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Formerly Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
Nicki<br />
Werner<br />
Creating Culture<br />
in Business &<br />
Community<br />
5 Factors<br />
That Make<br />
a Good<br />
Credit Score<br />
Want to Start<br />
a Business?<br />
5 Businesses<br />
to Consider<br />
<strong>Volume</strong> 6, <strong>Issue</strong> 3<br />
Do You Know<br />
How to Train for Your<br />
Body Type?
Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy<br />
bOOsT<br />
• Energy<br />
• Cognitive Function<br />
• Wellness<br />
• Longevity<br />
EnhanCE<br />
• Performance<br />
• Recovery<br />
• healing<br />
RELiEvE<br />
• Chronic Pain<br />
• inflammation<br />
Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy (mhBOT) is a non-invasive<br />
treatment that involves breathing concentrated oxygen in a<br />
pressurized chamber. mhBOT delivers oxygen under high air<br />
pressure, which helps the body take in more healing oxygen.<br />
This, in turn, allows for higher oxygen concentrations in the blood,<br />
plasma, and other body fluids. Oxygen-rich fluids travel through<br />
different organ systems, helping to repair damaged tissues,<br />
strengthen the immune system, and promote overall wellness.<br />
Patients have reported improvement in many acute and chronic<br />
conditions such as concussions, sports injuries, traumatic brain<br />
injury, Covid injury, fatigue, headaches, memory loss, and<br />
chronic pain.<br />
“Be well with THRIVE”<br />
(712) 870-2574<br />
819 Gordon Drive • Sioux City, IA
2019 2020 2021<br />
Formerly Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
2024 Winners<br />
Sponsored by<br />
2022 2023 2024<br />
Who Will Be Next????
<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 />
My search for this month’s cover person<br />
expanded beyond Sioux City to Jefferson,<br />
South Dakota. I’m thrilled to introduce you to<br />
Nicki Werner, the co-owner of Jefferson Beer<br />
Supply. Nicki has crafted a unique, laid-back<br />
atmosphere that’s perfect for unwinding with<br />
friends and family.<br />
I am truly inspired by Nicki’s commitment<br />
to fostering an inclusive culture for her<br />
employees and customers. She is making a<br />
tangible difference, not just in her business,<br />
but also in her community! Her values of<br />
people-first and family-friendly atmosphere<br />
are a breath of fresh air. Let’s all take a<br />
moment to slow down, be present, and find<br />
a little joy in Jefferson.<br />
Stacie<br />
How can we uplift others<br />
as we grow ourselves?<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 />
29<br />
30<br />
31<br />
33<br />
35<br />
give more<br />
43<br />
44-45<br />
46<br />
Table of Contents<br />
Ask the Therapist – Finding Our Joy<br />
Health is a Journey – Hope, A Different Lens<br />
Breath – Cultivating a Healing Breath<br />
Dare 2B Great – Train for Your Body Type<br />
Living Lumin – Sharing Stories<br />
Cover Story – Nicki Werner<br />
Small Business Spotlight – Best Day Ever Nutrition<br />
IWCI’s Business Feature – GroFin Aquatics<br />
SBDC – Taking Care of Business – Top 5 Businesses to Consider for a Startup in Sioux City<br />
Leadership Siouxland – Introducing 2023-2024 Leadership Siouxland Graduates<br />
Experience Downtown – Let’s Collaborate!<br />
Council Connection – Support What We Have and Remain Hopeful for More<br />
Siouxland Chamber – An Evening of Storytelling and Music with John Ondrasik<br />
Inclusive Peek – Faviola Arriola<br />
Nonprofit Spotlight – LifeServe Blood Center<br />
Hot Air – Perspective<br />
ON THE COVER: Nicki Werner | Photo Credit Stephanie Vaul
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 />
:<br />
ask the<br />
Therapist<br />
By Jackie Paulson<br />
I have a beautiful life and everything I could want, yet I am not fulfilled. It<br />
seems like something is missing. Often, at the end of the day, I feel empty and<br />
depressed, dreading the next day. How can I be more grateful for my life?<br />
Dear Reader,<br />
Thank you for your depth of vulnerability and transparency<br />
in sharing this question. You are not alone in this experience.<br />
Unfortunately, I believe if people are conscious of their<br />
own experience, we would find that this is not uncommon<br />
at all. We live in a culture that is driven by industry and<br />
productivity. This has evolved so much that our whole<br />
worldview and sense of self is based upon capital rather<br />
than care. Quantity is often valued over quality, in all<br />
aspects of our lives. Notice where this may exist in your life<br />
currently.<br />
It is perfectly ok to prioritize money and assets. Beauty,<br />
grandeur, and luxury are fun ways we get to experience<br />
life. I am holding a paradox here in that it isn’t so much<br />
about right or wrong in how you are living your life, but<br />
taking this as an opportunity to slow down and reflect on<br />
what is giving you life. Notice what in your life seems to be<br />
draining you of your life force and what in your life seems<br />
to nourish it.<br />
It is ingrained in our subconscious from childhood, since<br />
we are immersed in this culture, to understand that what<br />
we should want is a family with a white picket fence, a threecar<br />
garage, lots of money in the bank, and traveling on<br />
vacation while working endlessly to buy our kids the latest<br />
technology, clothes, and toys. If we have a lot of things,<br />
surely our life is abundant. And yes, perhaps it is. But<br />
we want to examine if having all of those things is really<br />
what brings us the most joy. Or is this consumption a<br />
hungry ghost birthed from our conditioning that has led<br />
us toward this moment now where we find ourselves<br />
mid-life and going - “I have arrived at where I thought<br />
was the destination that was to bring me happiness, but<br />
what I am finding is it isn’t that fulfilling at all.”<br />
This is a beautiful evolutionary moment. There is<br />
nothing wrong here and not to shame oneself for<br />
the experience of this dead-end moment. It’s a real<br />
opportunity, developmentally on point, by the way, that<br />
will give you the motivation to re-imagine and recreate<br />
your standards for joy, pleasure, and ease. Now is the<br />
time you get to confront yourself, get curious, and<br />
create the life that your soul truly desires. It may not<br />
mean that a lot of your life changes, by the way. It could<br />
just mean that what you prioritize investing your time,<br />
attention, and energy into shifts. It could also mean big<br />
life changes - like a job change, relationship growth,<br />
perhaps you reinvent yourself through hobbies, and<br />
slowing down to really savor what is already here.
The work that I do is mostly helping people reclaim an<br />
erotic life. Initially, people think of sex when they see that<br />
word, but EROS is much more than just what happens in<br />
the bedroom. It is a way of life and a pathway towards<br />
learning how to connect with your life force through<br />
knowing intimately our body’s yes and no’s, what is<br />
nourishing and what is depleting, and making choices<br />
from that place. It is also the energy that expands our<br />
capacity for pleasure. Because even if we are living in<br />
alignment with our values and soul’s desires, if we have<br />
experienced a lot of trauma, grief, or stress and our nervous<br />
system (body) isn’t capable of holding the charge of fullness<br />
in our lives, it can make it hard to receive it. Somatic work<br />
focused on pleasure and eroticism supports our ability to<br />
expand into the joy that is already here.<br />
Here is a quote from a writing authored by Audre Lorde<br />
where she speaks to this more clearly.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /9<br />
“Another important way in which the erotic connection functions is the open<br />
and fearless underlining of my capacity for joy, in the way my body stretches to music<br />
and opens into response, harkening to its deepest rhythms so every level upon which I<br />
sense also opens to the erotically satisfying experience whether it is dancing, building a<br />
bookcase, writing a poem, or examining an idea.<br />
That self-connection shared is a measure of the joy which I know myself<br />
to be capable of feeling, a reminder of my capacity for feeling. And that deep and<br />
irreplaceable knowledge of my capacity for joy comes to demand from all of my life that<br />
it be lived within the knowledge that such satisfaction is possible, and does not have to be<br />
called marriage, nor god, nor an afterlife.<br />
…..Our erotic knowledge empowers us, becomes a lens through which<br />
we scrutinize all aspects of our existence, forcing us to evaluate those aspects honestly<br />
in terms of their relative meaning within our lives. And this is a grave responsibility,<br />
projected from within each of us, not to settle for the convenient, the shoddy,<br />
the conventionally expected, nor the merely safe.<br />
– Audre Lorde<br />
I want to acknowledge the reality of other processes that<br />
can go into our difficulty receiving our lives, including<br />
collective and worldwide strife, mental or physical health<br />
issues, and other things. Ultimately it is always beneficial<br />
to find some support to help you reflect your own heart’s<br />
wisdom here on what may be contributing to the block<br />
of receptivity.<br />
Send Your<br />
Questions<br />
”<br />
If you are interested in learning more, don’t hesitate<br />
to reach out to me. I offer individual therapy and<br />
embodiment practices where I support people in learning<br />
how to not only be healthy functioning adults and grow<br />
out of oppressive systems inside of our bodies, minds,<br />
and hearts but also create more of a brave, pleasurable<br />
space 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 is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Registered 500 Hour Yoga Instructor. She has almost two decades of experience in the helping field. She<br />
specializes in working with those who identify as women, as well as couples both in individual + couples therapy, yoga + embodiment practices and women’s circles.<br />
Jackie offers a humanistic approach and her overall intention is to empower individuals to seek and connect into their own inner knowing. She believes that each<br />
person has an innate ability to empower themselves and journey through any experience with the right support.
EXPAND | BE MORE /10<br />
Health<br />
is a Journey<br />
By Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler<br />
Hope, a different lens<br />
A<br />
s a young child, I experienced many<br />
years of chronic illness. This experience<br />
led to many months home from school,<br />
hospitalizations, and setbacks; but also led<br />
me to resilience and hope. It took me 15<br />
years of hope-filled searching before I discovered<br />
herbal medicine and began my path of healing. I<br />
would never trade this childhood for another, as<br />
it created the foundation for how I experience the<br />
world and live today. Many people experience hope<br />
or a lack of it, today we will explore the best ways to<br />
cultivate it.<br />
Hope is described as a feeling of expectation and<br />
desire for a certain thing to happen. Why is hope<br />
shown to be so powerful? It can be a catalyst for<br />
change, a knowledge of healing in the future, and<br />
an internal direction only you can hold. It is faith in<br />
yourself, that you are on the right path, even if it<br />
may currently feel wrong. This is what some may call<br />
blind faith or trust in the unknown.<br />
Having worked as an herbal clinic practitioner for<br />
the past eight years, I have seen many types of<br />
ailments, illnesses, and people who display these<br />
conditions. When a client holds hope entwined with<br />
action, I am confident this client will find what they<br />
are looking for in order to fulfill that goal.<br />
According to psychologist Charlas Snyder, hope<br />
is a positive cognitive state based on a sense of<br />
successful goal-directed determination and planning<br />
to meet these goals. In his 1991 study, he recognized<br />
that the success of hope does not only stem from the<br />
ability to conceptualize a different outcome but also<br />
to put that thought into action and then have the<br />
resilience to see it through. He discusses the strength<br />
that comes from hope when it is comprised of these<br />
three components:<br />
• Goals – the conceptualization of goals.<br />
• Pathways – the capacity to develop strategies<br />
to reach goals.<br />
• Agency – the ability to initiate and sustain the<br />
motivation to utilize the strategies.
