Steve Shriver on Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship, Automation, and Tech at EcoLips & More

Host Joshua McNary interviews Steve Shriver, CEO of EcoLips and Bug Soother in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a serial entrepreneur who owns five businesses and advises startups. Shriver describes EcoLips as a certified B Corp guided by the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit, and shares how mountaineering experiences shape his approach to goal-setting, resilience, and perspective.

He outlines his other ventures—Bug Soother, Brewhemia cafe, Soko Outfitters, and The Olympic event venue—plus a new patented product, Secure Outlet, and recounts making and distributing hand sanitizer during COVID through a partnership with Cedar Ridge Distillery. On technology, he discusses manufacturing automation, the Red Zone production monitoring system, challenges of equipment uptime and power needs, and the complexity of disparate tools driving a move to the DCOM ERP.

They also discuss early experimentation with ChatGPT, organizational change management, and Shriver’s advice to “try something new” with technology.

Doug Wagner on Modern Radio, Local News Immediacy, and Technology in a Shifting Media Landscape

Host Joshua McNary interviews Doug Wagner, morning show host on News Radio 600 WMT and News Talk 1420 WOC (iHeart Media), about radio’s evolution and technology’s impact on media, public service, and community information.

Doug describes AM radio’s historic reach, today’s distribution through the iHeartRadio app and podcasts, and the ongoing value of live, local news, weather, traffic, and sports. He explains how modern radio segments content across wide geographic audiences while staying local, recounts handling breaking news through rapid studio coordination, and outlines a tech environment shaped by proprietary systems, reliability needs, and security-driven limitations. Then Doug shares his workflow for curating dozens of daily stories, listener engagement via texts and app “talkback,” and advice to not fear technology and to delegate specialized digital tasks to skilled staff.

Get ready to meet the next BizTech superhero on this episode! Host Joshua McNary talks with Alex Beaumier, founder of Beau Laundry Co., to dig into the entrepreneurial journey behind crafting the best-smelling, eco-friendly laundry balls in Iowa—and beyond. Alex shares how his background in data science fueled his experimentation in the world of consumer products, his motivations for working in and parallel to corporate America, and the lessons he's learned from building a grassroots business from the ground up.

In this energetic conversation, you’ll hear how Alex leverages platforms like Shopify and Faire to streamline everything from wholesale relationships to in-person sales, and why taking action and embracing everyday technology is key for any business owner. Whether you’re an aspiring founder, a side-hustler, or a seasoned entrepreneur, you’ll walk away inspired to bundle your challenges, choose the right tech tools, and focus on progress over perfection.