We often take for granted some of the basic yet essential necessities of life - in this case, safe water. My guest today is Nick Greener the Africa Director for Water for Life an international non-profit who’s mission is to give clean water to people who need it but also to partner with communities so that they can maintain and even expand the water resources they help provide.Nick has been working in Africa with Water for Life for 15 years. He started his career in Washington DC, in the White House Office of Management and Budget, working on health policy, after completing his masters degree at the University of Southern California.Water For Life has conducted projects in over a dozen countries in Africa, and more than 20 throughout the world.CONNECT WITH WATER FOR LIFE:www.waterforlife.org Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Jake Schneider grew up as a homeschooler in small town Iowa, which instilled in him a strong sense of self-responsibility and ownership of his work from an early age. When he embarked on his career, he explored jobs in at least 7 different industries. However, it became evident that what he truly sought were knowledge and skills.Throughout his career, Jake encountered many individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit, and he thoroughly enjoyed engaging in conversations with them. In September of 2022, he made the decision to channel this passion by launching a podcast titled "Life as an Outsider." Through this podcast, he interviewed a diverse range of business owners, entrepreneurs, and innovators to explore their journey, motivations, and what drives them.Jake has conducted over 50 interviews on his podcast, and he remains committed to continuing this endeavor without any plans of slowing down.CONNECT WITH JAKE:Life As An Outsider PodcastInstagram Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Emily McLain is the Small Business and Member Support Manager at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, an economic and community development organization that serves Greater Des Moines. She has a passion for community and works to create small business programming and build up small business owners in Greater Des Moines. Emily earned dual degrees in Criminology and Communications Studies from the University of Iowa. When she’s not working, Emily loves reading, cheering for the Hawkeyes and Minnesota Vikings and traveling with friends.  Listen to my feature on Emily's Podcast:Small Business and Start Up Stories DSM Podcast CONNECT WITH DSM PARTNERSHIP:www.dsmpartnership.com Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Terrence Thames is a man of faith, husband, father, and entrepreneur. Terrence has a passion for seeing others succeed in business and in life – especially people of color. Having grown up on the South Side of Chicago, Terrence was raised by his college-aged cousin in Iowa City at the age of 9 where he was exposed to a better life and more opportunities. At that time, Terrence became heavily involved in church, video production, journalism and music. Working professionally since the age of 17, Terrence launched his own creative agency in 2011 – Advanced Media Production Firm, LLC dba Cocoa Creative Agency. Terrence is currently focused on family, faith, and wealth building among minorities and their communities.CONNECT WITH TERRENCE:Linkedin CONNECT WITH COCOA CREATIVE:Linkedin Instagramwww.cocoacreates.com  Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Katherine Harrington is a ballerina turned executive and is the President & CEO of the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. Katherine started in this role on April 1, 2022. During her tenue at the Chamber, she has built an award-winning team that enjoys many accomplishments. Some of them include, in 2022 the WDM Chamber was honored with the ACCE Chamber of the Year USA as one of three finalists. Over the last three years, she created several groundbreaking new programs and committees including the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee who produces the international, award-winning Athene Black & Brown Business Summit & Pitch Competition, Diversity Week, and Diversity Fundraiser. She also helped to create the DEI Workplace Excellence Awards that has been nationally recognized by ACCE as an event other Chambers around the country should adopt, the Best of the West Awards, the award-winning Racoon River Rally, WDM Newsletter, WDM Edge events, Business Survival Toolkit Covid events, Talent Attraction Partnerships and more. With Katherine and her team’s efforts, they have been able to give back more than $150,000 to a wide variety of non-profit organizations, entrepreneurs and Black & Brown Businesses in the State of Iowa and across the U.S. Katherine has an extensive background in public speaking, media sales, revenue stream creation, event development, innovation, and leadership with organizations including US Magazine in New York City, Crain’s