Baldes is director of the Iowa JPEC Startup Incubator. She was the founder and CEO of BAGOLITAS, a direct sales company that redefined women across the United States through the handbag they carried. Baldes is an established entrepreneur, trained leadership and life coach, active member of the corridor ecosystem, and passionate about entrepreneurship. It is her greatest joy to help students bring their dreams to life through mentoring, collaboration, and the classroom experience.