Expand Magazine - Volume 6 Issue 3
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Formerly Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
Rex<br />
Mueller<br />
Service to<br />
Community &<br />
Commitment<br />
to Family<br />
Accepting<br />
Nominations<br />
Unity<br />
in the<br />
Community<br />
Is Sioux City<br />
Getting a<br />
Roundabout?<br />
Relief from Allergies<br />
ask the<br />
Therapist<br />
Fighting with<br />
Your Partner?<br />
Advice to Get Past<br />
Gridlock<br />
<strong>Volume</strong> 6, <strong>Issue</strong> 3
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NormaTec can be used for pain management, inflammation, and swelling.<br />
NormaTec is a great way to relax after a long day on your feet!<br />
ReLieve MuSCLe SoReNeSS<br />
ReduCe SweLLiNg<br />
iMpRove Speed of HeaLiNg<br />
iNCReaSe MobiLiTy aNd fLexibiLiTy<br />
aLLeviaTe LyMpaHTiC CoNdiTioNS<br />
“Be well with THRIVE”<br />
(712) 870-2574<br />
819 Gordon Drive • Sioux City, IA
2023 Winners<br />
Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong> is proud to host the 13th annual 2024 10 Under 40 recognition! The<br />
highly anticipated issue comes out in September, featuring young professionals in Siouxland who<br />
are making a real difference in our community. We are accepting nominations up until July 1st.<br />
Don’t hesitate. The form can be found on our website at <strong>Expand</strong>2More.com.<br />
Here is what we look for in Siouxland’s 10 Under 40.<br />
Look around to your co-workers, employees, bosses, friends, colleagues, and think about who meets the<br />
following criteria:<br />
• Under the age of 40 as of December 31st, 2024 (Yes, you may have to ask, but he/she will be<br />
honored that you are thinking of them for an award!)<br />
• Is a business owner or high executive/manager/director (or has experience in this area) within their<br />
organization. This can be a large corporation, small business, or non-profit organization.<br />
• Must be in their current position or have had experience in a managerial role for at least one year.<br />
• Lives and works in the Siouxland area (approximately a 60-mile radius around Sioux City.)<br />
Has a history of displaying:<br />
• Vision and Leadership<br />
• Innovation and Achievement<br />
• Growth/Development Strategy<br />
• Community Involvement/Contribution<br />
• Consistent display of excellent character<br />
and ethics<br />
presented by
<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.
Editors<br />
NOte<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> / 5<br />
In this issue of <strong>Expand</strong>, we have the opportunity<br />
to take a peek into the world of law enforcement. We<br />
get to see the person behind the badge. We are not<br />
only reminded of the importance of this role in the<br />
community, but also that the people who wear the<br />
badge are people, just like us. I am very honored to<br />
share that our cover person for May is Police Chief<br />
Rex Mueller.<br />
When I first asked Rex if he would share his story,<br />
he encouraged me to instead focus on more<br />
deserving individuals, other law enforcement officers,<br />
first responders, or the spouses who shoulder the<br />
tremendous role of supporting their loved ones.<br />
With that great insight, we decided to fold more<br />
into this issue. Not only did Rex graciously answer<br />
our questions, but we interviewed his wife, Sandra,<br />
and Jennifer Braunschweig, wife of Officer Jason<br />
Braunschweig. We also had a wonderful interview<br />
with Monique Scarlett, the founder of Unity in the<br />
Community.<br />
Although we were able to share a few different<br />
perspectives into this complex and consuming life<br />
path, we know that we only scratched the surface.<br />
It is my hope that it offers an opportunity to reflect<br />
on the different aspects of the life of those involved<br />
in law enforcement and to consider how we can be<br />
a stronger community through mutual respect and<br />
initiatives to work together.<br />
Always approaching life with curiosity and love,<br />
Stacie<br />
Can we have the hard conversations<br />
and maintain respect while also<br />
holding steady to our values?<br />
Styled by Rooted Boutique | Photo Credit Anna Marie Photography<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 />
8-9<br />
10-11<br />
12-13<br />
14-15<br />
16-17<br />
18-21<br />
do more<br />
24-25<br />
26-27<br />
28-29<br />
30<br />
31<br />
33<br />
give more<br />
39<br />
40-41<br />
42-43<br />
45<br />
Table of Contents<br />
Ask the Therapist – Fighting With Your Partner<br />
Health is a Journey – Pollen, Dust Allergies and You<br />
Nurturing the Power of Your Intentions<br />
Dare 2B Great – Body Types: Mesomorph, Ectomorph, & Endomorph Explained<br />
Living Lumin – The Life I Love<br />
Cover Story – Rex Mueller<br />
Small Business Spotlight – Fastsigns of Sioux City<br />
IWCI’s Business Feature – From Our Mesa Sourdough Microbakery<br />
SBDC – Taking Care of Business – Calculating Your Startup Costs<br />
Leadership Siouxland – It’s a World of Great Opportunity<br />
Experience Downtown – Experience Downtown Like a VIP!<br />
Council Connection – Decision Making 101: Get The Full Story<br />
Inclusive Peek – Elizabeth Alcalá<br />
Nonprofit Spotlight – Unity in the Community<br />
Behind the Shield – Sandra Mueller and Jennifer Braunschweig<br />
Hot Air with Tony Michaels – Motivational Mojo<br />
ON THE COVER: Police Cheif Rex Mueller | Styled by Rooted Boutique | Photo Credit
EXPAND | BE MORE / 7<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 />
Q:<br />
ask the<br />
Therapist<br />
By Jackie Paulson<br />
My partner and I fight all the time. We have several issues that just<br />
keep coming up and I don’t know what to do anymore. Please help!<br />
Dear Reader,<br />
Does any of this sound familiar to you?<br />
• Constant, repetitive arguments.<br />
• You can’t agree to disagree about the issue.<br />
• Increased communication provides no<br />
solution, and often makes things worse.<br />
• You feel like you have no room for compromise<br />
or negotiation because your integrity is on<br />
the line.<br />
• Apologies or repair attempts cease or are<br />
unsuccessful.<br />
• You and your partner frequently have angry or<br />
hurt feelings.<br />
• You feel alienated and cut off from each other.<br />
If so, I wonder if what may be happening is called Emotional<br />
Gridlock. Emotional gridlock is a normal and important<br />
edge for the evolution of relationships - with ourselves<br />
and others. Many couples experience the above list of<br />
dynamics and believe that there is something wrong with<br />
their relationship. When in fact, more often than not, it is<br />
something really RIGHT! Their relationship is trying to grow.<br />
In childbirth, just before the mother is ready to push, she is<br />
often heard screaming “I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE!” and<br />
it’s a great indication a baby will be here very soon. When<br />
we meet these edges, it can feel overwhelming and like we<br />
just can’t go on like this. It’s true - you can’t. You will be<br />
asked to push and dig deep to birth something new into<br />
your personal experience and that of your relationship.<br />
“When misunderstood and mishandled,<br />
gridlock leads to divorce. Given that<br />
gridlock IS usually misunderstood and<br />
mishandled, it is arguably the greatest<br />
single cause of divorce around the<br />
world. It is commonly misunderstood<br />
as irreconcilable differences, or<br />
communication problems, or falling out of<br />
love. But gridlock isn’t caused by a lack of<br />
communication, so more communication<br />
won’t resolve it. When people are unable<br />
to resolve gridlock with a communicationbased<br />
approach, they wrongly<br />
convince themselves their problems<br />
are irreconcilable. If they depend on a<br />
reflected sense of self, they feel unloved<br />
and become unloving.”<br />
- David Schnarch
Emotional gridlock occurs when what you want to do blocks what your partner wants to do, and vice versa. Conflict in<br />
relationships is inevitable. When a partnership is gridlocked - it’s impossible to compromise, negotiate, or communicate<br />
your way through it. That is why you think your differences are irreconcilable. However, GRIDLOCK CAN BE RESOLVED!<br />
It just takes different strategies. And learning how to resolve gridlock is how you and your partner co-evolve.<br />
Resolving gridlock requires (at least) one of you to increase your Four Points of Balance, a term and practice created by<br />
Dr. David Schnarch that include these concepts:<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /9<br />
THE FOUR POINTS OF BALANCE<br />
Solid Flexible Self: Knowing who you are and holding onto yourself without dominating another.<br />
Quiet Mind-Calm Heart: Soothing your mind and heart.<br />
Grounded Responding: Getting emotionally grounded.<br />
Meaningful Endurance: Tolerating discomfort for growth.<br />
Unfortunately, when you are in a gridlock, addressing<br />
these four points of balance is not often what you<br />
usually want to do. You typically want your partner to<br />
make you feel better. Although in processes like couples<br />
therapy, we can learn ways to be there for our partners<br />
when we have the capacity for it, ultimately, it is our sole<br />
responsibility to tend to our needs.<br />
Now this does not mean not getting support, it just<br />
means that we don’t assume that it is always our partner’s<br />
responsibility to continuously hold our sense of self and<br />
emotional regulation in their own hands. Here we accept<br />
personal responsibility for our states of being and tend<br />
to ourselves in a way that allows us to show up maturely<br />
in the relationship. This creates a sense of safety and an<br />
easier way to be in conflict with one another. Although<br />
sometimes we can be addicted to the drama cycle in<br />
the relationship and that is another point to address for<br />
another article!<br />
You can think of Gridlock as nature’s way of encouraging<br />
differentiation - and your journey toward becoming<br />
more of the unique fascinating self that you were meant<br />
to be in this world!<br />
Both partners are involved in co-creating gridlock and<br />
now you can both co-evolve by resolving it.<br />
More on emotional gridlock soon, but for now. I invite<br />
you to consider a 1-2-3-4 step approach for handling<br />
difficult situations within your relationship:<br />
Send Your<br />
Questions<br />
• Identify your situation as a differentiation (both<br />
people trying to be themselves without contorting<br />
and changing by force process.)<br />
• Recognize you are losing your emotional balance.<br />
• Break down your problem in terms of your Four<br />
Points of Balance (this shows you where you’re<br />
having difficulty and what you need to do).<br />
• Use your mantra to keep yourself focused when<br />
things get tough: Hold onto yourself.<br />
If any of this is helpful, I invite you to read some of Dr.<br />
Schnarch’s work. He has several books that share so<br />
much wisdom about the importance of differentiation in<br />
relationships and how to work through this kind of gridlock.<br />
Also, don’t be afraid to get a third party involved. And I<br />
am not talking about your friends or your mother! But a<br />
professional who can support you both in discovering<br />
what is getting in the way of each of you working towards<br />
freedom and ease inside of the relationship, which is mostly<br />
to say, freedom and ease inside of you FIRST!<br />
If you are interested in learning more, don’t hesitate to reach<br />
out to me. I offer couple’s intensives and couples therapy<br />
to a limited number of couples per year depending on<br />
my availability where I help educate, process, and support<br />
couples in learning how to not only be a healthy functioning<br />
adult and grow out of oppressive systems inside of our<br />
bodies, minds, and hearts but also creating more of a brave,<br />
pleasurable space for relationships to thrive.<br />
Love Endures,<br />
Jackie<br />
You can submit your question for “Ask the Therapist” by simply scanning<br />
the QR code or sending an email to jaclynpaulsongmail.com, putting<br />
“Ask the Therapist” in the subject line. Your privacy is kept confidential.<br />
Our questions are often shared with others. Let’s get answers together.<br />
JACKIE PAULSON | LEAD INSTRUCTOR | E-RYT 500, LMHC<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 energy work. 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.