While it may be easy to discuss, hope is one of the<br />
hardest emotions to cultivate if you are without<br />
it. When hopelessness has set in you may also<br />
experience apathy, depression, and social isolation.<br />
Once in this state, it is difficult to climb out of that<br />
dark hole.<br />
The past few years have brought us increased<br />
isolation, higher social standards due to social<br />
media, and a sense of not much to live for due to<br />
increased costs of living, the destruction of the<br />
environment, and social unrest. Increasingly seen<br />
are the dramatically high rates of depression in<br />
young adults, especially women; in a 2023 study,<br />
34.3% of women ages 18-23 reported depression<br />
within their lifetime. This number has jumped from<br />
20.4% of women in 2017. These alarming rates are<br />
not only displayed in the U.S. but similar rates are<br />
found worldwide.<br />
What can we do when we are feeling<br />
hopeless? How do we slowly make<br />
our way back to hope?<br />
• Allow yourself grace. It may take time.<br />
• Connect with your body. Identify each of your<br />
five senses. Place your feet on the earth. Allow<br />
your senses to come alive.<br />
• Identify your support system. Do you have<br />
someone to talk to? Do you have someone to<br />
check on you?<br />
• Journal. <strong>Expand</strong> and Release your thoughts.<br />
• Exercise. Move your body.<br />
• Make space for grief.<br />
• Identify your feelings. Where do you feel this<br />
feeling in your body? (Stomach, Chest, Heart)<br />
What does it feel like? What triggered it?<br />
• Stay present. Identify when you are<br />
dissociating.<br />
• Seek professional help.<br />
• Congratulate yourself on any action.<br />
Connection with the earth is one of the best healers I<br />
know.<br />
Flower Essence Plant Medicine Support<br />
Flower Essences: this is a classification of<br />
energetic medicine. This is a great form of<br />
plant medicine to use, especially if you are<br />
on pharmaceuticals such as antidepressants<br />
(which teas and tinctures have the possibility<br />
of triggering unhealthy and possibly<br />
dangerous interactions). Because flower<br />
essences are energetic, they typically do not<br />
have any physical interaction with your body.<br />
They are great at being able to move emotions<br />
or helping to release stuck emotions and<br />
energetics.<br />
Here are some examples:<br />
Gorse Bach Flower Essence: support those<br />
who are experiencing hopeless depression.<br />
Elm Bach Flower Essence: for those who are<br />
feeling overwhelmed.<br />
Gentian Bach Flower Essences: for those who<br />
feel depressed after a setback in life.<br />
Mimulus Bach Flower Essence: useful for fears<br />
are anxiety which have a name (ex: I fear snakes).<br />
Aspen Bach Flower Essence: useful for vague<br />
fear or anxiety that does not have a name.<br />
If you are feeling depressed, less than hopeful, or<br />
isolated, know that you are not alone. We are here<br />
for you. If you would like more information on<br />
flower essences, visit the Flower Essence Society<br />
or floweressencesociety.org. If you or someone you<br />
know is experiencing a crisis or suicidal please call<br />
911 or 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /11<br />
Resources:<br />
What is Hope in Psychology? 27 Aug 2019 by Elaine Houston, B.Sc.<br />
https://positivepsychology.com/hope-therapy/<br />
U.S. Depression Rates Reach New Highs.Alvin Powell. Harvard Staff<br />
Writer. 15 Sept 2022<br />
https://news.gallup.com/poll/505745/depression-rates-reach-newhighs.aspx<br />
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline<br />
https://988lifeline.org/<br />
By Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler<br />
It is her goal to spread herbal knowledge to rural America in<br />
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 />
Breath<br />
By Erin Kuehl<br />
B<br />
reathing is one of the<br />
most vital functions<br />
we perform each day.<br />
But, when stress<br />
arises, our breathing<br />
patterns shift, leading to shallow<br />
breathing. These short, shallow<br />
breaths primarily engage<br />
the upper chest, which sets<br />
off a cascade of responses<br />
in the body that, when<br />
coupled with a sedentary lifestyle,<br />
wreak havoc on the mind and body.<br />
We are hard-wired to survive.<br />
Within us is the fight, flight, or freeze response that is designed to provide the adrenaline necessary for survival in lifethreatening<br />
situations.This amazing response to danger gives us a surge of energy to survive. The problem is we don’t always<br />
need be in that state, which is what happens when those breathing patterns remain shallow. One of the consequences<br />
of this physiological response is increased levels of cortisol. Chronic high cortisol has been shown to increase activity in<br />
the amygdala, a part of the brain in the limbic system (more on this later) as well as increased blood sugar, weight gain,<br />
suppressed immune system, increased inflammation, and digestive issues.<br />
On the other hand, deep, slow breaths engage the lower lobes of the lungs, activating the body’s parasympathetic system,<br />
which sends messages to the brain and body to calm and soothe, signaling that everything is under control, and we can<br />
relax, mitigating daily chronic stress<br />
The Brain and the Breath<br />
The amygdala, nestled in the limbic system of the<br />
brain, plays a pivotal role in emotional processing<br />
and regulation. It serves as an emotional gatekeeper<br />
for responses linked to survival instincts like fear<br />
and aggression, part of the fight or flight response.<br />
Importantly, the amygdala is also home to stored<br />
emotional memories, including those from traumatic<br />
experiences.<br />
Connected intricately with the body’s physiological<br />
responses, the amygdala can modulate behaviors such<br />
as breathing patterns. When we’re faced with stressors,<br />
even the little ones, and stored traumas, the amygdala<br />
can trigger alterations in breathing, ranging from shallow,<br />
rapid breaths to deep, calming ones. This modulation<br />
occurs partly through its connections with the diaphragm,<br />
the primary muscle involved in breathing located beneath<br />
the rib cage.<br />
These persistent emotional states, such as fear and anger,<br />
as well as stored trauma, can exacerbate these breathing<br />
patterns. Prolonged periods of inactivity, such as our<br />
sedentary lifestyle, can lead to the diaphragm adopting<br />
a contracted position, hindering the ability to engage in<br />
deep, relaxing breaths. This creates a complex relationship<br />
between emotional states, the amygdala, and physiological<br />
responses.
The Mind-Body Connection<br />
“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to<br />
”<br />
your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your<br />
breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.<br />
– Thich Nhat Hanh<br />
Dirgha Pranayama (Three-Part Breath): Dirgha<br />
pranayama involves consciously directing the breath<br />
into three distinct areas of the lungs: the lower abdomen,<br />
ribcage, and upper chest. This technique expands lung<br />
capacity and promotes relaxation, making it ideal for<br />
reversing shallow breathing patterns. First, inhalation<br />
expands the abdomen. After several breaths expanding<br />
the belly, let the inhale expand to the ribs. After several<br />
breaths into the abdomen and ribs, find an even deeper<br />
expansion into the upper chest. Belly, lungs, upper<br />
lungs - repeating for 3-5 minutes. Ensure the exhale is<br />
complete.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /13<br />
Comprehending how breath regulates the body’s systems allows<br />
us to use breath as a stress mitigation tool. Deep, long, slow<br />
breaths allow the body ample time to utilize oxygen efficiently<br />
and restore carbon dioxide levels. By incorporating practices<br />
such as pranayama (prana = breath yama = control) which involve<br />
pausing, holding, or extending the breath, we can enhance<br />
breath length and quality, touching cell receptor sites deep in the<br />
lungs that reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.<br />
Along with the ability to calm the nervous system, deep breathing<br />
has a multitude of physiological benefits, including increased<br />
mitochondrial energy, stem cell growth, reduced anxiety, lower<br />
blood pressure, enhanced endothelial growth factors, protection<br />
against DNA damage, and improved neuroplasticity - the<br />
rewiring of ingrained behavior patterns in the brain.<br />
Utilizing Pranayama Techniques: Amplify the benefits of breathing<br />
and deepen the mind-body connection.<br />
Step one in awareness of breathing is to close the mouth. All<br />
breathing should be in/out through the nose. Nasal breathing<br />
filters toxins, humidifies nasal passages, and enhances circulation.<br />
Breathing in/out through the nose simply rests awareness on that<br />
breath as the belly expands. Notice how the breath moves in the<br />
body and simply just become more aware of the breath.<br />
Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing): Nadi<br />
Shodhana balances the flow of energy in the body by<br />
alternating between the nostrils during inhalation and<br />
exhalation and finding breath retention at the top of<br />
inhale, and bottom of exhale. This practice calms the<br />
mind, reduces stress, and enhances respiratory function,<br />
making it effective for alleviating shallow breathing.<br />
Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breath): Bhramari pranayama<br />
involves producing a humming sound during exhalation,<br />
which soothes the nervous system and promotes<br />
relaxation. This practice calms the mind, reduces anxiety,<br />
and fosters inner peace, making it a valuable tool for<br />
combating shallow breathing. This tool is incredibly<br />
beneficial to calm the mind/body during physical duress.<br />
It should be noted that all breaths should occur in and<br />
out of the nose.<br />
Understanding and addressing shallow breathing<br />
patterns is essential for managing stress and optimizing<br />
overall well-being. By cultivating awareness of our<br />
breathing and implementing techniques to promote<br />
deep, intentional breathing, we can unlock the profound<br />
healing potential of this innate, physiological process.<br />
Check out a<br />
free breathwork tutorial<br />
by Certified Breathwork Facilitator<br />
Hali Benson of Sioux City.<br />
You can find it on<br />
Erin’s YouTube Channel:<br />
@erinkuehl8007.<br />
Erin Kuehl<br />
hello@evolvesiouxcity.com<br />
712-898-4286<br />
Since 2012, Erin has been the driving force behind<br />
Evolve Yoga and Wellness Center, a holistic healing hub<br />
in the heart of Historic 4th Street that integrates Yoga and<br />
mindfulness into transformative classes designed to nurture<br />
your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
eXPAND | BE MORE /14<br />
Dare 2BGreat<br />
By<br />
Cody<br />
Rininger<br />
TRAIN FOR YOUR BODY TYPE<br />
Back in May, we discussed the different body types and how to identify them. We will pick up where we left off and<br />
discuss how to train for each type.<br />
TRAINING FOR ENDOMORPH BODY TYPES<br />
For most endomorphs, the goal is to lose body fat and build a more fit physique. An endomorph<br />
may already be strong and athletic, but for those wanting to shift to a more mesomorphic physique,<br />
metabolic training and healthy nutrition will be key.<br />
Keep most training sessions focused on metabolic conditioning. You can do this by minimizing rest<br />
time, using circuits for resistance training sessions, and including plyometrics (as tolerated) in your<br />
sessions.<br />
Maximize calorie burn and improve metabolic efficiency by primarily using high-intensity metabolic<br />
training techniques. Consistent anaerobic and aerobic training will help endomorph bodies increase<br />
metabolic efficiency and boost the daily calorie burn for the individual. You will also benefit from<br />
increasing their daily non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) factor as much as possible, moving<br />
more during times of the day when you are not in the gym.<br />
Consume a high-protein diet with balanced carbs and fats while maintaining a slightly negative energy balance (aka calorie<br />
deficit). This strategy helps the client to maximize fat loss while still supporting, and even building, existing lean muscle mass.<br />
Diets containing daily protein of as much as 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight have been shown safe and effective for<br />
supporting existing muscle tissue during times of calorie restriction and weight loss. The remaining calories can come from<br />
whatever blend of carbs and fats the individual best tolerates. Contact me for more information on nutrition plans or getting a<br />
full body scan to support your goals and calorie burning requirements.<br />
TRAINING FOR MESOMORPH BODY TYPES<br />
A mesomorph may not be interested in changing their body type, but rather in pursuing a specific<br />
fitness goal or perhaps even gaining more muscle mass. Your fitness goals will help me decide which<br />
of the following adjustments I should make to your fitness and nutrition program to help you succeed!<br />
Mesomorphs already have a relatively efficient metabolism. They carry functional – if not athletic –<br />
muscle mass, and are essentially ready to take on whatever fitness goal they please. Eat specifically for<br />
fitness goals and activity. Increase or decrease daily calories to control body composition with positive,<br />
neutral, or negative energy balances as needed. Mesomorphs should consume anywhere between<br />
1.2 and 2.2 grams per kilogram body weight of protein, depending on the intensity of the exercise<br />
program, with remaining calories coming from a blend of healthy carbs and fats. Daily caloric intake can<br />
be modified based upon body composition goals and daily caloric expenditure.<br />
Adjust protein intake to match muscle gain goals. Increase protein intakes to up to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight<br />
for muscle gain goals. If muscle maintenance is all that’s desired, keep protein intake around the 0.8 grams per kilogram of<br />
your body weight.
