Date: Tuesday, March 25 2025 Time: 8:00 - 9:30 am Location: Chain and Spoke Coffee 515 28th St Unit 102 Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Parking: Street parking is available on Ingersoll Avenue or 28th Street The “Made In Iowa“ series is a panel discussion exploring the role of small businesses in connecting communities and building culture. This session, we are partnering with three small businesses along Grand Avenue/Ingersoll corridor in Des Moines: Chain & Spoke Coffee, Panka Peruvian Restaurant, and Oak Park restaurant. Kathy Ferman, Jeff Hoobin, and Mariela Maya will share their unique entrepreneurial journeys, discuss challenges, and share insights into the rewards of owning your own business. Join us for a panel discussion, featuring: • Kathy Fehrman, Owner of Oak Park  • Jeff Hoobin, Owner of Chain & Spoke Coffee • Mariela Maya, Owner of Panka Peruvian  • Moderated by Katie Byers, Program Director of The Iowa Center's Women's Business Center Click here to register!

Presenter: Michael Dayton Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2025 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Join Michael Dayton from Nyemaster Law Offices at The Iowa Center for Buying and Selling a Small Business! During this one-hour session, we’ll review typical documents you’ll need to exchange during the process of buying or selling a business, explain why those documents are important, and prepare you to knowledgeably move through the process of buying or selling a business. Join us March 25th to ensure you are set up for success! Michael Dayton is a member of the Business, Finance and Real Estate Department at Nyemaster Goode and a past member of the Iowa State Bar Association’s Business Law Section Council. During his career, Michael has led and assisted on hundreds of merger and acquisition transactions from public to public mergers to the sales of small privately held companies. Michael also routinely assists clients with general contracting matters, including contract management processes and data and cybersecurity matters relating thereto; corporate formation and governance issues; commercial lending and secured transactions; regulatory matters; local counsel opinions; and other commercial transactions. Michael is passionate about leadership, teaching, coaching, and serving his community, especially in the areas of child education and welfare. Click here to register!

          Date: Tuesday, April 1 2025 Time: 12:00 - 1:00 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: Wednesday, April 2, 2025 Time: 3:00 - 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!

Day/Time: Thursday evenings from 5:30-7:30 pm from April 3rd to May 22nd (for full details and class schedule, click here!) Cost: $250 per participant (+ ticket fees) Refund Policy: Ticketing fees are not refundable. No refunds will be given after March 31, 2025. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: All participants must have their own laptop and an active email address Participants should expect to spend an average of two hours per week outside of class time on homework assignments 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...

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025 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, April 9, 2025 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm Location: Virtual Register: Here Understanding your Personal Credit and How to Establish Business Credit.   Did you know that when you apply for a small business loan odds are that you will have to apply using your personal credit? This information is used by lenders and creditors to assess your creditworthiness and determine whether to lend you money or extend credit. Understanding your personal credit is an essential part of managing your finances and achieving your financial goals. We will also discuss everything you need to know about building personal credit for your business, including why it's important, how to get started, and best practices for maintaining good credit!  Click here to register!

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2025 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! 

          Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm Location: Virtual 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!