Chicago Business, San Diego Business Journal, DSM Magazine and the Des Moines Business Record. She also bootstrapped and ran her own glossy technology magazine, events, and digital news organization serving leaders in the booming tech and internet industries in San Diego called The T Sector with 23 employees. At the Des Moines Business Record, she was Director of Innovation, was the number one sales producer, and started the lucrative innovationIOWA Magazine, weekly e-newsletter, and yearly awards event. Katherine has a passion for helping others and is on the board for the West Des Moines Community Foundation, Racoon River Pedestrian Bridge Advisory Council, Cystic Fibroses, City of WDM DR. MLK Jr. Celebration Committee Member, American Heart Association Heart Ball Executive Leadership Committee, and is a Big Brothers Big Sisters ‘I am Enough’ Champion. In 2023 she will co-lead the regional Greater Des Moines Partnership Inclusion Summit. Past board work includes WDM Historic Valley Junction Commission, President of the board for Ballet Des Moines, South Central Board Chair for the Iowa Governors’ STEM Advisory Council, founding committee for the Blood Sweat & Beers Race, and more. Between 2022 – 2022, Katherine and the Chamber were honored with the WDM Chamber MLK Jr. Community Organization Leadership Award, The Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Equity Innovation Award, was winner of the Great Outdoors Foundation Most Valuable Philanthropist Award, was awarded with the PRSA Iowa Chapter Iowa Advocate Award, was a Finalist of the Inspiring Women of Iowa Award, and was voted one of the Most Likable by Cityview Magazine. Katherine lives in beautiful West Des Moines with her husband Craig who is a science teacher at Valley High School. They have three successful children Allie, Kaitlyn, and Nick. She and her daughters have a side gig and podcast called “What the FAM” and can be found wherever you get your podcasts. Katherine can be reached at 515-689-4447 / katherine@wdmchamber.org Producer: Northgate Marketing, Inc.Connect w David:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com

My guests in this episode are the co-hosts of Your Sasstastic Life, a podcast that is committed to uplifting women … and men … and providing a safe space for them to let it all out. Get the confidence boost, inspiration and sarcasm you need to live your best life. We promise to keep it real, keep it funny and keep it 100% sasstastic.Tricia Rivas - On her journey as a servant leader, cheerleader, and small business owner, Tricia Rivas continues to leave a lasting impact on the entrepreneurial community. Her unwavering faith, passion for empowering others, and ability to generate transformative ideas make her a force to be reckoned with in the world of small business.Wendi Fredregill -  On her journey as a mindset coach, leader, and curator of joy, Wendi Fredregill is passionate about helping female entrepreneurs overcome perfectionism, procrastination, and fear. Her strong faith, and idea-generating energy empower those around her to seek more joy in their lives.CONNECT WITH YOUR SASSTASTIC LIFE:Event Tickets Here: https://www.yoursasstasticlife.com/linksInstagramFacebookhttps://www.yoursasstasticlife.com/ Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

My guest today is Dr. Shankar Subramaniam, a Leadership Mindset Coach that helps immigrants, especially within Academia and Science and Tech industries to unlock their full potential at work and life through authentic expression grounded in their cultural identity.He has spent over 20 years as a professor of mechanical engineering at well-known research universities teaching graduate and undergraduate students. His educational background uniquely positions him to coach professionals in science, technology, and engineering to achieve real results: such as enabling high-potential hires make successful role transitions from technical to executive roles, or launching life-changing career transitions. His unique Grow with the Flow approach to coaching clients combines science-based, state-of-the-art processes based on the Columbia coaching model with timeless wisdom from Eastern philosophy. CONNECT WITH DR. SHANKAR:Linkedinwww.drshankarcoach.comProduced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Rheya Spigner is a former award winning News Anchor and Reporter dedicated to the importance of diversity, inclusion and change. She believes in community and that positivity and education can change lives. It’s her mission to be impactful through storytelling and community impact work. After over 10 years in the News industry, she’s realized her deep passion is to help make hands-on impactful change in communities, businesses and people. From Anchoring Live newscasts and creating trusted content with an audience of 50,000 to public speaking in front of hundreds she not only has the skill but the passion to create positive change and cater to the unique challenges and needs her clients. In 2020 she went back to school to attain her Masters in Legal Studies to better understand historical context, socio economic disparities and legalities of our world and she began to connect it to unconscious biases and disconnects in community we face today.  Today she lives in New York City and is a keynote speaker, DEI consultant, Communication Strategist and Podcast Co-host. Our topic today is: Letting Go of Ego and Stepping Into Faith For The Ultimate Dream Life CONNECT WITH RHEYA:LinkedinInstagramFacebookWebsiteBrutally Informed Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