EXPAND | BE MORE /10<br />
Pollen, Dust<br />
ALLERGIES<br />
and you<br />
By Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler<br />
T<br />
he earth is alive! The flowers are<br />
blooming, birds are chirping, and<br />
pollen is blowing in the wind. And that<br />
means … allergies. If you are dealing<br />
with watery eyes, a running nose, and sinus<br />
pressure, this article is for YOU!<br />
The word allergy describes a hypersensitivity of the<br />
immune system to typically harmless substances. It<br />
occurs when our bodies’ immune system reacts to<br />
something we ingest, inhale, or touch. Allergies were<br />
first noticed and given a name in 1906 by a German<br />
doctor whose patients reacted more strongly to<br />
their second dose of the smallpox vaccination. The<br />
name allergy originates from the German word<br />
Allergie. It stems from the combination of the Greek<br />
root Allos, meaning other, different, or strange, and<br />
Ergon, which means activity, function, or task.<br />
Allergies appear in many forms throughout the year…<br />
not just during the spring. However, allergies like<br />
allergic rhinitis, atopic eczema, and asthma correlate<br />
to our surrounding environment and can flare up in<br />
the spring when dust and pollen levels are high. So,<br />
what exactly is happening to your body during these<br />
reactions? Why are some spring seasons worse than<br />
others?<br />
When dust and pollen are released into the air in the<br />
spring, these antigens are breathed in and become<br />
stuck in our sinuses. When pollen becomes stuck in<br />
the nasal tissue, sneezing is triggered. If exposure to<br />
pollen and dust lasts for two to four days, your body<br />
produces antibodies. Antibodies are used to attack<br />
invading items like viruses, toxins, and bacteria. All<br />
this is happening behind the scenes with that running<br />
nose and watery eyes. Those symptoms are the side
effects of your body and its immune system trying to flush the antigens or pollen and move those toxins out<br />
of your system.<br />
Why is it that some years our allergies are worse than others? Part of the answer is an obvious one; some years,<br />
there is more pollen and dust in the air; thus, in turn, there is more for your body to handle. However, that is<br />
just one aspect. When considering our immune system and all the processes in place, when pollen activates<br />
our immune system to produce antibodies, these processes take nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. These<br />
vitamin and mineral deficiencies can lead to increased inflammation and a depressed immune response. A<br />
few things that can exacerbate vitamin deficiency are chronic stress, illness, food irritants, lack of sleep, lack<br />
of nutrient-dense foods, etc.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /11<br />
If you have been ill or more stressed than usual going into a season where you typically have allergies, this<br />
could worsen overall symptoms. How do you modulate this, and what vitamins and minerals should you add<br />
to your supplements?<br />
Vitamin D has a direct effect on the body’s<br />
response to infection and can reduce<br />
systemic inflammation.<br />
Magnesium is an essential mineral for antiinflammatory<br />
and antihistamine reactions in<br />
the body. It is one of North America’s most<br />
common mineral deficiencies, affecting up<br />
to 80% of the population.<br />
Fish Oils and Omegas act as an antiinflammatory<br />
and moderate the allergic<br />
response.<br />
Vitamin C plays a role in supporting the<br />
stabilization of the immune system and the<br />
release of histamines.<br />
Aside from adding supplements, many<br />
herbs can also support your body and<br />
immune system during this time. When<br />
focusing on herbal support, I consider<br />
the following herbal actions: Hepatics,<br />
Immunomodulators, Nutrients, and<br />
Astringents.<br />
Hepatics are a group of herbs that support the<br />
liver; thus, they support the removal of toxins<br />
from your body.<br />
• Dandelion Roo • Burdock Root • Milk Thistle<br />
Immunomodulators are herbs that work directly<br />
with the immune system; they can be stimulating<br />
and balancing.<br />
• Echinacea Root • Astragalus Root • ElderBerry<br />
Nutrients are herbs that are food-like and rich in<br />
vitamins and minerals.<br />
• Nettle Leaf • Oat Straw • Rose Hips<br />
Astringents are herbs that tone and reduce<br />
inflammation of the mucous membranes; these<br />
are good for running noses.<br />
• Yarrow • Boneset • Nettle Leaf<br />
Resources:<br />
1. Wikipedia contributors, “Allergy,” Wikipedia, The Free<br />
Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Allergy<br />
&oldid=1209197203 (accessed February 29, 2024).<br />
2. NIH “Lymphocyte,” National Human Genome Research<br />
Institute, https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/<br />
Lymphocyte#:~:text=There%20are%20two%20main%20<br />
types,by%20viruses%20or%20become%20cancerous. (accessed<br />
February 29, 2024).<br />
3. Burger, Paul. Inflammation, Hypersensitivity, Allergies. p1-4<br />
c.2015.<br />
By Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler<br />
It is her goal to spread herbal knowledge to rural<br />
America in a safe, constructive, and accessible manner.<br />
Owner, MEGAN & CO. Herbal Apothecary + Teahouse<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
EXPAND | BE MORE /12<br />
Nurturing<br />
Power<br />
THE<br />
of<br />
your<br />
intentions<br />
By Erin Kuehl<br />
ur world is full of constant distractions, diversions, and doing. Living an intentional life affords us<br />
a sense of clarity and helps to define our purpose. Intention is a popular buzzword. What does it<br />
really mean to live with intention, set our sights on what we want to create, and navigate the road<br />
to manifestation? Answering these questions, we will dive into human consciousness, exploring the<br />
interweaving of thoughts, intentions, and reality. We hold and direct intention. Intention directs<br />
energy. Energy ultimately directs matter. OImagine intention as a tuning fork, resonating a frequency that harmonizes the surrounding energies. Just as a tuning fork<br />
produces similar frequencies, setting intentions enhances our ability to produce harmonious connections as senders and receivers<br />
of intention. Science recognizes that thoughts are energy affecting the world around us. Research indicates that collective thoughts<br />
possess palpable energy, intensifying as more minds converge on a singular idea, solidifying the importance of intentional living.<br />
Where your thoughts go, your energy follows.<br />
Understanding this phenomenon and the science behind it helps harness this power in our lives. The journey begins with<br />
contemplation. We first identify our core values. Exploring who we are and what we stand for, and then aligning with that to create<br />
a deep well of stillness to draw upon. In this stillness, we become aware of the physical, the mental, the emotional, and at<br />
the deepest state of awareness, we become acquainted with the spiritual essence within. In stillness, aligned in all the<br />
wisdom bodies and connected to Source, we set our intention.<br />
Intention isn’t just wishful thinking; it’s a deliberate act of envisioning ourselves within the desired conditions and feeling the<br />
reality of those conditions actualized, trusting in the universe’s capacity to collaborate and shape our reality. Letting go. This trust,<br />
the letting go of the control of the outcome, coupled with the awareness of the felt sense of your intention actualized,<br />
breathes life into our aspirations, infusing them with the vitality of creation itself.<br />
Translating intention into tangible outcomes requires practice. Practicing presence of mind, an awareness that sees the wonder,<br />
joy, and sweetness in the mundane daily activities that wear us down. The law of co-creation underscores this process, emphasizing<br />
our role in aligning ourselves with the power and the felt sense of our intention. We pay attention to the states where we<br />
operate and exist. In a good feeling state, we allow acceptance of fluidity and birthing the reality we envision. In not-sogood<br />
feeling states, we hoard our energy inward and find constriction and retraction, not cohesive grounds for birthing<br />
new ways of being.
Creativity emerges as a potent force, a conduit for<br />
channeling our intentions into the physical realm. Whether<br />
through art, writing, or ceremony, creativity empowers us to<br />
give form to our intentions, bridging the gap between the<br />
ethereal and the concrete. Japa meditation, the repeating<br />
of sacred sounds, is one pathway to manifestation, tapping<br />
the creative energy of the universe to materialize our<br />
intentions. Recitation of the sacred sound of Source,<br />
speaking the name(s) of the force of creation that<br />
you align with while embodied in the energy of your<br />
intention, focusing and magnifying your intention,<br />
becoming a vortex that draws like energies to you.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /13<br />
Dr. Wayne Dyer’s book, The Power of Intention, emphasizes<br />
the power of kindness and love. Acts of benevolence not<br />
only elevate the spirits of recipients but also provide a<br />
sense of joy for the givers. A sacred act of reciprocity. An<br />
NIH study on the impact of giving and receiving kindness,<br />
reported acts of kindness benefited givers even more<br />
than the receivers. They show identical trends towards<br />
increased happiness, boosts in life and job satisfaction, as<br />
well as a decrease in depression. The science of kindness<br />
has additional benefits of increased immunity, lowered<br />
depression, and increased natural serotonin, dopamine,<br />
oxytocin, and endorphin production. Improving our abilities<br />
to regulate our happiness and contentment hormones<br />
naturally also diminishes tendencies to constantly seek<br />
external sources for validation.<br />
In a universe governed by reciprocity, small acts<br />
of kindness reverberate, aligning us with the<br />
universal flow of giving and receiving, keeping<br />
us in harmony with the key elements in the art of<br />
intention and manifestation.<br />
Love, too, emerges as the overall guiding principle, a<br />
testament to the inherent unity of existence. Our existence<br />
is the embodiment of divine love. We work to echo the<br />
boundless energy that birthed us into being. By fostering<br />
beauty and expansiveness in our lives, we align<br />
ourselves with the ever-expanding nature of intention,<br />
embracing sustainable abundance in all its forms,<br />
becoming embodied mindful loving compassion.<br />
Love and kindness are essential when we discuss<br />
manifesting intentions. When we align with present<br />
awareness, we allow our consciousness to open, soften,<br />
and become more receptive to our desires. When we<br />
further align by developing a felt sense of what we are<br />
intending, we then create that intention. A magnetic force pulls<br />
the energy of what we are manifesting to us. When aligned in<br />
mindful loving compassion, we are in the creative divine force of<br />
universal consciousness. We become super-attractors. When we<br />
can remain in this state of consciousness through mundane<br />
daily tasks and walk in love and kindness in a world that<br />
bombards us with the opposite, we are open to wonder and<br />
joy - the creative forces align, and manifestation happens.<br />
As we journey into the world of living intentionally, we might set<br />
initial intentions toward accomplishing things. In the beginning,<br />
we are still focused on external acquisition. By mastering the art<br />
of intention, we move from the external to the internal. We align<br />
with the feeling of already integrating our desires and wants.<br />
The focus becomes our felt sense.<br />
Living an intentional life is more than a mere philosophy; it’s a<br />
sacred pact with the universe. We participate actively in this<br />
cosmic dance of reciprocity - right giving and right receiving.<br />
“Our expert instructors guide students through various<br />
yoga styles, meditation, and wellness practices,<br />
providing the tools to tap into their inner wisdom and<br />
find balance in their lives. Whether you’re looking for a<br />
challenging physical practice or a peaceful escape from<br />
the demands of daily life, Evolve has something to offer.<br />
Join 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 Evolve<br />
Yoga and Wellness Center, a holistic healing hub in the heart<br />
of Historic 4th Street that integrates Yoga and mindfulness<br />
into transformative classes designed to nurture physical,<br />
mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
eXPAND | BE MORE /14<br />
Dare 2BGreat<br />
By Cody<br />
Rininger<br />
Body Types: Mesomorph, Ectomorph,<br />
& Endomorph Explained<br />
I<br />
f you walk down the street on any given day, you will likely notice that bodies come in all shapes and sizes.<br />
This allure with appearance and shape eventually led to scientific research to classify the three body types we<br />
know today (endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph), to determine the reason that we have that body type,<br />
and whether it can be altered by our lifestyle and health choices.<br />
WHAT IS A BODY TYPE?<br />
A body type, or a somatotype, refers to the idea that there are three generalized body compositions, or body shapes,<br />
that people generally fall into. The concept was theorized by Dr. W.H. Sheldon back in the early 1940s, naming<br />
the three body types: endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph. Dr. Sheldon believed that these body types were<br />
predetermined, unchangeable, and that they also directly influenced a person’s personality traits. The body type link to<br />
personality traits eventually fell out of favor within the science community, but the three body types are still used today<br />
to develop personalized health and fitness plans for people. WHAT ARE THE THREE BODY TYPES?<br />
The three body types are endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph. While body types are often discussed in relation<br />
to women and fashion, a body type is not gender specific. Both men and women will fall into one of the three body type<br />
categories. Here’s a breakdown of each body type and some of their most common characteristics:<br />
Ectomorph: Slender with less muscle mass, narrow<br />
shoulders, and hips with respect to height, naturally fast<br />
metabolism making it difficult to gain mass.<br />
Mesomorph: Naturally muscular and athletic with<br />
shoulders wider than the hips; efficient metabolism making<br />
it easy to gain muscle and lose fat.<br />
Endomorph: More round or soft physique, gains, and stores<br />
fat more easily, loses fat slowly, naturally slow metabolism.
