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The Iowa Idea: Erin Rollenhagen
“At our core everything we do is meant to solve human problems.”
In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Erin Rollenhagen. Erin is the CEO and founder of Entrepreneurial Technologies. In 2019, she released Soul Uprising: It’s Never Just Business, a book that encourages entrepreneurs and business leaders to trust their purpose and embrace impact as the true measure of success.
Erin and I talk about her journey as a technologist, entrepreneur, and author. Starting out in creative writing at Iowa, Erin went on to become a developer, business owner, and community leader. She is active in her community and was the 2018 Chairwoman of the Board of the Technology Association of Iowa, has served on the Executive Committee of the Future Ready Iowa Alliance, and the state Computer Science Working Group.
Our discussion explored concepts of trust, strong brands, as well as stereotypes that hinder women in tech, and the need for teams to embrace diversity. Erin shares her advice on when and how to improve oneself.
It was an honor having Erin join me on the show. I thank her for her time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode.
About Erin
Starting and growing a successful business in the field of technology isn’t easy. It’s especially hard when you launch your business on the cusp of one of the most destructive recessions in U.S. history, get diagnosed with an incurable degenerative disease and oh yeah – don’t look like a tech entrepreneur is ‘supposed’ to look. But Erin Rollenhagen has never been afraid to go against the grain. She made a name for herself at age 14 when a protest that she led against misogynistic behavior at her middle school drew national media attention. She carried that rebel spirit into her career as a tech entrepreneur, founding a company on the premise that technology doesn’t have to be cold and heartless. In 2019, she released Soul Uprising: It’s Never Just Business, a book that encourages entrepreneurs and business leaders to trust their purpose and embrace impact as the true measure of success.
Erin began her technology career as a programmer with a small software firm before founding Entrepreneurial Technologies in 2007. As CEO she is passionate about building the right environment and processes for the ET team to do its best possible work. She also assists with system architecture and design.
Erin is active in the community and was the 2018 Chairwoman of the Board of the Technology Association of Iowa, has served on the Executive Committee of the Future Ready Iowa Alliance, and the state Computer Science Working Group. Erin is a proud graduate of the University of Iowa. She lives in the Des Moines area with her beloved corgi, Bruno.
You can get your copy of Soul Uprising via these links:
Kindle version available here – https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Uprising-Never-Just-Business-ebook/dp/B083JP2M9K/
Hard copy version available here – https://www.erinrollenhagen.com/shop/soul-uprising-hardcover-book
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/).