How to Optimize Any Business Using Six Sigma | Chris Wood

What If Concrete Could Clean Water? | Greg Johnson

What if the roads, sidewalks, and parking lots we rely on every day could help reduce flooding and clean stormwater before it reaches our waterways? In this episode, Blake sits down with Greg Johnson, Co-Founder and CEO of AquiPor Technologies, to discuss how one Spokane startup is reinventing concrete to solve some of today's biggest infrastructure and water management challenges. In this episode, you'll learn: • How AquiPor is transforming traditional concrete into high-performance porous concrete • The entrepreneurial highs and lows of building a hard-tech startup • Why solving infrastructure challenges requires innovation, patience, and resilience • Greg's approach to leadership, fundraising, and scaling a mission-driven company • The future of stormwater management and resilient infrastructure If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review to help us continue sharing stories from entrepreneurs and innovators making a difference.

Building a Brand That Actually Stands Out | James Clark

What does it actually take to build a brand experience people remember? James Clark, founder of Wunder Beast, on the realities of building a standout brand from the ground up and why branding goes far beyond a logo.James Clark builds digital activations and brand experiences that stick. In this conversation we get into the story behind Wunder Beast, what actually separates businesses that thrive from those that struggle, the marketing that genuinely moves the needle, and the mindset that keeps a founder going when things get hard. Whether you're an entrepreneur, operator, or marketer, there's plenty here worth stealing.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro00:40 What Wunder Beast builds03:42 What brands actually get out of it05:03 Standing out in a crowded market06:03 Going to market with a tiny team10:50 How AI changed the work14:39 AI slop & the creative industry18:48 Where experiential marketing is heading21:33 Favorite builds & hardest logistics25:55 The founder roller coaster27:00 Why build this in Spokane30:47 Fixing Spokane's startup scene33:12 Rapid-fire round37:48 How to reach JamesCONNECT WITH JAMESLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-clark-27920065/Wunder Beast: https://wunderbeast.com/—Cowles Ventures Podcast — founder & operator conversations from the Inland Northwest. Hosted in Spokane.Episode 32#Entrepreneurship #Branding #Marketing #Startups #Founder #Spokane #WunderBeast #CowlesVentures

Building the Future of Bioscience in the Northwest | Michaele Armstrong

What does it take to build a thriving bioscience ecosystem outside of traditional innovation hubs like Boston and San Diego? In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, we sit down with Michaele Armstrong, PhD, MBA, Executive Director of Evergreen Bioscience Innovation Cluster, to discuss the future of biotech, startup innovation, and the work required to grow a life sciences economy in the Inland Northwest. Michaele shares her journey from oncology research and academia to entrepreneurship, ecosystem development, and supporting early-stage life science companies. We explore what makes a biotech startup fundable, the challenges founders face when commercializing new technologies, and why collaboration between industry, academia, investors, and healthcare organizations is critical to driving innovation. We also dive into the role of incubators and innovation clusters, the realities of building a life science hub in emerging markets, the impact of AI in healthcare, and the opportunities shaping the future of bioscience. Whether you're a founder, investor, researcher, healthcare leader, or simply curious about the future of innovation, this conversation offers valuable insights into one of the fastest-evolving industries in the world. Topics include: • Building a bioscience ecosystem in the Northwest • Life science startups and commercialization • What makes a biotech company fundable • The role of incubators, clusters, and community • AI in healthcare and emerging industry trends • Leadership, innovation, and long-term impact • Advice for first-time founders If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review to help us bring more conversations with founders, operators, investors, and innovators shaping the future of business and technology.

From Idea to Company: Njal Lundberg's Entrepreneurial Journey

What happens when you combine creativity, grit, and an obsession with building memorable experiences? In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, we sit down with Njal Lundberg, founder and CEO of Modern Dreamers, to discuss her entrepreneurial journey, the realities of building a consumer brand, and the lessons she's learned scaling a business from idea to impact. Njal shares how she identified an opportunity in the market, navigated the early challenges of entrepreneurship, and built a company that stands out in a crowded landscape. We also dive into marketing, customer acquisition, leadership, resilience, and what it takes to keep growing when things don't go according to plan. Whether you're an entrepreneur, operator, investor, or someone thinking about starting your first business, this conversation is packed with practical insights and honest reflections from the founder's seat. Topics include: • Building a business from the ground up • Finding product-market fit • Customer acquisition and brand building • Lessons learned through growth and setbacks • Leadership and company culture • Advice for aspiring founders If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review to help us bring more conversations with founders, operators, and investors shaping the future of entrepreneurship. #Entrepreneurship #StartupFounder #SmallBusiness #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #CowlesVentures #ModernDreamers #Podcast #FounderJourney #Innovation

Corporate Venture Capital in Energy Explained | Mark Gustafson

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, I sit down with Mark Gustafson, President of Avista Development and Director of Strategic Investments at Avista. Mark brings a unique perspective from decades spent at the intersection of utilities, energy infrastructure, software, innovation, and corporate venture capital. With experience spanning CTO leadership, strategy, data science, and startup investing, this conversation dives deep into what the “utility of the future” may actually look like. We cover: • Corporate venture capital in the utility industry • Grid modernization and energy infrastructure • AI, data science, and utilities • Challenges startups face selling into regulated markets • Innovation inside large organizations • The future of distributed energy and electrification • Strategic investing and long-term infrastructure bets Mark also shares insights on how utilities evaluate emerging technologies, where climate innovation is heading, and why the next decade of energy transformation may reshape far more than just the power grid. If you enjoy conversations around venture capital, startups, infrastructure, AI, clean technology, and the future of energy, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more conversations with founders, investors, operators, and innovators shaping the future of business and technology. #venturecapital #climatetech #energy #utilities #startup #ai #infrastructure #cleanenergy #corporateventurecapital #innovation #podcast