FEMALE BODY TYPES<br />
Women come in all shapes and sizes and even have their list of body type descriptors, used especially in the fashion<br />
industry. Some recognizable examples of these body types are:<br />
Pear-shaped: Narrow shoulders, wider hips.<br />
Apple-shaped: Round throughout the torso, lean legs.<br />
Carrot: Broad shoulders, narrow hips.<br />
Celery: Rectangular in appearance.<br />
Hourglass: Equal size across the bust and hips with a narrow waist.<br />
This list doesn’t negate the three main body types used for men and women. The female-specific body type descriptors<br />
are more often used in the fashion industry to help women select the styles that will best complement their shape.<br />
Although it is more common now to see most of these body types represented in fashion magazines and the media,<br />
that wasn’t always the case. Starting before the 1900s, the fashion industry has served as a visual example of the most<br />
acceptable body type for culture. Many women have felt pressured by these images to fit into a certain body type to be<br />
considered beautiful or successful. Thankfully, over time, we’ve begun to realize that beauty and health aren’t found only<br />
in one single body type.<br />
Apple<br />
Pear<br />
Carrot Celery Hourglass<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /15<br />
HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR BODY TYPE<br />
A body type doesn’t define or limit my clients<br />
based on their appearance, rather it can be<br />
used as a powerful tool for me to help my clients<br />
reach their current goals. When you know the<br />
assets and challenges that are associated with<br />
each body type, this information becomes an<br />
aid as I put together your fitness plan, taking<br />
out the guesswork.<br />
When identifying body types, consider the<br />
characteristics of the three body types listed<br />
above for endomorphs, mesomorphs, and<br />
ectomorphs. Many of these characteristics can<br />
be identified visually, like bone structure and<br />
the amount of muscle mass or fat the client<br />
carries. With 2B Imperium’s new technology,<br />
it only solidifies and carries our discussion<br />
further. For some of the other qualities, I<br />
consult with my clients and ask them the<br />
following questions:<br />
• Do you find it easy or hard to gain muscle<br />
mass when you try?<br />
• Do you have any metabolic or chronic<br />
conditions? (these may indicate a slow<br />
metabolism)<br />
• How easy or hard is it for you to gain weight?<br />
To lose weight?<br />
CAN I CHANGE MY BODY TYPE?<br />
A person’s observable body type represents the current sum<br />
of their physical, dietary, and lifestyle choices up to that point<br />
in time, combined with a variety of uncontrollable factors,<br />
like genetics and surrounding environment (i.e. access to<br />
healthy food and a safe place to exercise). The fitness industry,<br />
at its core, is all about helping people learn to use the tools<br />
they can control (i.e., improved lifestyle, diet, and exercise<br />
techniques) to overcome challenges presented by genetics<br />
and environmental factors that they have less control. By<br />
making intentional and consistent changes to your lifestyle,<br />
physical activity, and nutrition, you can change your body type<br />
over time.<br />
It’s important to remember that even if your physique isn’t<br />
where you want it to be, it’s okay to have a positive self-image<br />
of where you are today. Focus on all the wonderful things that<br />
your body can do right now! Avoid comparing yourself to<br />
others and spend time with supportive people. By maintaining<br />
a healthy self-image, you’re more likely to enjoy the process<br />
should you decide to act and change your body composition<br />
in some way.<br />
In my next article, I will go into detail on how to train these<br />
three body types and give you pointers on how to make that<br />
happen for yourself. Thank you for your time, and as always,<br />
DARE 2B GREAT.<br />
Photo Credit Truli Julie.<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 />
The LIFE I<br />
For Aaron Davis, Nathan Jones,<br />
and Matt Kramer<br />
L<br />
ove<br />
Lumin at Three Hearted Recording.<br />
I<br />
f one becomes a writer when one writes something, then I can say that I became a writer when I was 12 years<br />
old and in the 6th grade. I don’t know what made me do it, but I distinctly remember walking into my bedroom,<br />
closing the door, finding a notebook, and writing a poem about eyes called Change. It was about how in a single<br />
moment, in the blink of an eye, everything can and sometimes does change. Divine revelation, I know, but this<br />
thought to the 12-year-old version of me, I think, was rather dramatic. Within days, I wrote another poem, and then soon<br />
after, I met Kathy Crawford, and a whole torrent of words and emotions spilled forth from my prepubescent pores and<br />
brain about love, life, friends, and dreams. Ever since that last time I blinked before I wrote something, the thoughts, ideas,<br />
and visions have kept coming. So, too, has the need, for some mysterious reason, to share it with others. I can’t explain<br />
it and don’t quite understand where it comes from, but I find it<br />
nearly impossible to look at the world and not have something to<br />
say about it. Whether people want to listen, now that’s an open<br />
debate.<br />
But 34 years later, the faucet is still running—my mind, still racing,<br />
my body, still reaching, my spirit, still searching. I don’t know if<br />
I’d want it to stop if I could make it. Regardless of whatever else<br />
I’ve been doing in my life, whether as a camp counselor, grocery<br />
stock clerk, or professor, I see an artist when I look in the mirror. I<br />
see a creator.<br />
Recently, I consumed Rick Rubin’s book, The Creative Act: A<br />
Way of Being (2023). It was a gift from my longtime friend and<br />
collaborator, Aaron Davis, a multi-instrumentalist songwriter,<br />
band leader (Grilled Cheese, Furthermore, Global Review, Screen<br />
Grilled Cheese
Door Porch, Aaron Davis & The Mystery Machine), and producer (Three Hearted Recording). I’ve been thinking and feeling<br />
a lot about creativity, influence and inspiration, intuitiveness, and practice. I always told my creative writing students that<br />
no one in the history of the world was ever born with a pen and paper in their hands and able to write fluent, well-crafted<br />
sentences that moved people to every extreme of emotion. The point was to suggest that developing an understanding of<br />
space, craft, form, and technique takes time. That it takes practice. So, there’s something to this that extends to all our lives<br />
and all of creation.<br />
The big things in life usually take time.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /17<br />
Those who find IT, whether in word, image, or act and can express IT to the masses, amaze me. I’m wowed by technical<br />
mastery, by folks who put in their 10,000 hours, and it doesn’t matter what the discipline is, as I find myself dazzled by<br />
professional prowess just as much in guitar playing as I do in woodworking. Sculptors, crafters, creators, we come in all<br />
shapes and sizes and produce in all forms.<br />
There is beauty in everything. It’s everywhere.<br />
I learned this first-hand during my freshman year of high<br />
school when I moved to a new town full of new people. I<br />
was miserable and alone. Already a fan of bands like The<br />
Who, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd because of a cool<br />
older brother, it took some solitude and isolation for me to<br />
discover Bob Dylan, but when I did, the floodgates opened.<br />
His voice, words, and ability to turn a phrase have never<br />
stopped moving me.<br />
Fast forward a few years into high school; I was consuming<br />
not only Dylan, but going to see my heroes in concerts to<br />
experience it all live. Neil Young and Willie Nelson at Farm<br />
Aid, taking a college visit to go see Phish in Dayton. So<br />
many more.<br />
Co-Creating.<br />
A palimpsest is often defined as a manuscript or something similar where<br />
the original writing or impression has been effaced or erased but where<br />
some of the original traces remain. It comes to us via Latin from the Greek<br />
palimpsestos, from palin (again) plus psestos (rubbed smooth). That’s what<br />
we were doing in our time together. Taking ideas, words and phrases, beds<br />
of sonic sound, and scratch tracks from our pasts, our heroes, our dreams,<br />
and transforming it all into a story of feeling and finding, breathing,<br />
believing, and being, living and loving, from morning birds to campfire<br />
night—a journey to and through the layers of Self to the cave of the heart<br />
in the center of the center of Source. And no matter how many circles<br />
there are, there is always still a center. Layer after layer, impression upon<br />
impression, still, a center to it all.<br />
At about this time, too, a few of my close friends started<br />
playing instruments and soon our late-night rager jams,<br />
once filled with others’ music, were now full of our sounds<br />
and expressions. In On the Road Again, Willie sings, “The<br />
life I love is making music with my friends,” and it’s true. Now<br />
close to 30 years later, we’re all still moving and grooving—<br />
making albums, writing books, performing, the works. We<br />
recently convened at Three Hearted Recording in Hoback,<br />
Wyoming, to record my upcoming ambient spoken word<br />
meditation album, Palimpsest. For four days, there we were,<br />
as old school as it gets, forging forward, making something<br />
new. Collaborating. Listening. Laughing. Experimenting.<br />
Sharing.<br />
The steps in this adventure are of course our own, but what I’ve learned<br />
over this time is that we are never really alone. Angels, guides, ancestors,<br />
ascended masters, friends, and teachers, all are a part of you, and you are<br />
a part of them. We come to that place together, that seat around the fire,<br />
where all things are one.<br />
And we are free.<br />
Palimpsest, original art by Bob Allen.<br />
Lumin Therapy provides integrative health and education for the mind, body, and spirit to those suffering or struggling to step into and live<br />
their heartfelt mission and purpose. Through the practice of physical therapy, medical therapeutic yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and resiliency<br />
mentoring, Dr. Meghan Nelson, DPT, and Dr. Ryan Allen, Ph.D., bring their over forty-plus combined years of knowledge and experience<br />
serving individuals, families, and organizations to learn and heal and live without boundaries.<br />
Photo Credit, left page, Ryan Allen and Grilled Cheese Archives. Right page, Mike Paulson.
