Conversion by Design: UI/UX Strategies That Turn Visitors into Customers

Your website’s design isn’t just about looking good—it’s about guiding users to take action. This session dives into the intersection of UI/UX and conversion strategy, showing how smart design choices can directly impact your bottom line. Learn how to structure pages for clarity and flow, reduce friction in key user journeys, and use visual hierarchy, micro-interactions, and persuasive design elements to increase engagement and drive conversions. Perfect for startups and small business owners, this talk provides a toolkit of proven, actionable techniques that turn casual visitors into loyal customers—without needing a massive redesign or marketing budget.

About Jess

Jess joined the NewBoCo team in 2016 as a UI/UX Developer and has since grown into the role of Director of Marketing and Software Development. Throughout her career as a User Experience Designer and Front-End Developer, her focus is on crafting intuitive interfaces and seamless user experiences using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript across both web and native platforms.

Jess is passionate about collaborating with clients to build products that balance user needs with the unique challenges faced by small or early-stage businesses. Beyond her work at NewBoCo, she actively contributes to the development community, speaking at conferences and code camps throughout the Midwest on best practices at the intersection of design and code.

Prior to NewBoCo, Jess spent eight years in the e-commerce space, tackling many of the same challenges startups face today—like A/B testing, conversion rate optimization, driving sales, and enhancing front-end performance for faster load times.

How to Nail Your Elevator Pitch

You have one chance- 7 seconds- to make an impression stick. Can you explain what you do and who you do it for in a way that a kindergartner could understand? If not, this workshop is for you.

About Sarah

Sarah Michelle helps business leaders figure out who they are and how to tell people. With 15+ years in brand, business, and messaging strategy across creative agency, global corporation, and entrepreneurial contexts, Sarah takes a comprehensive approach to optimizing opportunities from the inside-out. She is a Cedar Rapids transplant by way of San Diego and Boston, founder of HoneyMAP and host of the Successful(ish) podcast. When she’s not elbow deep in words and strategies, you can find her hiking with her furbabe, boxing in the dojo, or blasting the car radio on a new adventure.

About Brent

Brent Stinski grew up in Iowa City and returned in recent years to develop Stories Project, an interactive museum to celebrate storytelling and promote literacy. After graduating from Grinnell College he completed a PhD at Cambridge University before starting a market research company, Media Predict, which was acquired in 2017.

The Story behind Stories Project

This session will introduce a different kind of startup: Stories Project, a proposed interactive museum in Iowa City to celebrate storytelling and promote literacy. Executive Director Brent Stinski will unfold the twists and turns behind this idea, dating back to 2008, that might now culminate in the museum becoming a reality. After introducing the museum itself, Stinski will take the audience behind the curtain, exploring how, through revision, our team members learned to use storytelling techniques to explain our own ambitions, which has enhanced our appeals to politicians and donors alike. The takeaway for entrepreneurs: stop explaining and start engaging emotionally, through stories.

Entrepreneurship – What’s Your Story? Entrepreneurship, Marketing, & Chickens.

Kori Heuss, owner of Heuss Printing, The Iowan Magazine, Iowa Golf, Pioneer Publishing and Kori Heuss, LLC, will share her ownership story and work with you on how to tell yours. With over 30 years in marketing, she has helped international brands as well as start up organizations to effectively tell their story, enhance their brand, and grow their bottom line. Come to this session prepared to ask questions, work through your pain points and to be encouraged by another entrepreneur to communicate using your unique, authentic voice.

About Kori

Kori Heuss is the President and Owner of Heuss Printing, The Iowan Magazine, Pioneer Publishing and Kori Heuss LLC. Heuss Printing is an all-in-one marketing solution for business, empowering customers to grow by providing brand consistency and cost efficiency. Equal parts marketing firm and manufacturer, Heuss Printing manages the workflow of design, communication and manufacturing of products. The company is built around “the vision to communicate yours.” Kori Heuss graduated from Iowa State University in Interpersonal Communication, from Colorado College in Organizational Management and from Milwaukee Technical College as a Graphic Communication Executive. She spent several years working in Marketing & Economic Development. She believes in growing businesses in the State of Iowa and this led her to purchase her own business. She is known for driving brand growth, maximizing operational excellence, and delivering financial performance. She has expanded the manufacturing processes to include traditional print on paper, but also large format, screen printing, embroidery, pad printing, digital product creation and more. She has purchased, installed and onboarded equipment, implemented new workflow solutions, and restructured and reorganized manufacturing processes. Heuss Printing ships globally and works with organizations throughout the United States. A marathon runner, bow hunter, interior designer, remodeler, and finder of projects, she is always in search of an adventure.

Panelist: The Art of the Podcast

In this breakout session, attendees will hear from three people with Podcast experience. Dos, don’ts, best practices, and how to leverage podcasting to grow your brand and business.

About Jennifer

Dr. Jennifer Smith is a passionate developer of people and systems who loves saying “YES!” to anything related to those ideas. She founded Dangerous Leader Group, which is ruthlessly focused on supporting leaders in business and life evolve through deliberate intent. She is also an adjunct leadership professor at the University of Charleston, where she completed her Doctorate in Executive Leadership, which focused on women, entrepreneurial leaders, and systems. Jennifer is an Army veteran, Gold Star Wife, and former corporate and nonprofit leader whose experiences have shown her that the best thing you can be is authentically you.

Panelist: The Art of the Podcast

In this breakout session, attendees will hear from three people with Podcast experience. Dos, don’ts, best practices, and how to leverage podcasting to grow your brand and business.

