Ron Corbett, former Iowa House Speaker and Cedar Rapids Mayor, joins Jesse to tackle the crisis of political trust and polarization in America. They dive into how reforming primaries, strengthening institutions, and embracing principled leadership could guide us out of the “Terrible Twenties” and into a more functional democracy.

Entrepreneur and investor Courtney Wooge reflects on America’s evolving business climate. From leading remote-first teams to navigating AI disruption, he shares lessons on leadership, wealth inequality, and why creating opportunity—especially for the next generation—will define business success in the decades ahead.

Dale Todd, longtime Cedar Rapids City Councilman, shares his grounded perspective on American politics—from local government challenges to broader threats to democracy. The episode covers leadership fatigue, rebuilding bipartisan trust, and how neighborhood-level change can scale into national transformation.

Nikki Wilcox, strategic development consultant and civic leader, discusses the current state and future of women in leadership. The conversation spans maternity policy, gender-balanced governance, tech disruption, and raising resilient daughters in a digital age—all through the lens of someone doing the work daily.

John Osako, CEO of Informatics, joins Jesse to explore the rise of artificial intelligence and the future of commercial tech in America. They reflect on Moore’s Law, ChatGPT's breakout moment, the looming potential of AGI, and what a successful human-tech partnership might look like by 2049.