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 18<br />
Rex<br />
Mueller<br />
Be More<br />
What would people be surprised to find out about you?<br />
Most would be surprised to know that my first talent was always art.<br />
From a very young age, I was drawing or pursuing creative projects. I<br />
always looked forward to art class or any opportunity to do something<br />
creative in school. When I began my college education, it was with<br />
the belief that I would be using my artistic talents to build a career. I<br />
studied to become a fine arts teacher. I attended education classes<br />
and spent much time in the art studio producing work. I truly enjoyed<br />
the experience of being surrounded by other artists and the creative<br />
atmosphere that career path fostered. I took a criminal justice course<br />
during my sophomore year at the University of South Dakota. This<br />
completely changed the course of my life. Something about the<br />
class inspired me. I knew public service had to be my life’s work. I still<br />
get to use my artistic talents occasionally, but not as often as I’d like<br />
to use them.<br />
What is your life purpose?<br />
That has changed over the years. Indeed, a big part of my life is about<br />
service to a community that has given me so much throughout my life.<br />
Sioux City is a wonderful place to grow up. Serving in a role where<br />
I can give back and work around excellent public servants doing<br />
meaningful work is an honor and a privilege. It provides me with<br />
meaning and purpose, and it helps drive me. But I also realize that I<br />
have a far more important role as a husband, father, and family man;<br />
putting that in perspective and meeting my obligations to my family<br />
and God is my ultimate purpose.<br />
Do you have a personal<br />
mission statement for<br />
this phase of your life?<br />
I strive to maintain a healthy<br />
balance between service to my<br />
community and commitment<br />
to my family. My job is<br />
sometimes overwhelming, and<br />
knowing that my family is my<br />
primary responsibility helps<br />
keep me grounded. Far too<br />
often, my family gets the short<br />
end of the stick. I’m fortunate<br />
that they are understanding<br />
and supportive. One of the<br />
toughest jobs in the world is to<br />
be a law enforcement officer’s<br />
spouse or family member. The<br />
uncertainty of watching their<br />
Mueller family
Rex and Sandra with friends.<br />
loved ones walk out the door daily requires strong faith<br />
and belief in their purpose. I am blessed because my<br />
immediate and extended family are all amazing and<br />
supportive.<br />
What drives you?<br />
I want to know that I am fulfilling my obligations in my job<br />
and role as a husband and father. I like to set goals for<br />
myself each day for a sense of accomplishment. I am not<br />
very good at simply sitting still and relaxing. I feel better<br />
when I can reflect on my day with the knowledge that<br />
I’ve done meaningful work. It may be managing a major<br />
incident or project at work or as simple as teaching my<br />
son life skills such as checking the oil in his car. While<br />
each has different degrees of impact, both are equally<br />
important in the grand scheme of things. Each day<br />
allows me to try to be the leader that my department and<br />
my family deserve. I say try because I question myself a<br />
great deal and try to reflect on how to be better. That<br />
self-reflection tells me that I have a long way to go, but<br />
I’m giving it my best effort.<br />
What have been the most valuable lessons<br />
you have learned?<br />
That satisfaction and reward do not come from others,<br />
it is truly intrinsic and must be found by the individual.<br />
If you are going to determine the value of your life and<br />
your actions by the praise you get from others, you may<br />
be waiting a long time. Satisfaction in life comes from<br />
looking at yourself in the mirror at the end of the day<br />
and asking yourself some key questions… Did I do the<br />
best I could today? Did I make a difference in someone’s<br />
life? Did I utilize my God-given talents for good? If you<br />
can honestly do that, and the answer is yes, then you are<br />
probably doing ok.<br />
cup of coffee probably doesn’t hurt… I’m not getting any<br />
younger.<br />
How do you decompress or unwind?<br />
Time with family is probably my biggest reward for a<br />
hard week’s work. We maintain traditions like going out<br />
for dinner with my family on Friday evening. We each talk<br />
about our week and enjoy having a few days away from<br />
work/school. My family keeps me grounded and reminds<br />
me of what’s truly important. This and other diversions<br />
are also an important way to stay engaged. At my age,<br />
maintaining some level of fitness is important to maintain<br />
a sense of well-being, but creative pursuits also tend to<br />
recharge my batteries.<br />
Where do you find joy?<br />
I try to find joy in every aspect of my life. Sometimes, it is<br />
as simple as a sunrise when I stop to enjoy God’s majesty.<br />
Sometimes, joy comes from seeing the fruits of my efforts.<br />
Mostly, joy comes from time with family and friends, the<br />
people I love.<br />
Who do you look up to?<br />
I definitely look up to my wife; as a two-time cancer<br />
survivor, her daily courage inspires me. I’ve watched how<br />
she endured a steady stream of surgeries, chemotherapy,<br />
radiation, and endless doctor’s appointments. After all<br />
that, she still finds the energy to be an amazing wife and<br />
mother. She’s the bravest person I know. Her challenges<br />
have brought perspective and inspiration to my life.<br />
How do you want to be remembered?<br />
I don’t need a legacy; having my name on a plaque<br />
on a wall means very little to me. I will be happy if I am<br />
remembered as someone who genuinely cared about<br />
and served others.<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 19<br />
What habits have you built into your life that<br />
increase your stamina and help you power<br />
through long days?<br />
Loving what you do and being surrounded by amazing<br />
people makes the long days go quickly. I am energized<br />
by the dedication and bravery of all the officers who<br />
serve this community. If I don’t work as hard or harder<br />
than the people around me, I feel as though I have<br />
failed them. Sneaking in time for workouts and a good<br />
Rex and his wife Sandra.
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 20<br />
Do More<br />
What sets your department apart from the rest?<br />
The Sioux City Police Department has the most selfless<br />
officers and civilians imaginable. They amaze me daily<br />
with their bravery, dedication, and professional service.<br />
I’ve had exposure to a variety of police agencies in<br />
my life. The law enforcement in the Sioux City area is<br />
second to none! In Sioux City, we focus on community<br />
outreach and community policing. This way of bringing<br />
the public and the police together is crucial to building<br />
empathy and cooperation. Sir Robert Peel said, “The<br />
police are the public, and the public are the police.” This<br />
is a simple way of saying that to succeed, the citizens<br />
and the officers must work towards the same goal: a<br />
unified front. That symbiotic relationship significantly<br />
impacts making this a safe community to raise your<br />
children.<br />
Rex and the band KISS.<br />
What are you most proud of?<br />
Despite the constant attacks on the law enforcement<br />
profession, our officers and staff get up every morning<br />
and find the courage and motivation to keep doing<br />
a very difficult job. Witnessing their bravery and<br />
dedication despite seemingly impossible odds inspires<br />
me. I’m proud to have the opportunity to serve them in<br />
my current role.<br />
How do you approach obstacles or setbacks?<br />
Setbacks happen every day. I’m a problem solver by<br />
nature, so I normally step back, retool, and try a different<br />
approach. Obstacles are a part of my job, but I try not to<br />
get flustered by them. Prepare for the worst and hope<br />
for the best are words to live by.<br />
Advice for others starting out in public<br />
service?<br />
These days, it is getting harder to convince young<br />
people to become police officers; however, it is one<br />
of the most meaningful and rewarding professions an<br />
individual can pursue. I’ve never regretted my choice<br />
of profession and am constantly thankful for the<br />
opportunity to serve. As I prepare to leave this agency<br />
in the coming years, I hope to inspire the younger<br />
generation of officers to join our ranks and take my<br />
place. Public service is more than a job; it’s a career<br />
and a vocation. It allows you to contribute to the safety<br />
and well-being of the community directly. If you want to<br />
look back at your career and feel like you have made a<br />
difference, this job is for you.<br />
What have been the most valuable<br />
lessons you have learned in your<br />
leadership role?<br />
Leadership is earned. It’s not the brass on<br />
your collar that gives you authority. People<br />
choose to follow you because they believe<br />
in you and the mission you give them.<br />
It requires trust building and a constant<br />
understanding of servant leadership. Leaders<br />
make mistakes, and I have certainly had my<br />
share. Remembering that I not only serve the<br />
community but also serve the officers and<br />
staff in my agency is critically important. Each<br />
day should be a quest to earn the trust of the<br />
people around me and not assume that my<br />
role provides me with instant respect. Finally,<br />
it never hurts to surround yourself with good<br />
people. That can be the difference between<br />
success and failure in an organization.<br />
Rex with co-workers.
Let’s talk customer service…what’s the<br />
client experience?<br />
It may sound funny, but law enforcement is a customer<br />
service business. As public servants, we’re expected<br />
to provide positive public service. Sometimes,<br />
customer service is an enforcement action like<br />
writing a traffic ticket that hopefully encourages our<br />
teenagers to modify their behavior to be safer drivers.<br />
Sometimes, customer service is a prompt response<br />
to a critical incident or a lifesaving action. Doing all<br />
these while maintaining a professional demeanor and<br />
understanding what the public expects of us is all part<br />
of the customer service experience.<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 21<br />
Rex speaking with community members.<br />
Have you ever had to change course?<br />
My profession has its ups and downs. Our amazing officers are frequently under fire,<br />
figuratively and sometimes literally. Knowing when to make adjustments to better<br />
deal with the current climate is important. Often, change is forced upon us by the<br />
environment we live in. In those cases, all you can do is make decisions that minimize<br />
the negative impact on your team. By nature, most people resist change, so it is<br />
important to help build resilience in your staff, so change is more easily adopted.<br />
Unlike a business, our course changes can impact the safety of the community and the<br />
officers, so change must be carefully weighed.<br />
What are your thoughts on business evolutions?<br />
The law enforcement landscape has changed since my career began 28<br />
years ago. Most of those changes were for the better, others not as much.<br />
Maintaining the best trained, equipped, and operationally ready workforce<br />
is critical, but the core of police work will always be about people and<br />
human relationships.<br />
Who have been your mentors along the way?<br />
I grew up with loving parents who always supported me, and I’ve also<br />
had many teachers, co-workers, and leaders who influenced me. I<br />
always tried to cherry-pick the best qualities each embodied and make<br />
them my own. In my adult life, my wife, Sandra, has always been my<br />
biggest influence. She always supported me even when my path was<br />
difficult for our family. I was always happy in whatever position I was<br />
in, but she always encouraged me to seek roles and responsibilities<br />
that would challenge me. I owe most of my successes to her love and<br />
encouragement.<br />
Page 18, photo of Rex, Photo Credit Anna Marie Photography. Page 19, photo<br />
of Rex and his wife, Photo Credit Anna Marie Photography. Bottom of page 21,<br />
Photo Credit George Lindblade. Other photos Contributed by Rex Mueller.
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 />
FASTSIGNS<br />
of Sioux City<br />
I<br />
f you are in business, you know the<br />
importance of signage. If you want people<br />
to find you, it’s all about making your brand<br />
visible.<br />
Janae Chochon is the owner and operator of FASTSIGNS<br />
of Sioux City, but fortunately for all of us, is a licensed<br />
sign contractor for all three states: IA, NE, and SD,<br />
allowing her to fully service our tristate area. She’s<br />
a small business but also brings greater resources to<br />
the table. “We’re independently owned and operated<br />
locally, but part of a bigger brand. The company started<br />
nearly 40 years ago, and today we have 770 national<br />
and international centers,” said Janae.<br />
When a business is considering the proper signage to<br />
promote itself, the questions and components they need<br />
to consider go far beyond simply the designing factors<br />
of the signage. “It’s a lot of project management, putting<br />
all the pieces together. From start to finish, it’s not only<br />
building and creating the sign but also installing it. It’s<br />
Double sided tension banner for Explore Siouxland.<br />
Vinyl decals and vinyl counter cover at Peachwave.<br />
amazing! We want to help you make your statement!<br />
We can help you design your signage with your logo or<br />
start from scratch and help you develop your brand,”<br />
explained Janae.<br />
By investing all that time with their customers to help<br />
them achieve their signage goals, Janae and her team<br />
can eliminate any wasted time or money by the clients.<br />
Many times, when building these materials is done<br />
strictly online, without the help of a trusted expert by<br />
your side, signs may be completed as promised to the<br />
specifics done online. Still, when the sign is taken to the<br />
location or the building, aspects of it do not work. It had<br />
to be scrapped, and the process started all over again.<br />
“It starts with a graphic designer, then we survey the<br />
building location and the site where you want the sign<br />
to go. Then we build a virtual site there to make sure the<br />
design you want works with the location,” stated Janae,<br />
explaining the process. When a business wants to have<br />
signage placed on their business, there are specific<br />
guidelines required by various government agencies<br />
that also come into play. “I check the regulations<br />
with city guidelines, be it in Sioux City or any city in<br />
the Siouxland area, to ensure we’re following the sign<br />
regulations and city codes. Then we also take care of
the sign permitting process.” stated Janae. And this is<br />
all done when Janae is working with her clients in the<br />
planning stages. Nothing is done that might need to<br />
be undone until they are certain that everything their<br />
client wants meets all the necessary guidelines and<br />
codes.<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 25<br />
“The majority of the products we make are done inhouse.<br />
Being able to do that, we help ensure quality<br />
products for our customers. We’re handling the<br />
materials as they are being made, and by doing that,<br />
we can ensure that they are durable and will last. We<br />
stand by our products. If there is ever anything that<br />
goes wrong or a product isn’t met with the customer’s<br />
satisfaction, we will make it right. Quality and reliability<br />
go a long way in establishing your name, brand, and<br />
reputation. We are proud of what we produce and<br />
want to ensure our clients that we will back it up,”<br />
stated Janae.<br />
Aluminum Composite Material (ACM) exterior signage for Central Kitchen & Bath.<br />
a transactional center. Our customers are part of the<br />
FASTSIGNS family. We want to help them bring their<br />
visions to life. We want them to trust us and know they<br />
can turn to us for all their signage needs,” shared Janae.<br />
Post & Panel sign for Farmers Coop Society.<br />
A Van Ladder is one of the new tools Janae has at hand<br />
for FASTSIGNS clients. “Essentially, it’s a bucket truck.<br />
It’s allowing us to take our business to a whole new level.<br />
We can put up a lot of exterior signage. Our number<br />
one seller right now is aluminum composite. It’s a<br />
durable outdoor sign covered with vinyl and laminate,<br />
non-illuminated, and a more reasonably priced option<br />
for businesses. We can go 45 feet up in the air with the<br />
Van Ladder. It allows us to put up channel letters and<br />
cabinet signs, and we even changed out some parking<br />
lot lights for customers. We can do LED Retro Fits, too!”<br />
stated Janae.<br />
FASTSIGNS of Sioux City can produce custom signs,<br />
business hour signs, custom banners, custom feather<br />
flags, wayfinding signs, building signs, dimensional<br />
letters, digital signage, vehicle graphics as well as<br />
monument and free-standing signs.<br />
That also includes any of your business branding/<br />
marketing needs. “We can assist with promotional<br />
products such as flyers, brochures, business cards,<br />
pens, notepads, apparel, hats/caps, and chapsticks.<br />
We even made stress balls for a business to hand<br />
out at events. We focus on the relationships with our<br />
customers; they come first and foremost. We are not<br />
Helping small businesses thrive and succeed is<br />
something that Fast Signs of Sioux City takes to<br />
heart. For more information about FASTSIGNS, the<br />
company is located at 312 West 28th Street in Sioux<br />
City, 712-248-4617, or visit their Facebook Page.<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.<br />
Photos Contributed by local FASTSIGNS team.
