Ep. 036: Founding a Death-Tech Start Up w/ Colleen Kinsey
- Ryan Snaadt
- Apr 2
- 4 min read
From Global Nomad to Tech Founder: Lessons in Validation and Resilience with Colleen Kinsey
In the world of entrepreneurship, we often hear about the "hustle," but rarely do we get a raw, unfiltered look at the psychological toll of building, failing, and pivoting. On a recent episode of the Rhymes with Odd Podcast, host Ryan Snaadt sat down with Colleen Kinsey, founder of SoftVoya and a veteran of the Des Moines tech scene, to discuss a journey that spans from the small-town dirt of Granger, Iowa, to the cobblestone streets of Dublin and the high-stakes world of software development.
Whether you are a startup founder or a marketing director at a local Des Moines firm, Colleen’s story offers a masterclass in risk management, personal branding, and the importance of market validation.
The "Sandbox Kid" from Granger: Breaking the Iowa Mold
Every entrepreneur has a "why." For Colleen Kinsey, it started in a literal sandbox in Granger, Iowa. Despite deep roots in the community—her father attended Johnston High School and her ancestors were some of the first to settle in the area—Colleen felt a "DNA-level" pull toward the horizon.
After a brief stint at Minnesota State University, Mankato, she returned to Iowa State University to study Finance and International Business. However, a traditional cubicle life wasn't in the cards. Colleen’s first major career move was into IT consulting for electronic medical records (EMR). This role took her across the country, often being the "fixer" dropped into hospitals with disgruntled clients.
Key Takeaway for Business Owners: Colleen credits this period with teaching her how to be "uncomfortable when you don’t know what you’re doing." In the volatile Iowa business market, the ability to "live into" uncertainty is often the difference between a failing project and a successful pivot.
The $20,000 Leap: Turning SEO into Freedom
By 2015, the travel bug had become a fever. Realizing that a corporate entity would never prioritize her personal dreams, Colleen took matters into her own hands. She taught herself Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and began building niche websites.
Her first success? A guitar and ukulele blog. The kicker? She has never played either instrument.
By identifying high-ranking keywords and leveraging Amazon Affiliate links, she grew the site to over 100,000 views per month. This digital side-hustle, combined with driving for Uber and selling her furniture on Craigslist, allowed her to save a $20,000 "escape fund."
"I was sleeping on an air mattress because I’d already sold everything," Colleen told Ryan Snaadt. "My VP offered me a raise, two months paid vacation, and even offered to buy me bedroom furniture just to get me to stay."
She said no. She chose the air mattress and a one-way ticket to Dublin.
3 Years as a Digital Nomad: The Ultimate Market Research
For three years, Colleen lived on $50 a day, traversing Europe and beyond. She became a "professional cat-sitter" and a travel blogger, but more importantly, she learned the value of constraints.
In the podcast, Colleen shares her "New City Ritual" with Ryan Snaadt, which is a perfect analogy for entering a new business market:
Go to the grocery store: Understand the local "cost of living" (market overhead).
Take a free walking tour: Get the "lay of the land" from a local expert (competitor research).
Ask the "annoying" questions: Dig deep into the history and pain points of the area.
This period of "finding herself" eventually led her back to Iowa, but with a new perspective on how to build a sustainable business.
The Rise and Fall of Kinyo: Lessons in Pricing and Burnout
Upon returning to Des Moines, Colleen founded Kinyo, a web design agency with a social mission: empowering women in developing countries by providing them with high-level tech jobs. While the mission was noble and the team grew to six full-time contractors across Poland, Belarus, and India, the business model had a fatal flaw.
Colleen admitted to Ryan Snaadt that she struggled with the "bumpy ride" of a solo founder.
The Pipeline Problem: She would land a big project, disappear to execute it, and emerge only to find her sales pipeline empty.
The Worth Gap: "I undervalued a lot of my services," Colleen shared. "I tied a lot of my own personal worth with the pricing I was putting on our output."
For Des Moines marketers and agency owners, this is a vital lesson. If you don't price for the value you provide, you aren't building a business—you're building a cage.
SoftVoya and the Death of "Unvalidated Ideas"
Today, Colleen is the driving force behind SoftVoya. Her mission has shifted from just building websites to helping entrepreneurs avoid the "money pit" of software development.
She noticed a heartbreaking trend in the tech world: entrepreneurs spending $50,000 to $100,000 on mobile apps or software that no one actually wanted. SoftVoya focuses on augmenting staff and, more importantly, helping founders build no-code MVPs (Minimum Viable Products).
Why Every Des Moines Entrepreneur Needs an MVP:
Cost Efficiency: Validate an idea for $5,000 instead of $50,000.
Investor Readiness: Take a functional, no-code prototype to investors to prove traction.
Early Feedback: Get the software into the hands of early adopters before the first line of code is ever written.
Breaking the "Cattiness" of Networking
One of the most refreshing parts of Colleen's conversation with Ryan Snaadt was her take on the Des Moines networking scene. After years of attending "female-focused" groups, she found herself craving something more authentic.
She warns against "phony success"—the entrepreneurs who show up in leased luxury cars while their businesses are on the brink of bankruptcy. Instead, she advocates for Rotary Club and value-focused groups like The Loop in Des Moines.
"I'm instantly turned off if the first thing you talk to me about is what you're trying to sell me," Colleen noted. Her advice for local professionals? Lead with value, not a pitch.
Final Thoughts: Resilience in the Silicon Prairie
Colleen Kinsey’s journey proves that the path to success isn't a straight line—it’s a series of loops, pivots, and occasional air mattresses. From the "sandbox" of Granger to the tech hubs of Eastern Europe, her story is a testament to the fact that Iowans are uniquely positioned to lead in the tech space through a combination of "Midwest nice" and hardcore resilience.
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