Expand Magazine - Volume 6 Issue 1
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Formerly Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
Emily<br />
Vollmar<br />
Rooted in<br />
Excellence<br />
Energy Found<br />
in<br />
Winter<br />
Tax PrepP<br />
Checklist<br />
Healthy<br />
Recipes<br />
in a<br />
Mean Girls<br />
Barbie World<br />
talking points guide for the movies<br />
<strong>Volume</strong> 6, <strong>Issue</strong> 1<br />
Finding Grace<br />
in the Darkness
Offers Leadership &<br />
Communication Trainings.<br />
Scan QR Code to<br />
Learn More.<br />
Next Session of the<br />
16 Laws of Communication<br />
will begin<br />
Mid-March.<br />
Stacie Anderson<br />
712-540-5721<br />
connect@empowering-conversations.com<br />
www.siouxlandmagazine.com<br />
Register Today to Reserve<br />
Your Spot.
<strong>Expand</strong> /4<br />
We are here to live a BIG life. To explore our inner and outer<br />
world, moving us towards the leading edge to discover what we<br />
are capable of that can be of contribution. To create a life designed<br />
with intention and executed with passion.<br />
This publication aspires to be a source of inspiration. We are<br />
committed to connecting you with community experts and<br />
information to help you live your best life. It is our intention to<br />
encourage balance in your life, reminding you to prioritize your<br />
health and wellness while pursuing your dreams. We wish for you<br />
to be healthy, strong and radiant. We wish for you to find meaning<br />
in your work and be of service to those around you.<br />
In these pages, you’ll find advice and resources, but you will also<br />
find community and love. It is our desire to be by your side on your<br />
journey, providing articles, video content, podcasts, trainings, and<br />
live events. We are here for your expansion.<br />
This is your life.<br />
For those who want more…<br />
To be more, do more and give more.
<strong>Expand</strong> / 5<br />
Editors<br />
NOte<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> has been circulating throughout our community for decades. With each owner, it has had a slightly different focus, and with<br />
every passing year, it continues to evolve. When I purchased the magazine over five years ago, my intention was to start meaningful<br />
community conversations.<br />
In striving to reach people where they are, we went beyond the print magazine to include a digital version. Then, we added blogs,<br />
video content, a podcast, and even live events.<br />
Through it all, it has been the people who have made it significant. Each and every person who has contributed with their column<br />
or who shared their story in an interview has made this publication a place of connection and community.<br />
It is my desire to expand this business to so much more. I have a profound sense of urgency to help people see their value and know<br />
their worth. I want to support their efforts to expand their gifts and contributions. After nearly a decade since becoming a certified<br />
John Maxwell leader, I will finally be folding in leadership and communication training into what we offer.<br />
In a moment of clarity and inspiration, I made the decision to rebrand the magazine. After all, it is much more than just a magazine.<br />
This business is an extension of my purpose and a vehicle to reach the community through many platforms. It is a way for me to<br />
encourage and empower you.<br />
I’m excited to introduce<br />
. For those who want more – To be more, do more, and give more.<br />
My life is fueled by my being – who I am at my core – and my being is what fuels my doing – how I contribute to this magnificent<br />
world.<br />
It is my intention for this to be a place that fuels your growth and expansion so that you can live out the fullest expression of yourself.<br />
Stacie<br />
Stacie Anderson<br />
Owner of Empowering Conversations LLC & <strong>Expand</strong><br />
Certified John Maxwell Speaker, Trainer & Coach<br />
Passionate about Leadership & Communication<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> is owned and published by Empowering Conversations, LLC. All materials contained in this magazine (including text, content, and photographs)<br />
are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, broadcast or modified in any<br />
way without the prior written consent of Empowering Conversations, LLC or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. You may not<br />
alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of this content.
e more<br />
ON THE COVER: Photo Credit Ann Marie Photography.<br />
Table of Contents<br />
8-9 Ask the Therapist<br />
10-11 Health is a Journey – Building a Cold + Flu First Aid Kit<br />
12-13 Embracing Winter – Nurturing your Intentions with Yoga<br />
14-15 Dare 2B Great – 2 Cultivate - 2 Encourage. A Positive Approach 2 Childhood Obesity<br />
16-17 Living Lumin – Place in the Circle<br />
18-21 Emily Vollmar<br />
do more<br />
24-25 Small Business Spotlight – hotworx<br />
26-27 IWCI’s Business Feature – Thrive Wellness Center<br />
29 SBDC – Taking Care of Business – The Future Of Small Businesses In Sioux City: A Glimpse Into<br />
Launch Week<br />
30 Leadership Siouxland – How Can I Make A Positive Difference On As Many People As Possible?<br />
31 Experience Downtown – It’s a time for new beginnings in Downtown Sioux City!<br />
33 Council Connection – Perspectives and Respect<br />
36-37 Social Media – 864 Hours<br />
give more<br />
41 Inclusive Peek – Esha Gardoud<br />
42-43 Nonprofit Spotlight – Girls Inc.<br />
44-45 Ann Rehan Goebel Foundation Inaugural Winter Gala<br />
47 Hot Air with Tony Michaels<br />
C O N T A C T U S<br />
S E R V I C E S<br />
P h o n e :<br />
712.499.0850<br />
W E B S I T E<br />
WWW.EQUILIBREMASSAGE.COM<br />
A d d r e s s :<br />
4242 GORDON DRIVE<br />
SIOUX CITY, IOWA<br />
MASSAGE<br />
ÉQUILIBRE SIGNATURE MASSAGE<br />
CUPPING THERAPY<br />
PRE-NATAL<br />
POST-OP LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE<br />
CLASSIC AND ELITE COUPLES<br />
MED SPA<br />
IV THERAPY<br />
MEDICAL WEIGHTLOSS<br />
HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY<br />
RED LIGHT THERAPY<br />
ESTHETICS<br />
ÉQUILIBRE FACIAL<br />
CHEMICAL PEEL<br />
MICRODERMABRASION<br />
MICROBLADING<br />
LASH LIFT<br />
BODY SCULPTING<br />
WAXIN G<br />
ÉQUILIBRE<br />
MASSAGE & MED SPA<br />
A w a k e n | A l l e v i a t e | A l i g n
EXPAND | BE MORE / 7<br />
be<br />
mo re<br />
Who are you becoming?<br />
Being more is simply growing beyond who you were yesterday.<br />
No perfection. Just progress.<br />
It’s about living life to its fullest and learning from every moment<br />
so that we show up healthier, stronger, and more radiant.<br />
Our writers want to support you on your journey of self-reflection<br />
and discovery of your fullest potential.<br />
Be more.
EXPAND | BE MORE /8<br />
ask the<br />
Therapist<br />
By Jackie Paulson<br />
Dear Reader,<br />
Welcome to the New Year! A new year offers us all<br />
an opportunity to explore what is working, what<br />
is not, and how we want to be intentional moving<br />
forward. It gives us a moment to start again, start<br />
fresh. I love these moments where we get to reimagine<br />
aspects of our lives. And it doesn’t always<br />
feel “good.” With a rebirth, there is always a<br />
death. Some way of how we were going about<br />
a relationship, a job, a way of being that we are<br />
saying goodbye to. If it wasn’t working for us, it’s<br />
funny to think that we would actually have a hard<br />
time giving it up. But our past selves, including old<br />
behaviors, old relationships, and old stories were<br />
once the new ones that we built our lives upon.<br />
More on that in a moment.<br />
So I want to speak to the intention that I would like<br />
to pursue in this article for 2024. Time and attention<br />
are valuable resources these days. And the fact that<br />
you are taking some of your own resourcefulness<br />
to read this article right now is deeply appreciated.<br />
Being a therapist and writing on such important<br />
topics as our mental health, relationships, and<br />
spiritual wellness, is no small thing. I humbly write<br />
each word and expression with care. And then when<br />
Stacie asked me if I would write again, I realized<br />
that I hadn’t even ever really introduced myself since<br />
starting to write for the magazine several years ago. I’d<br />
like to offer you a little more context as to who I am<br />
and where my ideas, beliefs, and what I write inside of<br />
this article in response to your questions come from.<br />
So here is a, still brief, but further introduction.<br />
My name is Jaclyn Paulson (maiden name Rathje).<br />
Although except for my deceased sister and two<br />
clients, people call me Jackie. I was born and raised<br />
in a town of 700 people in southwest Minnesota. I<br />
went to college initially to study communications but<br />
quickly changed my major to counseling after reading<br />
my mother’s social work books (she was attending<br />
college in her 50s). I lived in St. Paul for a few years<br />
working until my mother died of cancer when I was 23.<br />
My oldest sister died exactly one month later in an ATV<br />
accident. Because of their deaths, I moved back to my<br />
hometown to be closer to my dad until I moved to Sioux<br />
Falls and attended graduate school for Counseling. My<br />
father died shortly after when I was 27, also of cancer.<br />
I have lived in Sioux City with my husband for the past<br />
ten years. He is on the Fire Department and we have<br />
two children, Maggie (5) and Gus (4). I share these brief<br />
but impacting stories because they have shaped how I<br />
live and serve.
I believe part of my mission is to support myself<br />
and others in the art of living a fulfilled life, one<br />
of depth and cherishing each moment - not by<br />
always being grateful, but by always being open<br />
to feeling what is there to be felt and holding<br />
others to do the same. Facing death has opened<br />
up realms of truth and sincerity within me and also<br />
allowed me to access some of the deepest fears<br />
and sorrow that one could face, and I feel almost<br />
fearless in holding space for the depth of others. It<br />
is why I ruthlessly share and express myself, create<br />
as much as possible, and say YES when I can;<br />
including to yoga teacher training in 2012, opening<br />
a yoga studio in Sioux City in 2016, continuing my<br />
training and expansion of my work by traveling and<br />
studying with many teachers and continue to offer<br />
in-depth individual and group offerings that allows<br />
people and women especially to harness the power<br />
of their heart and that feeling all of our feelings is not<br />
insane, but really what it means to truly being ALIVE.<br />
Most of all, the losses of my family (as well as my seven<br />
astrological placements in Sagittarius :) ) shapes my<br />
WHY in all the work I do, including how I share with all<br />
of you in this article; which is:<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /9<br />
YOU ARE NOT A PROBLEM TO BE FIXED.<br />
YOU ARE A LIFE WORTH LIVING!<br />
When you ask a question and read a response in this article, know<br />
this truth above is a very real belief inside of me that informs how<br />
I respond and what modalities I work from. Practicing compassion,<br />
curiosity and an invitation for all to be welcome are essential themes<br />
that I live and work from. And so I return to the first paragraph of this<br />
article, which is about grieving the past as a part of opening to the<br />
future. There is a poem I would like to share with you below called “I<br />
Have Been a Thousand Different Women” by Emory Hall. I will let her<br />
artistry and your own curiosity speak to the rest.<br />
It’s an honor to write for you all again in 2024. Please do not hesitate<br />
to send me your questions in the next year. It is a pleasure to be here,<br />
in service to our Siouxland community.<br />
“<br />
”<br />
With love, Jackie<br />
Send Your<br />
It’s an honor to write for you all again in 2024.<br />
Please do not hesitate to send me your questions<br />
in the next year. It is a pleasure to be here, in<br />
service to our Siouxland community.<br />
Questions<br />
JACKIE PAULSON | LEAD INSTRUCTOR | E-RYT 500, LMHC<br />
make peace<br />
with all the women<br />
you once were.<br />
lay flowers<br />
at their feet.<br />
offer them incense<br />
and honey<br />
and forgiveness.<br />
listen.<br />
bless them<br />
and let them be.<br />
for they are the bones<br />
of the temple<br />
you sit in now.<br />
for they are the rivers<br />
of wisdom<br />
leading you toward<br />
the sea.<br />
// i have been a thousand<br />
different women<br />
You can submit your question for “Ask the Therapist” by visiting jaclynpaulson@gmail.com and<br />
sending your question through the contact page. Please put “Ask the Therapist” in the subject line.<br />
Jackie Paulson teaches yoga, is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Iowa, and yoga teacher in Sioux City. She holds a deeply held intention in her work:<br />
to empower somatic awareness that increases the connection and sacred wisdom within individuals and communities. Jackie facilitates in-depth yoga trainings,<br />
experiential process groups, individual + couples therapy, and energywork. The inspiration that fuels her teaching includes philosophy, myth, depth psychology, and<br />
subtle body practices. A lifelong student of the practice, Jackie completed her 300hr Yoga Teacher October 2017 and continues her education of Tantra and Somatic<br />
therapy with teachers from around the world. Jackie’s Contact info: 712-490-7705 or jaclynpaulson@gmail.com
EXPAND | BE MORE /10<br />
Building A<br />
Cold<br />
+ Flu<br />
First Aid Kit<br />
By Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler<br />
I<br />
t all starts with the dreaded scratchy throat.<br />
You know the signs… and soon you are in<br />
bed with a bowl of chicken noodle soup and<br />
a box of tissues. We are in the thick of cold and<br />
flu season. Our systems are run down from being<br />
cooped up inside and we are all a bit sick of winter. Why<br />
does winter make such a prime time for cold and flu<br />
season? Are you prepared for the next wave to hit your<br />
household? Let’s explore these thoughts as I share with<br />
you my Go-To supplies in my Cold + Flu First Aid Kit.<br />
When it comes to any type of illness, catching it soon<br />
and recognizing it is key.<br />
If you can first recognize that you are run down, and then<br />
provide adequate rest and support for your body, you<br />
are well on your way to recovery. Unfortunately, what<br />
happens too often is we either recognize we are ill and<br />
do not provide the support and rest our body needs, or<br />
we recognize it too late.<br />
Creating a robust and vital force through the winter<br />
time will assist in a faster recovery; as well as prevention<br />
from illness. Here are some daily preventative practices.<br />
Adding just one of these practices into your daily life<br />
you can experience an increased sense of health, spirit,<br />
and wellness.<br />
List of Vitalist Practices<br />
Breathing:<br />
Practice deep breathing exercises for 3-5<br />
minutes. 1-3 times daily.<br />
Stretching:<br />
Go through a series of stretching; in the<br />
morning, after coming home from your day,<br />
and before bed.<br />
Positive Affirmation:<br />
Select a positive affirmation that works well<br />
with your goals. Repeat it in your mind, out<br />
loud, or both.<br />
Select 1-2 different affirmations and repeat<br />
them at different times throughout the day.<br />
Water:<br />
Drink 12-16 oz first thing in the morning.<br />
Run a cool watered shower for yourself for<br />
30-50 seconds.