TRAINING FOR ECTOMORPH BODY TYPES<br />
Ectomorphs typically have a hard time putting mass on and often wish to change that to have<br />
a more fit or muscular appearance. The focus of their program will be strength training and a<br />
nutrition plan that supports muscle gain, because they already have a high metabolism.<br />
They maximize muscle gain using lower-intensity hypertrophy and maximal strength resistance<br />
training with longer rest periods. Hypertrophy and maximal resistance training are primarily<br />
anaerobic in nature, and when combined with longer rest periods, these styles of training will not<br />
stimulate elevated calorie burn like more intense, fast-paced exercise programs will stimulate.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /15<br />
Minimize cardio to avoid burning excess calories. The primary focus of the training program should<br />
be muscle-building activities, as ectomorphs can already burn calories and lose weight with ease.<br />
Doing too much cardio can work against any muscle-building goals for this client.<br />
Consume a high-protein diet with balanced carbs and fats, consuming a calorie surplus to facilitate muscle and weight<br />
gain. Ectomorphs need higher levels of protein, 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, to gain muscle<br />
and mass, with some individuals requiring up to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight.<br />
HOW TO IMPROVE BODY COMPOSITION<br />
Changes in body composition don’t happen overnight, but they certainly<br />
are possible! Research continues to prove that physical training and<br />
consistent, habitual changes to diet have a strong influence on improving<br />
body composition. Metabolic and chronic health conditions that were once<br />
considered major roadblocks to weight loss success are now managed and<br />
even improved by modern medicine in conjunction with healthy lifestyle<br />
changes.<br />
So why does it seem so hard to see a shift in body composition?<br />
Let’s face it, change is hard. When you’ve lived your life one way for as long<br />
as you can remember, it takes time and effort to begin to make changes<br />
that stick. This is where hiring a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness<br />
Coach, or Certified Nutrition Coach can make all of the difference. These<br />
professionals will help you make a personalized plan that fits your needs<br />
and your goals while offering the accountability that you need to keep you<br />
moving forward over time.<br />
Once you’ve made changes to your physical activity patterns, nutrition, and<br />
other lifestyle factors, your body composition will eventually reflect your<br />
new way of living. Over time these habits that once took significant effort<br />
to maintain become more deeply rooted into your everyday life and simply<br />
become your new normal. It’s at this point that you might notice that some<br />
of your body type characteristics have shifted to reflect more mesomorphic<br />
(athletic, fit) traits.<br />
There’s no such thing as the perfect body, but there’s also nothing wrong with wanting to be the healthiest version of you.<br />
Your body type is not a life sentence. While you can’t change your genetics or environmental factors, you do have control<br />
over your lifestyle choices and your nutrition and exercise. Choosing nutrition and exercise that go well with your current<br />
body type will lead to serious transformation and help you feel your best. DARE 2B GREAT!<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.<br />
Photo Credit Truli Julie.
eXPAND | BE MORE /16<br />
living<br />
LUMIN<br />
By Dr. Meghan Nelson<br />
& Dr. Ryan Allen<br />
“In mystic states we both become one<br />
with the Absolute and we become<br />
aware of our oneness.<br />
”<br />
— William James, from the<br />
Varieties of Religious Experience<br />
Shadow of Peace.<br />
B<br />
ack in 2016 or so, I was teaching yoga and<br />
facilitating a mystical book club series at<br />
{be}Yoga on 4th Street above The Diving Elk.<br />
Our journeys took us around the world, from<br />
Sufi poetry and Christian Gospels, to Hindu<br />
scriptures and Chippewa tales. We shared stories and<br />
sacred space. We were a group of seekers and searchers,<br />
explorers in pursuit of big questions like, who am I? Why<br />
am I here? What is my heartfelt mission? How can I live out<br />
my intentions with passion and purpose?<br />
It was a multi-month exploration of the divine through<br />
texts that placed us right in the middle of humankind’s<br />
conversation about how to live and be well. Our sacred<br />
text tour guides to the infinite were The Bhagavad Gita,<br />
Jack Kerouac’s Scripture of the Golden Eternity and The<br />
Dharma Bums, Paulo Coehlo’s The Alchemist, Sun Tzu’s<br />
The Art of War, Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha, N. Scott<br />
Momaday’s The Way to Rainy Mountain, the Upanishads,<br />
Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching,<br />
Paramahansa Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi, The<br />
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and the poetry of Rumi. We read<br />
passages to one another, sipped wine, sampled delicacies,<br />
and pondered and pontified on the known and unknown,<br />
the real and unreal, the tangible and the elusive. It was<br />
magical, this room full of starry-eyed mystics figuring out<br />
life one breath and discourse at a time.<br />
Ineffability. Rapture. Spiritual Marriage. Gnosis.<br />
Amidst the variety of all these mystics and their experiences<br />
of union with God, there were, of course, many truths<br />
we stumbled upon, but one kept coming back again<br />
and again, a lesson that forever needs (re)learning—all<br />
we have is now. To remember this and to practice living<br />
it, we all gave ourselves the assignment of crafting daily<br />
haikus to capture a mystical moment within our days. In<br />
the beginning, the group was steadfast with daily posts<br />
to our private Facebook group. Over time, most of the<br />
fervor faded for others, but for me, once I turned on<br />
the 17-syllable faucet and tapped into the form, I was<br />
hooked. I ran with it. I wrote one every day and posted for<br />
the length of the book club. And then in my own kind of<br />
Forrest Gump moment, I decided that there was no reason<br />
to stop, so I just kept going after we read our last book and<br />
parted ways.<br />
When I reached 365 days with this practice, I had a similar<br />
kind of moment and feeling, so I just kept going. What<br />
started as something novel and fun at first, in short order<br />
became a habit, both holy and divine. Some days I wrote<br />
many haikus, but on most days only the assigned one.<br />
Looking back and reflecting, I’m perking up now as I think<br />
about the experience. As I’d finish 17 syllables each day,<br />
I’d spend the rest of it thinking about the next 17 syllables,<br />
which would inevitably be interrupted by some world<br />
event or funny thing one of my kids said. Over time, I<br />
leaned more to the spirit than the letter of the law, and I<br />
didn’t always stick to the form or the syllabic count, but<br />
since there were no rules and no audience, I just kept on<br />
writing.
Sometimes, you just have to go.<br />
By the time I got to 730 straight days (two years), I had a book. Then, the following year, I whittled things down to 108 haikus<br />
and published THIS IS IT shortly thereafter in 2019, from 17 syllables to one of my dreams coming true: 17 syllables, 17<br />
distinct subtle scents and sounds. There’s so much you can do when you have so little. Feeling. Emotion. Memory. Meaning.<br />
It’s all present in the present.<br />
So here are 17 of my 17s. I would love to hear yours. Send us your 17 syllables on love and life, feeling it, finding it, breathing<br />
it, believing it, and being it to the core. Reach out at connect@livinglumin.com or send us a message on Facebook or<br />
Instagram at Lumin Therapy to post your hopes and dreams, your 17s. Or let us know your favorite mystical authors and texts<br />
and let’s get another group together to share the dream again.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /17<br />
Each moment a choice<br />
to breathe or not to be<br />
wait, what was the question?<br />
I empty myself<br />
The universe fills me up<br />
I’m a child again<br />
Sunflowers billow,<br />
wind blows pesticide pollen<br />
devastation smiles<br />
The moment now comes<br />
that never actually left—<br />
I am the witness<br />
Love song for Basho:<br />
the frog finds the pond within<br />
rippling in the wind<br />
I learn forgiveness<br />
is a dish best served warm<br />
with thyme and pepper<br />
Today is my last<br />
with this body I was born:<br />
joints mourn what is lost<br />
“To live is to fly”<br />
time is how you live your life<br />
the fish are jumping<br />
“What we need is here,”<br />
Wendell Berry reminds me<br />
Heaven is earthbound<br />
I remind myself<br />
the wind is God’s poetry<br />
blowing around Earth<br />
The body’s a field<br />
we plant and grow children on<br />
so handle with care<br />
My soul om’s for you<br />
like the monarch the milkweed<br />
the petal blossoms<br />
Searching for an illuminated soul<br />
I find some silence<br />
and discover one<br />
My soul’s a kaleidoscopic canvas<br />
of I and love<br />
and you<br />
Hi, my name is Ryan<br />
Hi Ryan<br />
I can’t even write it<br />
The only word<br />
I care to know<br />
is you<br />
“Dildo,” Nolan says,<br />
“should be our team name, I think”<br />
What are schools teaching?<br />
Write a haiku. Bathe in a forest glow. Reimagine yourself underneath a Lucia Light. Meditate. Follow your bliss. Whatever you<br />
do, do it now. Tomorrow isn’t promised. The only time is now. Join Us.<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 Ryan Allen.
