{"podcast":{"title":"Iowa Tech Podcast","slug":"iowa-tech-podcast-7097920","podcast_index_feed_id":7097920,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/542257/rss","website_url":"https://sites.libsyn.com/542257","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/7/2/a/c/72ac7d9f691d5bf3e55e3c100dce7605/Tech_square.png","author":"Kaylee Williams","episode_count":74,"summary":"Welcome to the Iowa Tech Podcast, your gateway to the vibrant world of technology and innovation right here in Iowa. Each week, we dive into the dynamic landscape of Iowa's tech industry, showcasing the brilliant minds, groundbreaking startups, and transformative ideas that are shaping the future. Join our host, Kaylee Williams, as we sit down with tech entrepreneurs, industry experts, and thought leaders who are driving change and pushing boundaries in fields ranging from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to agtech and clean energy. Whether you're a seasoned professional, a budding innovator, or simply tech-curious, the Iowa Tech Podcast offers insider insights, inspiring stories, and practical advice to keep you at the forefront of the digital revolution. Tune in to explore how Iowa is making waves on the global tech stage and discover how you can be a part of this exciting journey.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/iowa-tech-podcast-7097920"},"episode":{"title":"Building products people touch (and having fun doing it) with Derek Brooks","slug":"building-products-people-touch-and-having-fun-doing-it-with-derek-brooks","published_at":"2026-03-24T11:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/iowa-tech-podcast-7097920/building-products-people-touch-and-having-fun-doing-it-with-derek-brooks","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/iowa-tech-podcast-7097920","url":"https://iowapodcast.com/derek-brooks","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/f8302322-1d6c-46da-acd0-a4cdad4ddaab/Kaylee__Derek.mp3?dest-id=4673877","summary":"Des Moines-based technologist and builder, Derek Brooks has a career that spans Fortune 100 roles, scrappy startups, and high-stakes political tech for the Obama campaign. Broox, as his friends know him, traces his path from growing up in eastern Iowa and discovering software at Cornell College to early work at Pioneer (now Corteva), a pivotal stint at Red 5 Interactive, and becoming a remote engineer before it was cool. 💡 Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/derek-brooks 🐖 Get a free $30 gift card from Jethro's: https://iowapodcast.com/jethrosbbq Brooks shares inside stories from the Obama 2012 campaign—building integrations and the high-pressure Call Tool used for millions of voter contacts—and how that experience led to a post-campaign startup in \"contextual commerce\" that was acquired by PayPal. He pulls back the curtain on acquisition realities, his time across PayPal/Braintree/Venmo, and why seeing products people actually touch fuels his work. Chapters: 00:00 - Meet Derek Brooks 01:57 - Midwest Roots to Remote Work 05:00 - Obama Campaign to PayPal 16:06 - Early Web Hustles 17:34 - Sabbatical Reset 20:12 - Rocket AI Advice","meta_description":"Des Moines-based technologist and builder, Derek Brooks has a career that spans Fortune 100 roles, scrappy startups, and high-stakes political tech for th…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1983,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/iowa-tech-podcast-7097920/episodes/building-products-people-touch-and-having-fun-doing-it-with-derek-brooks/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/iowa-tech-podcast-7097920/building-products-people-touch-and-having-fun-doing-it-with-derek-brooks.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}