Unfortunately, even with consistent vitalist practices,<br />
we all get sick. So why is it that we are more prone to<br />
getting sick in the winter? First, we are indoors; we<br />
are more likely to transmit viruses and bacteria while<br />
inside, in closed areas. Viruses can spread more easily<br />
in extremely dry conditions, which is typical of our<br />
winter conditions.<br />
Example Blend:<br />
1 Part Sinus Congestion Herb<br />
1 Part Dry Cough Herb<br />
1 Part Immune Support Herb<br />
May look like this:<br />
1 T. Chamomile<br />
1 T. Mullein<br />
1 T. Elder Berry<br />
Use 1T., per 8oz. water<br />
Steep 10-15 Mins.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /11<br />
Physically, our immune systems are weaker; we<br />
have not been eating as many fresh foods and our<br />
Vitamin D stores are now gone (if we are not receiving<br />
it nutritionally or through supplementation). In<br />
the winter, the sun’s latitude does not allow us to<br />
produce vitamin D, even if we spend time outside.<br />
Because Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, it is<br />
typically stored in our body for 2-3 months. In the<br />
midwest we stop receiving Vitamin D from the sun in<br />
October; which means by the end of December our<br />
stores are depleted. Why is this important? Vitamin<br />
D is one of the building blocks for supporting our<br />
musculoskeletal, immune, nervous, and digestive<br />
systems. Vitamin D supplementation is a tool in my<br />
toolbox for supporting not only my immunity through<br />
the winter but also my mental health.<br />
When it comes to colds and influenza, one of the most<br />
beneficial approaches for your body is allowing it to<br />
heal through rest. How do you identify you are in need<br />
of more than rest? Let’s go through some symptoms<br />
and pair them with some of the herbs I keep in my<br />
Cold + Flu First Aid Kit.<br />
Sinus Congestion:<br />
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)<br />
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)<br />
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)<br />
Mild Fever:<br />
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)<br />
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)<br />
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)<br />
Dry Cough:<br />
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)<br />
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)<br />
Wet Cough:<br />
Elecampane (Inula helenium)<br />
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)<br />
Immune Support:<br />
Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia, E. purpurea)<br />
Elder Berry (Sambucus nigra)<br />
Now that you know the herbs to have on hand, how do<br />
you use them? Let’s create a few example formulas,<br />
starting with a blend for someone with a weakened<br />
immune system, sinus congestion, and a dry cough.<br />
Generally speaking, most medicine blends are steeped<br />
for 10-20 minutes. If your tea blend has more roots or<br />
denser materials, allow for a longer steeping time.<br />
Let’s try another!<br />
Let’s create a blend for someone dealing with a wet<br />
cough, a mild fever, and a lowered immune system.<br />
Example Blend:<br />
1 Part Wet Cough Herbs<br />
1 Part Mild Fever Herbs<br />
1 Part Immune Support Herbs<br />
May look like this:<br />
1 C. Elecampane<br />
1 C. Lemon Balm<br />
1 C. Echinacea<br />
Use 1T., per 8oz. water<br />
Steep 15-20 Mins.<br />
Before utilizing any herb, please do your own personal<br />
research to make sure this plant will work well with your<br />
body. It may be natural, but it is also a very potent herbal<br />
medicine. Safety is always number one and many herbs<br />
interact with specific pharmaceuticals and diseases.<br />
When in doubt, reach out to your local herbalist.<br />
This information is not meant to treat, diagnose, or cure<br />
and has not been approved by the FDA.<br />
By Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler, Owner, MEGAN & CO. Herbal<br />
Apothecary + Teahouse<br />
Her goal is to spread herbal knowledge to rural America in a safe,<br />
constructive, and accessible manner.<br />
www.meganandco.com<br />
Trained at the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism<br />
Certified Clinical Herbalist<br />
Certified Clinical Nutritionist<br />
Certified Flower Essence Practitioner<br />
Resources:<br />
1.Wolkoff P, Azuma K, Carrer P. Health, work performance, and risk of infection<br />
in office-like environments: The role of indoor temperature, air humidity, and<br />
ventilation. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2021 Apr;233:113709. doi: 10.1016/j.<br />
ijheh.2021.113709. Epub 2021 Feb 15. PMID: 33601136.<br />
2.Sizar O, Khare S, Goyal A, Givler A. Vitamin D Deficiency. 2023 Jul 17. In:<br />
StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–.<br />
PMID: 30335299<br />
3. Chevallie, Andrew. Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. DK Pub., New York, c2000.<br />
4. Skenderi, Gazmend. Herbal Bade Mecum. Herbacy Press. Rutherford, NJ, c2003.<br />
5. Tierra , Michael. Planetary Herbology. Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, WI. c2018
EXPAND | BE MORE /12<br />
Embracing<br />
Winter:<br />
Nurturing<br />
Your<br />
Intentions<br />
With<br />
Yoga<br />
By Erin Kuehl<br />
s we enter the new year, our hearts are filled with determination to pursue our goals and new<br />
intentions. This spark of motivation can make us feel invincible, ready to take on the world! However,<br />
we tend to falter after a few weeks of intense productivity. Winter offers the opportunity to turn our<br />
energy inward to cultivate stillness to enhance, clarify, and grow the potency of our intentions.<br />
AAllowing Yourself Grace in the Darkness<br />
The winter season is a time of dormancy and introspection.<br />
The natural world rests and rejuvenates beneath the snow.<br />
As we rest and rejuvenate we nurture our intentions and<br />
goals. It’s crucial to allow ourselves the grace to be in the<br />
darkness of growth and change.<br />
Rather than forcing rapid external changes, consider<br />
beginning with small, daily intentions that gently motivate<br />
you toward your goals. Think of these intentions as seeds<br />
that you plant in the fertile ground of your consciousness.<br />
The more you nurture yourself, the stronger your intentions<br />
and motivation grow, sending out shoots that will branch<br />
out and manifest toward your goals and desires in a good<br />
way.<br />
One powerful way to align with the energy of winter and<br />
nurture your intentions is through a Yin yoga practice. Yin<br />
poses offer us a path to mindful self-compassion through<br />
stillness and breath awareness as a way to move stagnancy<br />
out of our bodies and minds.<br />
Yin poses are passive and yielding. As you move through<br />
the poses allow yourself to find enough support to relax<br />
muscular tension through deep and slow breaths.
Yin Yoga for Winter<br />
Begin with five minutes of slow, mindful breathing, either seated or lying down. Focus your attention on breath,<br />
taking slow, deep breaths while noticing the abdomen rise and fall. Inhale to the count of four, hold for two and<br />
exhale to the count of six. This mindful breathing exercise helps quiet your mind and facilitate relaxation.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /13<br />
Supported Child’s Pose: Kneel<br />
down, sit back on heels, and<br />
drape your body over the<br />
support. Extend arms forward<br />
or alongside the bolster and<br />
rest forehead down. Relax<br />
into the pose and stay for 3-5<br />
minutes, allowing your spine<br />
to decompress and your<br />
mind to calm.<br />
Supported Wide-Legged Forward Fold:<br />
Seated forming a V shape with the legs.<br />
Place a cushion or folded blanket in front<br />
of you, parallel to your legs. Fold the<br />
hips and lower torso onto the support,<br />
supporting the head/neck as needed.<br />
Soften all muscles with every exhale for<br />
3-5 minutes, feeling an opening in your<br />
inner thighs and lower back.<br />
Sphinx Pose: Lie on your belly, head resting on your hands. Lift chest up<br />
while keeping forearms on the ground. Relax your lower back, and soften<br />
your shoulders. The further<br />
the forearms are away from<br />
the body, the less intense<br />
the pose. Eyes closed, take<br />
slow, deep breaths, and tune<br />
into sensations in the spine<br />
and chest. Hold 5 minutes.<br />
Counter with cat/cow or<br />
child’s pose.<br />
Butterfly Pose: Seated, bring<br />
the soles of feet together,<br />
knees fall toward the floor.<br />
Drape body forward over<br />
support. Take slow, deep<br />
breaths. Stay in this pose for<br />
3-5 minutes, allowing your<br />
hips to open and your mind<br />
to settle.<br />
Gentle Reclined Twist: Lie on your back, hug<br />
your knees to your chest, open your arms,<br />
and allow your legs to fall to the side. Close<br />
your eyes, breathe deeply, and soften into<br />
the twist, relaxing your shoulders and<br />
lower back. Hold for 3-5 minutes, and<br />
feel a gentle stretch along your spine and<br />
lower back. Repeat on the opposite side.<br />
Savasana: Final resting pose. Lie on<br />
your back with options for support<br />
under the torso and/or find support<br />
under the knees. Option to lay flat on<br />
back as well. Allow complete surrender<br />
to come over the body for 10 minutes.<br />
The journey toward your goals is reminiscent of the changing seasons. We journey through the birth of spring, the action<br />
of summer, the reflection of autumn, and the darkness of winter. Embrace the stillness of winter to expand the roots of your<br />
intentions and allow yourself the grace to grow in your own time. Nourish the seeds planted deep in the soil of your soul.<br />
“Our expert instructors guide students through various yoga styles,<br />
meditation, and wellness practices, providing the tools to tap into<br />
their inner wisdom and find balance in their lives. Whether you’re<br />
looking for a challenging physical practice or a peaceful escape<br />
from the demands of daily life, Evolve has something to offer. Join<br />
us in our journey of self-discovery and evolution.<br />
Erin Kuehl<br />
hello@evolvesiouxcity.com<br />
712-898-4286<br />
Since 2012, Erin has been the driving force behind<br />
Evolve Yoga and Wellness Center, a holistic healing<br />
hub in the heart of Historic 4th Street that integrates<br />
Yoga and mindfulness into transformative classes<br />
designed to nurture physical, mental, emotional,<br />
and spiritual well-being.
eXPAND | BE MORE /14<br />
Dare 2BGreat<br />
By Cody<br />
Rininger<br />
2 Cultivate - 2 Encourage.<br />
A Positive Approach 2 Childhood Obesity<br />
Starting off 2024 with a topic near and dear<br />
to my heart. Childhood obesity. Throughout<br />
my school years, I was overweight. Because<br />
of this, I was ridiculed and beaten down<br />
emotionally, mentally, and physically. If you cannot<br />
relate, I will simply tell you it leaves scars. But, under<br />
the scars, I was able to find more in life. I went into<br />
education to teach kids healthy decision-making skills<br />
that would protect them. As a trainer, 2B Imperium’s<br />
whole purpose is to help anyone and everyone to<br />
realize what they are capable of deep down. This starts<br />
with my primary role as a father. I want to educate and<br />
support my children towards a life of fitness and overall<br />
health. It’s not enough for us to just stop the bullying.<br />
We have to make a conscious decision to stop the<br />
reason behind it.<br />
As a parent, you care about your child’s health.<br />
Given the public health focus on childhood obesity,<br />
it would be hard not to be concerned if your child is<br />
overweight. The question many parents in this position<br />
are grappling with is “Should I say something to my<br />
child about the weight — or not?”<br />
We hear a lot about the potential health dangers of<br />
obesity, particularly in children. It’s well known that<br />
higher body weight among youth has been on the rise.<br />
But what’s been less prevalent in the messaging about<br />
weight is that, in the past two decades, hospitalizations<br />
for eating disorders increased more than 100 percent for<br />
children younger than 12.<br />
We as adults are role models and the most critical influence<br />
in children’s lives. We need to set a good example for<br />
our kids. Some of these children are sad and depressed,<br />
pretending to be someone they are not to keep from being<br />
teased and ridiculed. They may have the desire to change<br />
but are not sure how to begin. We can assist them with this<br />
by helping them OVERCOME. We must build character<br />
and confidence! We can<br />
do this by demonstrating<br />
healthy behaviors so<br />
children have healthy<br />
attitudes about eating,<br />
being physically active,<br />
and developing lifelong<br />
healthy habits. It’s never<br />
too early or too late to be<br />
concerned about creating<br />
a healthy, nutritional, and<br />
active environment for<br />
children. That’s where 2B<br />
Imperium can help. I can<br />
provide you with tips on<br />
how to help manage your<br />
and your child’s nutrition, Post stage celebration.