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 18<br />
Nicki<br />
Be More<br />
What would people be surprised<br />
to find out about you?<br />
I studied brewing in Germany in 2018. It<br />
was through a scholarship program for<br />
women in beer, the Pink Boots Society.<br />
Myself and 12 other women brewers<br />
from all over the world traveled through<br />
Bavaria, Southern Germany. We visited<br />
breweries big and small, hop fields,<br />
grain suppliers, and research institutes.<br />
We even got to visit the last living nun<br />
brewmaster, Sister Doris! Technically, I<br />
learned a ton about my craft - tastings,<br />
equipment, and ingredients. One<br />
of the beers we recently launched<br />
uses a hop variety that was just being<br />
developed and grown in Spalt when<br />
I visited! Another huge takeaway was<br />
seeing all these different families and<br />
organizations harnessing the agency<br />
of beer to build communities that were<br />
aligned with their values. It ranged from<br />
environmental concerns, migrant needs,<br />
religious communities, deep investment<br />
in German culture and history - all kinds<br />
of things. That had a big impact on me.<br />
What is your life purpose? Do<br />
you have a personal mission<br />
statement for this phase of your<br />
life?<br />
To make the culture I want to be a part<br />
of in my life. I spent a lot of my 20’s in<br />
universities learning - about history, power<br />
structures, inequities, questioning it all,<br />
being mad. Typical young person stuff<br />
- seeing the bigger world and trying to<br />
understand it. I worked for a performance<br />
artist, Deke Weaver, on some big projects.<br />
He always said that - make the culture you<br />
want to be a part of in your life. After a<br />
couple of years of working with him and<br />
seeing it in action, it stuck with me. The<br />
brewery feels like a big way to do that -<br />
building both an employee culture and<br />
a culture in our town, that makes a life<br />
I want to live. But I try to live that all the<br />
time - in my relationships, my hobbies, my<br />
self-care. How am I being an active part of<br />
building the future I want to see?<br />
Werner
What drives you?<br />
Seeing my family and friends happy and<br />
healthy, good food and drink, learning, a good<br />
challenge, trying new things, being inspired by<br />
other people, curiosity about the world, and a<br />
healthy level of perfectionism needed to drive<br />
craftsmanship.<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 19<br />
On a headier level, inequity drives me nuts.<br />
I’ve always been looking for my path to make<br />
change, even if it’s just in my tiny corner of<br />
the world. I am driven by the idea of building<br />
prosperity and wealth in our community and for<br />
our employees. High tide raises all boats, I am<br />
driven to make the tide rise around here.<br />
Nicki in Germany.<br />
What have been the most valuable<br />
lessons you have learned?<br />
Invest in good shoes. Cultivate gratitude.<br />
Do you have morning rituals or daily habits that enhance<br />
your life?<br />
Coffee, eggs, and trying new hot sauces or chili oils. It sounds silly but I<br />
look forward to it every morning. This time of year is especially awesome<br />
because so many of our customers and partners raise chickens, so I get<br />
to try many different eggs. We trade them for beer or give their chickens<br />
the leftover grains from brewing. That kind of full-circle stuff makes me<br />
really happy. That, and spicy things.<br />
After that, I like to look at the various plants and trees on our property.<br />
I’ll go to the brewhouse and mash in the brew to get it started. Then go<br />
scope out our little prairie plant spot or see how the mulberry trees are<br />
coming along. Taking a minute to see the plants’ progress helps calm me<br />
down and also dream about how big they will be one day.<br />
What habits have you built into your life that increase your<br />
stamina and help you power through long days?<br />
Writing down my ideas and action plan first thing in the morning when my<br />
mind is clear. Stretching. Eating meals<br />
with my family, even just as a quick<br />
break. Saying no when I need to say no.<br />
In the hospitality industry, socializing<br />
and greeting is important. But I have<br />
learned to sometimes protect my time<br />
and just go home.<br />
How do you decompress or<br />
unwind?<br />
Cooking, baking, walking, drinking<br />
with friends and family, gardening, and<br />
listening to podcasts.<br />
Where do you find joy?<br />
In people and in being outside.<br />
How do you want to be<br />
remembered?<br />
As someone who was doing something!<br />
My grandma always said, “You never let<br />
the dust settle under your feet.” And I<br />
hope to stay that way.<br />
Nicki in her garden.
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 20<br />
Do More<br />
Tell us about your business.<br />
Jefferson Beer Supply, in Jefferson, SD, is a smallbatch<br />
craft brewery about 15 minutes north of<br />
downtown Sioux City. We make beer on-site and our<br />
taproom is open to the public seven days a week.<br />
We offer craft beer, from light to dark and everything<br />
in between. We also offer wine, hard cider, nonalcoholic<br />
beer, kombucha, craft sodas, and boba tea.<br />
We have hot pizzas and a rotating schedule of food<br />
trucks. Our event schedule includes live music and<br />
comedy, trivia, beer-pairing dinners, festivals, kids’<br />
activities, and more. We also sell beer to-go and are<br />
on tap at bars and restaurants throughout Sioux City<br />
and Southeast South Dakota.<br />
What’s the meaning behind the business<br />
name?<br />
We saw it as being clear and direct. It’s a nod to our<br />
rural roots. When we landed on Jefferson Beer Supply<br />
we had western supply, seed supply, or tractor supply<br />
stores in mind.<br />
Collaborating with Old Chicago & Jackson Street Brewing. FR:<br />
Nicki Werner, Tia Heidebrecht, Anthony Roark. BR: Jeff Carlson,<br />
Mike Tremayne, Andy McIntosh.”<br />
What sets your business apart from the rest?<br />
Our concept isn’t that groundbreaking. We want to<br />
spend time with people we care about in a place we<br />
care about, too. To celebrate the life and culture of<br />
where we live. To spend and invest locally instead of<br />
at chain stores. Throw in a sunny patio, some quality<br />
drinks, and voila!<br />
Maybe the simplicity of what we are doing sets us<br />
apart. In the early 1900s, Germans brought a different<br />
kind of drinking culture to the US, biergartens. These<br />
beer gardens were laid back, daytime destinations,<br />
family-friendly, and low-alcohol beer. There is a word<br />
associated with them, “gemutlich”. It means “cozy” or<br />
“at home”. This culture inspired us. We don’t only say<br />
we are family-friendly; we mean it. Changing tables in<br />
the restrooms, wheelchair accessibility, a park behind<br />
the brewery, menu offering for any taste or age, and<br />
kids’ activity bags, and no TVs. We aren’t against them;<br />
it’s just not really how people spend time at JBS.<br />
We focus on low-alcohol beers, too. Out of about 75<br />
batches a year, only a handful are above 7%. Most<br />
brews are in the 4 to 5% range. Partially because<br />
people often drive a little ways as we are a destination<br />
for some. But also, it just isn’t a “get trashed” type of<br />
place. We joke that our biggest bar fight was over a<br />
game of Scrabble and the only person who has ever<br />
gotten sick was a two-year-old.<br />
Shout out to our beers, too. They set us apart! I have<br />
been brewing professionally for 10+ years at some<br />
pretty cool breweries across the country. But figuring<br />
out the brewhouse and the palette at each place is a<br />
task that takes time, craftsmanship, and humility. Two<br />
years in this brewhouse, I am so happy with our beer<br />
list. Eighteen taps give us room to have solid offerings in<br />
the areas people expect from craft breweries. Stouts are<br />
heavy in the winter. Our hazy IPAs fly faster than we can<br />
make them. Our fruited sour ales, especially Rhubarb<br />
Crisp Pastry Sour, are our most widely distributed beers<br />
in off-premise accounts. We recently made a corn lager<br />
with our local seed company for farmer appreciation<br />
week. It’s an easy-drinking, light beer that has been<br />
crushing on the golf courses and in our taproom.<br />
Eighteen taps also leaves room for us to try new things.<br />
Some of our riskier brews include Orange Chicken sour,<br />
Belgium Table beer, Chili Cinnamon Roll stout, Hot Takis<br />
Sour, Strawberry Pretzel Fluff, Aronia Berry Wheat, Saison<br />
with Rosemary, Raspberry, & Black tea, Cucumber Basil<br />
Gose, Spicy Red Pickle Beer, a<br />
Ginger Mint Lime Mule Ale… I<br />
could go on.<br />
Every beer features a Siouxland<br />
story, flavor, or ingredient. That<br />
helps bring people in. Food is<br />
a universal language. Many of<br />
our beers are food-inspired<br />
or food adjacent. We aim to<br />
make beers that are relatable,<br />
not too niche or serious. We<br />
see the beers themselves as<br />
a celebration of who we are<br />
and where we live. We have<br />
an awesome crew making the<br />
beers too, not just me! So,<br />
cheers to them for killing it and<br />
nailing every detail.<br />
Almost the whole JBS crew!