About Rob

Rob Merritt is an award-winning writer, editor, and videographer who currently serves as a Communications Specialist for the City of Cedar Rapids. Rob’s career has taken him down many roads, including a decade in journalism as a writer and News Editor for the Cedar Rapids Gazette; as an actor for three decades in both stage and film; as an author of multiple books, stage plays and films, including “:The Summerland Project,” “Aurora,” “Amelia 2.0,” and “No Easy Answers: The Truth Behind Death at Columbine”; and as a producer of viral YouTube shorts, including “B-Ball Wizard: The Caitlin Clark Song” and “This Year Is A Dumpster Fire.” Rob also spent four seasons producing and co-hosting the “Iowa Innovation Podcast,” which was nominated for three Iowa Podcast Awards in 2024, including Producer of the Year, Best Interview Podcast, and Best Business Podcast. Rob is a graduate of the University of Iowa and is always exploring new ways to tell the stories of his community, whether it’s behind a keyboard, a camera, or a microphone.

Panelist: The Art of the Podcast

In this breakout session, attendees will hear from three people with Podcast experience. Dos, don’ts, best practices, and how to leverage podcasting to grow your brand and business.

About Ben

Ben McDougal is a dynamic entrepreneur, speaker, and author passionate about innovation and community building. As the host of Don’t Need This Podcast, he delivers over 100 engaging and insightful conversations on the entrepreneurial journey. Ben is also the author of You Don’t Need This Book: Entrepreneurship in the Connected Era and has shared his insights through a weekly blog.. His experience-driven keynote, You Don’t Need This Keynote, inspires audiences nationwide. Based in Des Moines, Ben is the most seasoned Regional Rep for 1 Million Cups, a nationwide entrepreneurship program powered by the Kauffman Foundation. Connect with Ben and his caffeinated conversations at BenMcDougal.com.

Panelist: The Art of the Podcast

In this breakout session, attendees will hear from three people with Podcast experience. Dos, don’ts, best practices, and how to leverage podcasting to grow your brand and business.

About Tara

Tara Louisa Allen is an experienced educator, consultant, and veteran, dedicated to helping people maximize their potential through innovative strategies and leadership development. She serves as the lead faculty and coordinator for the Marketing Management Program at Kirkwood Community College, where she guides future marketing professionals in the ever-evolving business landscape. As the founder of Eagle Eye Vision Consulting, Tara works with organizations to improve efficiency, enhance strategic thinking, and create inclusive environments. Tara’s passion for wellness extends beyond the classroom as she offers free online fitness classes to participants around the world with live virtual classes and her YouTube channel @taraallen51. She is also the host of “My Story, My Reality” podcast, where she engages listeners in thought-provoking discussions on personal growth, perspective, and resilience. Known for her ability to connect and inspire, Tara is committed to empowering others through practical tools and thought-provoking insights that lead to lasting change.

Developing and Telling Your Story to Grow Your Business

Are you a business owner and struggle to communicate your organization’s story clearly and succinctly? Do you find it challenging to get to the essence of your message quickly and hook your audience to listen? You’re not alone. Storytelling is one of the most powerful persuasive tools, and yet, we find it difficult to do. We either have too many ideas or not enough. In this engaging workshop, Tina B., intuitive communication coach, will guide you through examining the core questions it takes to structure your story with confidence and clarity. Through Tina B.’s guidance, we’ll brainstorm and discuss storytelling ideas you can use in professional settings and provide helpful feedback to improve your communication style to make the impact you desire and build your business.

About Tina

Tina Bakehouse started her own company Tina B. LLC to provide intuitive communication consulting and coaching to guide heart-centered leaders and organizations internationally to communicate more effectively. Tina B. is a published author of Discovering Our Magnetic Speaker Within and has more than 20 years of teaching communication and theater, including 10 years at Creighton University. Previously, Tina B. worked in human resources, nonprofit communication strategy, and marketing and storytelling for a bank. She holds  certifications in holistic psychotherapy, Keirsey Temperament, 5-Levels of Improvisation, and has a master’s degree in communication studies from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Northern Iowa: one in communication studies and psychology and the other in English teaching, speech, and theater. As a former Walt Disney Cast Member, Leadership Iowa participant, and TEDx speaker, Tina B. is passionate about educating others to become more self-aware and enhance their authentic speaker style through her individual coaching series, transformational team building workshops, and keynotes in improvisation, storytelling, temperament, and communication to analyze speaker style, craft clear content, and deliver messages that matter on any stage.

What Professional Video Can Actually Do For Your Business

In today’s digital landscape, video has emerged as a crucial marketing asset for businesses of all sizes. However, navigating the expanding universe of video options can be overwhelming when trying to determine which formats will deliver the greatest impact for your specific business needs. This session breaks down the distinct categories of professional video content available and examines how each serves different strategic objectives. We’ll explore the spectrum from brand awareness to customer education, demonstrating how professionally produced video paired with consistent distribution can effectively expand your customer reach and drive meaningful business results.

About Jordan

With 20 years of experience in various sectors of the video production industry, Jordan has acquired a wealth of knowledge on what it means to be a successful commercial artist and entrepreneur. He has worked with the world’s largest brands, such as Apple, Google, Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft. Along with a successful commercial career, he’s also been able to establish himself within the entertainment industry, working on major documentary films, streaming TV shows, and broadcast graphics packages for HBO, ESPN, Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, Paramount, and more.

In parallel with his contracting business, Jordan has established Simplate Studios—a hybrid production studio and software company. Simplate specializes in creating custom video campaigns that achieve remarkable scalability through its proprietary software platform. The company caters to clients requiring rapid production of high-volume video content, delivering quality and efficiency through its innovative technological approach.