Building Nebraska

00:19:58

She Wanted a Few Chickens. Now She Runs a Farm 365...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/10/05

What does it take to turn a farm into a direct-to-consumer business?Mindy McGrew of Little Red Farm shares what she’s learned about selling directly to families, pricing products, raw milk, customer relationships and making the numbers work — all while running a farm seven days a week. For farmers and entrepreneurs building a business around what they produce, this conversation gets into what it actually takes to make direct-to-consumer agriculture work.

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00:15:42

Transitioning Generations Without Losing The...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/09/28

As Bruce Furniture continues to grow, Doug Bruce’s sons, Michael and David, are taking on a larger role in the family business. In Part 2 of Building Nebraska, the Bruce family discusses the transition to the next generation, expanding to new locations and adapting to a changing retail industry. They also talk about competing with online retailers, the value of personal service and why they continue to do more for customers, from delivery to service after the sale. The conversation offers a look at

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00:23:41

A Six-Month-Old, a U-Haul and a Furniture Store | Part 1

Building Nebraska ·

2026/09/21

In 1977, Doug Bruce moved to Alliance, Nebraska, with his wife, six-month-old son and a dream of opening a furniture store. With limited money and no home, the family lived in the store while Doug built the business from the ground up. Nearly 50 years later, Bruce Furniture has grown to six locations across Nebraska. In Part 1 of Building Nebraska, Doug joins his sons, Michael and David, to share the early sacrifices, the $178 first sale, and the customer-first principles that shaped the family

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00:20:59

How a Nebraska College Student Built a Business...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/09/08

Karter Otte never planned on building a career painting parking lots. But after taking a chance on his own business, Pickup Lines Striping has grown into a blue-collar business serving customers across Nebraska. In this episode of Building Nebraska, Karter shares how he got started, the lessons he's learned along the way and what it takes to build a business from the ground up.

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00:24:04

From Cattle Oilers to RV Towing: 101 Years of...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/08/24

In this episode of Building Nebraska, fourth-generation owner Mike Hesse shares how his family’s Pender, Nebraska, company evolved from making cattle oilers into a diversified manufacturer serving agriculture, RV and automotive markets. Hess discusses knowing when to pivot, competing with much larger companies, investing in a rural workforce and finding growth even when an industry is shrinking. It’s a conversation about change, family business and building something that can last another

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00:24:43

They Solved a Major Feedlot Problem—Then Took It...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/08/18

Rod Giese has spent nearly 30 years with Mighty Giant, eventually taking ownership of the Beemer, Nebraska, company. In this episode, Rod shares what it takes to run a small manufacturing business through rising costs, supply chain challenges and a tight labor market—and why he believes quality, persistence and people are key to keeping Mighty Giant moving forward.

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00:07:40

GoodyPop Wins the Building Nebraska Season 2 Fan...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/08/10

She went from working at GoodyPop during high school to owning the business less than a week after graduation. Now, Emory Conrad’s story has earned another distinction.Listeners selected GoodyPop of York as the Building Nebraska Season 2 Fan Favorite, followed by Oak Barn Beef and Eustis Body Shop. In this special episode, we announce the results and revisit Emory’s decision to choose entrepreneurship, create a business plan during her senior year and take ownership of a downtown Nebraska

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00:18:52

The Philosophy Behind One of Lincoln's Most Trusted...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/08/03

Nearly 30 years after opening Emsud's Clothiers, the Deumic family reflects on the values that have sustained their business. In Part 2 of Building Nebraska, they share why treating customers like guests, building relationships instead of chasing sales, and leading with honesty and fairness has created generations of loyal customers. The family also looks back on the kindness they received after arriving in Nebraska and how it continues to shape the way they do business today.

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00:21:53

Refugees to Entrepreneurs: Crafting the American...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/07/27

In 1993, Emsud and Samka Deumic arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska, with their two children, Salko and Alma, carrying only a few bags of clothing and a determination to start over after fleeing war-torn Bosnia. In Part 1 of this Building Nebraska episode, Emsud shares how the tailoring skills passed down from his father helped the family rebuild their lives, from learning a new language and finding work in Nebraska to spending late nights in their basement doing alterations that would eventually become

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00:32:27

From a Farm Experiment to a Nationwide Impact: The...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/07/20

Keith Burns shares the story behind Green Cover and how a family farming operation in rural Bladen, Nebraska, grew into a company serving farmers across the country. In this episode of Building Nebraska, he discusses the evolution of the business, the importance of education and company culture, and why solving real problems for customers has fueled Green Cover's growth. Building Nebraska is powered by the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

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00:21:02

After Age 50, Nebraska Couple Built a Business That...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/07/13

What do you do when you're over 50 and looking for your next chapter? For Len Dickinson and Jule Goeller, that question led to Timberlyne—a Nebraska company that now ships custom timber frame barns, homes, and commercial buildings across the country. In this episode of Building Nebraska, they share how they found their market, overcame major challenges, and built a thriving business by putting customers first and proving it's never too late to start something new.