What are you most proud of?<br />
Our employees. So many have come far and<br />
accomplished huge things since we’ve been here.<br />
Learning new job skills, moving their families into<br />
better living situations, growing their careers, finishing<br />
degrees, overcoming personal obstacles, and just<br />
blossoming in all types of ways. I am so proud that our<br />
business could be even a little part of those strides. I am<br />
also pretty proud that they are all a bunch of craft beer<br />
nerds now, seeking out new brews when they are on<br />
vacations, picking apart different beer styles, and very<br />
passionate about what we are doing.<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 21<br />
What have been the most valuable lessons<br />
you have learned in running your own<br />
business?<br />
To constantly reset my focus to what is really important.<br />
Be mindful not to overwork, to not get caught up with<br />
what other businesses are up to, to treat my employees<br />
with care. There is always more work, more opportunity,<br />
more growth, more people to capture. But we can’t do<br />
any of it well if we aren’t prioritizing ourselves and our<br />
staff’s happiness and health first. We are learning that a<br />
slow and steady path is for us.<br />
Sampling a beer during a brewery tour in Germany.<br />
Advice for others starting out in business?<br />
Really and truly know what you are getting into. Go<br />
shadow an owner or someone in the industry you want<br />
to get into. Don’t put more on the line than you’re<br />
willing to lose.<br />
Have you ever had to change course? What<br />
are your thoughts on business evolutions?<br />
If you haven’t had to adjust or change course, you’re<br />
missing something somewhere. Nothing is ever perfect<br />
and everything can be honed, dialed in, or completely<br />
overhauled. I hope to never claim to be on a perfect<br />
trajectory. The only caveat is the change(s) must align<br />
with our mission, statement, and values.<br />
Mission/Vision Statement<br />
Mission: To make the culture we want to be a<br />
part of our lives. To use beer as a tool to build<br />
a happy community for our employees and the<br />
city of Jefferson.<br />
Guiding Principle: Make the beer we want to<br />
drink at a place we want to drink it.<br />
Core Values: People First, Fun, Equity, Inclusion<br />
& Quality.<br />
FR: Annabel, Laken, Sal, Nicki, Meridith, Andy Anthony. BR: Cole, Cass, Michaeleen.<br />
Who have been your mentors along the way?<br />
Dave Winslow at Jackson Street Brewing is a good friend<br />
and confidant, always willing to share his expertise.<br />
My mother-in-law, Michaeleen, has greatly helped me<br />
understand the needs, values, and culture in Jefferson<br />
and surrounding areas. The Siouxland Chamber of<br />
Commerce, Iowa West Coast Initiative, Dakota Valley<br />
Business Council, and Elk Point Chamber of Commerce<br />
networks have all helped immensely. I am very grateful.<br />
Photos Contributed by Nicki Werner.
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 />
Want to join<br />
Stacie on a<br />
Facebook<br />
Spotlight?<br />
Your mind, body, and soul’s happy place<br />
I<br />
n today’s hectic world of work, kids’<br />
sporting events, and life responsibilities,<br />
keeping up the pace without wreaking havoc<br />
on your body is challenging. We are beginning<br />
to gravitate more towards creating communities<br />
with healthier options and dreams. People crave more<br />
social time and a deeper connection to one another. Best<br />
Day Ever Nutrition provides us with that and surrounds<br />
its customers with healthier food and drink options. A<br />
place that gives us energy and vitality versus a sleeper,<br />
lethargic personality.<br />
“Your body is the most important thing in your life. We’re<br />
feeding not only your body but also your soul. I always<br />
say your body is a temple,<br />
and you need to take care<br />
of it that way,” said Gabby<br />
Banos-Vargas, the owner of<br />
Best Day Ever Nutrition. She<br />
is a health, fitness, and life<br />
coach.<br />
The store has been open<br />
and active in the Siouxland<br />
community for a little more<br />
than ten years now, with<br />
Gabby at the helm from the<br />
start. The store is located at<br />
420 Fifth Street in Sioux City<br />
and has curbside pick-up in<br />
addition to coming inside<br />
to shop. This store isn’t a<br />
drive-through where you<br />
hope they get your order<br />
correct; Gabby will take<br />
the time to speak with each<br />
customer to ensure they get<br />
the products they need.<br />
“Employees and customers<br />
are like family to me. I want<br />
Owner, Gabriela Banos-Vargas.<br />
Best Day Ever Nutrition Mega Teas.<br />
to greet every one of them when they come into my<br />
store. I want this place to feel like home for them. I’m<br />
an immigrant from Mexico. I’ve lived in Sioux City since<br />
2000. Before opening my own business, I worked in<br />
processing companies. I was looking for something<br />
different, something that could help people. That<br />
is why I came to this country. I believe in God, and I<br />
always pray to God when something comes into my life.<br />
I believe that when you ask God for something better<br />
for you, he always provides an opportunity. When my<br />
friend showed this business to me, I said yes because<br />
I knew it was God answering my prayers. I knew this<br />
business was for me.”<br />
All of the healthy snack, meal replacement, tea, and<br />
smoothie options available at Best Day Ever Nutrition<br />
are made from the products sold at the store.<br />
“You need to fuel your body with the correct vitamins,<br />
minerals, and nutrients that it needs to create a healthy<br />
lifestyle, lose weight, and achieve your fitness goals. I<br />
can help you do that with our smoothies, shakes, and<br />
meal replacement options,” explained Gabby.
These aren’t the sugar and carb-filled drinks you<br />
get at other establishments. The caloric information<br />
for each drink is listed on their Facebook page.<br />
Most have little, if any, sugar in them and are low in<br />
carbohydrates. They have Vitamins A, B, C, and E in<br />
them.<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 25<br />
“We blend happiness into every smoothie or tea we<br />
make because these are the dreams we’re making<br />
with lots of love for our customers. Each sip provides<br />
a likable dose of flavor and essential vitamins and<br />
minerals to help your overall well-being. It’s not only<br />
good for your body, but it also provides you with a<br />
feeling of rejuvenation. Energy levels are revitalized<br />
for both your mind and body. Whether you want<br />
something joyous and refreshing for breakfast, a pickme-up<br />
mid-day, or post-workout, we can provide a<br />
healthy way to get through your day,” shared Gabby.<br />
All of the wonderful items sold at Best Day Ever<br />
Nutrition are listed on their Facebook page.<br />
Smoothies and teas are available in fruit-filled flavors<br />
courtesy of the frozen fruits blended into them, or<br />
if your sweet tooth is kicking in more dessert-filled<br />
flavorings. The Diversity Mega Refresher is back for<br />
the summer. The Butterfly Kisses Smoothies were<br />
held over from Easter. Or if you’re feeling more<br />
nostalgic, they have the Nutty Buddy, Dunkaroo Dip,<br />
Cosmic Brownie, or Frosted Animal Cookies shakes.<br />
Or the Fudge Bar Iced Coffee Frappe.<br />
“My mission is to cultivate a vibrant community. We<br />
have lots of families that come into the shop. For<br />
me, this community is the heart of my business. It<br />
serves as a platform where I can fulfill my purpose<br />
by empowering individuals, helping them make<br />
changes in their lives, and making an important<br />
impact on their lives. We are centered on the core<br />
values of happiness and care. With this nurturing<br />
environment, individuals listen to and support it. That<br />
is what makes me happy. The kids are my proof! They<br />
love the cake pops and the doughnuts, which are<br />
good for them,” replied Gabby.<br />
Best Day Ever Nutrition Breakfast.<br />
Best Day Ever Nutrition is open Monday – Thursday<br />
from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and then again from 5 p.m. to<br />
7 p.m. Friday they are open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.,<br />
and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.<br />
Curbside pick-up is available by calling the store at<br />
712-333-5363. Visit their website to keep up with<br />
seasonal and holiday specialty items at https://<br />
www.facebook.com/bestdayevernutrition712.<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 />
Best Day Ever Nutrition Protien Waffles.<br />
Photos Contributed by Best Day Ever Nutrition.
EXPAND | DO MORE /26<br />
GroFin Aquatics<br />
Iowa’s West Coast Initiative Feature<br />
Business Owners: Douglas Eyer<br />
Business Name: GroFin Aquatics<br />
Main Products/Services: Aquarium supply/ service<br />
Location: 623 Water St., Sioux City, IA<br />
Connect: www.grofinaquatics.com<br />
Owner Douglas Eyer and family.<br />
Short description of your business:<br />
We are a family-owned and operated aquarium<br />
supply /service provider, specializing in live<br />
planted aquariums. We offer commercial, custom<br />
installs and service as well. Our attention to detail<br />
is what sets us apart from other aquarium supply<br />
and service stores.<br />
What motivated you to start your<br />
business? What drives you each day?<br />
This was a hobby that spiraled out of control<br />
during COVID when my other business was shut<br />
down. Aquascaping is a passion and an art form<br />
that has become a method of artistic expression<br />
for me. Sharing that with others and seeing them<br />
blossom with their expressions is the motivation.<br />
What’s unique about your business?<br />
Our attention to detail. We strive to provide<br />
only healthy fish and shrimp, and only the best<br />
aquarium plants available. This is something<br />
we are passionate about. Our quarantine and<br />
medication process meets and exceeds anything<br />
we have seen elsewhere. Every creature that leaves<br />
our store goes through a multistage process<br />
involving medications and specialized feeding,<br />
as well as significant quarantine and observation.<br />
My primary line of work is as a Tattoo Artist. I’ve<br />
found that putting the same level of care in crosscontamination<br />
prevention/cleanliness into the<br />
aquatic process produces a quality of healthy<br />
stock that you cannot get any other way.<br />
We also believe that an aquarium is an ecosystem,<br />
and live plants are a must. The benefits of a live,<br />
natural planted ecosystem in your aquarium are<br />
incredible, meaning more enjoyment, and less<br />
stress for the average hobbyist.<br />
We also offer custom installations and services for<br />
businesses. If your business has a lobby, I would<br />
love to enhance it with an aquascape statement<br />
piece.<br />
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve<br />
overcome as you grow your business?<br />
The biggest challenges have been getting the<br />
word out there that we exist, and that we offer<br />
game-changing methods.<br />
What has been your greatest reward?<br />
The adventure of building a business like this<br />
with my family has been rewarding and seeing<br />
the hobby start to blossom in this area, with<br />
people seeing success where before they didn’t.<br />
How have you benefited from the<br />
startup community in Sioux City and<br />
the region?<br />
Downtown Partners, as well as the different news<br />
outlets we have been involved with, have been a<br />
great help. IWCI has also been a huge support.
EXPAND | DO MORE / 27<br />
Inside GroFin’s store.<br />
Why is it important for the<br />
community to support<br />
startups and small businesses?<br />
I think this community in particular does<br />
a lot to support small businesses already.<br />
There is a culture here in Siouxland<br />
behind that, and I love it.<br />
What is one thing you know now<br />
that you wish you knew when<br />
starting your business?<br />
Location is key. We had to move the<br />
business after only a year and luckily we<br />
did. Location matters.<br />
GroFin is located at<br />
623 Water St., Sioux City.<br />
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a<br />
business?<br />
Don’t be too protective of your days off.<br />
How can the community continue to help your business?<br />
Spread the word, and if you have a fish tank, stop at our store.<br />
Custom created tank for Building Blocks Preschool and Child Care.<br />
What are some future goals for your company?<br />
We would love to expand further into the commercial installation side of<br />
this business. Large custom installations are where our passion truly lies.<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 GroFin.
