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The Insider Notebook

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NOTEBOOK: Making a difference in other people’s lives

I first interviewed Alex Watters for a story I reported for the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2020. Later that year, he was part of our 90 Ideas in 90 Minutes…
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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: Quiet quitting is a fake trend. Why does it feel real?

The term quiet quitting seems to have entered mainstream media only a few weeks ago but has managed to drum up a lot of attention and conversation. In this article from the Atlantic, Derek Thompson calls …

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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: Day of Action brings out 450 volunteers for more than 60 projects

I wanted to use this space today to update you on something the Business Record reported on a couple of weeks ago. The United Way of Central Iowa Day of Action was held Sept. 13. It’s the …

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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: The race to launch businesses that recycle batteries

The world’s biggest automakers are betting that recycled material from old batteries will help supply the metal they need to build electric cars, writes Amrith Ramkumar for the Wall Street Journal. So are startups, including Ascend …

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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: Student loans and entrepreneurship: An overview

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has published this issue brief on the potential effect of student loan debt on the decision to pursue entrepreneurial ventures. Nearly 1 in 6 adults in the U.S. has outstanding student loan …

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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: Cold truth from the ends of the earth

Maybe you saw the recent news about the “zombie ice” from the massive Greenland ice sheet will eventually raise global sea level by at least 10 inches. If you’re not a Time magazine subscriber like …

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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: How economy is affecting affordable housing developments

Rising interest rates, inflation and supply chain challenges are forcing developers nationwide to delay work on new affordable housing units during a time when there’s a dire need for the product, writes Rebecca Picciotto for the …

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NOTEBOOK: ONE GOOD READ: Companies used to announce products. Now they ‘drop’ them.

A product launch is not as simple as it used to be. Thanks to technology a product “drop” has become a powerful tool for brands to build buzz, Christopher Mims writes for the Wall Street Journal. A …

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NOTEBOOK: New nonprofit Change Course to help individuals facing barriers with workforce transitions

Joseph Johnson, a recently retired Des Moines business leader, and his wife, Karin, started a new nonprofit in February called Change Course, which will offer a tuition-free career and community development program to individuals coming …

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NOTEBOOK: Envision Iowa takes on innovation, public-private partnerships

The Envision Iowa event on Aug. 17 dived into innovation, exploring the state of Iowa’s business ecosystem, discussing how to develop partnerships and looking at resources that keep innovative ideas moving forward.

Speakers included:

Keynote: …