MJ Gazali is a driven, passionate actor who highly respects the craft and those with whom he works. A native of Beirut, Lebanon, and now a proud US citizen, MJ has been fortunate to have varied life experiences, including being a flight attendant. Eight years ago, MJ moved to Des Moines from Los Angeles to help his then 87 year old mom run Gazali’s, a mediterranean restaurant that has been a staple in Des Moines for over 40 years. He also takes care of his lovely sister, JuJu, who has special needs. Since his arrival to Des Moines, he has contributed much to the local film scene and has used his worldly experiences to bring one of a kind inspiring cuisine to the metro. MJ is a natural talent who internalizes his roles and gives them his all. He credits this ability to his father, a police officer in Beirut, who imparted to his children (four boys and four girls) the importance of honesty and integrity. MJ is proud of his heritage and strives to bring honor to his family in all his endeavors.Well-known producers and directors, such as Deran Sarafian, have described his work as "chiseled," "high-caliber," "intense," "subtle," "effortless," "natural." While his looks afford him the gift of playing different ethnicities, MJ also has the ability to 'wear' each role, capturing the character's every nuance, breathing life into his fictional soul.CONNECT WITH MJ:IMDBInstagram CONNECT WITH GAZALI'S:InstagramFacebookwww.gazalis.com Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Karla McCollum, Director of Development for International Engagement for the Iowa State University Foundation, has over 15 years of international career experience which encompasses the fields of international admissions, recruitment, diplomacy, and now advancement. The desire for an international career began as a farm girl in southern Iowa learning about her family’s German grandparents experience immigrating to the US. However, a career in anything international looked like a pipe-dream and impossible.  Karla continued to dream and have faith through many years of impossibilities.  Today, Karla’s career opportunities have taken her to over 40 counties in Asia, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Europe. Karla has had a varied career that has encompassed working with international students in education, working with world governments through citizen diplomacy efforts for the state of Iowa, and now enjoying working in the field of advancement and helping international alumni give back to Iowa State University. Karla has earned a BA in Business Administration and a Masters in Business Administration with a Leadership emphasis.  CONNECT WITH KARLA:Linkedin CONNECT WITH IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION:Website Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedin FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

My guest in this episode is Gabe Mendez.  He is the CEO of a top 1% producing team in San Diego, going on his 7th year in Real Estate with over 100 homes in 2021. He was recently awarded Grand Centurion, the highest accolade in his company, was labeled #1 San Diego Real Estate Agent on Social Media in San Diego by Property Spark, and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals awarded Gabe's team with #50th in the Nation.With over 10,000+ followers on facebook, 135,000+ followers on Instagram, 70,000 subscribers on YouTube, and multiple viral videos, he’s blazing a trail.  Gabe is also a renowned keynote speaker, being flown out across the nation to cities like Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami to speak in front of other top producing agents.CONNECT WITH GABE:InstagramYouTubeFacebookWebsite Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Nu Huynh is the executive director of Iowa Asian Alliance or IAA. Nu first served on Iowa Asian Alliance (IAA) Board of Directors in 2012 and quickly transitioned to her current Executive Director role the following year.Prior to joining IAA full-time, Huynh spent over 15 years with the Principal. Her extensive work experience includes talent acquisition, community relations, diversity and inclusion initiatives, event planning, college relations, program development and strategic leadership.Her mission with IAA is to unite Iowa's diverse Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities with the purpose of fostering economic growth and community development within the state of Iowa. Huynh works with a dynamic team of 25+ volunteer leaders and over 400 general volunteers to put on one of Iowa's largest cultural events, CelebrAsian, the annual Asian Heritage Festival, every May.She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Public Relations from Iowa State University and is a 2009 graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute.  