Events

          Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm Location: Online Register: Here Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or small business owner looking to make a big impact with a limited marketing budget? Look no further than "Marketing for Startups with a Small Budget - A Blueprint for Small Business Marketing." This course is designed to empower you with the knowledge and strategies needed to effectively market your startup or small business without breaking the bank. In today's competitive business landscape, creativity and resourcefulness can be your greatest assets, and this course will show you how to leverage them to achieve remarkable marketing results. Throughout this course, you will delve into innovative, cost-effective marketing techniques tailored specifically for startups and small businesses. From crafting a compelling brand story and harnessing the power of social media to mastering guerrilla marketing tactics and optimizing your online presence, you'll gain a comprehensive toolkit for maximizing your marketing efforts on a shoestring budget. Join us on a journey to discover how to reach your target audience, generate leads, and build a loyal customer base, all while managing your resources efficiently. By the end of this course, you'll have a solid blueprint for navigating the world of marketing as a small business, setting you on a path toward sustainable growth and success. Don't let a limited budget hold you back – learn how to market smarter, not harder, and watch your business thrive. Click here to register!

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2026 Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Location: Online Register: Here Getting started in your small business journey can be daunting…let us help you make the process and little easier as we outline some basic steps to Getting Ready! What are the first steps needed to business ownership? What’s a business plan and why do you need one? What are the various types of legal business entities? How do you register your business? Click here to register!

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm Location: 2210 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Getting started in your small business journey can be daunting…let us help you make the process and little easier as we outline some basic steps to Getting Ready! What are the first steps needed to business ownership? What’s a business plan and why do you need one? What are the various types of legal business entities? How do you register your business? Click here to register!

          Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Thursday, September 3, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or small business owner looking to make a big impact with a limited marketing budget? Look no further than "Marketing for Startups with a Small Budget - A Blueprint for Small Business Marketing." This course is designed to empower you with the knowledge and strategies needed to effectively market your startup or small business without breaking the bank. In today's competitive business landscape, creativity and resourcefulness can be your greatest assets, and this course will show you how to leverage them to achieve remarkable marketing results. Throughout this course, you will delve into innovative, cost-effective marketing techniques tailored specifically for startups and small businesses. From crafting a compelling brand story and harnessing the power of social media to mastering guerrilla marketing tactics and optimizing your online presence, you'll gain a comprehensive toolkit for maximizing your marketing efforts on a shoestring budget. Join us on a journey to discover how to reach your target audience, generate leads, and build a loyal customer base, all while managing your resources efficiently. By the end of this course, you'll have a solid blueprint for navigating the world of marketing as a small business, setting you on a path toward sustainable growth and success. Don't let a limited budget hold you back – learn how to market smarter, not harder, and watch your business thrive. Click here to register!

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2026 Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Location: Online Register: Here Running a small business requires more than having a passion and a vision. To be successful you need to have your financials in order. Unless you are familiar with bookkeeping basics, you might not know how crucial having the right financial documents are to your success. Join The Iowa Center staff as we go over the most useful and important financial documents for your small business. We will discuss and define: Income Statement/Profit and Loss Statement Cash Flow Statement Balance Sheet Accounts Receivable Budget Click here to register!

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:00pm Location: Online Register: Here Turn your dream into a plan with this small group, one-hour business planning class. The Iowa Center staff will help you kickstart your business plan by providing you a road map on completing your plan and taking the next steps towards business ownership. Also connect with other aspiring small business owners to refine your business ideas as you put them into real plans. Click here to register! 

          Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff & Karla Guerrero, Klarity Insurance Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Location: HUB 712 (603 N Adams Street, Carroll, Iowa 51401) Register: Here One uncovered claim can undo years of hard work. This one-hour session covers what insurance most small businesses need, where owners tend to overpay, and what to look for in your own policy. Karla Guerrero of Klarity Insurance works with small business owners every day and will take questions throughout the session. What types of coverage your business actually needs Where coverage gaps usually show up The difference between general liability, commercial auto, and workers' comp Plenty of time for your questions Click here to register!

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Location: 2210 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Thinking about expanding your business? Before taking the next step, it's important to determine whether your business is truly ready for growth. In this session, you'll evaluate your current operations, explore the opportunities and challenges of expansion, and learn how to align growth with your long-term vision. Whether you're considering a new location, hiring additional staff, or expanding your services, this course will help you make informed decisions with confidence. What You'll Learn Evaluate whether your business is ready to expand. Align expansion plans with your long-term goals and mission. Explore the opportunities and challenges of business growth. Click here to register! 

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026 Time: 2:00 - 3:30pm Location: 2210 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Small business taxes can be complicated. Understanding your obligations and keeping good records makes the process easier, and helps you avoid costly surprises. Join The Iowa Center’s in-house Small Business Tax Professional for a one hour class to learn strategies to prepare for tax time. We will also share information about Iowa Center Services that can help you plan for tax time success. Click here to register! 

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Location: Virtual Register: Here Thinking about expanding your business? Before taking the next step, it's important to determine whether your business is truly ready for growth. In this session, you'll evaluate your current operations, explore the opportunities and challenges of expansion, and learn how to align growth with your long-term vision. Whether you're considering a new location, hiring additional staff, or expanding your services, this course will help you make informed decisions with confidence. What You'll Learn Evaluate whether your business is ready to expand. Align expansion plans with your long-term goals and mission. Explore the opportunities and challenges of business growth. Click here to register!