EXPAND | DO MORE /26<br />
Iowa’s West Coast Initiative Feature<br />
From Our Mesa Sourdough Microbakery<br />
Business Owners: Sisario & Anabel Mesa<br />
Business Name: From Our Mesa Sourdough Microbakery<br />
Main Products/Services: Sourdough breads & baked goods<br />
Location: Sioux City, IA<br />
Connect: www.hotplate.com/fromourmesa<br />
IG & FB: From Our Mesa<br />
Short description of your business:<br />
We are a home-based sourdough microbakery in Sioux City,<br />
Iowa, serving small-batch, long-fermented artisan sourdough<br />
breads and baked goods. While we are not organic certified,<br />
we do use organic flour in all our baked goods and love<br />
incorporating organic, high-quality ingredients.<br />
What motivated you to start your business?<br />
During the pandemic, I was determined to make good bread for<br />
our family and learn the art of sourdough. In March 2022, I made<br />
a sourdough starter from scratch and started making bread. I fell<br />
in love with the process! My first few loaves were a bit flat, but I<br />
didn’t care. I was just excited to be making bread at home!<br />
Our friends asked if I’d sell to them, but I wasn’t ready. I didn’t<br />
think my bread was good enough to sell, and I was also working<br />
full-time. I didn’t have the time and energy to dive into bread<br />
making on a full-time basis. I just continued baking for our family<br />
and gifting a few loaves here and there. In retrospect, that’s what<br />
helped me improve my baking, so I’m grateful for that.<br />
In July 2022, we found out we were expecting our greatest<br />
blessing, allowing me to stay at home. This gave me time to<br />
bake, but then I had to stop because the morning sickness was<br />
pretty rough. After our baby arrived, making sourdough bread<br />
stayedl on the back burner because we wanted to soak up that<br />
precious time with our newborn.<br />
I really missed baking for my family, so I finally started doing<br />
it again. In July 2023, I sold a few loaves, and it just took off<br />
from there. In August, we officially launched From Our Mesa<br />
Sourdough Microbakery. The name From Our Mesa is special to<br />
me - it is a play on our last name! Our last name (Mesa) means<br />
table in Spanish, which is fitting because I started making<br />
sourdough in our<br />
home, on our dining<br />
table. It’s a true joy to<br />
get bread from our<br />
mesa to yours.<br />
In September, we had<br />
our first-ever vendor<br />
pop-up, and it sold<br />
out within a couple of<br />
hours. I was baking<br />
more than 20 loaves<br />
in our home kitchen<br />
oven, which would<br />
take me more than<br />
eight hours because<br />
I could only bake two<br />
loaves at a time every<br />
40 minutes. In October,<br />
we prayerfully decided<br />
to purchase a bread<br />
oven that allows me<br />
to bake 12 loaves in<br />
just 30 minutes! We<br />
are now baking more<br />
than 60 artisanal loaves<br />
and other sourdough<br />
goods every week!<br />
What drives you<br />
each day?<br />
My family; I’m grateful<br />
for the privilege of<br />
being able to stay at<br />
home with our baby<br />
and for the opportunity to pursue this creative outlet that<br />
accidentally turned into a business. I will never take that for<br />
granted. I’m also strongly motivated by the joy that it brings me<br />
to be able to make good bread for our community.<br />
What’s unique about your business?<br />
We specialize in small-batch, handmade sourdough breads, and<br />
baked goods. Everything we bake is made with our sourdough<br />
starter “Bruno”, and we never use commercial yeast! We are a<br />
small family business and take pride in our work. Yes, I’m the<br />
baker behind From Our Mesa, but I could not do this alone. My<br />
husband does a lot of the vital behind the scenes work in the<br />
business, doing the packaging and organizing of the preorders.<br />
He loves being organized and has an impeccable attention to<br />
detail. We also have a lot of help from my dear mom, sisterin-law,<br />
and nephews, who lovingly watch our son when it gets<br />
a little hectic on prep days. My dad, uncle, and older brother<br />
helped us with our bakery room set-up, and our cousins and<br />
friends have been there to cheer us on since our very first popup.<br />
It really does take a village!<br />
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome as<br />
you grow your business?<br />
Balance. I’m still working on it, I love baking , but I have other<br />
important things in my life that take first place and I never<br />
want to lose sight of that.<br />
What has been your greatest reward?<br />
I see how this business has blessed our family. My husband<br />
was able to stop working nights and be home with us. We still<br />
work hard, but now we get to do it together! Another great<br />
reward is seeing the joy in our customers’ faces when they<br />
pick up their bread. Their positive feedback keeps us going!<br />
How have you benefited from the startup<br />
community in Sioux City and the region? What<br />
resources did you use?<br />
The startup community and customers have been very<br />
supportive of the launch of our business. We would like
to thank Iowa’s West Coast<br />
Initiative for providing us<br />
with this opportunity for the<br />
article. We are also grateful for<br />
the kindness Flippin Vintage<br />
Boutiques & Thrift, Red Valley<br />
Natural Foods, Council Oak<br />
Supply, and Jefferson Beer<br />
Supply extended to us in<br />
allowing us to do pop-ups. We<br />
also received the support of<br />
Best Of Siouxland. They kindly<br />
shared one of our reels on their<br />
page at no cost to us.<br />
Why is it important for<br />
the community to support<br />
Owners Sisario & Anabel Mesa<br />
startups and small businesses?<br />
Community support is vital for businesses; without it, we wouldn’t be<br />
successful. We feel that we truly have the best customers! Week after<br />
week, we are blown away by their positive feedback. We have been<br />
consistently gaining new customers each week and that has been thanks<br />
to our customers who tell their friends and family about us. Our hearts<br />
are filled with gratitude when we continue to see our customers return.<br />
Everyone can shop where they please, but for them to reach out to us<br />
and choose our product is something special!<br />
What is one thing you know now that you wish you knew<br />
when starting your business?<br />
I think fear sometimes holds us back, so if we had known that our<br />
community would be so supportive, we wouldn’t have been so afraid.<br />
Another beautiful aspect of owning a small business is experiencing the<br />
support of other businesses in our area—they get it, and they are happy<br />
and ready to lift you up!<br />
What advice would you give to someone looking to start<br />
a business?<br />
Don’t let fear hold you back from pursuing something you’re passionate<br />
about! Give it your best, and don’t get discouraged if things don’t work<br />
out in the beginning. Reach out to other small business owners and<br />
ask questions; you’ll be surprised by how many entrepreneurs in our<br />
community are willing to help you!<br />
How can the community continue to help your business?<br />
Keep telling others about us! Share a picture when you pick up your<br />
baked goods and tag us. Leave an honest review on our Facebook<br />
page. If you like our baked goods, tell us, we love to hear about it!<br />
What are some future goals for your company?<br />
We are content with where we are now, but as we continue to grow,<br />
we have also thought about long-term goals for this little business! We<br />
hope to one day have a storefront with the rest of our family. We also<br />
hope to be at the farmer’s market this season!<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 27<br />
Iowa’s West Coast Initiative (IWCI) is a collaboration between the<br />
economic development organizations in Plymouth, Monona, and<br />
Woodbury counties, and includes the following organizations: City of<br />
Sioux City, Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council, Siouxland<br />
Economic Development Corporation, The Siouxland Initiative, Le Mars<br />
Business Initiative Corporation, Woodbury County, and Monona County.<br />
Learn more about IWCI at www.IAWestCoast.com.<br />
Photos Contributed By Our Mesa Sourdough Microbakery.
EXPAND | DO MORE /28<br />
The road ahead never<br />
looked better.<br />
Kletschke Wealth<br />
Management Group<br />
Personalized Investment Strategies<br />
Introducing the all-new<br />
2024 Hyundai<br />
Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD<br />
Korey Kletschke, CFP ® , ChFC ®<br />
Associate Vice President/Investments<br />
Branch Manager<br />
(712) 252-6956<br />
www.kletschkeinvest.com<br />
4601 Singing Hills Blvd, Sioux City, IA 51106 | 712-274-6622<br />
VernEideSiouxCity.com<br />
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated<br />
Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com
SBDC<br />
Taking Care of Business<br />
By Todd Rausch<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 29<br />
Calculating Your Startup Costs<br />
The key to a successful business is preparation.<br />
Before your business opens its doors, you’ll<br />
have bills to pay. Understanding your expenses<br />
will help you launch successfully. Calculate your<br />
business startup costs before you launch.<br />
Calculating startup costs helps you:<br />
• Estimate profits<br />
• Conduct a break-even analysis<br />
• Secure loans<br />
• Attract investors<br />
• Save money with tax deductions<br />
• Identify your startup expenses<br />
Most businesses fall into one of three categories:<br />
brick-and-mortar businesses, online businesses, and<br />
service providers. You’ll face different startup expenses<br />
depending on your business type. There are common<br />
startup costs you’re likely to have no matter what business<br />
category you choose. Look through the following list, and<br />
make sure to add any other expenses that are unique to<br />
your business:<br />
Common startup costs:<br />
• Office space<br />
• Equipment and supplies<br />
• Communications<br />
• Utilities<br />
• Licenses and permits<br />
• Insurance<br />
• Lawyer and accountant<br />
• Inventory<br />
• Employee salaries<br />
• Advertising and marketing<br />
• Market research<br />
• Printed marketing materials<br />
• Making a website<br />
Estimate how much your expenses will cost. Once<br />
you have your list of expenses, you can estimate<br />
how much they will actually cost. This process will be<br />
different for each expense you have. Some expenses<br />
will have well-defined costs — permits and licenses<br />
tend to have clear, published costs. You might have to<br />
estimate other costs that are less certain, like employee<br />
salaries. Look online and talk directly to mentors, vendors,<br />
and service providers to see what similar companies pay<br />
for expenses.<br />
Add up your expenses for a full financial picture. Once<br />
you’ve identified your business expenses and how much<br />
they’ll cost, you should organize your expenses into onetime<br />
expenses and monthly expenses. One-time expenses<br />
are the initial costs needed to start the business. Buying<br />
major equipment, hiring a logo designer, and paying for<br />
permits, licenses, and fees are generally considered to<br />
be one-time expenses. You can typically deduct one-time<br />
expenses for tax purposes, which can save you money on<br />
the amount of taxes you’ll owe. Make sure to keep track of<br />
your expenses and talk to your accountant when it’s time<br />
to file your taxes.<br />
Monthly expenses typically include things like salaries, rent,<br />
and utility bills. You’ll want to count at least one year of<br />
monthly expenses, but counting five years is ideal. Add up<br />
your one-time and monthly expenses to get a good picture<br />
of how much capital you’ll need and when you’ll need it.<br />
Use your startup cost calculations to get startup<br />
funding. It’s a good idea to create a formal report of your<br />
expected startup costs. You want it in a format that’s clear<br />
and easy to understand. Investors and lenders compare<br />
expected costs to projected revenue and determine the<br />
potential for your business to profit.<br />
The SBDC is federally and state funded with the sole purpose<br />
of helping small businesses to succeed! Our entire purpose<br />
is to help you move your business forward.<br />
Todd Rausch, Regional Director for the Small Business<br />
Development Center at Western Iowa Tech Community College.<br />
712-274-6454 | Todd.rausch@witcc.edu
expand | DO MORE /30<br />
Leading the Way<br />
Leadership Siouxland<br />
By Peggy Smith<br />
It’s a World of Great Opportunity<br />
T<br />
his is a quote from Andrew Carnegie, and it<br />
focuses on the importance of being visionary<br />
– looking forward not with trepidation, but with<br />
hope, courage, and enthusiasm. The world around<br />
us can seem to be spinning out of control, and it is easy<br />
to feel helpless and discouraged. Leading in these times<br />
can be challenging at best, and without appropriate<br />
leadership skills, it can be a tough road.<br />
I have been doing some research on what are the most<br />
important skills a leader needs to develop and implement,<br />