Huynh believes "Volunteerism is the voice of the people put into action. These actions shape and mold the present into a future of which we can all be proud." And most importantly, she is grateful for a career and team that fuels her passion and fills her soul.IAA unites diverse Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities with the purpose of fostering economic growth and broader community development within the state of Iowa. In this episode we are talking about my favorite event of the year in Des Moines: CelebrAsianWhy pay for airfare when you can travel to Asia for free at CelebrAsian! Experience over a dozen Asian Villages where you can delight all five of your senses from the authentic asian food, educational activities, to live cultural entertainment! Each year the festival unites the different Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in Iowa. Since its inception, CelebrAsian has become one of the year’s most anticipated events. Don't miss out on the largest Asian American event in Iowa, showcasing cultural exhibits, history, food, performance artists, sports, martial arts, and family-friendly activities. Who knew you can experience so many rich cultures of Asia without leaving Iowa! Join CelebrAsian May 26th-May 27th - 11AM-10PM in downtown Des Moines.LEARN MORE ABOUT CELEBRASIAN & IAA:WebsiteFacebookInstagramProduced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedin FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

My guest in this episode is Simrat Bohra, a Celebrity & Personal Stylist in Mumbai, India.She takes great privilege to have been on a style transformation journey with more than 300 women & men from different walks of life all around the world, including numerous acclaimed celebrities from India such as Jasmin Bhasin, Daniel Weber, Nikki Tamboli, Kanika Mann, Abhishek Bajaj, Shakti Arora, Gurfateh Pirzada and more. She not only curates her client's clothes & accessories, but also addresses obstacles they face when it comes to their personal style & how it affects their self confidence & self esteem.CONNECT WITH SIMRAT:FacebookInstagramwww.simratbohra.com Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Brian Cook is a serial entrepreneur with over 28 years of experience opening almost 200 locations across multiple boutique fitness brands. He has a B.S. degree in exercise physiology from Northeastern University and an M.B.A. from Babson College. His most recent company is StretchMed, a 1-On-1 stretching franchise model, which he founded in November 2019 and currently has over 20 locations in 5 states. It aims to eliminate chronic pain, increase mobility, rejuvenate, and help you move well. Brian is a former hockey player who splits time between Boston and Puerto Rico and loves boating.CONNECT WITH BRIAN:LinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTubeWebsite  Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Tony Wang is a business coach and mentor who helps business leaders and entrepreneurs redesign their thoughts, emotions and beliefs in order to create a more fulfilling life. He helps his clients overcome their negative mental patterns and unconscious self-sabotaging patterns to achieve more success and happiness in their lives.Tony's approach to coaching is based on the idea that our compulsive mental and emotional responses influence our behavior and shape our reality. He helps clients dissolve the root cause of their unwanted mental patterns that hold them back from unlocking their full potential and consciously creating the life they truly desire.CONNECT WITH TONY:InstagramLinkedinFacebookFREE E-BOOKProduced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Havilah is an American actress based in London, England.  She found performing in theatre as a place where her shyness and insecurities disappeared. Back then, she frequently played the villain or the drunk, but eventually added some leading lady roles into the mix. After doing her undergraduate training in theatre at Colorado State University, she worked off and on as an actress and drama teacher. That all led to her deciding to complete a Masters of Fine Arts in Acting in the British Tradition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.As an actress, she’s had the joy of playing the damsel in distress in a western melodrama, cheeky swing dancing ladies in musical theatre and Amish women trying to make the best of their life on film. Now, she’s living in the UK with her husband who crossed the pond as well. Since coming to England, she's