EXPAND | DO MORE /28<br />
The road ahead never<br />
looked better.<br />
Introducing the all-new<br />
2024 Hyundai<br />
Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD<br />
Like Us on Facebook and<br />
Share our Facebook Spotlights<br />
Making a Difference for<br />
Small Businesses & Nonprofits<br />
4601 Singing Hills Blvd, Sioux City, IA 51106 | 712-274-6622<br />
VernEideSiouxCity.com
SBDC<br />
Taking Care of Business<br />
By Todd Rausch<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 29<br />
Top 5 Businesses to Consider for a Startup in Sioux City<br />
H<br />
ere’s an exploration of the top five Siouxland has been recognized as a leading region in terms<br />
businesses that are ideal to start in Sioux of economic development, drawing attention from business<br />
City for ambitious young entrepreneurs: magazines. This acclaim is backed by a proactive approach to<br />
fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, highlighted by events<br />
such as the Iowa West Coast Initiative’s annual Launch Week.<br />
Technology Startups: Given the emphasis on innovation<br />
and entrepreneurship, a technology startup could thrive<br />
in Sioux City. This could involve software development,<br />
app creation, or tech-based solutions for agricultural operations,<br />
which is a vital part of the local economy.<br />
Veteran-Focused Enterprises: With a community supportive<br />
of veterans and the recognition of National Veterans<br />
Small Business Week, businesses that offer services<br />
or products catering to veterans or are veteran-led could<br />
find a welcoming market. This could range from consultancy<br />
firms to specialized retail.<br />
Educational Services: Services that complement the educational<br />
institutions in the area, like tutoring centers, career<br />
counseling, or educational technology firms, could<br />
meet local demands. Sioux City’s educational network<br />
would support businesses that enhance learning and<br />
student support.<br />
Health and Wellness: Health and wellness businesses,<br />
such as fitness centers, yoga studios, or wellness apps,<br />
align well with the growing focus on healthy living. A<br />
business that promotes a balanced lifestyle could tap<br />
into a broad demographic in the region.<br />
Eco-friendly Businesses: With increasing awareness of<br />
environmental issues, starting an eco-friendly business,<br />
be it in retail, services, or manufacturing of sustainable<br />
products, they could capture a niche market interested<br />
in sustainability.<br />
In terms of employment, the city’s economy supports a workforce<br />
of nearly 75,000 people, with manufacturing being the most<br />
significant sector, employing more than 14,000 individuals.<br />
This focus on industrial production is a cornerstone of the local<br />
economy, indicating a strong base in traditional industries.<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 is the retiring Regional Director of Small Business<br />
Development for Western Iowa Tech Community College. Your<br />
Success is our Business. 712-274-6454 | Todd.rausch@witcc.edu<br />
These business ideas are not just viable; they also align with<br />
the economic development goals of Sioux City, aiming to<br />
foster innovation, support local needs, and encourage young<br />
entrepreneurs to contribute to their community.<br />
The economy of Sioux City, Iowa, presents a dynamic picture<br />
with ongoing developments in economic activities and<br />
employment sectors. As of the latest reports, the city’s economy<br />
exhibits signs of progress and innovation. Key indicators such<br />
as local employment and regional inflation have been updated<br />
regularly to provide a snapshot of the city’s economic health.<br />
Changes in these areas suggest a responsive and evolving<br />
economic landscape.
expand | DO MORE /30<br />
Leading the Way<br />
Leadership Siouxland<br />
By Peggy Smith<br />
Introducing 2023-2024 Leadership Siouxland Graduates<br />
Since its founding in 1984, Leadership Siouxland<br />
has held on to its mission of developing diverse,<br />
passionate leaders who positively shape our<br />
community for today and tomorrow. On May<br />
2nd, thirty-seven individuals graduated from the<br />
nine-month program and joined the ranks of approximately<br />
1200 alumni.<br />
This year’s graduates (and the company that<br />
sponsored them) are:<br />
Lexa Almond, FEH Design, Marshall Bass, Ho-Chunk<br />
Capital, Mindy Bishop, MercyOne Siouxland Medical<br />
Center, Madyson Bixby, Wells Enterprises Inc., Jessica<br />
Bohlken, Wells Enterprises Inc., Lindsey Butler, Boys<br />
and Girls Club of Siouxland, Cory Cleveland, Ho-<br />
Chunk Farms, Sara Dunham, Wells Enterprises Inc.,<br />
Brandon East, 185th ANG, Ariel Erickson, Thrivent<br />
Financial, Sarah Fell, Great West Casualty, Dante<br />
Frattini, WITCC, Steven Garcia, WITCC, Sheila Gerke,<br />
Jebro Inc, Kyle Geveshausen, Wells Enterprises Inc,<br />
Corey Claude, Great West Casualty, Christy Hartman,<br />
Wells Enterprises Inc, Kristen Heimgartner, Explore<br />
Sioux City, Diego Hernandez, URES, Janna Hookstra,<br />
Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, Matthew Kempers, Great<br />
West Casualty, Cori Koopman, NECC, Curtis Kull, Sky<br />
Ranch Behavioral Services, Bianca Mendez Garza,<br />
Sweet Water Café, Justin Odell, 185th ANG, Annette<br />
Olson, self-sponsored, Rachael Peck, Sky Ranch<br />
Behavioral Services, Theresa Pederson, Empirical<br />
Technology Inc, Bradley Rawson, self-sponsored,<br />
Rachelle Rawson, self-sponsored, Theresa Raymond,<br />
Great Southern Bank, Jaecy Reardon, Wells<br />
Enterprises Inc, Angela Rogers, Siouxland Chamber<br />
of Commerce, Austin Sasse, Wells Enterprises Inc,<br />
Lisa Schnepf, Wells Enterprises Inc, Sarah Sitzman,<br />
Opportunities Unlimited, Aaron Tyler, KW Real Estate<br />
As part of the program, the class was divided into six<br />
teams that partnered with six different mission-driven<br />
organizations to complete a project. The positive<br />
impact on our community from these great projects<br />
is remarkable! The six teams partnered with FOTAS<br />
(Friends of the Animal Shelters) and created a calendar;<br />
Hope Center and facilitated donations of food through<br />
an orange bag program; Unity in the Community and<br />
hosted an event to bring youth and law enforcement<br />
together; CAASA (Centers Against Abuse and Sexual<br />
Assault) and created volunteer recruitment cards; Hope<br />
Street (a sober living home) and provided two events<br />
to teach the residents basic maintenance and lawn care<br />
skills; and Siouxland Soup Kitchen, facilitating a contest<br />
between the SC Police and Fire Departments to garner<br />
food donations.<br />
The graduates were unanimous in expressing gratitude<br />
for their participation in the 9-month program which<br />
helped them enhance their leadership skills and find their<br />
passion for making a positive difference in Siouxland.<br />
Applications are accepted until August 31 for the 2024 –<br />
2025 program – contact the executive director at exdir@<br />
leadershipsiouxland.org for more information!<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,<br />
an organization devoted to developing leaders who make a<br />
positive difference in the Siouxland community.
Experience<br />
Downtown<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE /31<br />
Do you have a fun idea for a cool new event<br />
to bring to life in Downtown Sioux City?<br />
Let’s collaborate! Downtown Partners<br />
is looking to team up with Siouxland<br />
organizations to launch a variety of brand-new<br />
outdoor events for Downtown Sioux City!<br />
Through this partnership, our goal is to activate<br />
downtown spaces every day of the week and to<br />
foster a collaborative environment between the<br />
community and local businesses, raising awareness<br />
for the services they offer while creating a lasting<br />
impact downtown.<br />
Let’s Collaborate!<br />
Downtown Partners offers comprehensive support<br />
including financial assistance, marketing and<br />
promotional guidance, logistical support, training<br />
programs, networking opportunities, and assistance<br />
in determining key performance indicators for the first<br />
three years of the new downtown event. By the third<br />
year of the event, the lead organization will receive a<br />
transition plan as Downtown Partners’ assistance will<br />
gradually decrease as the event becomes successful<br />
and financially self-sustainable.<br />
All new event proposals will work closely with our<br />
Downtown Event Coordinator to go through all<br />
of the details and a committee review process to<br />
determine its sustainability and financial need. Each<br />
year a budget is set aside for downtown events, so<br />
don’t wait too long to let us know your idea. We will<br />
all want plenty of time to best plan and promote a<br />
new event.<br />
June Jam 2023.<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 />
We always need more reasons to gather and<br />
celebrate in Siouxland - head to downtownsiouxcity.<br />
com/doing-business/downtown-event-application/<br />
or reach out to us at events@downtownsiouxcity.com<br />
to get this process started.<br />
Stay in the know with everything happening in<br />
Downtown Sioux City and learn more about how you<br />
can support upcoming events and local businesses<br />
by heading to our website, signing up for our weekly<br />
event list, and following us on social media.
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 />
Your local leader in the garage door sales and service for 60+ years.<br />
Our garage door systems add beauty distinction and value to any home.
