Innovation and Impact: Laney Kraus-Tadeo on Entrepreneurship and the Arts

In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviews Laney Kraus-Taddeo, the founder and CEO of ActRightHere. They discuss Laney's entrepreneurial journey, starting from her participation in a Tech Star Startup Weekend, where she pitched the idea for ActRightHere—a platform connecting writers and actors to collaborate on creative projects. Laney shares her initial struggle to form a team during the weekend event and how her persistence paid off, leading her to win the competition. The success at Startup Weekend propelled her to enroll in Venture School, where she further developed her business model and won additional pitch competitions. The podcast highlights Lainey's determination and passion for building a community for creatives, despite challenges such as the need for fundraising and navigating the tech side of her startup. The conversation also covers Laney's temporary departure from her startup to work as a senior producer on the Kamala Harris presidential campaign. She reflects on the significance of the experience and the impact of participating in a historic political campaign. Upon returning to ActRightHere, Laney shares her plans for the future, including signing with a venture studio and preparing for a beta launch of her platform. She emphasizes the importance of networking, sending cold emails, and maintaining perseverance in the face of rejection. The episode concludes with Laney's excitement about upcoming opportunities, including attending the Oscars as a seat filler, and her advice to aspiring founders to be proactive and open to all possibilities in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Hear the full show: https://iowapodcast.com/laney-kraus-taddeo-entrepreneurial-journey-insights