Blog - NewBoCo

Iowa Isn’t Ready for Economic Disruption

December 7, 2017 2 Comments

[vc_row padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px”][vc_column fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output] Despite enormous progress, we have more work to do to face the challenges of tomorrow’s economy. We’ve accomplished a lot at NewBoCo in the last three years. But it’s not enough. We are in the midst of a transformation of our economy as big and far reaching as the transition from agricultural into the industrial age. Call

NewBoCo in Review: The First Three Years

November 16, 2017 No Comments

[vc_row padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px”][vc_column fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output] Part 1 in a series: A huge leap forward for entrepreneurship in Eastern Iowa Several years ago, we decided it was time to help build Eastern Iowa’s startup community. When we looked at our region’s resilience after the 2008 flood and our density of successful tech companies, we knew it was possible to build a vibrant

Agile coach, Nate Adams, stands before a group of eager students, arms outstretched inquisitively

Improving Agile Teams – The Power of Honest Conversations

November 9, 2017 No Comments

[vc_row padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px”][vc_column fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output]“We’ve stopped doing Retrospectives. They’re boring and nothing ever came out of them anyway.” If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard someone say something like this, I’d have a pretty nice little pile of nickels. I couldn’t retire yet, but I could definitely get popcorn at the movies. One of the simplest, tangible

Embracing an Agile Mindset with Upcoming Certification Opportunities

November 9, 2017 No Comments

[vc_row padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px”][vc_column fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output]I worked at a corporation for more than four years and was first trained to use Agile there. It was a good introduction to a different work style for me, but I never thought it pertained to me because I wasn’t on a software team. When I joined NewBoCo, one of the experiments we constantly run

A picture of the United State Air Force's F-86 Sabre fighter jet. This picture shows the bubble design of the cockpit.

Scrum and Fighter Pilots

October 25, 2017 No Comments

[vc_row padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px”][vc_column fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output] I come from a heavily military family. Both of my parents, my sister, both of my grandpas, and many more of my family members stretching back generations were all in the military. Like most military families, one of our favorite pastimes is ribbing other military groups. Due to their stereotypical (and often true!) lack of

10 Easy Ways to Not Be a Creep at a Networking Event

October 12, 2017 No Comments

[vc_row padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px”][vc_column fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output] Like almost everyone else on this planet, I hate networking. Networking is really easy to hate on because it combines so many things that make us feel uncomfortable: small talk, asking for favors, building superficial connections, talking about ourselves in a positive manner, and more. For me, I hate networking because I spend most of

Human Brains in Robot Bodies – An Interview with Filmmaker Rob Merritt

October 9, 2017 No Comments

[vc_row padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px”][vc_column fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output] What would it mean to transfer human consciousness into a robot body? Do we look before we leap when we develop new technologies? What makes us human? Screenwriter Rob Merritt asks these questions in the movie Amelia 2.0. The plot goes like this: When cop Carter Summerland is approached by the Wesley Corporation, who want

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