Only Advance with Jesse Thoeming
A podcast about progress, possibility, and building a better future.
About Only Advance with Jesse Thoeming
Set against the near-future backdrop of Jesse Thoeming’s speculative novel God Bless You, Mr. Trump, Only Advance explores how we might rise from the chaos of the “Terrible Twenties” into the promise of the “Fabulous Forties.” Each episode pairs the show’s central question—How do we get there from here?—with an expert voice offering insight from their field.
From technology and artificial intelligence to politics, gender equity, business, education, philanthropy, and more, host Jesse Thoeming sits down with subject matter experts to examine how their discipline could be vastly improved over the next 10 to 20 years. These conversations are less about punditry and more about potential—cutting through the noise to highlight what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s worth building.
Drawing inspiration from shows like Sam Harris’ Making Sense, Only Advance combines grounded conversation with forward-looking curiosity. It’s a space for deep thinking, practical imagination, and hopeful realism—where every discussion ties back to the idea that things can be better if we’re bold enough to shape them.
Whether you’re a future-focused leader, a restless idealist, or simply someone who believes we can do better, this show invites you to think beyond the moment—and imagine what it would look like if we actually advanced.
Season 1 Episodes
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Nick Dusil, founder of Iowa Giving Crew, unpacks what’s broken—and what’s working—in the nonprofit space. This episode explores the psychology of giving, the need for humility in service, the balance between storytelling and ego, and why effective altruism must meet local compassion head-on.
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John Osako, CEO of Informatics, joins Jesse to explore the rise of artificial intelligence and the future of commercial tech in America. They reflect on Moore’s Law, ChatGPT’s breakout moment, the looming potential of AGI, and what a successful human-tech partnership might look like by 2049.
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Nikki Wilcox, strategic development consultant and civic leader, discusses the current state and future of women in leadership. The conversation spans maternity policy, gender-balanced governance, tech disruption, and raising resilient daughters in a digital age—all through the lens of someone doing the work daily.
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Dale Todd, longtime Cedar Rapids, IA City Councilman, shares his grounded perspective on American politics — from local government challenges to broader threats to democracy. The episode covers leadership fatigue, rebuilding bipartisan trust, and how neighborhood-level change can scale into national transformation.
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Entrepreneur and investor Courtney Wooge reflects on America’s evolving business climate. From leading remote-first teams to navigating AI disruption, he shares lessons on leadership, wealth inequality, and why creating opportunity—especially for the next generation—will define business success in the decades ahead.
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Ron Corbett, former Iowa House Speaker and Cedar Rapids Mayor, joins Jesse to tackle the crisis of political trust and polarization in America. They dive into how reforming primaries, strengthening institutions, and embracing principled leadership could guide us out of the “Terrible Twenties” and into a more functional democracy.
Season 2 Episodes
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Doug Neumann, longtime leader of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, joins Jesse to discuss the future of work in Iowa and beyond. They explore the accelerating impact of AI on jobs, how to support both urban and rural economies, and the systemic changes needed to prepare the next generation for long-term success. From medtech to Main Street, this episode asks: how do we build a workforce that thrives in the Fabulous Forties?
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Playwright and filmmaker Rob Merritt joins Jesse for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of storytelling in an increasingly AI-saturated world. They explore how emerging technology might reshape the creative process, reflect on Rob’s acclaimed sci-fi drama The Summerland Project, and dig into timeless questions around memory, identity, and what it means to be human. In an age of algorithms, this episode asks: will storytelling save us—or be swallowed by the machine?
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Kyle Steele joins Only Advance for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of social media and its impact on culture, politics, and the next generation. The episode tackles bots and anonymity, youth access and warning labels, algorithm regulation, deep fakes, and the growing tension between platforms and publishers. In an era where AI can fabricate reality and attention is the most valuable currency, this conversation asks what a healthy digital life could look like by the 2040's... and whether we have the courage to build it.