www.edgeperspectives.typepad.com as well as contributing postings on the Harvard Business Review, Fortune and Techonomy websites. He is active in social media and can be followed on Twitter at @jhagel and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhagel/

John holds a BA from Wesleyan University, a B.Phil. from Oxford University, and a JD and MBA from Harvard University.

Links

John’s Website  https://www.johnhagel.com/

John’s Latest Book  https://www.johnhagel.com/book-the-journey-beyond-fear-by-john-hagel-iii/

John’s Book on Amazon  https://amzn.to/34xPFDd

Twitter @jhagel

LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhagel/

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 theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Alan Moore

“We can reclaim our dignity.”

In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Alan Moore. Alan is a designer and business innovator on a mission to help businesses discover their own unique beauty. Alan’s most recent books, 2016’s Do Design: Why beauty is key to everything and this year’s Do Build: How to make and lead a business the world needs, are among my favorite reads of the past year.

Alan shares his journey, which includes a somewhat unexpected path into design, and the advice he received from his mentor, Derek Birdsall, which to this day still helps guide Alan’s work. We dig into some of Alan’s design tools and principles including the power of the poetic brief, the potential of regenerative businesses and economies, and why beauty is the key to everything. We explore the capacity of narrative, the insights in biomimicry, and the holy trinity of craft – heart, hand, and mind. This was a special conversation.

I appreciated Alan’s perspective and passion for design and why design is a way “that we reclaim our dignity” Through the lens of Shaker craft we can see “what they’re reaching for is not beauty, but truth.” As Alan applies the lessons and insights from design to business innovation he provokes and inspires with a powerful framing question “what is the best possible outcome?” and why some of the biggest innovation risks companies are facing is taking no risk at all.

It was an honor and absolute pleasure having Alan join me on the show. Perhaps Alan and I can have our next conversation while walking in nature.I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Alan

Alan Moore is a designer and business innovator on a mission to help businesses discover their own unique beauty.

Working directly with companies and organizations, Alan mentors teams and individuals, delivers inspirational leadership programs, and advises clients on how to design and build a regenerative business. Alan has shared his knowledge in the form of board and advisory positions, and has taught in institutions including MIT, the Sloan School of Management and INSEAD.

Alan is the author of four books on creativity and business transformation, including Do Design: Why beauty is key to everything (Do Books, 2016), Do Build: How to make and lead a business the world needs (Do  Books 2021). He has spoken at The Do Lectures, SXSW and the Hay Literary Festival and has featured in the media.

Alan still works as an artist. Every day, he tries to lead his life as beautifully as he possibly can.

You can find out more on his website: beautiful.business

Links

https://beautiful.business/about/

https://beautiful.business/newsletter/

https://thedobook.co/products/do-build-how-to-make-and-lead-a-business-the-world-needs

https://vimeo.com/514635648

https://thedobook.co/products/do-design-why-beauty-is-key-to-everything

https://twitter.com/alansmlxl

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 theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Dave Hill

“It’s a sloppy look.”

In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, Dave Hill, from show business, returns to talk about his creative process and new work that’s he’s launched since our last conversation (May 2020). One of his latest projects is The Bunny Shop, named after Dave’s mom, started by Korri Santillan and Dave, from before, “as a way to make dresses they want to see in the world.” Dave talks about the importance of Vibe Guy to help drive business. We discussed some of Dave’s latest acting projects – Girls5Eva and Drunk Bus.

We dig deep on the pros and cons of New York’s dip game and toast scene and some critical differences between New York and Northeastern Ohio’s toast options. I challenge Dave to toast like a champion. We explore the world of oatmeal and the wonders of spinach in your morning oats. Our conversation, as the best conversations do, turn to the magic of hockey. Then Dave and I dig into old time hockey logos and sweaters, and start to trash talk some of the terrible sweaters and mascots, whether on the ice or in civilian settings. Spoiler, as much as we love hockey jerseys, in a civilian setting, they’re a sloppy look. We provide our hot takes on the Iowa Heartlanders name, logo, and jerseys.

It’s always an honor to have Dave on the show. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Dave

Dave Hill is a comedian, writer, musician, actor, radio host and man-about-town originally from Cleveland, Ohio, but now living in New York City in a totally sweet apartment with a party deck and everything. He is the author of three books, Tasteful Nudes, Dave Hill Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, and his most recent, Parking the Moose. Dave’s working on a fourth book. He has written for The New York Times, GQ, Salon, The Paris Review, McSweeney’s, The New York Observer, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, VICE, Guitar World and a bunch of other places. Comedy legend Dick Cavett called Dave “a major figure among American comic writers, past and present,” which is pretty much the coolest thing that has ever happened as far as Dave is concerned.

