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Prairie Portrait

  • Prairie Portrait: Ari Kern of UP Global

    Quote I might have said: “They ought to take chances. Not taking chances will lead to a life of colorless mediocrity. They’ll be comfortable. But something in their spirit will be missing.” — Carlos Hortas, Dean of Yale University (So I didn’t say it, but sounds like me.)

  • Prairie Portrait: Tim Banks of Red Nova Labs

    I do what I do because… it is so satisfying to take an idea and bring it to reality. I knew I wanted to be a developer before I was even in high school. One of my older brothers was taking a programming class and showed me some of his homework. I was fascinated at…

  • Prairie Portrait: Derek Brooks of Modest Inc.

    Entrance song if I was a wrestler: This is one of the hardest questions I’ve ever been asked. I could definitely have new one for every match, but let’s start serious with Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.”

  • Prairie Portrait: Nate Lowry of EliteForm & Nebraska Global

    Something most people don’t know about me: I tried living left-handed for a few months. Brushing teeth, putting in contacts, mouse, pretty much anything but writing. I got decent at most things eventually. It was interesting to see how even a stubborn, old brain like mine can pick up new skills if needed.

  • Prairie Portrait: Katie Condon of MindMixer

    Prairie Portraits is a weekly set of questions intended to help the community get to know someone from the Silicon Prairie startup scene a little bit better. Prairie Portraits 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.

  • Prairie Portrait: Emily Leeper of Think Big Partners

    Celebrity doppelgänger: During the 2008 Summer Olympics people would think I was Shawn Johnson, especially since I was attending Iowa State at the time and she was from Des Moines…

  • Prairie Portrait: Shawn Harrington of Regus & Bloomsnap

    Best meal I’ve had in Des Moines: Last summer, I helped coordinate a pigroast at my friend Bryan’s acreage in West Des Moines. Jason Kapela from Louie’s Wine Dive Restaurant was our chef, Goldie’s Ice Cream Shoppe catered the sides and Confluence Brewery provided the beer. The only problem was that we didn’t have many…

  • Prairie Portrait: Erik Wullschleger of the Sprint Accelerator

    Something most people don’t know about me: In third grade I was the founder of a product called the “Recycle Buddy” that helped citizens sort recyclables for Omaha’s brand-new curbside program. The product was manufactured locally and distributed through local retailers.

  • Rae Hatfield, student & Athena League co-founder

    If money wasn’t an object, my next company would be… teaching women in developing countries about entrepreneurship or booking speakers for a conference series. Hopefully both.

  • Prairie Portrait: Kris Fassler of Vault Coworking & Seed Here Studio

    Best meal I’ve had in Cedar Rapids: Southwest grilled chicken with corn salsa, sweet potato, and corn bread—at my parent’s house. Dad’s a great cook!