especially when in difficult situations. It wasn’t a surprise<br />
to read that communication is vital. Communication<br />
needs to be frequent, clear, and concise, and the person<br />
communicating needs to ensure that the recipient heard<br />
the message correctly. I can’t assume that you understood<br />
my message unless I ask for feedback. Another item that<br />
is so important is to ensure that you are supporting your<br />
team and that they truly feel that support. Empathy and<br />
compassion towards others (and towards yourself) are<br />
also a part of leadership that should not be neglected.<br />
Self-care as a leader is essential. If I don’t take the time to<br />
re-energize, I cannot expect my people to do so either.<br />
Expressing gratitude is also critical. A simple thank you,<br />
a recognition of work well done, and a small token of<br />
appreciation goes a long way. It is also important to offer<br />
opportunities for your people to hear from, and learn<br />
from, other leaders. So is having a group of colleagues<br />
that you can bounce ideas and problems off of is very<br />
helpful for continued growth and self-development.<br />
The participants in the current Leadership Siouxland class<br />
have had the opportunity to hear from many great leaders<br />
in our community. Sioux City Police Chief Rex Mueller;<br />
Iowa Director of Economic Development Debi Durham;<br />
Julian Lee, DBA, MHA of Siouxland Community Health<br />
Center; and Heidi Kammer-Hodge MSW of Briar Cliff<br />
University are just some of the great leaders who shared<br />
”<br />
their insights, experiences, and wisdom with the group.<br />
These interactions as well as the interactions with other<br />
class members are vital in helping people alter their<br />
perspective, find their voice, and their passion, and gain<br />
the courage to pursue it. Learning about our community<br />
– what is great, what is lacking, what are the met and the<br />
unmet needs – is always a great journey. This year, our<br />
class is teaming up with several different organizations<br />
to complete projects that will positively impact our<br />
community. The process of working together as a team<br />
to choose a need that speaks to the group’s combined<br />
passions, then working together to determine the<br />
project’s scope and goals, and then actually completing<br />
the project and measuring the achieved results is a<br />
wonderful experience for each team member.<br />
“The world of great opportunity is available now,<br />
as it has always been, only for those with great vision.<br />
– Andrew Carnegie<br />
Applications are now being accepted<br />
for the 2024 - 2025 class.<br />
If you are interested in being part of our next<br />
Leadership Siouxland class, submit your application!<br />
Applications are accepted through August, but class<br />
size is limited so please apply now. You won’t regret<br />
taking advantage of this great leadership opportunity.<br />
The mission of Leadership Siouxland is to develop diverse,<br />
passionate leaders who positively impact our community<br />
for today and tomorrow. Leadership Siouxland began in<br />
1984 and is proud of the over 1200 graduates who make<br />
positive differences each and every day. To learn more,<br />
contact Peggy Smith, Executive Director, at 712-898-8594<br />
or email 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 />
EXPAND | DO MORE /31<br />
Experience Downtown like a VIP!<br />
H<br />
ey downtown residents and<br />
employees…Downtown Partners<br />
has some exclusive discounts<br />
just for you to enjoy at a few of<br />
our favorite downtown spots!<br />
Designed for those who live and work in downtown<br />
Sioux City, the Downtown VIP program gives you<br />
access to a special VIP card that unlocks a variety of<br />
deals and specials. Cash in on anything from 10% off<br />
your favorite specialized brew, to yoga packages,<br />
and yummy fresh-squeezed lemonade. This program<br />
gives you a chance to enjoy your favorite tried and<br />
true, or something new, all while supporting local<br />
businesses.<br />
How can you get your very own VIP card? If you live<br />
or work downtown, ask your employer or building<br />
representative to get in touch with us at info@<br />
downtownsiouxcity with a full list of employees and/<br />
or residents on company letterhead. You can also<br />
stop by our office at 1119 4th Street, Suite 104, with<br />
employer identification or proof of residency.<br />
Head to<br />
downtownsiouxcity.com/vip<br />
for a full list of<br />
participating businesses<br />
and specials.<br />
Stay in the loop with everything happening in<br />
Downtown Sioux City and learn more about our local<br />
businesses by heading to our website, signing up for<br />
our weekly event list, and following us on social media.<br />
Contributed by Downtown Partners, a non-profit organization<br />
that works with downtown stakeholders to create a vibrant,<br />
expanding downtown. To learn more about Downtown<br />
Partners and stay up-to-date with downtown projects and<br />
events, visit downtownsiouxcity.com<br />
If you are a downtown business, we’d love to add you<br />
to the VIP program! Participating doesn’t cost your<br />
business a dime and helps bring more awareness<br />
to your business. If interested, please send your<br />
business name and the special you would like to offer<br />
to us by email or call our office at (712) 252-0014. Be<br />
sure to make all staff members aware of your special<br />
and give an image of the VIP card.
So beautiful,<br />
you may want to design your home around it.<br />
712.252.4431<br />
siouxcitydoor.com<br />
2500 Dace Ave., Sioux City, IA 51106<br />
Overhead Door Co. of Sioux City <br />
The industry leader for over 100 years, Overhead Door garage<br />
door systems add beauty distinction and value to any home.
Council<br />
Connection<br />
By Alex Watters<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 33<br />
I<br />
Decision Making 101: Get the Full Story<br />
n this fast-paced world where attention spans are shorter, and everyone seems endlessly busy, it can be difficult to<br />
ask people to gather information before rushing to judgment. However, this dilemma becomes more frustrating<br />
when an elected official tries to explain the complex rationale behind unpopular decisions.<br />
For example, the people of Sioux City are fired up about the prospect of a roundabout being built at one of our<br />
intersections. I took some time to attend the public meeting and visit with residents in that neighborhood to hear<br />
their thoughts on the upcoming project. Before the public meeting, I had already been contacted by people in that area who<br />
thought the project was too expensive and money should be spent elsewhere in the city. In addition to the $1.7 million price<br />
tag referenced, many were frustrated with the proposal that they use a provided golf cart to get to and from their home since<br />
their road would be closed during construction. I figured I wouldn’t be welcomed to the meeting with open arms.<br />
Neighbors immediately started lining up to voice their displeasure with the proposed intersection improvement. I was told that<br />
there wasn’t any traffic that would warrant this, that nobody in our community wants roundabouts, and that it was a waste of<br />
taxpayer dollars. Since Woodbury County was taking the lead on this project, and the city was merely splitting some of the cost<br />
for this improvement, I wasn’t as knowledgeable about the subject as I probably should have been when entering that room.<br />
However, I listened and promised to investigate the justification for such a thing.<br />
At first glance, I, too, was surprised that the roundabout<br />
installation would cost more than 1.7 million dollars and agreed<br />
with homeowners that there certainly didn’t seem to be enough<br />
traffic in that area to warrant such an improvement. After<br />
discussing the project with City staff, here is some context that<br />
I think was missing from the headlines of that public meeting:<br />
• The $1.8 million estimate for the project included the<br />
paving and utilities for more than 1/3 of a mile of Elk Creek<br />
Road and the roundabout improvements. The roundabout<br />
portion costs approximately $150,000 of the total project.<br />
• The use of golf carts was originally proposed to avoid<br />
damaging a drainage area on a homeowner’s property;<br />
however, City staff is working on securing access for a<br />
temporary roadway to homes during construction.<br />
• The addition of the Elk Creek subdivision will add 143<br />
homes, at complete build-out, to that area and the paving<br />
of Elk Creek Road will likely result in more development<br />
of that area. Therefore, while current traffic may not justify<br />
increased safety controls and improved traffic operation at<br />
that intersection, improvements in the future would surely<br />
be necessary. And if we anticipate needing changes in the<br />
future, I would rather make those improvements while the<br />
road connected to it is being paved and before dozens<br />
more homeowners are traveling through that intersection.<br />
• Finally, this intersection is unique in that it has five<br />
different legs. Therefore, a lighted intersection would not<br />
address or improve access to the additional street.<br />
Change isn’t always easy, but sometimes it’s necessary.<br />
I understand we don’t currently have any roundabouts<br />
in Sioux City. Still, communities throughout our region<br />
and countries across the globe use roundabouts and<br />
have found them safer than traditional intersections with<br />
stop lights. They require less upkeep than stoplights and<br />
aren’t susceptible to outages or regular replacements.<br />
If serving the people of Sioux City has taught me<br />
anything, it is that there is often more to the story than<br />
just the headline. If we take a moment to be curious<br />
rather than critical and listen just as much as we speak,<br />
I’m confident we can work together to build a better<br />
future. Just know that I’m not judging you if you get<br />
stuck driving around the roundabout more than once.<br />
We are all learning, and we are all doing this together.<br />
Alex Watters, City Council of Sioux City<br />
awatters@sioux-city.org
Spring Cleaning: Which Documents to Keep<br />
(and When to Toss)<br />
If you hang on to every receipt and piece of junk mail sent your way for fear you may need it<br />
later, consider this your wakeup call. It’s absolutely not necessary to keep all of your financial<br />
documents forever. In fact, clearing out the clutter created by stacks of paperwork will likely<br />
make you feel better and work smarter.<br />
Here’s a guide on what financial paperwork to keep – and for how long – and what to<br />
throw away:<br />
TOSS THESE ITEMS TODAY:<br />
Most junk mail can go straight to the dumpster or recycling bin after being shredded. This<br />
includes solicitations for credit cards, home, life and auto insurance plans, etc. The same<br />
goes for all of the marketing materials inside credit card and financial institution statements.<br />
KEEP FOR A MONTH:<br />
It’s a good idea to hang on to ATM receipts and other receipts as long as you don’t have plans<br />
to return the item, or need the receipt for a rebate or warranty, for a month or two. Exceptions<br />
would be for big-ticket items such as electronics, appliances, computers, and anything you<br />
want to deduct from your taxes, including business meals and equipment used to do your job if<br />
you are self-employed.
TOSS AFTER A YEAR (AND AFTER YOUR TAXES ARE FILED):<br />
There are some things that need to be kept in your files for a year, or at least until end-of-year<br />
consolidation statements arrive in your email or through the mail. These include:<br />
• Cell phone<br />
• Cable, telephone, internet and other streaming service statements (unless you’re deducting<br />
them for work or home office-related expenses)<br />
• Brokerage statements<br />
• Credit card bills<br />
• Pay stubs<br />
• Social Security statements<br />
• Utility bills<br />
• Statements from financial institutions<br />
PRO TIP: Go paperless and sign up for eStatements, and you can access your transactions and<br />
financial statements anytime. Best of all, you won’t have to worry about the clutter!<br />
THROW AWAY AFTER SEVEN YEARS:<br />
Think about this list as the items you should keep in files inside a cabinet for safekeeping for<br />
seven years or when you won’t need them any longer for tax purposes.<br />
• Child-care records<br />
• Flexible-spending account documentation<br />
• 401(k) and other retirement plan year-end statements<br />
• RA contributions<br />
• Purchase records for investments<br />
• Records of charitable donations<br />
• Records on houses you’ve sold<br />
• Tax returns along with the documentation used to prepare them<br />
• Correspondence from the IRS<br />
KEEP THESE FOR AS LONG AS YOU OWN THE ASSET:<br />
It’s important to keep some paperwork for as long as you own the item or property.<br />
These include:<br />
• Titles<br />
• Warranties<br />
• Insurance policies<br />
• Receipts for important purchases such as art, technology, antiques, jewelry;<br />
• Receipts for home renovations or investments made to your home or other property.
