DreamBuilder Summer 2026
2026-05-27 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-06-10 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-06-24 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-07-08 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | The Iowa Center, 2210 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Day/Time: Wednesday evenings from 5:30-7:30 pm from May 27th to July 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 May 20th.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

A personal laptop
An active email and DreamBuilder login
Commitment to 2 hours/week of online coursework
Full attendance and participation

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!

Always Ready: Getting Ready (In-Person)
2026-06-02 15:00 - 16:00
Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff
Date: Tuesday, June 2, 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!

Always Ready: Lending (In-Person)
2026-06-03 15:00 - 16:00
Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff
Date: Wednesday, June 3, 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!

Always Ready: Financials (In-Person)
2026-06-09 15:00 - 16:00
Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff
Date: Tuesday, June 9, 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!

Always Ready: Business Plan (In-Person)
2026-06-16 15:00 - 16:00
Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 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!

DreamBuilder Summer 2026 Graduation
2026-07-22 17:30 - 19:30
Day/Time: Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 5:30-7:30 PM (for full details and class schedule, click here!)
Location: Online
In our final session, we’ll celebrate your hard work and growth throughout the course. This graduation class is your opportunity to put everything you’ve learned into action by presenting your business pitch and sharing your marketing strategy with your peers and instructors.
You’ll have the chance to showcase your brand story, creative marketing ideas, and the strategies you’ve developed to reach your audience on a budget. This is a supportive and engaging space to gain feedback, network with fellow entrepreneurs, and be inspired by the innovative approaches others have crafted.
We’ll close out the course by recognizing your accomplishments and setting the stage for your next steps as a confident, resourceful business owner ready to make an impact.