can find. Again, prep beforehand so the kids can grab a healthy option.<br />
This can be as easy as orange slices, low-fat cheese sticks, hardboiled<br />
eggs, apples with natural peanut butter, almonds, or beef jerky.<br />
Daily physical activity is a must. There are so many activities that the kids<br />
can do, both indoors and outdoors. Less screen time and increased<br />
physical activity. There are plenty of activities that can be done indoors or<br />
outdoors depending on the weather. An idea would be to have two jars,<br />
indoor activities and outdoor activities. Make a list of different activities<br />
for each, cut those activities up, and place them in the jars. Have the<br />
kids pull an activity out and take action. I incorporate a “Daily Fitness<br />
Challenge” into their routine which helps them become physically fit.<br />
This includes push-ups, sit-ups, squats, up-downs, and wheel barrel<br />
races. Include the kids in this process. Their input gives them ownership.<br />
They watch you, whether you like it or not. Lead by example.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /15<br />
In summary, dieting is hard but lead by example. My kids need to be<br />
kids, but they can still learn good habits and enjoy life. For me, well,<br />
sometimes I just need some cookies...<br />
Giant Protein Cookies<br />
Cody’s Daughters Doing Tricep Dips.<br />
physical activity, and overall well-being.<br />
Healthful eating and physical activity<br />
needs to be a family activity that you,<br />
the parent model, so let us take a look at<br />
what things we can do to help kids live a<br />
healthy and active lifestyle.<br />
Healthy meals and snacks, daily physical<br />
activity, and adequate sleep are primary.<br />
To satisfy each of these categories, you<br />
may find weekly planning to be beneficial.<br />
Plan and prepare your meals ahead of<br />
time. Shopping the perimeter of the<br />
grocery store will provide opportunities<br />
to choose from fresh fruits, meats, and<br />
vegetables. You can use those items<br />
to prepare snacks and place them in<br />
containers for later. When the kids get<br />
home from school, they will be hungry and<br />
ready to grab ahold of the first thing they<br />
Makes 8 giant cookies.<br />
Ingredients:<br />
2 Scoops Redcon1 Iso<br />
PB Protein Powder<br />
6 tbsp Whole Wheat Flour<br />
2 tbsp Truvia Brown Sugar<br />
1/4 Cup Truvia Baking Blend<br />
1/2 tsp Baking Soda<br />
1/8 tsp Salt<br />
1/4 cup Light/Unsalted Butter<br />
1 Whole Egg<br />
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract<br />
1 oz Natural Cocoa Dusted Almonds<br />
Mix in a bowl with softened butter. Preheat to 350.<br />
Cook 12-15 minutes.<br />
Let cool.<br />
Macronutrients/Cookie:<br />
116 Calories, 6g Fat, 15.5 Carbs, 9g Protein<br />
Photo Credit Cody Rininger.<br />
Cody Rininger<br />
website 2bimperium.com | phone 712-870-0758<br />
email: rininger@2bimperium.com<br />
For more information on specific training and nutrition, contact Cody. He is certified by the<br />
National Academy of Medicine as a Professional Fitness Instructor in Cardiorespiratory Fitness,<br />
Heart Variance, Nutrition, Neuromuscular Flexibility, Supplements, and Mental/Behavior<br />
Performance. He incorporates techniques for concentration, focus, motivation, and ways to<br />
cope with anxiety. He has been featured in National Fitness <strong>Magazine</strong>s and has spoken on<br />
several national Podcasts. Cody received his Master’s in Instruction, so has first-hand experience<br />
with differentiating personalized instruction, planning, and goal setting. He was named 2022<br />
and 2023 Siouxland Trainer of the Year Award and nominated for 2024 Siouxland’s Choice Best<br />
Weight Loss Center. Cody trains out of the Four Seasons in Sioux City and North Sioux City.
eXPAND | BE MORE /16<br />
living<br />
LUMIN<br />
By Dr. Meghan Nelson<br />
& Dr. Ryan Allen<br />
Place<br />
In The<br />
Circle<br />
Human Tree in Yellowstone.<br />
T<br />
he road reveals all. It has always been a part<br />
of our collective imagination. Whether on a<br />
paved highway, a wooded trail, an open ocean,<br />
or the vacuum of outer space, it seems like<br />
the adventurer in us is always looking elsewhere for<br />
answers to the questions and problems we face here.<br />
Gazing at stars, dreaming in between waves, longing for<br />
a horizon different than our own, it’s like we’re always<br />
searching. And we travel because we think it’s out there<br />
where we’ll find it, whatever the IT actually is. This is<br />
what Kerouac seeks in On the Road, what Steinbeck<br />
is yearning for in Travels with Charley or The Log from<br />
the Sea of Cortez. It’s what William Least Heat-Moon<br />
is pining for in Blue Highways. The answers can be<br />
wherever we decide to look—hanging on a diner wall<br />
on Highway 20 in western Nebraska, in a swirling eddy<br />
on the Snake River in Wyoming, or at a football game at<br />
Mile High Stadium in Denver. Holiness abounds. Sacred<br />
is where we decide to bow and pray.<br />
I don’t need to travel to know this to be true anymore,<br />
but it is a lesson I know I need consistently repeated,<br />
a knowledge I need to re-engage with constantly—this<br />
longing for time to discover space—with family, with<br />
friends, with God, with myself. And on these roads of life<br />
I travel I find IT—the elusive I always seem to be searching<br />
for—the awareness, the connection, the thought, the<br />
feeling. On the road, I find it ALL.<br />
For the last twenty-five years, it’s been this way for me.<br />
The 26 days I spent on the road by myself before I got<br />
married, Phish tours, cross-country drives here and there<br />
and back and forth. Our family’s latest journey to the<br />
wilds was no exception. Nine days. Denver. A Broncos<br />
and Jets football game. Playing music with friends in<br />
Jackson Hole. Catching a brown trout in the snow in<br />
Yellowstone. Losing my phone in the Snake River. Moose<br />
and elk and owl and fox, eagle and hawk. The Tetons.<br />
A partial eclipse. And the drives, Griswold minivan time.<br />
A girl, two boys, a husband, a wife—nine hours across<br />
Nebraska and eastern Colorado; ten hours through<br />
high plains desert and mountain passes, the Continental<br />
Divide. Here. There. Back to Iowa again.
EXPAND | BE MORE /17<br />
When I was younger, one of<br />
my favorite movies was Vision<br />
Quest (1985), the story of<br />
a high school wrestler who<br />
decides that in his senior year,<br />
he’s going to try to beat the<br />
best, to overcome the biggest<br />
obstacle, to conquer the one<br />
no one had ever beaten,<br />
the undefeated biggest,<br />
meanest badass in the state.<br />
It’s a movie about drive, about<br />
struggle and sacrifice, about<br />
desire. About love. It’s got it<br />
all, pure mythology—an old<br />
Snake River Sangha<br />
”<br />
“It’s a story worth repeating. Family. Friends. Fishing. Football. Animals.<br />
Adventure. Music. Minivan. Time. Love. Light. Again and again and again.<br />
Brown Trout Yoga<br />
man, a friend, a lover, a beast.<br />
There are two parts, though,<br />
that’ve still stuck with me now<br />
all these years later—the friend<br />
who talks about the quest, the<br />
journey to find your place in<br />
the circle, and the old man,<br />
who reminds the hero that life<br />
is about what you do with your<br />
time, what you make of your<br />
moments.<br />
So, of course, it wasn’t just the<br />
nine days—time—it was what<br />
we did with the nine days—<br />
relaxing, resting, residing<br />
in a place that allowed us<br />
to explore space—with each<br />
other, the Rockies, the Tetons,<br />
the Broncos, the Snake, with<br />
ourselves. Feeling it is finding<br />
IT. And we found it all there.<br />
And of course, like we could’ve<br />
expected, it was inside us all<br />
along. I just needed to lose my<br />
phone to remind me to find<br />
myself. Just needed to dance—<br />
with the music, the mountains,<br />
my friends, and my loves to<br />
remind me that the two eyes<br />
that look out are open for the<br />
one eye to look within and see.<br />
We need help along the way.<br />
Guides. Teachers. Friends. Not<br />
to walk our path for us, not to<br />
make it easy, but to remind us of our grace as we<br />
struggle along the way. To help us remember life is<br />
for the living, that peace is a breath away, and that<br />
it’s possible to have a little fun along the way.<br />
This is our yoga: to live with light, to be the sadhaka,<br />
to follow sadhana, to bow at the temple within, to<br />
serve our brothers and sisters, to experience union<br />
with God.<br />
The universe is forever expanding. We are too.<br />
Evolving. Learning. Living. Loving. Finding a<br />
place in the space. Spinning with grace in this<br />
ever-widening circle.<br />
If we were meant to look backward our eyes<br />
would be in the back of our heads.<br />
Ecstasy, the dizziness of delight.<br />
Forward. Drive.<br />
The Way.<br />
Lumin Therapy provides integrative health and education<br />
for the mind, body, and spirit to those suffering or<br />
struggling to step into and live their heartfelt mission and<br />
purpose. Through the practice of physical therapy, medical<br />
therapeutic yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and resiliency<br />
mentoring, Dr. Meghan Nelson, DPT, and Dr. Ryan Allen,<br />
Ph.D., bring their over forty-plus combined years of<br />
knowledge and experience serving individuals, families,<br />
and organizations to learn and heal and live without<br />
boundaries.<br />
Photo Credit, left page, Nathan Jones, right page, Aaron Davis.
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 18<br />
Emily<br />
Vollmar<br />
Be More<br />
What is your life purpose?<br />
To always be learning and evolving<br />
through relationships, experiences, and<br />
self-exploration. To show kindness, love,<br />
and support to those around me.<br />
Personal Mission Statement -<br />
Having turned 40 this year, I feel like I’ve<br />
entered a new ‘season’ in my life. I’ve<br />
had many women share with me that<br />
their 40’s were some of their favorite<br />
years and I am absolutely feeling that<br />
already! I’m lucky enough to have gone<br />
through some fire and have emerged<br />
with a strong understanding of myself. My<br />
40-year-old self’s mission statement is to<br />
unapologetically be true to myself and to<br />
live a balanced life of family, work, and self.<br />
Hiking in Alaska.<br />
What drives you?<br />
I am driven to be a part of the revitalization of Downtown Sioux City. I believe that<br />
Sioux City is ready to support and enjoy a downtown community that offers retail,<br />
entertainment, dining, and arts. There are so many great businesses downtown<br />
already offering these things, but to compete with the bigger markets of Sioux<br />
Falls and Omaha, we need more!<br />
What have been the most valuable lessons you have learned?<br />
In my early 30’s, I was at a yoga class in which the instructor guided us to lay on<br />
our backs on the floor and sprawl our limbs out wide. She told us that we have<br />
the right to take up space in the world. Just as much as anyone else. This includes<br />
both physical space, your personal boundaries and home, and mental space in<br />
the world, your opinions and emotions. I had spent much of my 20s being told to<br />
be small, quiet, have less of an opinion, to be less emotional- it was liberating to<br />
consider taking up space!<br />
I recently attended a John Maxwell training that suggested using LOVE as a<br />
business strategy. How interesting! Showing love to your customers through<br />
providing a good experience for them and treating them with kindness and<br />
respect. Leading your staff with love, promoting their growth, providing a positive<br />
work environment, considering how their job fits into their personal lives, and<br />
encouraging them to do more of the things they LOVE to do at work. And finally,<br />
do your customers ‘Like’ your business or do they ‘LOVE’ it and determine how
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 19<br />
James and Emily with their daughters Stella and Amelia in Hawaii.<br />
you take their emotions from like to love because LOVE not only<br />
brings them back into your business but will most likely provoke<br />
them to tell others about it!<br />
What are your non-negotiables?<br />
Associating with positive people at work and in personal life. I<br />
want to spend my time with people who are in line with what<br />
I want for my own life and preferably people who I can learn<br />
and grow from being around. Maintaining my physical and<br />
mental health through exercise, yoga, breathwork, and therapy.<br />
Lifelong learning by continuous education, self-development,<br />
and personal growth.<br />
How do you decompress or unwind?<br />
I’ve always decompressed with physical activity; walking, hiking,<br />
and running. Being in and around nature always grounds me<br />
and reminds me that the world is huge, beautiful, and diverse,<br />
which is the best way for me to put my stressors into perspective.<br />
I love running because I am in complete control of that time.<br />
How fast I go, how far I go, how hard I want to be pushed. A new<br />
pastime that I’ve discovered<br />
this year that helps me ‘turn<br />
off’ is watching the NFL, which<br />
I never saw coming!<br />
40th Birthday Hike in Ponca, NE.<br />
Where do you find joy?<br />
I find joy in being a mom.<br />
James and I have 2 daughters,<br />
Stella (14) and Amelia (10).<br />
They are very active, and we<br />
are always running them<br />
places. I love watching them<br />
learn and grow. They are each<br />
very social and have friends<br />
around us most of the time.<br />
Our house is always swarming<br />
with kids, and we love it. We<br />
Taylor Swift concert with My Sister, Melanie, and her daughters,<br />
Harper and Evelyn, and my girls, Stella and Amelia.<br />
seem to always travel with a girl squad! We are always<br />
jam packing our life with time at the lake, trips, concerts,<br />
and new experiences.<br />
I find joy in LIVE MUSIC. I am a singer songwriter kind<br />
of girl first. Loving poetic lyrics and thus of course am a<br />
Taylor Swift fan through and through. I got to attend her<br />
tour this summer with my family, and it was everything!<br />
I’ve also recently attended the Lumineers, the Chicks,<br />
and Ed Sheeran in big venues but find equal enjoyment<br />
in local Sioux City venues. Listening to bluegrass and<br />
jazz at Vangarde Arts, rap at The Marquee, and concerts<br />
performed by the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra at the<br />
Orpheum Theater. Live Music = Life to me.