Dave has appeared on such TV shows as Inside Amy Schumer and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, hosted for HBO and Cinemax, and performed live comedy around the world. He hosts The Goddamn Dave Hill Show on the WFMU radio station in Jersey City every Monday night. Dave is a frequent contributor to public radio’s This American Life. He is also a musician who currently sings and plays guitar in the psych/garage rock band Painted Doll, the extremely extreme Norwegian black metal band Witch Taint, and the power pop band Valley Lodge, whose song “Go” is the theme to HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Links

The Bunny Shop – https://thebunnyshops.com/

Dave on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mrdavehill/

Dave’s Books – https://www.davehillonline.com/books

Dave’s Music – https://www.davehillonline.com/music

Dave’s Podcasts – https://www.davehillonline.com/podcasts

The Pride of Cleveland – https://800pgr.lnk.to/DaveWE

Drunk Bus – https://www.drunkbusmovie.com/

Girls5Eva – https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-tv/girls5eva

Hello You’re Dead – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRm9kSDn17k

The Black Metal Dialogues – https://www.theblackmetaldialogues.com/intro.html

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 theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Janna DeVylder & Steve Baty

“There’s no hero in solving complex challenges.”

In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Janna DeVylder and Steve Baty of Meld Studios, an award-winning service design consultancy in Australia. Janna, who grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and graduated from The University of Iowa, is a Founder, Director and Principal Designer at Meld. Steve, one of Meld’s co-founders, is a highly experienced and seasoned leader in the design space. Both Steve and Janna have served in leadership roles for the IxDA, the international Interaction Design Association.

They share their journey in design leading to co-founding Meld Studios with Iain Barker. We dig into themes of equity and ethics in design and what led to the Meld founders creating an employee-owned trust, built on themes of longevity and equity for all “Meldsters.” I really appreciated their thoughtfulness and vulnerability in describing this latest phase of the business, as it’s still what Janna describes as a “living experiment.”

We dig into themes of equity and curiosity, as well as the traditional, French sense of a salon – an event that entertains and educates. I appreciated Janna and Steve navigating the time zone differences between Sydney and Iowa City to make this session happen. We were able to talk about the international connection to RAGBRAI. I also appreciated Janna and Steve bearing with me as we explored idiomatic expressions and the differences in English for Australians and Americans as we explore the concept of “cutting the tall poppy.” Perhaps Steve was playing a straight bat when we talked about midwestern “salads.” I loved Steve and Janna’s personal approaches for getting unstuck in their work.

It was an honor and absolute pleasure having Janna and Steve join me on the show, as I’ve been a fan of their work since I first met Steve in 2016. Thanks Janna and Steve for taking the time and sharing your perspectives. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Janna

Janna is a Founder, Director and Principal Designer at Meld Studios, an award-winning Australian service design consultancy. Meld’s focus is on helping organizations to co-design better policies, services, systems, decision-making and ways of working with their customers and their people.

In addition to managing Meld and leading design projects, Janna and her co-founders have guided Meld to become the first Australian-based organization that is employee-owned by trust, and are looking to find ways to support other small and medium-sized businesses to do the same.

Janna has extensive experience in the non-profit space, serving as President of the international Interaction Design Association for three years during a period of massive change and growth. She sat on their non-profit Board of Directors for four years, growing membership from 7,000 to 70,000 and global local groups from 12 to 70. She currently serves as a Good Design Australia ambassador and has served as a judge of the international Good Design Awards.

About Steve

Steve Baty is a highly experienced and seasoned leader in the design space. He has over 25 years of varied hands-on experience as a business founder, designer, keynote speaker, awards judge, IxDA president, conference organiser and speaker, and UX Bookclub founder.

He co-founded Meld Studios in 2009, the same year he co-founded and became conference director at UX Australia. Rising to be president of IxDA Global 2012 to 2014, he still managed to fit in dozens of conference presentations across Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas, including a keynote slot at Interaction South America in Brazil in 2017.

A key contributor to UX design excellence, Steve has loaned his expertise multiple times as an awards judge at the Interaction Awards, Good Design Awards, Superannuation Excellence Awards and the Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards.

Steve has a passion for improving our society and the services we interact with on a daily basis, whether that be our financial services and payment systems; the train you take to work; or our tax system. He wants to ensure everything we use is designed with care and consideration for – and with – the people who use them every day.

Links

meldstudios.com.au
twitter.com/docbaty

twitter.com/jdevylder

https://employeeownership.com.au/

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 theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).