The Innovate 608 podcast is for professionals on the go. It’s about entrepreneurship — the journey, the community and a place to hear about bold new things happening in Madison and Wisconsin.

Hosted by Nora Roughen-Schmidt and produced by StartingBlock, Madison’s local hub for creative startups, the Innovate 608 podcast will tell the stories of incredible Wisconsin innovators. Listeners will hear from startup CEOs about their successes and failures, plus experts in every facet of creating a successful business, from turning an idea into an effective investor pitch to launching and running a thriving operation.


In the ninth episode, American Family CEO Jack Salzwedel discusses his approach to leadership at one of the area’s largest private employers. Topics include the company’s diversity efforts, its response to COVID-19 and how it is using social media to connect its thousands of employees.