Iowa Business Report

On this edition of the Iowa Business Report:

The latest "Iowa's Competitive Dashboard" report from the Iowa Business Council shows Iowa in a good position, but with a few cautionary notes.

Two Iowa cities are in the top ten of a new list of cities that have recovered quickest job-wise from the pandemic.

In this week's "Business Profile", we meet Dr. Heidi Vermeer-Quist of VQ Consult and Heartland Christian Counseling.

For more, go to totallyiowa.com and click on the "radio programs" link.   

Presented by the Center for Business Growth and Innovation at the University of Northern Iowa.

Iowa remains "competitive" in five key elements in comparison with other states...but our declining population is a key issue. Those are the key findings from the annual "Iowa's Competitive Dashboard" report, released by the Iowa Business Council. Joe Murphy is executive director of the Iowa Business Council and shared the findings with Jeff Stein of the Iowa Business Report via ZOOM on February 2, 2021. The full report can be found at iowabusinesscouncil.org. 

Iowa Business Report Friday Edition
February 05, 2021 

Dr. Heidi Vermeer-Quist of VQ Consult talks about the challenges--and rewards--of multi-generational family-owned businesses.

Iowa Business Report Thursday Edition
February 04, 2021 

The Iowa Business Council's annual "Iowa's Competitive Dashboard" report was released on February 03, and according to IBC executive director Joe Murphy, there is cause for concern in one major area.

Iowa Business Report Wednesday Edition
February 03, 2021 

Krysia Lenzo, executive director of Harvard in Technology, discussing the "Game Stop" market activity and its implications for other big tech companies and their control over competition.

Iowa Business Report Tuesday Edition
February 02, 2021 

Women in the workforce have been adversely impacted by the pandemic, according to Tiffany O'Donnell, CEO of the Iowa-based organization Women Lead Change. 

Iowa Business Report Monday Edition
February 01, 2021 

International attorney Loretta Powers discussing whether employers can force employees to get a COVID-19 vaccination. 

On this edition of the Iowa Business Report:

Workforce development is limited due to inadequate child care, according to Julia Barfield of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Federation.

The Gross Domestic Product numbers for 2020 are in, and to no surprise, the economy contracted.

In this week's "Business Profile", we meet Drew Harden of Blue Compass, a digital marketing company based in West Des Moines.

For more, go to totallyiowa.com and click on the "radio programs" link.   

Presented by the Center for Business Growth and Innovation at the University of Northern Iowa.

Access to affordable child care is a key element in developing and growing the workforce--not just in Iowa, but across the country. Julia Barfield is senior manager of policy and programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Center for Education and Workforce (uschamberfoundation.org); she discussed the topic with Jeff Stein of the Iowa Business Report via ZOOM on January 7, 2021.  

Each week, the Iowa Business Report radio program features a Business Profile segment, introducing listeners to an Iowa-based company or business.
 
In this extended IBR Business Profile, we meet Drew Harden of Blue Compass, on line at bluecompass.com. In a short time, the West Des Moines-based firm has become one of the Midwest's leading digital marketing companies.

He spoke with Jeff Stein for Iowa Business Report program number 21-05 via Zoom on January 26, 2021; this podcast contains the full conversation.