Our guest today is Dr. Michelle Burson, or as I like to call her one of my very good childhood friends! An Iowan through and through, Michelle grew up in Red Oak, Iowa in the southwest corner of the state. She attended the University of Northern Iowa and majored in Biology. After considering a few other professions, Michelle realized that she wanted to work with people and loved science, so she pursued a career in dentistry. In Michelle's free time she likes to play piano, exercise, watch tv and movies. She also likes to cook and more importantly eat! Her and her husband enjoy traveling, walks, and trying new restaurants. They adopted a pup named Murphy, from the Muscatine Humane Society and enjoy taking him on walks, hikes and swimming. Welcome, Michelle!

Taking moments here and there to reflect on where we've been, what we are currently doing and where we are going is a great way to appreciate and give gratitude towards all that life gives us. Our guest today is Jen Bossard and she is taking in these moments. She is calling her reflection and pause in life her professional "half time". Allowing herself to assess the first half of her career and plan for the second half. Jen has been in the field of higher education for almost two decades which has included administrative work and teaching at the collegiate level in positions such as a professor of Economics and as a former dean at a local university. She has also been involved in anti-human trafficking efforts for over one decade which has included organizing local and international conferences, conducting research, serving as guest editor, and leading workshops. Jen has learned so much along her journey so far and she is excited to see what the future holds!

Credits: Music by Ellie Westfall. Artwork by Kristina Bachman. Produced by Greg Joyce.

The guest in this episode is Cody Schmick. Cody is the co-owner of Kinkaider Brewing Co., Sideshow Spirits, and Bierhaus Maisschaler. Cody is not only passionate about the craft brewing and distillery industries, but also about all different aspects of business, such as how to build strong teams and how to create a sense of community amongst customers. So, let's dive right in to learn more about who Cody is and what it's been like to start and maintain different business ventures!