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  • Emily Poff on saying yes, staying curious, and earning bigger roles

    Emily Poff on saying yes, staying curious, and earning bigger roles
    2026/02/19
    Emily Poff joins Dave Neff to talk about her promotion to vice president of operations at Prolific and the career path that took her from New Castle to nonprofit leadership and into business operations. She shares how faith and community shaped her early years, why she studied political science and nonprofit management at Olivet Nazarene University, and what she learned working at United Way of Kankakee and Iroquois Counties and the Kankakee County Chamber of Commerce. Poff also breaks down Prolific’s portfolio companies, credits Brad Benbow as a key mentor, and explains what she gained from earning her MBA at Butler University and her Society for Human Resource Management certification.
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    41 分
  • From Westfield to the NFL: Colts kicker Spencer Shrader’s unlikely football journey

    From Westfield to the NFL: Colts kicker Spencer Shrader’s unlikely football journey
    2026/02/05
    Indianapolis Colts placekicker Spencer Shrader talks with Dave Neff about his unique journey from Westfield, Indiana, and homeschool roots to pursuing pro soccer in Brazil and Canada before switching to football in his senior year of high school. Shrader explains walking on at South Florida, earning a scholarship, transferring to Notre Dame and how faith and embracing discomfort shaped his decisions. He shares insights on playing under coach Marcus Freeman, thriving through setbacks, and navigating the NFL as an undrafted free agent with stops on the Colts, Jets and Chiefs before returning to Indianapolis. Shrader reflects on resilience during injury recovery and offers advice for young athletes on competing with yourself and defining success.
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    49 分
  • Addison “A.T.” Simpson on Indianapolis Roots, Purdue Football, and Building in the LEAP District

    Addison “A.T.” Simpson on Indianapolis Roots, Purdue Football, and Building in the LEAP District
    2026/01/22
    Addison “A.T.” Simpson joins Talent Scout to talk about growing up on Indianapolis’ east side, the family legacy that shaped him, and why he believes Indy is worth the investment. Simpson reflects on his path from Cathedral High School to Purdue football under Joe Tiller, including lessons in discipline, leadership, and a winning mindset from the Drew Brees era. He also shares his career journey from the Hoosier Lottery to medical device sales, then into entrepreneurship in construction, before stepping into his current role as a regional manager with McFarland Construction. Simpson discusses bringing McFarland’s community-focused approach to Indiana, the joint venture work connected to the LEAP District, and why mentorship, relationships, and accessible leadership matter for the city’s future.
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    48 分
  • Whittney Parkinson on Building a Design Business With Boundaries

    Whittney Parkinson on Building a Design Business With Boundaries
    2026/01/08
    Whittney Parkinson, owner of Whittney Parkinson Design, joins host Dave Neff on Talent Scout to share her path from growing up in Kokomo to leading a small, high-end design firm in Indiana. Parkinson talks about learning business by watching her parents build their companies, studying art and illustration, and pivoting from Ringling School of Art and Design to interior design in Chicago. She explains how working with her father after the 2008-09 financial crisis shaped her fast, hands-on approach, and why psychology classes helped her manage clients, personalities and high-emotion projects. Parkinson also discusses launching her firm in 2016, setting strict boundaries as a mother of three, vetting clients, and focusing on full home renovations and new builds, often in the Meridian Kessler, Meridian Hills, Carmel and Zionsville areas.
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    42 分
  • Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen on Leadership, Butler, COVID and the Noblesville Boom

    Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen on Leadership, Butler, COVID and the Noblesville Boom
    2025/12/18
    Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen, the city’s 29th mayor, joins Dave Neff on Talent Scout to share how growing up in Noblesville and being raised by a single mom shaped his leadership and life as a father of four. Jensen talks about his time at Butler University, including early setbacks, joining a fraternity, serving as a male cheerleader and returning to win class president. He also explains how an internship with state Sen. Luke Kenley led to working with Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman and how mentors like Skillman, Kenley, Mitch Daniels, Susan Brooks and Eric Holcomb influenced his approach to public service. The conversation covers taking office in January 2020, navigating COVID-19 and seeing downtown momentum, including $150 million in private investment announced in 2020 and $4 billion in private investment over about five and a half years. Jensen also discusses the Noblesville Boom, a $93 million arena, the team name’s ties to Noblesville history, and regional work through the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority and AIM.
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    49 分
  • How Homefield built a national brand from Indiana roots with CEO Connor Hitchcock

    How Homefield built a national brand from Indiana roots with CEO Connor Hitchcock
    2025/12/04
    On this episode of the Talent Scout podcast, host Dave Neff talks with Homefield Apparel co-founder and CEO Connor Hitchcock about growing up as the oldest of five, discovering entrepreneurship at Indiana University, and turning a viral “the kick was good” T-shirt into a fast-growing collegiate apparel company. Hitchcock shares how he and his wife, Krista, launched Homefield in 2018, scaled to nearly 200 college licenses, and built a 40-person team committed to thoughtful design and a four day work week. He discusses licensing hurdles, March Madness surges, the company’s Indianapolis Motor Speedway line, the impact of X on brand growth, and his commitment to central Indiana through organizations such as PourHouse and Purdue Polytechnic. Get insights on entrepreneurship, sports licensing, and building a people-first brand from one of Indiana’s most creative founders.
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    48 分
  • How Indy lands new flights with Indianapolis International Airport’s Maggie Cunningham

    How Indy lands new flights with Indianapolis International Airport’s Maggie Cunningham
    2025/11/20
    Maggie Cunningham, director of air service and airport experience for the Indianapolis Airport Authority, joins Talent Scout to share how Indy secures new nonstop flights, grows international service, and maintains one of the top ranked airports in the country. Cunningham talks about growing up in Pearland, Texas, studying economics at Southwestern University, launching her career at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, and discovering her passion for air service development. She explains how data, airline relationships, and community engagement shape new routes, including Indy’s nonstop flight to Dublin. Cunningham also discusses her civic involvement with the International Center and leadership programs that helped her build a network in Indiana.
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    46 分
  • “There’s No Better Time Than Now” — David Muselman on Taking Action and Saying Yes

    “There’s No Better Time Than Now” — David Muselman on Taking Action and Saying Yes
    2025/11/06
    In this episode of Talent Scout with Dave Neff, guest David Muselman, president of DJM Investments, shares his journey from growing up in Berne, Indiana, to becoming a real estate entrepreneur with more than 200 apartment units and a growing self-storage business. Muselman talks about his family’s deep roots in the Hoosier state, his Taylor University experience, how a vending machine venture sparked his business career, and what it was like working alongside former Vice President Mike Pence on the 2024 presidential campaign trail.
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    41 分