In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, Micah Walker takes over as host while Kaylee Williams is on maternity leave. Micah introduces Julio Delgadillo, an entrepreneur born in Des Moines, Iowa, who has a passion for creativity and design. Julio shares his journey from growing up in Iowa, developing his artistic skills in school, to eventually founding Buoyclub, a clothing brand he started during the COVID-19 pandemic. Julio explains how his time in Des Moines and his experiences in spoken word poetry influenced his creative spirit and entrepreneurial drive, eventually leading him to study industrial design at Iowa State University.

Julio discusses the challenges he faced in balancing school, work, and his business, highlighting how his involvement with Iowa State's entrepreneurial resources and pitch competitions helped him grow Buoyclub. Despite initial struggles, Julio's brand gained recognition through various competitions and pop-up shops, even catching the attention of Paxton for a T-shirt design competition. After graduating, Julio moved to Seattle to work as a designer at Costco, applying the skills he learned from Buoyclub to his new role. Though Buoyclub now faces new challenges in a larger market, Julio remains passionate about his brand and motivated to continue its growth.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/julio-delgadillo-buoyclub