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 20<br />
Do More<br />
Tell us about your business.<br />
Rooted Boutique is a women’s and<br />
men’s clothing boutique located in<br />
Downtown Sioux City, IA. Rooted<br />
started in Holstein, IA in my attic, then<br />
moved to a mobile boutique for a<br />
year in which we did pop-up shops<br />
around Iowa in, then a brick and<br />
mortar store in 2018 on Main St. in<br />
Holstein. Rooted Sioux City was then<br />
opened in July 2022.<br />
We carry an upscale and dressy<br />
collection of men’s and women’s<br />
clothing. Some of the most popular<br />
women’s clothing brands are Joseph<br />
Ribkoff, Nic+Zoe, Pistola, Joe’s<br />
Jeans, and footwear lines, Dolce<br />
Vita and Sam Edelman. The Rooted<br />
customer ranges in age from their<br />
20s and beyond. Because there are<br />
not a lot of shopping options in the<br />
area, we try to have something for<br />
everyone. I like to say we are the<br />
‘Von Maur’ of Northwest Iowa. Our<br />
menswear was a new addition when<br />
we opened the Sioux City location.<br />
Karlton’s Men’s Clothiers had just<br />
closed its doors and we decided<br />
to try to meet the need for the men<br />
in Siouxland, carrying brands like<br />
7 Diamonds, Mizzen+Main, and<br />
Liverpool, and Tommy Bahama.<br />
Rooted Boutique fashion show.<br />
Our Rooted space has a big city feel to it but with a small town charm. Clothes<br />
are the star of the space. I keep inventory fresh and always changing so no<br />
one ever walks in and feels like<br />
they’ve already seen everything.<br />
This does result in a great sales<br />
rack! We love collaborating<br />
with other businesses for instore<br />
events! We’ve worked with<br />
florists, coffee bars, children’s<br />
clothing stores, aesthetics<br />
businesses, and jewelers to<br />
provide a platform for others<br />
as well as offer our client base<br />
more diverse retail options<br />
downtown.<br />
Our biggest event of the season is always our annual Holiday Fashion Show. This<br />
event is a HUGE undertaking for my small staff and I to plan and manage. But<br />
many people help make it possible, from volunteer models to sponsors. It’s a risky<br />
endeavor for us as the cost is very high and every year we are threatened with<br />
weather, people’s busy schedules, and other community and sports events. Plus<br />
the added stressors of preparing the store for the holiday season, managing all<br />
the new inventory that comes in fast and furious at that time, and marketing and<br />
selling tickets.<br />
Ultimately, we love giving people a reason to get dressed up and have a fun night<br />
downtown. It’s been fun to see the diversity of the crowd change through the<br />
years to include more men. After the show we host an after party in the store with<br />
food, holiday drinks, and music. Although nothing ever goes 100% as planned,<br />
we can accept it because ultimately people enjoy themselves and appreciate<br />
the experience. It brings people together and is a fun way to kick off the Holiday<br />
Season! I have met so many people and formed long-lasting personal and<br />
business relationships as a result of this event.<br />
What’s the meaning behind the business name?<br />
Rooted Boutique was named with the idea that what clothing<br />
we choose to wear on the outside can help us express who<br />
we are on the inside, at the root of ourselves. Whether it be for<br />
a job interview, a family photo shoot, or an important event,<br />
our clothing can be inspiring, confidence building, and a<br />
reflection of our unique personalities.<br />
The after party following the fashion show at Rooted Boutique.<br />
What sets your business apart from the rest?<br />
We take our relationships with our customers very seriously.<br />
We strive to know our clients on a personal level. People<br />
come in need of clothing for all seasons of life, milestones like<br />
graduations and job interviews, happy events like weddings
and vacations, and hard times like funerals. We want to<br />
provide a safe and inviting space for ‘our people’ to come<br />
in and know we’ve got them. Shopping for clothes can be a<br />
sensitive experience for some and we try to feel our guests<br />
out to see how much help and advice they want and meet<br />
them there. We often have clients come in saying they just<br />
need a little ‘Rooted time’. We love that and are happy to<br />
catch up, offer a beverage, and give them a break from the<br />
hectic world out there. We want our clients to feel like they<br />
are coming over to a friend’s house to shop their closet.<br />
What makes you the most proud?<br />
Seeing something created from nothing as a TEAM! Rooted<br />
Boutique, the brand, the experience, the product, is the result<br />
of yes, my original vision and every day’s work thereafter, but<br />
I have an incredible team, many of whom have been with<br />
Rooted since the beginning. Each has put their own personal<br />
touch on the brand and her path through their individual<br />
gifts, personalities, styles, opinions, and relationships with<br />
our customers. Each person on our team has strengths and I<br />
encourage them to run wild with them!<br />
Emily with Jenny and Afton at Rooted Boutique.<br />
Let’s talk customer service…what’s the client<br />
experience?<br />
We are OBSESSED with customer service at Rooted Boutique,<br />
dedicated to providing a great customer experience from<br />
start to finish. From the moment a client arrives, we want<br />
them to feel that appreciation. We strive to greet everyone<br />
with eye contact and a hello as well as the pleasant scent of<br />
our signature Rooted aroma being diffused. We play relaxing<br />
music, often offer a beverage and invite our guests to make<br />
themselves at home and utilize one of our comfortable<br />
seating areas. We listen to our customer’s needs and try to<br />
pull items that fit their lifestyle and preferences and then<br />
give honest feedback, when asked, which ultimately results<br />
in forming trusting relationships. When there is trust in our<br />
product and styling, we find that people are more likely to<br />
become repeat customers, and repeat, quality over quantity<br />
clients are what keeps us in business.<br />
How do you approach obstacles or setbacks?<br />
We have made many mistakes at Rooted from the wrong<br />
product to events being held on the wrong dates, to<br />
marketing and advertising flops. Those setbacks have had<br />
immediate monetary costs of course, but learning what<br />
doesn’t work helps us to ultimately continue to better<br />
ourselves and identify what DOES WORK.<br />
This past summer, we experienced our biggest obstacle<br />
which was a road construction project in front of our business<br />
that took away our customer parking and sidewalk access<br />
for months. We changed our advertising, our promotions,<br />
and our buying as much as we could to accommodate our<br />
‘different’ business for that time. One of my weaknesses is<br />
asking for help. It took me a little longer than it should have,<br />
but once I did, I realized that it’s ok to not have it together<br />
all the time. People want us to be here and are willing to do<br />
what they can to help. It is just our third year in Siouxland<br />
and the response from the community when we were<br />
struggling made me even more committed to staying in<br />
business in Sioux City for a long time. Getting through that<br />
tough time opened my eyes even wider to the volatility of<br />
a small business and how important it is to constantly make<br />
the effort to support local businesses more fiercely than ever.<br />
What have been the most valuable lessons you<br />
have learned in running your own business?<br />
I grew up with small business owner parents and thus saw<br />
the hard work and time commitment that owning a small<br />
business took, so I was prepared for that, luckily. I also saw<br />
their LOVE for what they did, their love for how they spent<br />
their days and for their customers, and I knew that I HAD to<br />
have that in my life! When business isn’t great, I do find myself<br />
wavering a bit and thinking that I really should have a job with<br />
a steady/consistent income and stability, but then things turn<br />
around. That high of seeing something you created succeed<br />
is such a sweet and fulfilling feeling that I crave and honestly<br />
don’t know how to live without at this point. I remember I’m<br />
right where I should be. It’s so motivating knowing that what<br />
you put into your days, your time, is what you’re going to get<br />
out of it.<br />
Advice for others starting out in business?<br />
It is important to recognize your own strengths and<br />
weaknesses. We can’t be the best at everything. Focus your<br />
time on what you do best and bring in help where you’re<br />
weak. Personally, I am terrible at accounting and the office<br />
work side of the business, so I have a great accountant<br />
partner that I work with who keeps us on track. There is a<br />
cost in that, but it’s worth freeing up my time to utilize what<br />
comes naturally to me, working with customers and buying.<br />
Social media is so important in today’s world. The more you<br />
can communicate with your customer base, telling the story<br />
of your brand, what’s going on in your business, the more<br />
you will stay top of mind with your clients.<br />
Be the face of your brand. People need to see you. See you<br />
physically in the business, see you in your marketing, see you<br />
in the community. I am not just ‘Emily’ anymore, I am Emily,<br />
owner of Rooted Boutique, everywhere I go now. Which was<br />
weird at first, but now I embrace it and use all opportunities<br />
to invite people in.<br />
Rooted is on the corner of 6th and Pierce St. in the Davidson<br />
Building, connected to the Warrior Hotel.<br />
Photo Credit Ann Marie Photography.<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 21
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EXPAND | Do MORE / 23<br />
How do you contribute?<br />
When we find meaning in our work it feeds the soul.<br />
Our work can be an expression of love when we weave service<br />
into the cracks, contributing to our community by delivering<br />
excellence in everything we do.<br />
Whether we run our own business,<br />
or work at a level of excellence as if it were ours -<br />
It is felt by others.<br />
Our writers encourage your professional development<br />
and contribution to our community, and provide you<br />
the tools and resources to<br />
do more.
EXPAND | DO MORE / 24<br />
Small Business spotlight<br />
Hotworx<br />
Want to join<br />
Stacie on a<br />
Facebook<br />
Spotlight?<br />
I<br />
t’s that time of year again when<br />
many people are focusing on selfimprovement,<br />
specifically improving their<br />
health and wellness through exercise and<br />
fitness routines.<br />
“We’re excited to be in the Siouxland area and to<br />
bring HOTWORX to Sioux City!” said Katie McDonald-<br />
McWilliams. Katie and her sister, Ashley, and their<br />
spouses, are the owners of HOTWORX, all of whom<br />
were born and raised in Sioux City. Katie and her spouse<br />
are also both Morningside College graduates.<br />
HOTWORX offers health improvement through the<br />
use of infrared heat during workouts and yoga. It is a<br />
virtually instructed exercise series created for members<br />
to experience the many benefits of infrared heat<br />
absorption while completing a 30-minute isometric<br />
workouts or 15-minute High Intensity Interval Training<br />
(HIIT) sessions.<br />
HOTWORX is offering right now your first session at no<br />
cost.<br />
“If you go to our Facebook<br />
Page, or Instagram, you can<br />
see what we have available<br />
at what times, and then<br />
sign up on the app. You can<br />
sign up at the last minute if<br />
you suddenly find yourself<br />
with some free time, or up<br />
to two days in advance.<br />
We’re a little different than<br />
just a yoga studio. We offer<br />
12 different workouts and<br />
yoga. We have ten different<br />
saunas available. Although<br />
we’re a 24-hour available<br />
facility, we do have staffed hours. When you sign up for<br />
your first visit, we’ll show you around and make sure that<br />
you are comfortable with how things work and answer<br />
any questions you may have,” said Katie.<br />
a dry heat, not a humid heat. Some of the results and<br />
benefits from using infrared heat are muscle recover,<br />
pain relief, stress reduction, weight loss, increased<br />
calorie burn, detoxification, lower blood pressure,<br />
cellulite reduction, anti-aging and skin rejuvenation, and<br />
improved circulation.<br />
“Infrared heat is a dry heat so it is more comfortable to<br />
work out in allowing for easier breathing. With your body<br />
temperature rising, it allows you to burn more calories,<br />
too. I’ve had so many people tell me that after their first<br />
session, they’ve had the best night’s sleep,” said Katie.<br />
Another of the great things about HOTWORX that sets<br />
them apart from other fitness facilities is that they are an<br />
asset to anyone interested in maintaining better fitness<br />
in their life. If you’re working out in a sauna alone, you<br />
won’t feel the pressure to compete or compare yourself<br />
with other participants. However, the saunas allow for<br />
The thought of working out with infrared heat may cause<br />
concern for some, worried that working out in hot heat<br />
may cause them to pass out. However, infrared heat is
“HOTWORX is a great way option to start your fitness goals<br />
and allows you to do it on your own time. The results our<br />
members have achieved make it one of the most efficient<br />
workout programs in the fitness industry. After you try it<br />
once, your body will crave it and want more!” stated Katie.<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 25<br />
Tanner McWilliams, Katie McDonald-McWilliams, Ashley and<br />
Eric Larson<br />
three participants per unit, so you may have a workout<br />
buddy or two to join you and cheer each other on in<br />
achieving your fitness goals.<br />
“It’s not intimidating; you can go at your own pace.<br />
You work with a virtual instructor, so they are always<br />
going to be on-time, available for the session you<br />
sign up for on the app, and motivated to help you<br />
succeed. When you are choosing your session, you<br />
can also choose the level of difficulty. If you’re just<br />
starting out, and once into the session it feels a bit too<br />
much, you can just sit in the sauna and soak up the<br />
health benefits,” explained Katie.<br />
There are 9 different isometric workout sessions,<br />
30 minutes in length, and three different HIIT (High<br />
Intensity Interval Training) sessions using biking,<br />
rowing, or a total body workout that are 15 minutes in<br />
length. The 12 workout sessions are:<br />
HOT ISO – Isometric Compression Postures<br />
HOT PILATES – Traditional Pilates<br />
HOT YOGA – Athletic Style Yoga<br />
HOT BUNS – Focus on the Glutes<br />
HOT BARRE NONE – Unique Ballet<br />
Workout without the BARRE<br />
HOT CORE – Abs, Hips, and Lower Back<br />
HOT WARRIOR – Advanced Series of<br />
Isometric Postures<br />
HOT BANDS – Intense Total Body<br />
Resistance Bands Workout<br />
HOT STRETCH – Stretch Session Workout<br />
HOT CYCLE – Cycle Sessions with<br />
Choreographed Intensity Intervals<br />
HOT THUNDER – First Ever Dual Pulley<br />
Water Rower<br />
HOT BLAST – Strength, Endurance, and<br />
Cardio HIIT for the Total Body.<br />
HOTWORX is located at 5826 Sunnybrook Drive in Sioux<br />
City. You can contact them through their Facebook Page,<br />
Instagram, and their phone number 712-336-8577 if you<br />
have any questions or need more information.<br />
Amy Buster has been a writer/editor for the past 25 years,<br />
specializing in newspaper and magazine publications.<br />
Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong> is Committed to<br />
Supporting Siouxland’s Local<br />
Small Businesses and Nonprofits.<br />
We have a platform,<br />
and we want to share it with you.<br />
Get in front of the community by joining<br />
Stacie on a Facebook Spotlight.<br />
Get the details by scanning<br />
the QR code or visit<br />
siouxlandmagazine.com.
