Breaking Down the 7(a) and 504: Inside the SBA Loan Programs Built for Growth

Why You Should Attend EntreFest 2026

In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, we dive into what's new and exciting at EntreFest [https://entrefest.com/], Iowa's premier entrepreneurship conference. Hosted in Iowa City's vibrant pedestrian mall, EntreFest is celebrating its 14th year with an expanded lineup of 70+ speakers across 33 sessions and 3 keynote programs. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/jan-findlayson [https://iowapodcast.com/jan-findlayson] ⚖️ Hurt at work? Talk to Nate Boulton for free: https://workerslawyers.com [https://workerslawyers.com] 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq [https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq] Our guest, Jan Finlayson, Director of Events at NewBoCo, walks us through a packed agenda that goes beyond traditional business talks—from an AI roundtable with practical takeaways for entrepreneurs, to a sports entrepreneurship panel featuring current and former University of Iowa athletes, to an intimate discussion on women, work, and entrepreneurship in rural Iowa. Whether you're an early-stage founder or an established business owner, EntreFest promises hands-on workshops, unexpected "surprises and delights," and plenty of networking opportunities designed to help you leave with real connections and actionable insights. But EntreFest isn't just about the content: it's about the experience. With complimentary lunches, coffee, and cocktail hours strategically built into the schedule, plus three pitch competitions offering up to $20,000 in prize money, the event is meticulously designed to foster genuine human connection. Jan shares her philosophy of being the "hostess with the mostest," ensuring attendees feel taken care of while uncovering the stories and innovations happening across Iowa. We also explore NewBoCo's broader vision of bringing entrepreneurial support and events like EntreFest to smaller communities across the state, recognizing that incredible ideas and entrepreneurs aren't limited to its metropolitan hubs. Whether you're building in rural Iowa or a major metro area, this episode reminds you why you should be tuning in, and why you should plan to attend this one-of-a-kind conference.

Breaking Down the 7(a) and 504: Inside the SBA Loan Programs Built for Growth

Ever had a great business idea but didn't know how to fund it? In this episode, host Kaylee Williams sits down with Ryan Lincoln, the District Director for the Small Business Administration here in Iowa, to decode the SBA's most popular loan programs—the 7(a) and 504—and why so many entrepreneurs don't even know they exist. 🗞️ Subscribe for free: https://iowapodcast.com/subscribe [https://iowapodcast.com/subscribe] 📱 Offiicial episode page: http://iowapodcast.com/ryan-lincoln [http://iowapodcast.com/ryan-lincoln] 🐖 Get $30 from Jethro's BBQ w/ purchase of $100: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq [https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq] Lincoln breaks down how these programs work, who they're designed for, and the real first step you should take if you're serious about scaling your business. Plus, we dig into his background as a 21-year Marine Corps veteran and how his experience serving his country connects directly to his mission of supporting Iowa's small businesses today. But there's more: Ryan reveals that Iowa currently has zero submissions for the SBA's inaugural Patriot Pitch Competition—a nationwide $1 million prize pool happening this summer to celebrate American innovation. Kaylee explores what it takes to apply, why small businesses should pay attention, and why the SBA's partnership with local Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) is the "front porch" every entrepreneur should walk through first. If you're thinking about starting or scaling a business in Iowa, this conversation is your roadmap.

Building for Impact: Matt Ostanik on Startups and Giving Back

In this inspiring conversation, host Kaylee Williams sits down with serial entrepreneur Matt Ostanik [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattostanik/] to explore his 20-year journey through the startup ecosystem. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/Matt-Ostanik 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq Matt shares his origin story - from architecture school in Iowa to launching Submittal Exchange, a SaaS platform that revolutionized commercial construction document management. He walks through the full arc of his entrepreneurial career: the early wins (selling Submittal Exchange to Textura, which later became part of Oracle), the front-row seat to a major IPO, and the painful failure of FunnelWise, a marketing analytics platform he shut down in 2018. Through it all, Matt reflects on hard-won lessons about product-market fit, capital strategy, and the importance of doing right by employees and customers, even when things fall apart. But the conversation takes a meaningful turn as Matt reveals what drew him away from traditional for-profit ventures: a deep desire to create social impact. He introduces Grateful Giving, a nonprofit tech platform (and his first charitable venture) that makes giving easier and more gratitude-driven, already supporting over 3,300 charities across all 50 states and raising more than $1 million for causes. Matt and Kaylee dig into the concept of "generativity"—that universal human desire to give back—and discuss how the next generation of businesses will be measured not just by profit, but by their impact on people and planet. It's a conversation about failure, redemption, and building technology that genuinely makes the world better.

Knowing and Growing Economic Power: Joey Beech on Angel Investing and Financial Literacy

In this episode, host Kaylee Williams sits down with Joey Beech, aka the Financial Lit Lady, an author, speaker, and one of the driving forces behind Ankeny Angels. 💡 Find this show on your favorite player: https://iowapodcast.com/Joey-beech 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq Joey shares her journey from teaching financial literacy at local high schools to building a thriving angel investment group that's backing some of Iowa's most promising startups. In their conversation, Joey shares what she looks for in founders and pitches—spoiler alert: it's less about the perfect financial projections and more about founders who've solved a problem they personally understand. Joey also opens up about her own financial mistakes, including overspending on a car, and explains why emotion plays such a huge role in our financial decisions, no matter how much we know about spreadsheets. But the real heart of this conversation is about Iowa's untapped potential. Joey makes a compelling case for why the state's "doer mentality" and tinkering culture give local startups an edge, and she challenges the ecosystem to stop playing small. She argues passionately that Iowa's biggest opportunity lies in engaging younger people—starting in high school—in entrepreneurship and innovation, rather than waiting until college to expose them to real-world business. By connecting students with local companies, breaking down silos between startups and established businesses, and investing in early-stage talent, Iowa can not only retain its best minds but build the next generation of founders right here at home.

The Kid from Mitchellville: Nick Leeper on Startups, AI, and Betting on People

Nick Leeper has spent the last two decades building meaningful products in Iowa's tech ecosystem—from the Obama campaign's fundraising systems to Dwolla's real-time payment infrastructure to Hummingbirds' creator platform. In this episode, host Kaylee Williams sits down with Nick to explore how a kid from Mitchellville ended up in rooms with the Federal Reserve, the Gates Foundation, and some of the brightest minds in fintech. 💡 Find this show on every app: https://iowapodcast.com/nick-leeper 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's BBQ: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq Nick shares the origin story of his friendship with Derek Brooks and their leap to Chicago for the 2008 Obama campaign, a pivotal moment that led him to Dwolla, where he spent nearly 11 years helping design systems that process billions of dollars. Along the way, he reflects on what it means to work at venture-backed startups: the exhilarating opportunities to work on problems you never thought you'd touch, the heartbreak of shipping projects that get shelved, and the importance of people and community in tech. Today, Nick leads engineering at Hummingbirds, a woman-founded creator platform where he's building his own team and setting culture from the ground up - something he always wanted to do. But as the conversation evolves, Nick and Kaylee dig into a bigger question: what does the future of tech look like in the age of AI? Nick explores how artificial intelligence is rewriting the venture playbook, the risk that the "people in the middle" of their careers face as AI disrupts how we work, and why human creativity and problem-solving (not just code) remain the true bottleneck in building great products. Tune into this thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about ambition, mentorship, and what it takes to leave a mark in tech.