By Vanessa C. Marcano-Kelly Over the past two or three years, we have been seeing, at dizzying speed, how the discourse and dynamics around work, efficiency, productivity and automation have been developing. A lot of us are either using, learning or asking questions about artificial intelligence, and imagining new solutions Read more…
Women business ownership rates are growing at a rapid pace. Even so, female entrepreneurs continue to face barriers in accessing capital and opportunities to grow their businesses. The Fearless team hosted our first Fearless Focus event of 2025 on April 17, focusing on women business owners and their entrepreneurship journeys. Read more…
Early in her career as a firefighter, Pleasant Hill Fire Chief Jamie Lee hadn’t envisioned herself leading the department. But the former chief of the Pleasant Hill Fire Department told her she was going to be a fire chief someday. “I laughed at him. I’m like, ‘Nope, not me. You’re Read more…
When I met Emily Wood for coffee in early 2024, I had no clue she’d help me launch into a new phase of life. I didn’t even realize I was craving something new. I had been living in the Des Moines area for a year, working in marketing at a Read more…
When Madison Melchert was hired as the activities director for Dallas-Center Grimes Community School District beginning July 1, it meant more to her than just finding a new job. It was a continuation of a legacy, giving back to a community that gave so much to her as a young person. Melchert Read more…
COMPILED BY EMILY BARSKE WOOD, BUSINESS RECORD SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR This coverage is from the Business Record’s annual survey on women’s and gender issues as part of our Fearless initiative. While nonscientific, we believe the results of this questionnaire illustrate current opinions about Iowa women’s equity in and outside of work. Read previous coverage here. Read more…
I was 6 years old [when I started gymnastics], which is actually a little bit older than you hear from a lot of athletes. They’re like, “I started when I was 2 and did the mommy-and-me classes.” But for me, I saw a rerun of the 1984 Olympics. Mary Lou Read more…
Three years ago, the Business Record launched the Fearless initiative with a goal to empower Iowa women to succeed in work and life through our articles, stories and community events. At its core, Fearless aims to amplify the perspectives, stories and insights of Iowa women and gender-nonconforming individuals. To celebrate Read more…
Did you know that companies that develop a strong bench of leaders are six times more likely to engage and retain top talent than organizations that do not? That finding was reported in a new 2023 Global Leadership Forecast conducted by consulting firm DDI, which showed developing high-potential leaders is a critical step in retaining Read more…
Growing up, when school was out for the summer, I would make homework assignments for myself – anything from geography quizzes to memorizing lines from the Gettysburg Address. I, of course, was also a big fan of summer reading challenges. And I took college classes starting the summer after eighth grade Read more…