EXPAND | DO MORE /26<br />
Thrive Wellness Center<br />
Iowa’s West Coast Initiative Feature<br />
Short description of your business:<br />
Holistic wellness center that brings new and<br />
innovative health and wellness services to<br />
Sioux City, aimed at helping with recovery,<br />
healing, restoration, and rejuvenation.<br />
What motivated you to start your<br />
business?<br />
I was driving out of town on a routine basis for<br />
hyperbaric oxygen therapy and whole-body<br />
cryotherapy. After 4-5 months of frequent<br />
out-of-town travel for wellness modalities,<br />
I wanted to bring those same innovative<br />
services to Siouxland. As a Nurse Practitioner, I<br />
want to help people with health and wellness.<br />
I like to focus on preventing illness, injury, or<br />
disease rather than conventional medicine,<br />
which often focuses on symptom control<br />
and disease management. While both are<br />
important, I enjoy working with people who<br />
want to prevent illness. I like the quote by Jim<br />
Rohn, “Take care of your body, it’s the only<br />
place you have to live.”<br />
What’s unique about your business?<br />
We have Siouxland’s only cryotherapy unit and<br />
vertical and lounger mild hyperbaric oxygen<br />
chambers.<br />
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve<br />
had to overcome as you’ve grown<br />
your business?<br />
Our business recently opened on<br />
11/27/23. We are still trying to educate the<br />
public on our new wellness modalities, such<br />
as mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy and<br />
whole-body cryotherapy, which have a host<br />
of benefits including accelerating recovery<br />
and healing; boosting energy, endurance and<br />
athletic performance; improving circulation,<br />
mental clarity and mood; and decreasing<br />
inflammation within the body.<br />
Business Owner: Amy Peirce and Cassidy Walker<br />
Business Name: Thrive Wellness Center<br />
Main Products/Services: Holistic and Innovative Health and Wellness Services<br />
Location: 819 Gordon Dr., Ste B. Sioux City, IA 51101 (directly behind IHOP)<br />
Connect: www.thrivewellnesscenter.net<br />
Red Light Therapy.
What has been your<br />
greatest reward?<br />
The biggest reward thus<br />
far is seeing the benefits<br />
it has already had on my<br />
friends and family, who<br />
have willingly tried the<br />
new wellness modalities.<br />
Some of my friends and<br />
family would never have<br />
gone out of town for<br />
such services. However, Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Chambers.<br />
since they are here in<br />
Siouxland now, they are utilizing the services and enjoying the benefits.<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 27<br />
How have you benefited from the startup community in Sioux<br />
City and the region? What resources did you use?<br />
My business partner, Cassidy Walker, who has an established business (Thrive<br />
Health and Hydration), was a substantial influence and immensely helpful in<br />
starting the new wellness center. Additionally, Todd Rausch with the Small<br />
Business Development Center at Western Iowa Tech, Downtown Partners,<br />
and the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce have been helpful in our business<br />
startup. The small business community in Siouxland is a very tight-knit group<br />
of people who are helpful and want to see others succeed.<br />
Are there any experiences that were particularly influential in<br />
that regard?<br />
Visiting Todd Rausch early in the planning stage was helpful and provided<br />
me with a lot of guidance and resources. The Siouxland Chamber of<br />
Commerce staff was also very helpful in providing me with many resources<br />
and connecting me with other chamber members. Special thanks to Angela<br />
Rogers; she is fantastic!<br />
Whole-body Cryotherapy Chamber.<br />
Why is it important for the<br />
community to support startups<br />
and small businesses?<br />
It is important because starting a new<br />
business is a long and arduous process,<br />
which is often a lonely road. So, it is<br />
great to have support from other small<br />
businesses and community members. It<br />
truly takes a village!<br />
What are some future goals for<br />
your company?<br />
We would like to continue growing our<br />
wellness center with innovative wellness<br />
modalities so that Siouxlanders do not<br />
have to travel or leave town for services.<br />
Iowa’s West Coast Initiative (IWCI) is a collaboration between the economic<br />
development organizations in Plymouth, Monona, and Woodbury<br />
counties, and includes the following organizations: City of Sioux City,<br />
Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council, Siouxland Economic<br />
Development Corporation, The Siouxland Initiative, Le Mars Business<br />
Initiative Corporation, Woodbury County, and Monona County. Learn<br />
more about IWCI at www.IAWestCoast.com.<br />
Photos Contributed By Thrive Wellness Center.
SBDC<br />
Taking Care of Business<br />
By Todd Rausch<br />
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The Future Of Small Businesses In Sioux City:<br />
A Glimpse Into Launch Week<br />
T<br />
he recent Launch Week in Sioux City, held<br />
from November 14-17, 2023, showcased the<br />
entrepreneurial spirit and innovative potential<br />
of small businesses in the region. Organized<br />
by Iowa’s West Coast Initiative, the event brought<br />
together a diverse array of stakeholders, including aspiring<br />
entrepreneurs, established business owners, industry<br />
experts, and community leaders, to foster collaboration,<br />
exchange ideas, and explore opportunities for Sioux City’s<br />
small business ecosystem.<br />
The week-long event started with a lunch and learn<br />
‘Social Media for Small Business” by Elizabeth Johnson.<br />
Throughout the week, attendees participated in a series<br />
of workshops, panel discussions, and networking sessions<br />
that covered a wide range of topics relevant to small<br />
businesses, from marketing and finance to technology<br />
and international trade.<br />
A key highlight of Launch Week was the Biz Brew event,<br />
held at Jackson Street Brewing Company, which brought<br />
together entrepreneurs and business professionals in a<br />
casual setting to network and exchange ideas. The event<br />
featured presentations from local business leaders who<br />
shared their experiences and offered advice to aspiring<br />
entrepreneurs.<br />
Looking ahead, the future of small businesses in Sioux City is<br />
bright. The city’s growing entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with<br />
its strategic location and supportive infrastructure, provides<br />
a fertile ground for small businesses to flourish. The recent<br />
Launch Week served as a catalyst for this growth, bringing<br />
together the expertise, resources, and enthusiasm needed to<br />
propel Sioux City’s small business community to new heights.<br />
The SBDC is federally and state funded with the sole purpose of<br />
helping small businesses to succeed! Our entire purpose is to<br />
help you move your business forward.<br />
Todd Rausch, Regional Director for the Small Business Development<br />
Center at Western Iowa Tech Community College. 712-274-6454 |<br />
Todd.rausch@witcc.edu<br />
Kletschke Wealth<br />
Management Group<br />
Personalized Investment Strategies<br />
The week’s highlight was a Business for Breakfast at the<br />
Sioux City Convention Center. Adam Carrol was excellent!!!<br />
Launch Week also provided opportunities for attendees<br />
to connect with potential mentors and investors, further<br />
demonstrating the event’s commitment to supporting the<br />
growth and success of small businesses in Sioux City. The<br />
event’s organizers expressed their satisfaction with the<br />
turnout and engagement, emphasizing the importance of<br />
fostering a supportive environment for entrepreneurship<br />
and innovation in the region.<br />
Launch Week in Sioux City was a powerful testament to<br />
the resilience and potential of small businesses in the<br />
region. The event’s focus on innovation, collaboration,<br />
and mentorship highlighted the critical ingredients for<br />
fostering a thriving small business ecosystem. As the city<br />
continues to embrace entrepreneurship and support the<br />
growth of small businesses, it is poised to become a hub<br />
for innovation and economic prosperity.<br />
Korey Kletschke, CFP ® , ChFC ®<br />
Associate Vice President/Investments<br />
Branch Manager<br />
(712) 252-6956<br />
www.kletschkeinvest.com<br />
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated<br />
Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com
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Leading the Way<br />
Leadership Siouxland<br />
By Peggy Smith<br />
How Can I Make A Positive Difference<br />
On As Many People As Possible?<br />
One of my favorite things about being the<br />
Executive Director of Leadership Siouxland is<br />
the opportunity to help class participants find<br />
their passion and become involved in making a positive<br />
difference in the Siouxland community.<br />
Our November session is traditionally devoted<br />
to educating the class on several mission-driven<br />
organizations within Siouxland – their mission, their<br />
impact, and how people can get involved. An assignment<br />
before the session is to view the YouTube TedTalk by<br />
Adam Braun, founder of Pencils of Promise, entitled “Five<br />
Phrases That Can Change Your Life.” His presentation<br />
always inspires me and guides me on the key points that<br />
can make me a better person, and a better contributor<br />
to our community.<br />
themselves and what they are capable of when using<br />
their innate talents.<br />
One of the goals of the nine-month curriculum is<br />
to cultivate community involvement by program<br />
graduates. Many class members are unfamiliar with the<br />
process of becoming a board member, or how to find<br />
a board that “fits” them. “Get out of your comfort zone”<br />
is another of Adam Braun’s phrases. Becoming a board<br />
member is often outside of a participant’s comfort zone,<br />
and therefore helps them grow as an individual and a<br />
leader. The class is provided with resources that inform<br />
them on the types of boards, board governance, habits<br />
of effective board members, and questions to consider<br />
if they are considering joining a board. Leadership<br />
Siouxland strives to equip participants with tools to<br />
“Make the little decisions with your head, and the big ones with your heart.<br />
– Adam Braun<br />
“How can you create the most positive impact on as<br />
many lives as possible?” is one of Adam’s phrases that<br />
encourages us to think about what we can do, and how<br />
we can get involved. At our November 2 session, our<br />
class heard from eight agencies – New Perspectives, Inc.;<br />
Siouxland Soup Kitchen; Hope Street; Life Skills Training<br />
Center; CAASA; Unity in the Community; Simple Life;<br />
and Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa. If you are not familiar<br />
with these great organizations and what they do to help<br />
Siouxlanders have a better life, I encourage you to take<br />
the time to visit their websites and discover the impact<br />
they are making every day.<br />
Six different project “teams” were formed from this year’s<br />
Leadership Siouxland class of 37 individuals. Each team<br />
will partner with one of the agencies that presented on<br />
November 2, or another organization within Siouxland,<br />
and work together between December and May to<br />
complete a project that will meet the organization’s<br />
needs. Working together as a team with a shared passion<br />
is a great way for the class to understand and utilize each<br />
team member’s skills and talents, and better understand<br />
”<br />
help them on their personal leadership journey, and their<br />
journey to help others.<br />
My favorite of Adam Braun’s five phrases is this one –<br />
“Make the little decisions with your head, and the big ones<br />
with your heart.” If we listen to our heart, we can find our<br />
passion; if we find our passion, we can make a positive<br />
difference and leave a legacy we can be proud of.<br />
The mission of Leadership Siouxland is to develop diverse,<br />
passionate leaders who positively impact our community for<br />
today and tomorrow. Leadership Siouxland began in 1984<br />
and is proud of the over 1200 graduates who make positive<br />
differences each and every day. To learn more, contact<br />
Peggy Smith, Executive Director, at 712-898-8594 or email<br />
info@leadershipsiouxland.org.<br />
Peggy Smith, Executive Director of Leadership Siouxland, an<br />
organization devoted to developing leaders who make a positive<br />
difference in the Siouxland community.