Council<br />
Connection<br />
By Alex Watters<br />
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Support What We Have and Remain Hopeful for More<br />
R<br />
ecently, the City Council approved the<br />
sale of a plot of city land to a developer<br />
on the North side of town. This sale also<br />
led to an agreement to build the latest<br />
McDonald’s in our community. While some<br />
are excited to have another fast-food option on the<br />
North side, others are not so thrilled; stating they wish a<br />
family-owned restaurant or a new-to-us restaurant would<br />
find its way to that side of town. This has led to several<br />
conversations about how new restaurants are brought<br />
to our city. Full disclosure: I personally try to limit my<br />
fast-food consumption because I’m not necessarily able<br />
to walk off an unhealthy meal. Therefore, I wasn’t overly<br />
excited to have the opportunity awarded to build a new<br />
restaurant for McDonald’s. However, I recognize that this<br />
new business will bring benefits to our community.<br />
Per our development agreement, McDonald’s is going to<br />
purchase the property for $500,000, hire approximately<br />
72 full-time and part-time employees at this location, and<br />
invest a total of $4.9 million. This generates taxes that we<br />
can use for future developments and to offset property<br />
tax increases. Other restaurants that showed interest in<br />
this location were Domino’s and Arby’s; however, neither<br />
of their proposals came close to the overall investment<br />
that was proposed by McDonald’s. I feared that if we<br />
denied the bids of these fast-food chains in hopes that<br />
a different restaurant would be interested, the market<br />
could turn down, and we would be left unable to recruit<br />
any viable option – let alone one that would provide as<br />
much revenue as McDonald’s.<br />
I have read your comments and heard your frustrations,<br />
and frankly, I wish there was more I could do. I have<br />
spoken with developers, realtors, and our economic<br />
development staff about intentionally recruiting specific<br />
restaurants and businesses that I have heard a great deal<br />
of support for, such as Cracker Barrel, Costco, and Trader<br />
Joe’s, which have been highly requested by community<br />
members for years. Contrary to what the comment section<br />
on SCJ posts have said, the City Council has very little<br />
control over which businesses are developed and where.<br />
Car washes, banks, hotels, and the eighth McDonald’s in<br />
the metro all invest millions into our community, and the<br />
only reason they do so is because they have calculated<br />
that there is a profit to be made here in Siouxland.<br />
So, what’s new and noteworthy? I am excited<br />
about some of the new chain restaurants the<br />
Siouxland Metro will welcome in 2024. Freddy’s<br />
Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is currently being<br />
constructed between Fleet Farm and Target.<br />
Chick-fil-A is finalizing its plans for a Hamilton<br />
location, where down the road Wing Stop<br />
recently opened its doors. Don’t forget about<br />
Wahlburgers in the Hamilton Hy-Vee, which<br />
opened last year. I haven’t heard an update<br />
on PepperJax, but I remain optimistic. Dunkin’<br />
Donuts opened in Holstein, and I hope we can<br />
entice them to come to Sioux City as well. I have<br />
heard that Jersey Mike’s could be on the horizon,<br />
and I am happy to confirm that Raising Canes is<br />
actively working on at least one location in our<br />
community.<br />
Aside from all these additions, we have so many amazing<br />
local establishments that I encourage you to support.<br />
When restaurants and/or businesses are looking to open a<br />
new location in our community, they look at how strongly<br />
we have supported similar businesses. I urge you to get<br />
out of your comfort zone; consider trying a new restaurant,<br />
explore food from a different culture, and bring your<br />
friends and family along with you. I recommend checking<br />
out Siouxland Local Eats, a page on Facebook dedicated to<br />
local restaurant recommendations. Other foodie-friendly<br />
opportunities in Siouxland include Restaurant Week,<br />
featuring various downtown restaurants, as well as Food<br />
Truck Fridays, held throughout the summer at Pearl Street<br />
Park. You never know when you may find a new favorite<br />
local spot or what your support could do to draw future<br />
options to the area.<br />
Alex Watters, City Council of Sioux City<br />
awatters@sioux-city.org
Something<br />
FOR<br />
everyone<br />
You’ll find a wonderfully unique<br />
selection of traditional Native<br />
American food products and<br />
handcrafted items, perfect for<br />
sharing with your family and<br />
friends. Browse through our<br />
online shop to find just what<br />
you need.<br />
SweetGrass Trading Company<br />
is a subsidiary of the Ho-Chunk<br />
Trading Group, a division of<br />
Ho-Chunk, Inc., the economic<br />
development corporation of<br />
the Winnebago Tribe of<br />
Nebraska.<br />
Shop at sweetgrasstradingco.com
A N N U A L E V E N T<br />
SEPTEMBER 19, 2024<br />
O R P H E U M T H E A T R E<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 35<br />
An evening of storytelling and music<br />
WITH<br />
JOHN<br />
ONDRASIK<br />
FEATURING<br />
Tickets on sale now at siouxlandchamber.com<br />
T<br />
he Siouxland Chamber is set to redefine its<br />
signature event, unveiling an unprecedented<br />
fusion of inspiration and entertainment. On<br />
September 19, 2024, the historic Orpheum<br />
Theatre will serve as the stage for an evening that<br />
promises to ignite the senses, as the Chamber<br />
welcomes none other than John Ondrasik, frontman of<br />
the acclaimed band “Five for Fighting,” to headline its<br />
annual celebration.<br />
This year’s event marks a departure from tradition—a<br />
bold step towards a new era of engagement. Mandy<br />
Graham, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Siouxland<br />
Chamber of Commerce and Chief Operating Officer of<br />
Great West Casualty, expressed her anticipation, stating,<br />
“While our organization is enormously proud of our<br />
past annual dinners, I am very excited and pleased to<br />
announce that this year’s event will be incredibly unique<br />
and unlike any other. Not only will we change venues,<br />
and welcome everyone to this magnificent theatre but,<br />
more importantly, we are going to change formats for<br />
this year’s event.” Graham continued, “I am excited<br />
to announce that for the first time in our nearly four<br />
decades, we will be combining a keynote presentation<br />
with a musical performance.”<br />
At the heart of the evening, John Ondrasik will take<br />
center stage alongside the Sioux City Symphony<br />
Orchestra, weaving together a tapestry of soulstirring<br />
melodies and a thought-provoking keynote<br />
presentation. Ondrasik’s keynote address, a masterful<br />
blend of wisdom and melody promises to resonate with<br />
attendees. Inspired by his chart-topping hit “World,”<br />
Ondrasik’s speech, titled “What Kind of World Do You<br />
Want?” invites introspection and exploration, offering<br />
a poignant reminder of the power of individual action<br />
in shaping our collective destiny. Ondrasik’s musical<br />
repertoire, from the anthemic “Superman” to the<br />
introspective “100 Years,” transcends genre, speaking<br />
directly to the human experience and touching hearts<br />
around the world.<br />
The Siouxland Chamber of Commerce invites all<br />
members of the community to join in this event.<br />
Whether you are an entrepreneur, a civic leader, or<br />
simply someone with a passion for positive change,<br />
the Chamber’s annual event promises an evening<br />
of connection, celebration, and inspiration.<br />
So, mark your calendars for Thursday, September 19,<br />
2024, secure your tickets, and prepare to be swept away<br />
by the harmonious fusion of John Ondrasik’s music and<br />
message at the 38th Annual Siouxland Chamber of<br />
Commerce Signature Event.<br />
Written by Barbara Sloniker, Executive Vice President of the<br />
Siouxland Chamber of Commerce
Live2Lead<br />
Friday, October 11th<br />
RE/MAX City Centre<br />
Sioux City
expand2more.com
5 Factors That Make a Good Credit Score<br />
(and how to improve yours)<br />
Your credit history and credit score are important — especially if you plan to buy a house,<br />
a new car or another big purchase that requires some type of loan.<br />
But according to a recent survey, nearly two-thirds of Americans have not checked their<br />
credit score in the past year. That’s a big, big problem! Why? Staying in-the-know about<br />
your credit score can ultimately save you a lot of money. You’ll receive access to better<br />
credit cards, qualify for lower interest rates, improve your insurance coverages and<br />
increase your amount of options for big-ticket items. Sounds pretty good, right?<br />
Below, we’ve outlined the fundamental details about what your credit score is and what<br />
factors influence it.<br />
WHAT IS A CREDIT SCORE?<br />
A credit score is a rating of your credit history, usually on a scale of 300 to 850, that<br />
lenders use to decide whether or not they will lend you money (and at what rate). People<br />
with higher credit scores are considered lower risk, and therefore more likely to get better<br />
loan terms and interest rates than people with low scores.<br />
HOW TO TRACK YOUR CREDIT SCORE FOR FREE<br />
At Security National Bank, you have instant access to view your live credit score,<br />
whenever you log into the SNB Mobile App. This is a free service, to help you understand<br />
your current credit score, provide credit monitoring alerts, and simulate and learn ways<br />
you can improve your score.
HERE’S WHY YOU NEED A GOOD CREDIT SCORE:<br />
If your credit score is low, you have less of a chance of getting approved for a mortgage,<br />
auto loan or other type of loan. On the other hand, people with higher credit scores are<br />
considered lower risk — and therefore more likely to get better loan terms and interest<br />
rates than people with low scores.<br />
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WHAT IS CONSIDERED A GOOD CREDIT SCORE?<br />
On a scale of 300 to 850, a good credit score is generally considered to be above 720.<br />
However, opinions will vary depending on the bank offering the loan. According to the<br />
ABA, the national average FICO® score is approximately 699.<br />
FACTORS THAT AFFECT YOUR CREDIT SCORE<br />
Generally, about 35 percent of your score is based on your payment history; 30 percent<br />
is based on the amount you currently owe (your debt-to-credit ratio), 15 percent is<br />
based on how long you have had credit; 10 percent is based on the number of inquiries<br />
into your credit report; and 10 percent is based on the types of credit you have.<br />
In addition to these factors, some lenders might also have their own scoring methods,<br />
like total annual income or the amount of time you have stayed at the same job.<br />
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT SCORE<br />
There is no overnight fix for a low credit score, but there are steps you can take to<br />
improve it over time:<br />
1. Check your credit report for free.<br />
According to federal law, each year you are entitled to receive one free copy of your<br />
credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and
EXPAND | Give more / 40<br />
TransUnion). Request your free report using the Federal Trade Commission’s website<br />
at www.annualcreditreport.com. Check your credit report annually to ensure no new cards<br />
or accounts have been opened by criminals in your name, and make sure everything else<br />
looks accurate so you can get the best terms when you apply for a loan.<br />
2. Pay your bills on time.<br />
Payment history makes up the largest portion of your credit score (32-35 percent), so the<br />
more you pay your bills on time, the better your score. One way to avoid missed payments is<br />
to set up “automatic bill pay” on your bank account. At Security National Bank, you can set<br />
up auto bill pay through online banking or by using the SNB Mobile App.<br />
3. Never max out your card.<br />
Just because you have a huge “credit limit” on your account, doesn’t mean you should use<br />
it — or ever get close. Racking up big balances can hurt your credit score, even if you pay<br />
your bills in full, so try not to use more than about 30 percent of your available credit on any<br />
credit card.<br />
4. Educate yourself with free resources.<br />
You can learn much more by taking our interactive crash course on Credit Scores & Reports.<br />
This is part of our free Financial Learning Center where you can explore video content, test<br />
your financial knowledge, and connect directly with SNB team members who can guide you<br />
toward better financial health.<br />
ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br />
Laura Pratt is the Senior Retail Banking Officer at Security<br />
National Bank’s downtown location. She has more than three<br />
decades of banking and lending experience, including 25 years<br />
serving customers at SNB.<br />
SNBonline.com<br />
Member FDIC
EXPAND | Give more /41<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 />
Faviola<br />
Arriola<br />
What challenges have you experienced in Siouxland?<br />
My experience with Siouxland has been very positive for both me and my family. We enjoy the small-town<br />
feel with great schools for my three kids, quality healthcare, and many opportunities to make a good living.<br />
Winters can be a bit harsh, but traveling to warmer vacation spots is fun and something to look forward to.<br />
How has Siouxland been welcoming?<br />
With a reputation for being friendly, I find the Siouxland area to be very welcoming. When I was younger<br />
and growing up in Sioux City, it was easy to make friends from middle school to college. You get to<br />
know people through church, work, school - kid’s extra-curricular activities and just being a part of this<br />
community.<br />
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F A V “ ” I<br />
What do you want the people of Siouxland to know?<br />
The opportunities that I have received by growing up in the tri-state area have been rewarding. With my parents’ strong values,<br />
they set great examples for me and my siblings by working hard and recognizing the importance of being involved. Both<br />
my husband and I are proud to continue these values through our work. As a retail supervisor at Northwest Bank, I have met<br />
and helped countless people with their banking needs where my career started nearly twenty years ago. The opportunities in<br />
Siouxland are endless.<br />
Having somewhere to go is home. Having someone to<br />
love is family. And having both is a blessing.<br />
– Donna Hedges<br />
O L<br />
¿Qué quieres que sepa la gente de Siouxland?<br />
In Spanish<br />
¿Qué desafíos ha experimentado en Siouxland?<br />
Mi experiencia con Siouxland ha sido muy positiva tanto para mí como para mi familia. Disfrutamos de la sensación de un pueblo<br />
pequeño con excelentes escuelas para mis tres hijos, atención médica de calidad y muchas oportunidades para ganarse la vida. Los<br />
inviernos pueden ser un poco duros, pero viajar a lugares de vacaciones más cálidos es divertido y algo que esperamos con ansias.<br />
A<br />
Las oportunidades que he recibido al crecer en el área de los tres estados han sido gratificantes. Con los sólidos valores de mis<br />
¿Cómo ha sido la acogida de Siouxland?<br />
Con reputación de ser amigable, la zona de Siouxland me parece muy acogedora. Cuando era más joven y crecía en Sioux City,<br />
era fácil hacer amigos desde la escuela secundaria hasta la universidad. Puedes conocer gente a través de la iglesia, el trabajo, la<br />
escuela, las actividades extracurriculares para niños y simplemente ser parte de esta comunidad.<br />
padres, nos dieron un gran ejemplo a mí y a mis hermanos al trabajar duro y reconocer la importancia de participar. Tanto mi esposo<br />
como yo estamos orgullosos de continuar con estos valores a través de nuestro trabajo. Como supervisor minorista en Northwest<br />
Bank, he conocido y ayudado a innumerables personas con sus necesidades bancarias, donde comenzó mi carrera hace casi veinte<br />
años. Las oportunidades en Siouxland son infinitas.<br />
“Tener un lugar adónde ir es el hogar. Tener a alguien a quien<br />
amar es familia. Y tener ambos es una bendición.<br />
– Donna Hedges<br />
”
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Nonprofit spotlight<br />
Want to join<br />
Stacie on a<br />
Facebook<br />
Spotlight?<br />
Give one more in ‘24 to LifeServe Blood Center<br />
E<br />
very two seconds in our country, someone<br />
needs blood. Whether the cause of the need<br />
is a traumatic life event, accident, pregnancy,<br />
or other medical matter, LifeServe Blood<br />
Center in Sioux City helps to assist with those<br />
blood donation needs.<br />
“LifeServe is one of our country’s 15 largest community<br />
blood centers. We are a non-profit organization<br />
headquartered in Des Moines, IA,” shared Shay Willis,<br />
Director of PR & Marketing with LifeServe Blood Center<br />
in Sioux City.<br />
In addition to the headquarters in Des Moines (a new<br />
facility is being built in Johnston, IA, just outside of Des<br />
Moines), there are also 13 other donor centers in Iowa,<br />
South Dakota, and Nebraska. One is located here in Sioux<br />
City at 4501 Southern Hills Drive.<br />
“We work to collect blood six days a week because we can’t<br />
afford not to collect. We service more than 160 hospitals,<br />
ensuring we have blood on their shelves for their patients.<br />
That number will continue to grow due to expanding our<br />
services in Eastern Iowa,” shared Shay.<br />
The organization has donor centers where people can<br />
schedule appointments or walk in and donate blood.<br />
Then, they also have territory representatives who are<br />
responsible for setting up mobile blood drives. Those<br />
would be the blood drives you see at area schools, malls,<br />
or businesses.<br />
the needs of the people who need these products.<br />
The current statistic is of the total U.S. population, 62%<br />
are eligible to donate and only 3% donate blood each<br />
year. That is super scary,” stated Shay.<br />
The summer months and the winter months are when<br />
blood donation needs are at their worst. People are<br />
on vacation and step out of more of their scheduled<br />
routines, and that could mean donations are missed for<br />
that time of the year. However, those are also the times<br />
of the year when recreational activities become more<br />
prevalent and dangerous, thus presenting the need for<br />
more blood.<br />
“Blood donation has to be a habit because if the percentage<br />
of the population who are eligible to donate blood don’t<br />
donate blood, then we’re not going to be able to meet<br />
LifeServe donor.<br />
“We try to remind people that it doesn’t matter when you donate; it’s just that you<br />
do. There are people in our hospitals who need blood at all times.<br />
– Shay Willis
“We try to remind people that it doesn’t matter when<br />
you donate; it’s just that you do. There are people in<br />
our hospitals who need blood at all times. We try to<br />
raise awareness and encourage it more in the summer,<br />
winter, and holidays when demands are at their peak,”<br />
said Shay.<br />
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A person is eligible to donate blood if they are 16 or<br />
17 years old (with parental consent), weigh at least<br />
120 pounds, are in general good health (have normal<br />
blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and hemoglobin<br />
screenings), and are not pregnant. The FDA sets forth<br />
these qualifications.<br />
“The FDA regulations state that if you are a whole<br />
blood donor, you can give blood every eight weeks. If<br />
you’re a double red-cell donor, you can donate every<br />
16 weeks. You cannot give as often, but you can still<br />
give more than once a year. If you’re a platelet donor,<br />
you can sometimes give every two weeks. That’s<br />
huge! We’re just asking that if you’ve given with our<br />
organization, give one more in ‘24. If you’ve never<br />
donated, give at least once,” shared Shay.<br />
Factors that could make a person ineligible to donate<br />
blood are illness, certain medications they are taking,<br />
and specific places they’ve traveled. LifeServe will help<br />
you determine if you are eligible to donate.<br />
“If you can’t physically donate, perhaps you<br />
could help arrange a mobile blood drive<br />
at your place of work or worship. Getting<br />
involved doesn’t necessarily mean donating,<br />
but anything you can do to help raise<br />
awareness and get others to donate makes<br />
an impact. One unit of red cells can impact up<br />
to three people’s lives. Many people can’t say<br />
that they’ve impacted that many people’s lives<br />
in just one hour. It truly is impactful, and you<br />
will be making a difference for someone right<br />
there in your community,” stated Shay.<br />
When people choose to donate blood, they contact<br />
the blood center at 800-287-4903 and make an<br />
appointment. At their appointment, they will fill out<br />
a history or donor questionnaire. These are basic<br />
medical questions to ensure it’s safe, healthy, and in<br />
the donor’s best interest to donate.<br />
“When you think about it, it’s like a mini-physical. It’s<br />
just as necessary for the donor to be in good health as<br />
for the patient receiving the transfusion. They’ll check<br />
your blood pressure, heart rate, and take your height<br />
and weight. Once that is complete and the donor<br />
is considered healthy enough to donate, then the<br />
LifeServe Blood Center - Sioux City Staff.<br />
donation process starts. If you’re a whole blood donor, the<br />
donation process will take about ten minutes. Everybody<br />
bleeds a little differently,” said Shay.<br />
Once the donation process is completed, donors are treated<br />
to cookies, little cakes, water, juice, or soda. After completing<br />
their snacks and determining they are feeling well after<br />
donating, they are free to leave and go about their day.<br />
If you’d like to learn more about the LifeServe<br />
Blood Center, please visit their website at www.<br />
lifeservebloodcenter.org.<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.
Hot<br />
Air<br />
By Tony Michaels<br />
T<br />
he passing of time can give a person<br />
perspective.<br />
When you drive the same way to work and have<br />
the basic responsibilities for 25 years at one place<br />
of employment you tend to get comfortable. As I write<br />
that, I fully understand that is both a good statement and<br />
a dangerous one. Every day at work was like going to a<br />
second home. Did I take off my shoes on weekends and<br />
roam the hallways in a bathrobe? No. I don’t want that<br />
in print for litigation purposes. But it was a place I ran to<br />
more than 3oo days a year. I enjoyed the conversations<br />
and comradery. The price for this was that my name was<br />
altered. I transformed into Tony Fromstation. Occasionally,<br />
it was Tony Fromcompany. It was like putting on a branded<br />
cape.<br />
Until I took the cape off a year ago.<br />
Comfort was gone. It was replaced by uncertainty and<br />
new roads to different opportunities. Some of those paths<br />
lead to excitement and joy. Other routes are riddled with<br />
potholes and confusion. When you start driving down the<br />
avenue, you are not sure which one it will be that you meet.<br />
An avenue paved with gold or mud.<br />
I wrote about the difficulty of transition one morning for a<br />
LinkedIn post. Right after I published it, I ran to the sauna<br />
at the Four Seasons Health Club. There I met a gentleman<br />
who made the same type of radical change in careers I had<br />
recently made. I emotionally bared my soul and asked how<br />
long it took for him to be comfortable with the transition.<br />
He said about five years. He had to let go of who he was to<br />
become his present self. He shared other insights which I<br />
was grateful to hear. Surprisingly, I do keep some thoughts<br />
to myself. I will admit to this. It was heartwarming to savor<br />
an authentic talk…with a sweaty stranger. That’s a sentence<br />
I never thought I would write.<br />
During a recent interaction around a fire pit on a gorgeous<br />
evening with a good friend, he gave me the sage advice<br />
that when you think of someone, text or call them. I’ve<br />
been trying to do this more often. An individual with whom<br />
I have lost contact just celebrated two years as a business<br />
owner of his own company. I congratulated him to let him<br />
know I admired his fortitude and work ethic. He said it was<br />
rough at first but he could not be happier now. Heck, this<br />
magazine is filled with trailblazers chasing dreams against<br />
great odds.<br />
Perspective<br />
As I write this presently, I have a few projects I am starting that<br />
could bear fruit or die on the vine. Let’s hope it’s an optimistic<br />
outcome. Insert smiley face here. It’s an investment in time<br />
and resources based purely on a desire to start something<br />
with the support of my family and inner circle. Just like my<br />
successful business owner buddy, I have no company to<br />
back me, no established audience.<br />
The road map to a fulfilled potential is not an easy one to<br />
navigate.<br />
A new journey is made easier by loved ones who answer<br />
your call.<br />
Perspective.<br />
By Tony “Michaels” Michalski, founder of www.baldandwitty.com<br />
and the Bald and Witty Podcast available on your favorite<br />
pod platform.
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