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00:23:15

Lessons Learned from Dozens of Nebraska Entrepreneurs

Building Nebraska ·

2026/07/06

In this special Season 2 recap of Building Nebraska, we sit down with Dr. Tom Field and Hailey Demers from the Engler Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln to reflect on the biggest themes that emerged from 28 episodes featuring business owners, innovators, and founders from across the state.

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00:19:53

From a Craigslist wheelchair to a robot in poultry...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/06/22

What began with a Craigslist wheelchair and a messy problem inside poultry barns has grown into one of Nebraska’s most fascinating ag-tech startups. Dusty Reynolds shares how Birds Eye Robotics is using robotics to tackle labor shortages, improve efficiency, and reshape the future of poultry production.

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00:17:39

Part 1: A Radio DJ, an Ice Cream Wagon, and a Coffee...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/06/19

Before Scooter's Coffee became a nationally recognized franchise, Don and Linda Eckles spent years chasing opportunities, learning hard lessons, and building businesses ranging from restaurants to ice cream wagons. In Part 1 of this Building Nebraska conversation, the founders share the entrepreneurial journey that took them from radio broadcasting and life in Alaska to a small drive-thru coffee concept that would eventually transform into Scooter's Coffee. It's a candid look at risk-taking,

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00:20:15

Part 2: How Scooter's Coffee Grew from One Nebraska...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/06/19

In Part 2 of Building Nebraska, founders Don and Linda Eckles share how a single Nebraska coffee shop grew into one of America's fastest-growing coffee franchises, now approaching 1,000 locations across more than 30 states.

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00:16:16

From Code to Cattle: Building Autonomy in the Dirt

Building Nebraska ·

2026/05/26

Jacob Hansen and the team at ALA Engineering are developing self-driving feed trucks designed to help cattle feedlots solve labor shortages and improve efficiency. Using advanced cameras, sensors and software, the company plans to commercially deploy autonomous trucks in Nebraska next year.

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00:16:27

From His Father’s Business to His Daughter’s Future |...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/05/18

In Part 2 of this conversation, Mark Whitehead reflects on growing up in the family business and eventually taking over leadership of Whitehead Oil Company and its U-Stop convenience store brand. He shares stories from his early days in the industry, the realities of working alongside his father, and the challenges that often come with family business succession. Mark also discusses scaling the company, lessons learned from business mistakes, and the advice he gives young entrepreneurs about

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00:18:34

How Gas Stations Really Make Their Money | U-Stop...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/05/11

In Part 1 of this episode, Mark Whitehead shares the strategy behind growing U-Stop and Whitehead Oil Company into nearly 40 locations across Nebraska and Kansas. We go inside the economics of the convenience store business, how fuel pricing really works, and why most of the profit isn’t made at the pump. Mark also explains how the company differentiates itself in a crowded market and what it takes to stay competitive in the retail fuel industry.

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00:16:29

How They Scaled Across the State | Ryan Clark, Eustis...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/04/30

What does it take to grow a small-town business into something much bigger—without losing what made it work in the first place?On this episode of Building Nebraska, we sit down with Ryan Clark, Vice President of Eustis Body Shop, to talk about the journey from a single shop in rural Nebraska to eight locations across the state. Ryan didn’t grow up in the business. After marrying into the family, he started from the ground up—driving to Eustis early in the morning, sweeping floors, detailing

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00:24:34

People Say They Want Local Food… So Why Aren’t They...

Building Nebraska ·

2026/04/16

Robinette Farms started with a simple idea: connect people to the land through food.But building that vision hasn’t been easy. In this episode, Alex Robinette shares the journey — from launching a local food business to navigating a life-changing accident that reshaped his role on the farm. We also dive into the realities of building a direct-to-consumer ag business, the tradeoffs between control and risk, and detail Alex's philosophy for the future of agriculture: commerce, conservation, and

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