Experience<br />
Downtown<br />
By Tracie Tuttle<br />
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It’s a time for new beginnings<br />
in Downtown Sioux City!<br />
The last year was full of exciting new<br />
projects, including the addition of<br />
new lighting all along 4th Street and in<br />
the Alley Art alleyways; fun events like<br />
Downtown LIVE, July Jam, Art Affair, Downtown<br />
Tailgate Party, and the return of Ragbrai; and in<br />
the midst of it all - Downtown Partners added two<br />
new faces to the office!<br />
Please let me introduce myself; I’m Tracie<br />
Tuttle, Downtown Partner’s proud new Business<br />
Development Coordinator! I was initially introduced<br />
to the organization during an internship at Vangarde<br />
Arts, where I worked with Downtown Partners and<br />
the Alley Art committee to help organize the very<br />
first Alley Art Festival in 2019. Since that time, I’ve<br />
worked and volunteered as a graphic designer, artist,<br />
and gallery coordinator downtown. As the Business<br />
Development Coordinator, I am responsible for<br />
attracting and retaining business, acting as a front-line<br />
contact for downtown, and social media promotion.<br />
I’m thrilled to be part of the team behind growing and<br />
beautifying Downtown Sioux City. I’ve loved meeting<br />
the leaders, business owners, and community<br />
members that make this such a remarkable place to<br />
be. I’m looking forward to meeting you; please reach<br />
out so I can learn more about your business and<br />
passion downtown.<br />
Shortly after arriving, it was time to start planning<br />
for the holidays! I had the pleasure of planning and<br />
promoting some of your favorite holiday events – like<br />
the largest IBEW Downtown Holiday Lighted Parade<br />
ever, the Holiday Storefront Decorating Competition,<br />
Small Business Bingo, and our 12 Days of Giveaways.<br />
We also worked very closely with Iowa’s West Coast<br />
Initiative on their Small Business Marketplace for our<br />
local entrepreneurs and small businesses.<br />
It’s indeed a time for new beginnings in Downtown<br />
Sioux City with our dedicated team and your support<br />
going into 2024. Be sure to follow us on social<br />
media and stay up-to-date with all the great events<br />
and projects happening downtown. If you have not<br />
subscribed yet, our e-blast is a great way to be the first<br />
to know about all of the things to do in Downtown Sioux<br />
City each week. You can sign up to receive this newsletter<br />
by visiting www.downtownsiouxcity.com and we promise<br />
we use this list for nothing other than one weekly jampacked<br />
email!<br />
Contributed by Downtown Partners, a non-profit<br />
organization that works with downtown stakeholders to<br />
create a vibrant, expanding downtown. To learn more about<br />
Downtown Partners and stay up to date on downtown<br />
projects and events, visit downtownsiouxcity.com
Council<br />
Connection<br />
By Alex Watters<br />
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Perspectives and Respect<br />
Having served on the city council<br />
since 2017, I have worked through<br />
my fair share of contentious topics<br />
and dealt with misinformation and<br />
frustrations. There have been debates<br />
on whether individuals should be allowed to have certain<br />
breeds of dogs, what elements need to be required when<br />
rebuilding our infrastructure, whether fireworks should be<br />
allowed, etc. However, it seems that divisive language and<br />
misleading rhetoric are becoming more commonplace than<br />
rare occurrences. It is certainly my hope that with the latest<br />
election behind us, we can get back to working together<br />
despite different perspectives and perhaps more importantly,<br />
disagree respectfully.<br />
Warrior Hotel renovation project downtown.<br />
We have a lot of great things happening in our community,<br />
but there continue to be pain points we need to work<br />
through. Downtown Sioux City boasts several great<br />
examples of buildings that have been rehabilitated and are<br />
getting a second chance. Perhaps the most extensive is the<br />
Warrior Hotel, but others would be the Badgerow building,<br />
the Riviera Theater, and soon, the Benson, Aalfs, and Francis<br />
Canteen buildings. However, many other projects experience<br />
delays, difficulty working through inspections/regulations,<br />
and struggles with the supply chain. No matter the reason<br />
for these delays, I have heard loud and clear the frustration of<br />
entrepreneurs and developers with the process and lack of<br />
flexibility with our code. On the contrary, as a city, we have a<br />
vested interest in working with our inspectors and ordinances<br />
to make sure that we are producing quality projects that will<br />
last. While this perspective is imperative, we must also be<br />
certain that our ordinances and applications are not so rigid<br />
that limited funds are not spent on a requirement when a<br />
much more affordable option would suffice.<br />
Large projects undoubtedly come with more complicated<br />
processes, more organizations involved, and more at stake.<br />
Projects such as the wastewater treatment plant include the<br />
Department of Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection<br />
Agency, residents of Sioux City, multiple sister cities, and<br />
industries ranging in size and usage. Projects like the Gordon<br />
Drive viaduct include the Iowa Department of Transportation,<br />
the Army Corps of Engineers, and many other entities<br />
mentioned above. These projects cost hundreds of millions of<br />
dollars and affect everyone. If you ask any involved parties about<br />
a particular project, you will get a different perspective. Again,<br />
while there may be multiple perspectives and ideas about how<br />
to approach these projects, it is imperative that we respect each<br />
other and keep in mind the overall goal: the betterment of our<br />
community. In some of these cases, our hands are tied, but in<br />
most, we need to work with each other to ensure the safety and<br />
future of our community.<br />
It is this breakdown in communication and lack of collaboration<br />
that I have been so disappointed in recently. The level of anger<br />
and the amount of name-calling I have witnessed in multiple<br />
meetings over the last few months is staggering. What’s<br />
unfortunate about this line of communication is that it breaks<br />
down constructive dialogue and causes people to dig their<br />
heels in further. It is my hope that as we go through this holiday<br />
season and into the new year, we think of what is at stake, what<br />
we love about our community, and how we can work together<br />
for a better future.<br />
Alex Watters, City Council of Sioux City<br />
awatters@sioux-city.org
Everything you need to file your taxes,<br />
on one sheet<br />
It’s that time of year again: tax season!<br />
Whether you’re filing taxes yourself or hiring a professional, getting your tax documents organized<br />
can help speed up the process. In this article, we’ll break down the exact documents you’ll need<br />
to prepare your taxes from 2023. We even created a simple tax preparation checklist to help get<br />
you started!<br />
WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO PREPARE MY TAXES?<br />
The forms and documents you’ll need to file your taxes can be broken down into three<br />
basic categories:<br />
Personal information, income information and possible credits/deductions. See the checklist on<br />
the next page to get the full breakdown.<br />
Ellen Prescott is the Senior Vice President and General Auditor at Security<br />
National Bank. A financial professional and designated CPA with more<br />
than 40 years of auditing experience, Prescott is recognized as a Certified<br />
Bank Auditor by the Bank Administration Institute and has served as past<br />
chairman of the Iowa Bankers Association Compliance committee. She<br />
holds a master’s degree in business from the University of South Dakota.<br />
Member FDIC<br />
SNBonline.com
EXPAND | DO MORE / 36<br />
864<br />
Hours<br />
By Rachael Burnett<br />
Social media has become vital<br />
for businesses to connect with<br />
their target audience. It enables<br />
personalized messaging, refined<br />
marketing strategies, and fosters<br />
brand loyalty. Additionally, it<br />
serves as a community hub and<br />
valuable customer service channel,<br />
helping businesses deliver what<br />
their customers want and need.<br />
Social Media, you either love it or hate it. But<br />
the world cannot escape the ease of a digital<br />
platform. These digital platforms hold the key<br />
to speaking to your audience fast, and directly.<br />
It allows you to post, comment, and interact with<br />
your friends, family, and most importantly for a business<br />
owner, your customers.<br />
When deciding where to market your business, the<br />
common question we ask ourselves is who our target<br />
audience is and where they are looking. Yes, everyone<br />
drives by billboards every day, they see commercials on<br />
television but how can we niche down our marketing to<br />
directly talk to our customers? That answer is often social<br />
media. The majority of the population has one or more<br />
platforms of social media in their pockets every day. The<br />
average person spends 2.5 hours of their day scrolling<br />
through social media. That equates to 864 hours a year,<br />
about 36 days of the year they are scrolling.<br />
This digital age has changed the way for marketers. Making<br />
it easier than ever to promote, educate, and communicate<br />
with people. Unlike traditional advertising methods, social<br />
media marketing goes beyond one-way communication. It<br />
is highly interactive, allowing businesses to receive immediate<br />
feedback and adapt their strategies in real-time. Moreover,<br />
social media platforms provide businesses with abundant<br />
valuable data about consumer behavior, which can be<br />
leveraged to refine their marketing strategies and maximize<br />
their return on investment. This data-driven approach<br />
empowers businesses to effectively segment their audience,<br />
personalize their messaging, and target their advertisements<br />
with precision. By analyzing metrics such as engagement<br />
rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, businesses<br />
can gain deeper insights into customer preferences and<br />
behaviors, allowing for even more tailored and effective<br />
marketing campaigns.<br />
The power of social media extends beyond mere marketing<br />
tactics. It has the exceptional ability to foster a sense of<br />
community around a brand. Through consistent engagement,<br />
genuine conversations, and meaningful interactions,<br />
businesses can cultivate strong brand loyalty and transform<br />
their customers into passionate advocates. Social media<br />
platforms provide a space for customers to connect with<br />
each other, share their experiences, and form a community<br />
centered around a shared interest or passion. This sense of<br />
belonging and camaraderie can have a profound impact on<br />
brand perception and customer loyalty.
In addition to its marketing and community-building<br />
capabilities, social media also serves as a valuable<br />
customer service channel. Customers can easily reach<br />
out to businesses through direct messaging or public<br />
comments, seeking assistance or providing feedback.<br />
Social media platforms offer businesses an opportunity<br />
to showcase their responsiveness and dedication to<br />
customer satisfaction, further enhancing their reputation<br />
and building trust.<br />
Social media can be a powerful tool for understanding<br />
customer behavior and preferences. By studying customer<br />
interactions and responses to your content, businesses<br />
can gain valuable insights into what resonates with their<br />
audience and tailor their offerings accordingly. In this way,<br />
businesses are better equipped to deliver the types of<br />
products and services that customers want and need.<br />
Now the question is what platforms are your customers<br />
using?<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 37<br />
“<br />
Social media can be<br />
a powerful tool for<br />
understanding customer<br />
behavior and preferences.<br />
“<br />
Rachael Burnett<br />
712.899.6937 | marketing-moon.com<br />
rachael@rmoonmarketing.com<br />
Rachael Burnett, owner of Moon Media. Founded in 2021,<br />
Moon Media originated from a profound realization - that my<br />
cherished hometown is home to numerous<br />
small to midsize businesses yet to harness<br />
the immense potential of digital platforms.<br />
Armed with expertise in graphic and<br />
interior design, fueled by an unwavering<br />
passion for creativity, Rachael embarked on<br />
a mission to unveil the magnificent wonders<br />
Sioux City has to offer.<br />
Four Seasons Health Club<br />
Your Health; Our Priority<br />
Bellisima -<br />
Beautiful Inside and Out<br />
Ellen is passionate about healthcare and<br />
is dedicated to providing high quality,<br />
compassionate care for her patients.<br />
Overcome. B Different.<br />
DARE 2B GREAT. 2B IMPERIUM<br />
2B Imperium brings differentiated training<br />
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changing experience.<br />
One Combat Academy<br />
To inspire people to live their best life<br />
through engagement in mixed martial arts.<br />
Fit Bliss<br />
Fuel your body with the goodness it deserves!<br />
Siouxland Acceleration<br />
The Acceleration Program improves athletic<br />
performance by tailoring the programs to<br />
meet the needs of the individual athlete<br />
and their preferred sport.<br />
TWo Locations<br />
RKSolid<br />
Start Changing Your Life Today! We can help<br />
you lose the weight and keep it off!<br />
Central - 1600 7th St. | (712) 255-7659<br />
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EXPAND | Give more /39<br />
give<br />
more<br />
“The meaning of life is to find your gift.<br />
The purpose of life is to give it away.” -Pablo Picasso<br />
We can give of ourselves through our work.<br />
We can rise to the call when we are needed to volunteer<br />
or participate on a nonprofit board.<br />
We can hold space to comfort someone in need -<br />
Lend an ear or a shoulder.<br />
When you think you have nothing to give -<br />
Give more.