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KEEP THESE ITEMS FOREVER:<br />
The documents you need to hold on to for your lifetime should be stored in a fire-proof safe or<br />
safe-deposit box, with a second copy in another safe place that’s not inside your home or home<br />
office. These include:<br />
• Adoption papers<br />
• Appraisals<br />
• Birth certificates<br />
• Citizenship documents<br />
• Custody agreements<br />
• Deeds<br />
• Divorce or annulment papers<br />
• Financial aid documents<br />
• List of credit card numbers, bank and brokerage statements, insurance policies, passwords<br />
and contact information, including email and phone numbers.<br />
• List of important contacts, including your lawyer, accountant, physician and relatives.<br />
• Military records<br />
• Powers of attorney<br />
• Stock certificates<br />
• Wills and living wills<br />
A WORD ON SAFELY TOSSING OUT DOCUMENTS:<br />
For anything that might contain your personal information, use a shredder. A good crosscut<br />
shredder can be purchased for less than $100 and using one will make it nearly impossible for<br />
thieves to steal your information. That’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.<br />
ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br />
Robin Beck is the Branch Manager and Ag Services Officer at Security<br />
National Bank’s location in Moville, Iowa. She is experienced in a<br />
wide range of financial services including ag and commercial lending,<br />
account opening, customer service, staff management.<br />
SNBonline.com<br />
Member FDIC
EXPAND | GIVE MORE / 37<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.
Inclusive<br />
PEEK<br />
Elizabeth<br />
Alcalá<br />
ELIz<br />
A<br />
What challenges have you experienced in Siouxland?<br />
I am an avid reader, and one of my favorite books is by Pam Muñoz Ryan. The story is about a young<br />
girl who is forced to flee her country and struggles to adjust to her new home. There is a part in the<br />
story where Esperanza describes the segregation between cultures. Down one street, she finds<br />
comfort in Mexican stores, food, and people; on the next street, she feels strange because nothing<br />
reminds her of home. Sioux City feels to be this way despite the many cultures and ethnicities that are<br />
here. I am a person who likes to branch out and learn about new cultures and meet new people, but I feel I am limited in doing<br />
that. Another big challenge I see, not just in Sioux City, is the lack of Mental Health information in other languages. In the Hispanic<br />
community, mental health has always been a big taboo. I wish we had a way of properly informing our diverse community.<br />
How has Siouxland been welcoming?<br />
Sioux City has been amazing at providing activities for our diverse community. Every year, it gets better and better. I have seen<br />
the Greek Fest, celebrations for the Latino community, and the Asian Festival in Riverside, which is so awesome!!! I love how our<br />
community, for the most part, is so open-minded in learning about new cultures.<br />
Sioux City has also been great at providing information and help to our diverse community. Again, it keeps getting better every year.<br />
What do you want the people of Siouxland to know?<br />
We live in a city bursting with diversity. I work at an elementary school, and here alone, we speak more than eight languages. If we were more<br />
inclusive and accepting of other cultures, we could become a much more impressive city. Just think of what all that diversity has to offer.<br />
EXPAND | Give more /39<br />
“ ”<br />
In Spanish<br />
Be so fiercely you that you inspire others to be themselves, too.<br />
– Samira Vivette<br />
¿Qué desafíos ha experimentado en Siouxland?<br />
Soy una ávida lectora y uno de mis libros favoritos es Esperanza Rising de Pam Muñoz Ryan. Cuenta la historia de una joven que se ve obligada a<br />
huir de su país y su lucha por adaptarse a su nuevo hogar. Hay una parte de la historia donde Esperanza describe la segregación entre culturas. En<br />
una calle encuentra consuelo con las tiendas, la comida y la gente mexicana, y en la siguiente calle, se siente extraña porque no hay nada que le<br />
recuerde a su hogar. Sioux City se siente así a pesar de las muchas culturas y etnias. Soy una persona a la que le gusta expandirse y aprender sobre<br />
nuevas culturas y conocer gente nueva, pero siento que estoy limitada para hacerlo.<br />
Otro gran desafío que veo, y no sólo en Sioux City, es la falta de información sobre salud mental en otros idiomas. En la comunidad hispana, la salud<br />
mental siempre ha sido un gran tabú. Ojalá tuviéramos una manera de informar adecuadamente a nuestra diversa comunida.<br />
BE t H<br />
¿Cómo ha sido la bienvenida de Siouxland?<br />
Sioux City ha sido increíble al brindar actividades para nuestra diversa comunidad. Cada año se pone mejor y mejor. He visto el festival griego, las<br />
celebraciones de la comunidad latina y el festival asiático en Riverside, ¡¡¡y eso es increíble!!! Me encanta cómo nuestra comunidad, en su mayor<br />
parte, tiene la mente tan abierta a la hora de aprender sobre nuevas culturas.<br />
Sioux City también ha sido excelente al brindar información y ayuda a nuestra diversa comunidad. Y nuevamente, sigue mejorando cada año.<br />
¿Qué quieres que sepa la gente de Siouxland?<br />
Que vivimos en una ciudad llena de diversidad. Trabajo en una escuela primaria y solo aquí se hablan más de 8 idiomas diferentes. Si fuéramos<br />
un poco más inclusivos y aceptáramos otras culturas, podríamos convertirnos en una ciudad mucho más impresionante. Basta pensar en lo que<br />
toda esa diversidad tiene para ofrecer.<br />
”<br />
“Sé tan ferozmente que inspires a otros a ser ellos mismos también.<br />
– Samira Vivette
EXPAND | Give more / 40<br />
Nonprofit spotlight<br />
Unityin the<br />
Community<br />
Want to join<br />
Stacie on a<br />
Facebook<br />
Spotlight?<br />
The mustard seed that initiated this<br />
organization was planted in Monique<br />
Scarlett’s heart after the world witnessed the<br />
slaying of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida<br />
in 2012. Monique sat at home, watching the news with<br />
the rest of the world, wondering how to keep this from<br />
happening in her community.<br />
“I sat crying in my recliner that night watching the news<br />
because I didn’t want to see that happening here. I<br />
wondered what we could do to be proactive. We needed<br />
to collaborate,” stated Monique. That collaboration started<br />
with a conversation, specifically with some people on the<br />
city council.<br />
“I spoke with past councilwoman Rhonda Capron, the<br />
Director of Human Rights Commission Karen Mackey,<br />
and former Chief of Police Doug Young. We had a<br />
good conversation, and they said they were on board<br />
with whatever was needed. I contacted some faith<br />
leaders in the community because I honestly believe<br />
the four components of unity in the community are<br />
love, hope, peace, and prayer. That’s what keeps us<br />
bonded together and in a spirit of unity,” said Monique.<br />
This seed was planted with the hope that this group<br />
of people, an organization, would be able to sit down<br />
and have candid conversations that are sometimes very<br />
uncomfortable; however, it is necessary to learn from one<br />
another. In 2016, Unity in the Community was established.<br />
“I’m so fortunate because I feel our organization is strong<br />
because of our police department and its contributions to<br />
our discussions. The strongest person is your leader,<br />
and then everything trickles down from there. Chief<br />
Rex Mueller started with us when he was a Sergeant<br />
and has continued since being promoted to Chief. That<br />
just really opened it up for true community policing and<br />
collaboration. Unity in the Community was just able to<br />
blossom and make connections,” stated Monique.<br />
Once people understood the mission statement of the<br />
organization and the meaning behind it, more people<br />
got on board and involved. Now, you hear the word<br />
unity not just locally but also nationally!<br />
“That’s what keeps us bonded together and in a spirit<br />
of unity. Our board would discuss a lot of topics. We<br />
felt so blessed that those discussions started here in<br />
Sioux City. Suddenly, people noticed and talked about<br />
it in Des Moines, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, and Omaha.<br />
It just began to grow, and we got calls from people<br />
in Kansas City and Colorado. People wanted to know<br />
what we were doing here in Sioux City and how Unity<br />
in the Community was truly bringing our community<br />
together,” said Monique.<br />
Monique believes that the organization’s board<br />
deserves good credit for its success. “If you have an<br />
effective board, then you have an effective organization<br />
and a great team,” stated Monique, the Founder and<br />
President of the organization.<br />
“Margarite Reinert is the Vice President and a specialist<br />
in social work. She identifies and assists with the<br />
mental health issues we face. She recognizes the racial<br />
disparities and understands being a product of the<br />
world, and of the city, and being raised here. She’s just<br />
“I honestly believe the four components of unity in the community are love, hope,<br />
peace, and prayer. That’s what keeps us bonded together and in a spirit of unity.<br />
– Monique Scarlett
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Better Together<br />
a true gem. She brings energy to everything. When<br />
we plan our annual block parties, that is her baby, she<br />
takes it up to a whole new level with interaction and<br />
collaboration,” stated Monique.<br />
Other members of the board include Secretary Linda<br />
Steele, Special Services Director at Dakota Valley,<br />
who brings in the educational piece of the puzzle, not<br />
only from the expertise in her field but also from the<br />
students’ perspectives; Treasurer Erin Cron, a Sioux<br />
City school counselor and is also hands-on in her<br />
community with the church and the school district;<br />
Marketing Director Jay Rhodes who taught at Briar<br />
Cliff University.<br />
“Jay has lived and breathed the message that we’re<br />
sending. As a young man growing up, there were not<br />
as many positive interactions with law enforcement. I<br />
think that being a part of the board, he has grown and<br />
developed, and he appreciated hearing from the other<br />
side, so there’s respect on both sides,” said Monique.<br />
This year, for the Youth for Unity event, the organization<br />
targets middle school, high school, and college<br />
students. “We want them to come together and start<br />
building healthy relationships and collaborations with<br />
local law enforcement early. We want to help them<br />
see at an early age that just because, perhaps, our<br />
grandparents did not have a good relationship with<br />
law enforcement doesn’t mean that WE, Generation Z,<br />
can’t,” stated Monique.<br />
In addition to the monthly meetings, the<br />
organization holds an annual block party and a<br />
Youth for Unity event. This year’s block party will<br />
be held Saturday, June 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at<br />
Cook Park. The Youth for Unity event will be held<br />
Saturday, April 20, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., at the<br />
Boys and Girls Club, 823 Pearl Street, Sioux City, IA<br />
51101. Lunch will be provided.<br />
This year’s Youth for Unity event was a hope and<br />
vision from Vice President Margarite Reinert. “She<br />
said we’ve just got to get to the YOUTH. Once<br />
Leadership Siouxland awarded us an opportunity to put<br />
our organization out there on a bigger page, that made<br />
a big difference, and we were able to make this happen.<br />
I believe that is why we’ve found success here in our<br />
community. You hear it at our city council meetings where<br />
our mayor has given the police department accolades.<br />
‘Mirror our police department and watch them and what<br />
they are doing.’ You have to be very intentional if you<br />
want to understand your community. Your leaders and<br />
those that hold government offices should reflect what<br />
your community looks like; then you know you’re hearing<br />
everyone’s voice and perspective,” replied Monique. Unity<br />
in the Community is an organization that is alive and well<br />
and doing great things in this community.<br />
Follow on Facebook @unityinthecommunitysiouxcity<br />
Donations can be sent to Unity in the Community<br />
PO Box 5154, Sioux City, Iowa 51102.<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 | Give more / 42<br />
Behind the<br />
SHIELD<br />
Sandra Mueller<br />
and<br />
Jennifer Braunschweig<br />
The life of a law enforcement officer is one of service. It’s complicated, challenging, and even self-sacrificing. We will<br />
never fully understand what it would be like to stand in their shoes. Not even their spouses can fully comprehend their<br />
lived experiences and complex emotions. But in talking with Sandra Mueller and Jennifer Braunschweig, two wives of<br />
local law enforcement officers, we can expand our empathy and demonstrate greater support for area law enforcement.<br />
Jennifer: While dating my husband in high school, he<br />
mentioned that he planned to be a police officer. We had<br />
an argument about it because it was such a dangerous<br />
profession. At that time, I was focused on the physical danger,<br />
not even considering the mental toll it would take. I was not<br />
prepared for the reality of that. I was not equipped to have the<br />
difficult discussions around his experiences and how to cope<br />
with the emotions he would go through.<br />
I read a book entitled I love a cop when we were first married<br />
that I’d recommend to any law enforcement spouse. It helped<br />
me better understand what they go through. They are paid<br />
to be in charge, and everyone expects them to solve issues.<br />
As wives, sometimes we just want them to listen and be a<br />
sounding board, yet they want to fix things. That’s what they<br />
are trained to do. When the roles are flipped, and they are<br />
talking, we don’t always have an answer, but we make sure we<br />
are always available to listen and show our appreciation for all<br />
they do. That is the biggest takeaway for the community - we<br />
just don’t understand what they’ve gone through, but what we<br />
can do is offer love and encouragement to their daily sacrifice<br />
of protecting and serving.<br />
Sandra: I always ask about his day. I’ve learned from his<br />
responses that sometimes he leaves some things unsaid,<br />
and I don’t push. It is not because he’s trying to be hurtful or<br />
keep things from me. Sometimes, he just needs to process<br />
the events of his day before he shares them with me. I would<br />
encourage new law enforcement spouses to ask questions<br />
and, together, figure out a system that will work best for<br />
their families. What works for us may not work for others.<br />
Our spouses see difficult things. When they talk about it,<br />
we can’t begin to fully understand their experience. They<br />
lived it with all their senses. It can be intense. Sometimes,<br />
I don’t know what to say but can listen. I can relate, yet I<br />
cannot relate. I show empathy but feel the frustration of not<br />
knowing if what I am saying is exactly the best thing to say<br />
at that moment. It can be difficult to hide my emotions, but<br />
often, I try to keep them to myself because I do not want to<br />
add to his stress.<br />
Moment of Reflection from the Editor:<br />
• Many probably don’t realize the responsibility that<br />
falls on the shoulders of law enforcement spouses.<br />
We may not wear the badge, but we certainly<br />
are walking this line with them. Leaning on other<br />
spouses is a comfort, but knowing that our spouses<br />
are supported and respected would provide a muchneeded<br />
peace of mind.<br />
• Spouses are committed to being a source of<br />
support for their spouses. However, the nature<br />
of the job has changed drastically, and the<br />
scope of danger has increased significantly.<br />
Spouses must balance showing support and<br />
managing their emotions. The stress of the job<br />
can take its toll on the family.<br />
Jennifer: The one thing I say a lot to him is, “You can’t<br />
do it all. You can’t fix it all.” Even though he goes above<br />
and beyond, and at times, to a fault. I also remind him<br />
that someone didn’t just wake up and decide to commit a<br />
crime. They deal with people when they are at their worst.<br />
They may not stay that way, but that is where they were<br />
at that moment. It helped that I did ride-alongs with my<br />
husband early on in his career, and he could explain to<br />
me what he was doing and why. I was able to understand<br />
his job better and see how careful he is when he’s on<br />
Sandra Mueller (on the left) and Jennifer Braunschweig.
