Events

Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 Time: 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Location: Flora Cafe in the Des Moines Botanical Gardens (909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines, IA) Register: Here The holiday season is often a crucial time for small businesses, and shopping local can make a lasting impact on Iowa’s small business owners, entrepreneurs, and our communities. Join The Iowa Center for Made in Iowa: Season of Support sponsored by CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA,) a special edition of our Made in Iowa series, highlighting the small businesses that make our communities vibrant and fun places to live, work, and visit. Featuring a panel of Iowa's small business owners, this conversation explores what shopping local looks like ahead of the holiday season and how entrepreneurs prepare for one of the busiest times of year for their business. Attendees will gain insights into the opportunities and challenges small businesses face during the holidays and find meaningful ways to keep their dollars local ahead of this season. Join us for an engaging afternoon of conversation and connection at Flora Cafe, proudly owned and operated by Chef Suman and Dr. Cynthia Hoque of HoQ restaurant, located in the Des Moines Botanical Gardens. This panel discussion features: Yinka Cole, Edara Wellness Coffee & Tea Callé Friesen, Quiltberry Farm Moderated by Jennifer Thomas, Program Director of The Iowa Center Women's Business Center Through the generosity and support of our sponsor, CLA, registration to Made in Iowa is free: Register Here Upon entering the Des Moines Botanical Gardens, Iowa Center staff will direct you and any guests to Flora Restaurant. Any attendees looking to explore the botanical gardens following the speaker panel will need to purchase Botanical Garden tickets for "Dome for the Holidays," which are available for purchase after 10/15/2026.

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026 Time: 3:30 - 4:30pm 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 Date: Thursday, November 19, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here A successful expansion starts with a solid plan. This session focuses on building a strategy that supports sustainable growth by helping you identify the resources, capital, and people needed to move your business forward. You'll also learn how to anticipate potential risks and create a roadmap for achieving your expansion goals. What You'll Learn Build a strategic roadmap for business expansion. Determine the capital needed to support growth. Learn how to build the right team and manage expansion risks. Click here to register! 

          Date: Monday, November 24, 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, December 1, 2026 Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, 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: Tuesday, December 8, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 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: Thursday, December 10, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:30pm 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 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: Tuesday, December 15, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:00pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 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! 

          Date: Thursday, December 17, 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!