EXPAND | Give more / 40
Inclusive<br />
EPEEK<br />
H<br />
Esha<br />
Gardoud<br />
What challenges have you experienced in Siouxland?<br />
A challenge I’ve overcome in Siouxland is adapting to the small-town aura this city exudes.<br />
Although I’m from Iowa, the switch from an urban environment to a small city was a huge<br />
difference to get used to.<br />
s<br />
A”<br />
How has Siouxland been welcoming?<br />
Siouxland’s ability to show off its diverse cultures through night markets, cultural shows,<br />
and hair expos has proven how open community members are to learning about different<br />
cultures and people.<br />
What do you want the people of Siouxland to know?<br />
I want the people of Siouxland to know this city isn’t dying. There’s so much potential, and<br />
leaders have already proven it; I call them the unsung heroes of Siouxland. All the right effort<br />
and collaboration between different people is happening, it’s just not talked about enough.<br />
“If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you<br />
have to make it yourself.<br />
”<br />
– Mindy Kaling<br />
In Spanish<br />
¿Qué desafíos ha experimentado en Siouxland?<br />
Un desafío que he superado en Siouxland es adaptarme al aura de pueblo pequeño que emana esta ciudad. Aunque soy de<br />
Iowa, el cambio de un entorno urbano a una ciudad pequeña fue una gran diferencia a la que acostumbrarme.<br />
¿Cómo ha sido la recibida de Siouxland?<br />
La capacidad de Siouxland para mostrar sus diversas culturas a través de mercados nocturnos, espectáculos culturales y<br />
exposiciones de peluquería ha demostrado cuán abiertos están los miembros de la comunidad a aprender sobre diferentes<br />
culturas y personas.<br />
¿Qué quiere que sepa la gente de Siouxland?<br />
Quiero que la gente de Siouxland sepa que esta ciudad no está muriendo. Hay mucho potencial y los líderes ya lo han<br />
demostrado; Yo los llamo los héroes anónimos de Siouxland. Se está realizando todo el esfuerzo y la colaboración adecuados<br />
entre diferentes personas, pero no se habla lo suficiente de ello..<br />
“Si no ves un camino claro para lo que quieres, a veces tienes que<br />
hacerlo tú mismo.<br />
– Mindy Kaling<br />
EXPAND | Give more /41
<strong>Expand</strong> | Give more / 42<br />
Nonprofit spotlight<br />
Girls<br />
Inc.<br />
Want to join<br />
Stacie on a<br />
Facebook<br />
Spotlight?<br />
Navigating with Mean Girls in a BARBIE World<br />
T<br />
he Siouxland community is very fortunate to<br />
count among its many blessings to have the<br />
only Iowa chapter of Girls Inc.. The Sioux City<br />
chapter recently received national attention from<br />
the talking points guidelines that Executive Director,<br />
Mandy Engle-Cartie, wrote for two major motion pictures<br />
in the theaters, Barbie, and the new Mean Girls movie. The<br />
guidelines were written to help facilitate discussions among<br />
the staff and participants.<br />
“The mission of Girls Inc. is inspiring all girls to be<br />
strong, smart, and bold! In today’s world, with not only<br />
the stress of peer pressure but also the strong influences<br />
put on young women through the media and social media,<br />
attempting that goal may seem daunting. However, Girls<br />
Inc. wholeheartedly accepts the challenge. I love the<br />
mission statement; it’s so pithy and straight to the point.<br />
For us, being strong means being healthy; we do a lot of<br />
education for the girls about maintaining both their physical<br />
and mental health throughout their lifetime. Smart, we view<br />
as being educated and having education goals, our goal<br />
is to encourage girls to be lifelong learners. We have a<br />
tutoring center where they can get help if they’re struggling<br />
academically. We also take them to local colleges, hopefully,<br />
to inspire them to consider post-secondary education,”<br />
explained Mandy.<br />
The proof is in the pudding; as Mandy went on to explain.<br />
“We’ve been able to watch this work, as a number of Girls<br />
Inc. participants go on to college and then come back and<br />
work for us, which is great!” stated Mandy.<br />
Then, there is the third component of the mission<br />
statement, bold.<br />
“As women, we view being bold as becoming<br />
independent, and there’s a lot that goes into being an<br />
independent woman. There are plenty of challenges<br />
and barriers that you have to navigate; however, the key<br />
to navigating that path is to develop a strong support<br />
system. Wonderful role models that can help get you<br />
through that path and inspire leadership. We try to do<br />
that by giving girls the opportunity to experience that for<br />
themselves,” said Mandy.<br />
Addressing the mental health needs of girls and young<br />
women today, as Girls Inc. is available for girls from age 6<br />
to 18, is not something Mandy takes lightly. Girls Inc. serves<br />
as a safe environment for the participants to try different<br />
things and to know that it’s ok to fail and try again.<br />
“Our overarching environment and commitment is to<br />
serving girls’ needs, and to do this through meeting them<br />
where they are. The beginning of that is having that space at<br />
Girls Inc., where we have removed boys from the equation.<br />
It doesn’t have to be that way all the time, but girls need<br />
that time to really develop at their own rate and to be able<br />
to ask questions that might be embarrassing to ask in front<br />
of a boy. We have different bodies and different health<br />
needs, and this is a safe space to address those needs and<br />
issues,” said Mandy.<br />
Remembering a specific incident, Mandy smiled and<br />
almost teared up, recalling the situation.<br />
The mission of Girls Inc. is inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold!
2<br />
“One of my favorite memories is getting a call from a<br />
mom who was on vacation in Florida with her family. She<br />
called and said, ‘I just had to let you know that while we’re<br />
here on vacation, my daughter got her first period, and it<br />
was no big deal. Thank you, Girls Inc.. She knew what was<br />
going on and why; she’d been educated, and it was really<br />
organic. She knew it was just part of growing up.’ I know<br />
a lot of people aren’t comfortable with that conversation,<br />
but as women, it’s a reality and something we have to<br />
learn how to deal with and we need to figure out how to<br />
get through life,” stated Mandy.<br />
Statistically, 82 percent of families in the Sioux City School<br />
district are in the reduced or free lunch program at school<br />
and come from dual-working households. Prada purses<br />
and Gucci sunglasses are not the norm in these lives,<br />
despite the pressures from the media to fit in and be cool.<br />
“We are absolutely deliberate in not talking about how<br />
someone looks because that is such a sensitive subject.<br />
We talk about who they are inside. We love what you<br />
can do. We love what a great friend you are to people.<br />
We, as a staff, share tips about comments to make that<br />
will encourage girls and truly elevate their mental health.<br />
To help them really rise up above the pressures that they<br />
face. We remind them time and time again that it is about<br />
what you can do, what you want to do in your life, and all<br />
the support that’s there around you to help you achieve<br />
that. Let’s focus on gratitude as much as we can; there’s<br />
a lot to be grateful for, particularly in an environment like<br />
Girls Inc. Here, we’re all on the same page. We’re not<br />
focused on how you look; we’re focused on who you are<br />
inside, and we go back to that time and time again. We’ve<br />
found that’s really important with girls. They want to be<br />
acknowledged for their caring selves, their intelligent<br />
selves, and for their friendships,” stated Mandy.<br />
Mandy has a sharp eye on things in the media addressing<br />
young ladies today, and she takes an assertive and<br />
proactive approach to addressing these concerns.<br />
Inspired by what they had witnessed with their own staff and<br />
participants at the Sioux City branch, the discussion guide<br />
was posted on the Girls Inc. national service. Various Girls<br />
Inc. chapters added questions to the guide, and then also<br />
implemented the use of the guide with its staff and participants.<br />
“I was so honored, Dr. Stephanie Hull, the National Director<br />
of Girls Inc., had seen the Barbie discussion guide and really<br />
liked it. She reached out to me after Tina Fey had reached out<br />
to her and said that she would like to partner with us for the<br />
release of the new Mean Girls movie, in January 2024. Dr. Hull<br />
asked if I would take the lead on writing the discussion guides.<br />
It was a huge honor for Sioux City.”<br />
Mandy developed two discussion guides for the movie; one<br />
was to be facilitated by Girls Inc. staff, and was a bit more<br />
intense, and then one was developed for parents to discuss the<br />
movie with their children. You can watch the entire Facebook<br />
Nonprofit Spotlight interview on Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong>’s<br />
Facebook Page. You can also access the guide on the Girls Inc.<br />
website to talk with your daughter about the movie to make<br />
sure they don’t miss the important messages that are woven<br />
throughout.<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
Girls Inc. is pleased to partner with Paramount Pictures for the January 2024 release of Mean Girls. As part<br />
of the cinematic debut of the hit musical, we aim to engage young people in dialogue about a lyship,<br />
bu lying, and creating safe spaces in schools; and spotligh the connection between these themes and Girls<br />
Inc.’s mission to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.<br />
This guide was developed for trusted adults who are looking for ideas about discussing themes and topics<br />
from the film with their teens. More resources may be found after the questions. If your teen is a member of<br />
Girls Inc. and you’d like additional guidance, please reach out to the Program Leader at your local Girls Inc.<br />
a filiate.<br />
Mean Girls is rated PG-13. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) defines a PG-13 rating as<br />
“Parents Strongly Cautioned: Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for preteenagers.”<br />
The MPAA rating system is explained at filmratings.com, which also suggests tha trusted adults<br />
“Reinforce the positive values of a movie by sitting down with your children after the show and discussing what<br />
they saw. Use the movie as an educational aid, clearing up any misunderstandings and sharing new ideas.”<br />
TIPS FOR TRUSTED ADULTS<br />
● Watch the movie with her. If possible, make it a special evening. Sure, she might see it later with<br />
friends, but knowing that you took the time to see it with her is meaningful.<br />
● If possible, choose a time and place free of distractions and interruptions. Your talk could happen in<br />
the car on the way home after the movie, over coffee or laundry, or on a walk.<br />
● No screens. Your teen will know that you take her seriously and are focused on her input, but only if<br />
you aren’t checking your phone. Conversely, you deserve the same attention from her during<br />
important conversations. You may wan to ask if it’s a good time for her to talk.<br />
● Ask broad questions and take time to process the answers before you respond. The goal is to learn<br />
and discover more about each other and to a low for an honest, respectful exchange. Taking the time<br />
to unpack her words before you respond may help avoid judgments that could stifle the conversation.<br />
● She rea ly does care what you think. Research shows that even when teens te l us we are “cringy,”<br />
trusted adults have a strong influence on behavior and future decision-making.<br />
● Keep your personal examples broad, at least at first. You may have experienced cliques and bu lies<br />
when you were in high school and you may not be comfortable sharing – that’s okay. Detailing the<br />
specifics could move the focus of the conversation away from her. One technique is to start out<br />
sharing your history in broad terms. For example, “I once had a friend share my secrets and it really<br />
hurt. It ended our friendship. Has something like that ever happened to you?” That way the focus<br />
remains on your teen and preserves your privacy.<br />
● Agree on language. Do you both agree on the definition of bu lying? As a rule, bu lying is hurtful,<br />
intentional, ongoing, and teens often have a hard time making it stop. This is di ferent from a typical<br />
disagreement or conflict. I she talking about emotional, cyber, or physical bu lying?<br />
● There are excellent resources for talking to your teen about bu lying. You may wish to look up tips for<br />
adults on YouTube, for example. Girls Inc. and your teen’s school can help!<br />
● Quality conversations come from trust. Building trust can take time and may not happen immediately<br />
after seeing the film.<br />
● Listening to understand is always the key.<br />
Scan<br />
QR Code to<br />
the Talking<br />
Points Guide<br />
Girls Inc. is located in Cook Park, at 505 Main Street in<br />
Sioux City, Iowa. They offer programs for girls from<br />
ages 6-18 during the school year and the summer. The<br />
organization can be contacted at girlsincofsiouxcity.org<br />
or Facebook @GirlsIncOfSiouxCity.<br />
EXPAND | Give more /43<br />
“As a kid, I wasn’t that into Barbie. Looking back now,<br />
though, I can see the many career choices and great<br />
messages about not limiting yourself. The movie was<br />
directed by Greta Gerwig, and I knew she would have a lot<br />
of strong messages; the movie had a lot of diversity and<br />
female empowerment. But as I followed the discussions<br />
nationally on social media, and even through the Girls<br />
Inc. affiliates, it was all about the pink, Ryan Gosling, and<br />
crushes.”<br />
Mandy wrote out a set of questions, which she then<br />
developed into a discussion guide that the staff at Girls<br />
Inc. implemented.<br />
“At Girls Inc., we are very intentional about the things<br />
that we do because we know they send a message. The<br />
conversations that came out of the talking points among<br />
our staff were amazing! We took girls from 4th grade up<br />
to see the movie. When we came back, the conversations<br />
we had were incredible. That from 4th grade, and<br />
even younger, girls are feeling the pressures of how<br />
expectations are different for girls.”<br />
Amy Buster has been a writer/editor for the past 25 years,<br />
specializing in newspaper and magazine publications.<br />
Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong> is Committed to<br />
Supporting Siouxland’s Local<br />
Small Businesses and Nonprofits.<br />
We have a platform,<br />
and we want to share it with you.<br />
Get in front of the community by joining<br />
Stacie on a Facebook Spotlight.<br />
Get the details by scanning<br />
the QR code or visit<br />
siouxlandmagazine.com.