duty. But now, in this climate, I am worried. There are many<br />
more calls with mental illness accompanied with addiction<br />
while the police force is understaffed. Our officers need our<br />
respect and support.<br />
Sandra: We want people to remember that although our<br />
husbands wear the uniform, they are people first. And, yes,<br />
they may be having an encounter with law enforcement,<br />
but that doesn’t mean that law enforcement officers are<br />
bad people. Again, they are enforcing the laws. The entire<br />
profession has been painted with a broad brush. The actions<br />
of one suddenly changed the way people viewed all officers,<br />
and it was unfair and untrue. The narrative has changed, and<br />
there is this anti-police sentiment, which makes their job<br />
more dangerous. I think we are lucky in Sioux City that our<br />
community is more supportive than other communities. You<br />
shouldn’t have a problem with them if you are following the<br />
law. Unfortunately, sometimes, people would rather blame<br />
the cop than take personal responsibility for their actions.<br />
Now, if you don’t like a law, work with your legislators to<br />
make a change. But our officers are law enforcement. They<br />
are simply enforcing the laws. They just want to do their<br />
jobs, serve the community, and make it home safe to see<br />
their family at the end of the day. I feel like people forget<br />
that. It takes a special kind of person to do this job. They are<br />
committed to us and our safety. It is hard work. Regardless<br />
of how they are treated, they still work to protect all of us.<br />
Who else would do that?<br />
Jennifer: Every single thing they do, they have to be<br />
prepared for the worst. A simple traffic stop could cost them<br />
their life. It is one of the most dangerous things they do. Can<br />
you imagine that?<br />
Sandra: Can you imagine that somebody would not value<br />
another person’s life, that they would rather kill someone<br />
than get a ticket or get arrested? Officers arrest or issue<br />
citations for a reason, whether it is speeding, running<br />
a stop sign, warrants, or drug or alcohol-related. When<br />
I see a patrol car with a car pulled over, I say a prayer for<br />
that officer’s safety. There is no such thing as a routine stop<br />
anymore. Their jobs have become increasingly dangerous.<br />
The sight of a police car causes some people to quickly tap<br />
their brakes or make sure they come to a complete stop. For<br />
many, it is just another cop trying to meet their quota. They<br />
see a cop whose salary they pay. They see a pig, as so many<br />
disrespectful people refer to them. They view the police as<br />
the enemy. They blame the police for the consequences of<br />
their poor choices.<br />
For me and many other spouses, the person in that patrol<br />
car is our life. They are the other half of our hearts. They are<br />
the people we love most in this world. They are a husband<br />
or wife, father or mother, son or daughter. Every time I<br />
drive by a police car, especially when they have someone<br />
pulled over, I don’t just see a cop. I see a human being who<br />
chooses every day to show up for a thankless job in a world<br />
that continues to spiral further into chaos. I see a person<br />
who most likely hugged or kissed their loved ones on the<br />
way out the door, not knowing if they will return safely to<br />
them. I see someone who shoulders so much responsibility<br />
and has pledged to protect those who often hate them or<br />
would not care if their lives ended today. Yet, they put that<br />
badge and uniform on every day. When I see a patrol car,<br />
I see something most people don’t see. I see the person.<br />
I see a hero. I see the heart behind the badge and pray<br />
that they get home safely at the end of their shift. I wish<br />
people could see what I see.<br />
Jennifer: It is a really dangerous job, and they are often<br />
judged and disrespected. But they choose to do it, and they<br />
come back to it every day. I just want to hear the sound of<br />
Velcro at the end of his shift. The sound of him taking off his<br />
bulletproof vest. Then, I can breathe knowing he is home safe.<br />
My husband has mentioned to me many times the level of<br />
responsibility he feels he owes the community. He feels that<br />
his role is a privilege, and I see his devotion to all of us.<br />
I want to use this positive platform and share with<br />
everyone how meaningful the Thank You Law Enforcement<br />
billboards are to our law enforcement and their families. I<br />
always get emotional when I drive by one.<br />
Sandra: While we all get to sleep safely in our beds at<br />
night, these men and women deal with difficult and lifethreatening<br />
events we are not even aware of. They are the<br />
line between us and potential harm. They are committed to<br />
doing their job and doing it well. They love their jobs and<br />
their community. The narrative must change. The hate and<br />
divide have to end. We are fortunate in this community, but<br />
there is still work to be done. Our faith and trust in their<br />
training help ease our minds. We want to thank Unity in the<br />
Community for helping to provide a bridge between law<br />
enforcement and the community. We want to encourage<br />
everyone to get involved.<br />
Events the Policy Department does<br />
within the Community:<br />
Neighborhood meetings<br />
Annual Town Hall meetings<br />
Cones and Pops with a Cop<br />
Ice Cream Cart - they take out into the community<br />
High-five Fridays - officers go to elementary schools<br />
and high-five kids as they come in<br />
Bike Rodeos - officers teach bicycle safety<br />
National Night Out - officers go to various locations to<br />
meet the public<br />
Unity in the Community Annual Block Party<br />
Unity in the Community Annual Forum<br />
Career Fairs at various College campuses<br />
Citizen’s Academy<br />
Bicycle Patrol on trails and underserved neighborhoods<br />
Youth Academy<br />
Junior Youth Academy<br />
Shop with a Cop at Christmas<br />
Police Trading Cards<br />
Police Museum Tours<br />
Multicultural Fairs<br />
Crime Prevention Presentations<br />
And many, many more<br />
Interviewed by Stacie Anderson and Angela Osdoba Ericson.<br />
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<strong>Expand</strong> | Give more / 44<br />
CONGRATULATIONS<br />
TO MARY STERK<br />
FORBES AWARD-WINNER FOR SEVEN YEARS RUNNING<br />
INCLUDING FORBES BEST-IN-STATE WEALTH ADVISORS,<br />
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BEST-IN-STATE, #1 IN SOUTH DAKOTA<br />
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Hot<br />
Air<br />
By Tony Michaels<br />
EXPAND | GIVE MORE /45<br />
Motivational Mojo<br />
I<br />
am a sucker for motivational artwork.<br />
For more than a decade in my office at work,<br />
I had a silhouette of a Husker football player<br />
with the heading DETERMINATION. Below it read<br />
something like “Out-hustle others who don’t have your<br />
work ethic,” or perhaps it read, “We used to be really good<br />
for three decades and we lost our way.” I know it was a<br />
good conversation starter and now I have no idea where it<br />
is located. I’m sure it’s somewhere next to a cassette tape of<br />
the Cocktail soundtrack and an academic award I received<br />
my first year of college before I got distracted. Oh, no! I lost<br />
my determination. I was out-hustled by others. Or were they<br />
just more organized?<br />
For the past few weeks, the platform of LinkedIn put me<br />
in touch with professionals who have made a massive<br />
career to care for a loved one. A guy I never met reached<br />
out to me to talk about the transition from a hot-air maker<br />
like me, on-air personality, to that of a caregiver for his son<br />
who happens to have autism like my son. I had a heartfelt<br />
conversation with my good friend in Nashville who left her<br />
award-winning business to look after her mother. Both<br />
individuals had no idea where life would take them when<br />
they started on their career track. For me, that was WAY<br />
back when I had glorious flowing locks of hair like Patrick<br />
Swayze in Roadhouse. It got me thinking. If you were to walk<br />
into the den of these individuals what motivational artwork<br />
would be on the wall? I pondered this question and went<br />
about my tasks at hand.<br />
My journey has led me to a quieter life rooted in reflection and<br />
caregiving. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if it was in my wheelhouse.<br />
Then, I looked at Trey. If he dares to do uncomfortable<br />
activities and ends up with a grin, I can find the fortitude<br />
to become something else. I may not introduce a big-time<br />
musical act on stage anytime soon, but I am the wingman for<br />
the loudest person in this office.<br />
Determination.<br />
No artwork needed.<br />
By Tony “Michaels” Michalski, he used to be on the radio daily.<br />
Now, you can find him at doctor’s offices. He’s the author of: Tacos<br />
and Beer Atmosphere” and founder of www.baldandwitty.com<br />
The very next day, I took my son to a busy doctor’s office<br />
filled with commotion and loud noises; his kryptonite. We<br />
mustered through it and with my 20-year-old highly active<br />
and loud. The motivational header popped into my brain<br />
“Disruptive – When an ordinary situation needs a frontman<br />
like Axl Rose’s lungs and energy.” We got through the<br />
visit. “Perseverance – you felt like crying but now it’s over.<br />
Breathe.”<br />
Then, Trey surprised me. Kind words from a nurse put a<br />
smile on his face. He began laughing and it looked as<br />
though he was having the best day ever at Disneyland and<br />
not just at the medical office on a Tuesday morning.<br />
It was then, I saw the sign. This was an actual piece of<br />
artwork and not one that just popped up in my imagination.<br />
“Journey – A bend in the road is not the end of the road –<br />
unless you fail to make the turn.”
Coming to Siouxland this Fall<br />
A world-class leadership experience you won’t want to miss.<br />
Stay tuned for all the details.<br />
VISIT<br />
or<br />
expand2more.com<br />
@expand2more<br />
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT ORPHEUMLIVE.COM
EXPAND | GIVE MORE / 47
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