Most people think you have to leave places like Nebraska to build a successful tech company.

But in this conversation, Kirk Zeller, founder of the Silicon Prairie Center, shares what it actually looks like to build, grow, and even relocate companies here.

Kirk’s path isn’t typical. He grew up in central Nebraska, spent years in Japan building his career in business and medical device startups, and worked across both large and early-stage companies before returning to Nebraska to build something of his own.

This episode is for entrepreneurs, employers, and anyone thinking about where innovation can really happen.

We get into:

• Why building in Silicon Valley isn’t always the advantage people think it is
• What it takes to bring companies and talent into Nebraska
• How reversing brain drain can actually work

This isn’t theory. It’s someone actively building companies and ecosystems in a different way.

Most people think mentorship is about giving advice.

But in reality, it is just as much about listening, reflecting, and helping someone see themselves more clearly.

In this episode of the TEN podcast, host Shonna Dorsey sits down with Sherry Hutcherson, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and National Strategic Partnerships at Bellevue University.

Sherry brings decades of leadership experience across corporate, public sector, and higher education. She also shares her broader perspective on education, shaped by a lifelong connection to public schools and a current focus on expanding access and outcomes for students across Nebraska.

This conversation naturally evolves into something deeper.

We get into:
• The difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and why both matter
• How mentorship helps you grow personally and professionally
• Why reflection is one of the most important leadership skills
• How to navigate feedback, setbacks, and growth moments with intention

One idea that stands out: growth often comes from learning how to see yourself clearly and making adjustments over time.

Sherry also shares how Bellevue University partners with employers to support upskilling and reskilling, along with her passion for strengthening education systems, including literacy, early childhood education, and career pathways.

If you are early in your career, leading a team, or continuing to grow as a leader, this is a conversation that will stay with you.

Most companies are investing in employee experience.

But for a lot of employees, it still feels confusing, disconnected, and harder than it should be.

In this episode, Adriana Cisneros Basulto, Co-founder and CEO of Maxwell, breaks down why that gap exists and what it actually takes to fix it.

Adriana has seen this from both sides. As an employee, she experienced what it feels like when things work. In HR leadership, she saw how difficult it is to create that kind of experience when systems, tools, and programs are all operating separately.

That’s what led her to build Maxwell, a global award-winning platform designed as an “Experience Layer” that connects everything into one simple, intuitive place.

In this conversation, we get into:
• Why employee experience feels fragmented in so many organizations
• How that fragmentation impacts both employees and HR teams every day
• What it looks like to move from managing systems to creating something that actually works
• How behavioral science and AI can be used in practical ways to improve engagement

What stands out is how real and actionable this is. This is not about adding more tools. It is about making what already exists actually work together.

And the barrier to getting started is lower than most people think.

If you are building teams, leading HR, or thinking about retention and engagement, this conversation will give you something to take with you.