As our editorial team continues to grow—stay tuned for an introduction to our new Omaha editor—we’ve taken a long look at the content we produce and how we serve the Silicon Prairie. With many of the same thoughts in mind, we’re excited to announce the relaunch of two SPN series: Founder Friday and Prairie Portraits.
Last March we launched a new series of guest posts penned by Silicon Prairie founders themselves called Founder Friday. Each week one startup founder shared a lesson learned or best practice utilized relating to a specific monthly theme. Our theme for November will be education and we’re kicking off the series relaunch tomorrow with a co-written piece by clusterFlunk co-founders Joe Dallago and AJ Nelson.
Almost two years ago we introduced Prairie Portraits—a weekly set of questions intended to help the community get to know someone from the Silicon Prairie startup scene a little bit better. We’ll be reviving this series as well, but with a bit of a twist. The first iteration of Prairie Portraits included customized questions for each individual; however, Prairie Portraits 2.0 will feature a fixed set of questions ranging from career background and personal perferences to perhaps off-the-wall questions on YouTube videos and entrance music. The idea is to let those who don’t make it into our stories as often—non-founders, startup supporters, investors, quiet leaders—but who are just as important to the community, share a bit of their story, personality and creativity.
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Prairie Portraits will appear on SPN on Saturdays and the only criteria is the subject can’t be a founder. Our first Prairie Portrait will feature Adam England in Kansas City, but in the meantime, here’s a small taste of some of the Prairie Portrait questions answered by the SPN newsroom:
Name: Megan Bannister
Title/Occupation: Des Moines editor at Silicon Prairie News
Age: 22
Hometown: La Grange Park, Illinois
Current city: Des Moines, Iowa
Twitter: meganebannister
Personal
Drink of choice: Non-alcoholic—black coffee; Alcoholic—Moscow Mule
Ultimate road trip snack: Haribo gummi bears
Celebrity doppelganger: Mayim Bialik (of Blossom and Big Bang Theory fame)
Local
Last local restaurant I ate at was… City Bakery in the East Village.
Des Moines’ obligatory tourist stop is… the John Pappajohn Sculpture Park in the Western Gateway.
The Startup Scene
Social media pet peeve: Brands that link their Facebook & Twitter accounts.
App I’m currently obsessed with: Any.Do—it’s a to-do list iOS app that integrates with Google Chrome.
Before I was in startups, I… worked at the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and attended Drake University.
Name: Fred Bauters
Title/Occupation: Managing editor at Silicon Prairie News
Age: 27
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Current city: Prairie Village, Kansas
Twitter: fredbauters
Personal
Drink of choice: Jameson
Ultimate road trip snack: Haribo gummi bears (newsroom road trips should be easy)
Celebrity doppelganger: David Boreanaz (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Bones), so says my wife
Local
Last local restaurant I ate at was… Mildred’s. The cranberry turkey sandwich is just too good.
Kansas City’s obligatory tourist stop is… Oklahoma Joe’s. We like food a lot here.
The Startup Scene
Social media pet peeve: Complaining
Most comfortable startup T-shirt I own: Truckily
Before I was in startups, I… was the editor for KC Business magazine, wishing I was at a startup.
Visit SPN’s website to read archived Founder Friday and Prairie Portraits posts and check out our other current series, Startup Spaces, sponsored by turnstone. If interested in participating in Founder Friday or answering questions for a Prairie Portrait? Email us at editor@siliconprairienews.com.