<strong>Expand</strong> | Give more / 44<br />
Ann Rehan Goebel<br />
Foundation<br />
Inaugural<br />
Winter<br />
Gala<br />
Saturday, February 24<br />
6-10 p.m. | Marriott Riverfront<br />
T<br />
he first Annual Winter Gala honoring the<br />
Ann Rehan Goebel Foundation will be<br />
held Saturday, February 24, from 6-10 p.m.,<br />
at the Marriott Riverfront in South Sioux. The<br />
evening promises to be a night of elegance and<br />
entertainment, celebrating Ann’s legacy, a beloved<br />
Siouxland pediatrician who passed away from a brave<br />
battle with cancer in February 2023.<br />
“Our vision for it is a night of<br />
celebrating where you have the<br />
best time. It’s going to be ritzy<br />
and fun, celebrating together<br />
is the most important thing. For<br />
those who knew her, or believe<br />
in our mission, it will be a night of<br />
live music with dueling pianos, a<br />
small band, and a playlist of 70s,<br />
80s, and 90s music, good food,<br />
plenty of hors d’oeuvres, drinks, Mary Goebel<br />
and a silent auction,” shared Ann’s daughter, Mary, the<br />
president of the foundation.<br />
Ann passed away on February 20, 2023, a day after her<br />
62nd birthday, at the end of a brave battle against cancer.<br />
Gone much before her time, her family and friends truly<br />
believed that her work wasn’t complete. They formed<br />
the foundation that will provide scholarships for students<br />
going into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,<br />
and Mathematics) careers. The first recipient will be<br />
announced that night at the Gala.<br />
“We wanted to take the angle of education with this<br />
because of who she was as a physician. She poured her<br />
whole heart into her work and career. She was so uniquely<br />
incredible and impactful. The thought behind our mission<br />
is that we’re helping foster her legacy. We want to find<br />
candidates that will be as impactful as she was - not only<br />
skilled and ambitious physicians but people who have a<br />
big heart and will go the extra mile for their patients. The<br />
physician who will make sure a mother feels confident in<br />
herself in the toughest stage of her life; the doctor that<br />
will make sure that if a kid needs to be airlifted to UNMC,<br />
they will stay the extra hour after their shift to make sure<br />
that it happens,” stated Mary.<br />
Tickets for the event may be purchased on the website,<br />
and applicants for the scholarship may also apply on the<br />
website, www.argfoundation.org/events. The deadline<br />
for scholarship applications is February 4.<br />
“We started the foundation because my mom was such<br />
a passionate pediatrician; it was such a big part of who<br />
she was. She wanted to be a pediatrician her whole life,<br />
since she was nine years old. She always told the story<br />
of when she was in 4th grade and she decided she<br />
wanted to be a doctor after reading The First Female<br />
Physician in the States. She was very passionate about<br />
science and medicine. We thought the foundation
EXPAND | GIVE MORE /45<br />
John and Ann<br />
“Ann was everything to many of us.<br />
would be a great way to continue<br />
her legacy,” said Mary.<br />
Mary is joined in leading the<br />
foundation by her father, John<br />
Goebel, who serves as treasurer,<br />
and her sister, Katie Schminke,<br />
who is vice president. Katy Rehan,<br />
Rachael Wragge, and Erin Kruger<br />
also serve on the board of<br />
directors.<br />
Katie Schminke<br />
“If you knew my mom as a pediatrician and thought<br />
that she was awesome, that’s exactly how she was as a<br />
mom, too! Just present, extremely warm, my memories of<br />
growing up as a young child . . . she was just so warm and<br />
comforting. I was so proud of her. I thought she was a lowkey<br />
celebrity. If there was ever an opportunity for parents<br />
to come to school, I was so excited. If my mom walked<br />
through the door, I was like THAT’S MY MOM! She was<br />
an electric human being. She laughed all the time and<br />
had a sharp wit. But she also knew when it was time to<br />
be serious and compassionate. Anything she loved, she<br />
loved wholeheartedly. She loved Broadway and The<br />
Sound of Music. She’d always be singing at the top of her<br />
lungs,” shared Mary.<br />
Food, community, music . . . all little components fitting<br />
together that were the things that she loved. That’s how<br />
this night is being construed, almost with the thought of<br />
”<br />
what would Ann do? Would she like that? If the answer<br />
was yes, they’re doing it. If the answer was no, or they<br />
weren’t sure, it isn’t happening.<br />
“That’s exactly right! It almost feels selfish in a way. I loved<br />
my mom, and I want to remember her and honor her<br />
memory. I feel like a lot of foundations for scholarships<br />
only have the tie to the person in name attached to it;<br />
it’s not the person who it’s in honor of reflected in it. We<br />
hope the Ann Rehan Goebel Foundation scholarship<br />
provides a stepping stone to future generations of<br />
STEM students to pursue a life-changing career and live<br />
their lives ‘all the way up’,” replied Mary.<br />
Ann’s husband, John, called Ann his bullfighter in<br />
reference to a quote by Hemingway: “Nobody ever<br />
lives their life all the way up except bullfighters.”<br />
But Hemingway didn’t know Ann. As her obituary said,<br />
“Most of us go through life hoping to be something<br />
to someone. Ann was everything to many of us. We<br />
invite you to honor her life by embracing her spirit:<br />
unabashedly showing love, sipping a glass of wine<br />
surrounded by a beautiful view, singing at the top of<br />
your lungs, and always ---always--- being your own<br />
fabulous self.”<br />
For more information about the foundation, and more<br />
wonderful stories about Ann, visit the Ann Rehan Goebel<br />
Foundation Facebook page, or follow on Instagram at<br />
#argfoundation. Join in keeping Ann’s legacy alive by<br />
supporting the Ann Rehan<br />
Goebel Foundation’s<br />
efforts to inspire<br />
those pursuing<br />
l i f e - c h a n g i n g<br />
careers in STEM.<br />
Ann caring for her patient.<br />
Amy Buster has been a writer/editor for the past 25 years,<br />
specializing in newspaper and magazine publications.
U N I T E D<br />
SOCCER<br />
our why<br />
Siouxland United is grounded in a shared passion for<br />
soccer and a commitment to uniting our community<br />
through the beautiful game. We believe in providing<br />
a platform for aspiring players to pursue their dreams,<br />
fostering a sense of pride and identity within our<br />
community, and creating lasting memories on and off<br />
the field. Our why is to inspire, engage, and connect,<br />
using soccer as a catalyst for positive change and shared<br />
experiences. Whether you’re a player, fan, or part of our<br />
broader community, our ‘why’ is to bring people together<br />
through the joy of soccer and build a legacy that extends<br />
beyond the pitch.<br />
corporate<br />
Partnership<br />
The team at Siouxland United F.C. recognizes the importance<br />
of forging meaningful corporate partnerships to sustain and<br />
elevate our semi-pro soccer club. We are actively seeking<br />
visionary businesses and organizations to join us on this<br />
exciting journey. Through strategic collaborations, we aim<br />
to offset operational costs, enhance player experiences, and<br />
contribute to the growth of soccer in our community. Corporate<br />
partners with Siouxland United have the unique opportunity<br />
to align their brand with a dynamic and community-focused<br />
initiative, gaining exposure to a diverse audience while actively<br />
supporting the development of local talent and the vibrancy<br />
of our soccer culture. Join us in creating a lasting impact and<br />
fostering the spirit of unity through the beautiful game.<br />
Ownership<br />
Mike J. Wells - President<br />
Mike is a driven entrepreneur and soccer enthusiast hailing from<br />
Sioux City, Iowa. After graduating with honors in Marketing and<br />
Psychology from the University of Nebraska, he honed his skills<br />
in sales, marketing, and product development over 16 years.<br />
Currently at the helm of Reside Properties LLC, a construction and<br />
property management venture, Mike’s dedication extends to the<br />
field as an assistant coach for a U14 coed soccer club. With a<br />
strong family foundation and a passion for the sport, he eagerly<br />
embraces the potential of a new NPSL team, aiming to blend his<br />
business acumen and soccer fervor to foster success.<br />
Robbie Carroll - VP of Marketing<br />
Robbie “The Gaffa” Carroll, the VP of Marketing, brings a solid<br />
managerial background to Siouxland United F.C. Robbie was<br />
General Manager at Augusta United FC and was the head coach<br />
for several NPSL franchises and college soccer programs. His<br />
experience extends internationally, having served as the Director<br />
of Ready IF in Norway and as the GM/Head Coach at Fagersta<br />
Södra IK in Sweden. Robbie’s vast knowledge of the game and<br />
his successful track record in team management and development<br />
make him an invaluable asset to the club.<br />
Bob Giese - VP of Operations<br />
Bob Giese is a Small Business owner, entrepreneur, and investor in<br />
the Siouxland area. Before going into business for himself, Bob spent<br />
time in Corporate Management and Operations included supply chain,<br />
sales activities, and service and support. He has also spent many years<br />
in insurance and wealth management, residential and commercial<br />
real estate, as well as volunteering on several organizational boards<br />
throughout the Siouxland community. Bob has been a big supporter<br />
of soccer in the Siouxland community for many years and is proud to<br />
bring professional soccer to Sioux City. Bob is a lifelong resident of the<br />
Siouxland area, a graduate of Bishop Heelan<br />
High School, and obtained his Bachelor’s<br />
Degree from the University of Nebraska<br />
at Omaha. Bob and his wife, Laura,<br />
reside in the area and have 4 children.<br />
Jesse Castillo - General Manager<br />
Jesse Castillo brings a wealth of experience to Siouxland United<br />
F.C. as the Executive Director. Jesse has demonstrated exceptional<br />
leadership and organizational skills as the Director of Coaching<br />
at Diablos Football Club. He profoundly understands player<br />
development, club management, and fostering a positive soccer<br />
culture within the community.<br />
www.siouxlandunited.com | mike@siouxlandunited.com | robbie@siouxlandunited.com
Hot<br />
Air<br />
By Tony Michaels<br />
EXPAND | GIVE MORE / 47<br />
Is This Graded On A<br />
W<br />
e all have one. How we view that ONE is<br />
highly polarizing. It varies from person to<br />
person. It only happens once a year. This<br />
past year, I ultimately judged everyone in<br />
my inner circle by handing out letter grades.<br />
High or low marks as to how loved ones celebrated MY<br />
birthday. I know. Right now, you are judging me. I can hear<br />
your internal monologue.<br />
Is it petty for me to dole out letter grades like Mr. Hand in<br />
“Fast Times at Ridgemont High? “Yes, but it’s a hobby, like<br />
Dave Portnoy assessing number grades for cheese pizza and<br />
the occasional gas station breakfast delicacy. My evaluation<br />
may not mirror how you enjoy celebrating your big day. It’s<br />
100 percent subjective. I’d encourage you to scribble your<br />
own pyramid of wishes on a bar napkin.<br />
The highest marks go to receiving a surprise party. I once<br />
had a bash at Buffalo Alice and saw three hockey-line shifts of<br />
demographics from 5 p.m. to closing. A visit from someone<br />
bearing a gift or food and a cameo video from a celebrity<br />
also get A grades. Oh, and birthday cards in the mail. Playing<br />
the long game deserves top marks.<br />
Above-average B grades include a call or FaceTime video.<br />
Also, any of those Happy Birthday-type signs mimicking the<br />
Hollywood sign for all your neighbors to see. Extra credit<br />
for a “Honk for the Old Man” banner to make all the golden<br />
retrievers in the area howl like there was a parade of UPS<br />
drivers down your street.<br />
Social media greetings with the lame standard “Happy<br />
birthday, insert name here” are just plain average. C- If it’s<br />
the person’s avatar saying it, it makes it even less personal.<br />
Belated birthdays are elevated to a C+. Who in this society<br />
owns up to their mistakes? I’m impressed by that. Kudos to<br />
you procrastinators! D grades for those doing nothing.<br />
What could be worse than doing nothing? My friend used<br />
to tell me all the time never to be mean to someone who<br />
could be having their lowest day. Maybe they just bought<br />
a casket for a spouse, parent, or child that morning. I wish<br />
the world were kinder. I know that’s ironic to say after this<br />
article on passing judgment. When that Subaru on Hamilton<br />
Boulevard cuts you off in traffic, just remember, that motorist<br />
may be bummed about his loved one’s birthday. Giving a<br />
Grade Point Average would rule them out of playing sports<br />
in college.<br />
On the flip side, I am uber-impressed with my buddy Bruce.<br />
He always writes the best messages in text form, sings to you<br />
Curv e ?<br />
in person, and scribes on social media to thousands of residents<br />
in Siouxland. My mantra for 2024 is “Be more like Bruce.” Write<br />
the letter. Plan the party. Get the cameo video from Jennifer<br />
Jason Leigh. (Yup. That’s my second callback to a movie from<br />
1982.) These are fast times indeed, but you should try to savor<br />
every minute of a loved one’s day of birth.<br />
More celebration. Less angst in traffic. That’s logic even Jeff<br />
Spicoli could endorse.<br />
For those under 25, please replace all the old movie references<br />
above with quotes from TV show dramas “All American” or<br />
“Outer Banks.” I won’t judge.<br />
I will only judge your celebration of my birthday.<br />
Tony “Michaels” Michalski is an author of “Tacos and Beer<br />
Atmosphere” and former radio broadcaster. He is also the cohost<br />
of the podcast, Starting Conversations with Stacie and Tony,<br />
and is the new Account Executive for Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong>.