had the opportunity to play a variety of roles in the English canon. Some favourites have been Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet, Ross in Macbeth, Hymen & Touchstone in As You Like It, and Mrs. Foresight in Love for Love.CONNECT WITH HAVILAH:InstagramFacebookSpotlightEtsy Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Laura obtained her MBA with an Internet Marketing Specialty designation from the Florida Institute of Technology and has an Advertising Management degree with a Marketing Concentration from Drake University where she is now a professor and entrepreneurial fellow. Kinnard has also developed digital and internet marketing curriculum for Grand View University, Des Moines Area Community College, and DeltaV Coding School. Drawing on the more than 20 years she has spent marketing and helping to develop and promote unique businesses, products and events, nationally and internationally, Kinnard founded Curated Growth in 2018. The company intentionally curates resources, including physical spaces, for the purpose of fostering innovation and growing new business ventures. For the past five years Laura has also been a mentor for the visiting Mandela Washington Young African Leaders and was awarded a reciprocal grant through the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) program in 2017 to do entrepreneurial management and marketing training in Nigeria, Africa.CONNECT WITH LAURA:LinkedinInstagramwww.curatedgrowth.com  Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedin FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.comwww.davidallentracy.com

Natasha Mkaronda is a highly energetic and innovative young woman multi-talented in the field of Arts, digital, and social media. Her top skills are in effective communication, project management, and presentation of ideas and concepts. Her degree in film contributes to her knowledge of articulation of precepts. As a skilled Editor she contributes to international organizations in the USA, Jacks Shack International, Your Private Bar,  and TenXassist in different capacities promoting and showcasing unique businesses to the world through the various platforms. Natasha also has a passion for education and children’s rights and works to develop children and people with special needs. She also stands out as a producer/presenter for the top entertainment TV show on Zimbabwean Television ZBC. Natasha sits on the board for various charities including Good Sherpherd Foundation that helps orphans and less privileged. Among a number of other achievements she sits on the board for the Zimbabwe Television Awards. She is also a wife and mother of 2.CONNECT WITH NATASHA:Instagramwww.africalivenetwork.tv  Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

In this episode my guest is my good friend, Jake Kim. He started his career in Sydney Australia. After graduating from culinary school at the William Blue College of Hospitality Management in 2010 he went on to work at various Michelin star restaurants such as the Sydney Opera House, Aria, and the Clock Hotel. He’s now the Executive Chef Instructor at DMACC and is soon to open his own restaurant, Appa, which will feature authentic, upscale Korean restaurant. After moving to Des Moines, he worked at Firebirds Wood Fire Grill as an executive chef and achieved the company’s top 3 P&L records. He moved to Wasabi sushi restaurants as a culinary director and managed 4 Wasabi locations in the Des Moines metro. As a culinary director, he built the inventory system, maintained food costs (Averaged at 21% for 10 months), and created and updated their recipe and training program. CONNECT WITH CHEF JAKE KIM:LinkedinFacebookInstagram  Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy  CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedinwww.davidallentracy.com FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com

Teleza Daniels or TJ as she is most often called, is the Director of The Iowa Center’s Women’s Business Center. TJ’s role at The Iowa Center involves strategically organizing and implementing programs to train and individually counsel Iowans, specifically women, interested in starting or growing a business. TJ is certified in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace by University of South Florida Muma College of Business and is a Certified Credit Counselor. She enjoys assisting clients with their credit, budget, financial statements, business plans, and whatever else she can to make each client successful.  TJ is known as the cheerleader for The Iowa Center. You can often find TJ out in the community supporting every small business that comes to The Iowa Center.   CONNECT WITH TJ:Linkedin CONNECT WITH THE IOWA CENTER FOR ECONOMIC SUCCESS:Linkedin InstagramFacebookwww.theiowacenter.org   Produced by: Northgate Marketing, Inc. Host: David Allen Tracy    CONNECT WITH DAVID:InstagramLinkedin  FOLLOW NORTHGATE:LinkedinInstagramFacebookYouTubewww.wearenorthgate.com