Presenter: Kristine Winter, Founder of BrandSpec Marketing  Date: March 8, 2022 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Online Registration: Click Here With 81% of consumers starting their search for products and service online, your small business needs to be ready to grab their attention. Learn the fundamentals of online marketing in this information packed session from certified marketing consultant and coach, Kris Winter of BrandSpec Marketing. Objectives: The importance of a core message and how to craft one Setting up a web site that converts Google Business Profile Mastering everyday SEO Building a review process The right way to use social media Lead generation tactics Analytics About Our Speaker... Kristine Winter is the founder of BrandSpec Marketing in Des Moines, Iowa. Kristine is driven by a passion to help small businesses create simple, effective, and affordable marketing while providing the right solution to meet their organizational needs and support their success. With over 25 years in both corporate and agency marketing, she is your guide to improving the use of your marketing channels to reach your most profitable customers. As a certified marketing consultant, she shows clients how to create a marketing system that gets the job done and coaches in-house staff on how to manage it. Click here to register!  The Iowa Center Women's Business Center is funded in part by U.S. Small Business Administration.

Presenter: Russ Dale, PM of Classes + Coaching and Jose Venales, Director of Microloans Date: March 9, 2022 Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm 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. About our hosts Russ Dale is our Classes and Coaching Project Manager. Russ spends his time working with clients, assisting them through their entrepreneurial journey. Russ also manages the IT initiatives for The Iowa Center, assists with the loan department as needed, and manages our CRM database. Russ is proud to say that he's the intern that never left!  Jose Venales is the Director of Microloans. Jose manages, develops, and implements The Iowa Center microloan programs. At the same time Jose has the responsibility to maintain a healthy loan portfolio to ensure the availability of these resources for future entrepreneurs.  Click here to register! 

Presenter: Teleza Daniels, Program Director of The Iowa Center Women's Business Center  Date: March 29, 2022 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Online Registration: Click Here   Join us to learn about Ascent, what it has to offer to small business owners, and the programming we are setting up for you! What is Ascent? Ascent is an online learning platform that utilizes a modern, e-learning approach specifically targeted for women business owners who want to grow their existing businesses. It’s packed with resources women need to set, and achieve, their business goals. All content is backed by research on the needs of women business owners. What is the purpose of Ascent? Ascent’s purpose is threefold: Cover more ground: Reach women business owners who may not be close to field offices. Look to the future: Create a digital experience that is more in line with how today’s entrepreneurs seek information. Identify resource gaps: Build a resource for women entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their businesses. Who is behind Ascent? The U.S. Small Business Administration, the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, and the Department of Treasury collaborated to develop this platform, leveraging the best of government resources and entrepreneurial perspectives. Why target women business owners? Nearly 90% of women-owned businesses have no employees and tend to be smaller businesses with significantly lower revenues. While there are quite a few resources available for women looking to start a business, little is available for established business owners interested in growing to the next stage. Who is the target user? Ascent is for "the missing middle" - growth-oriented women entrepreneurs who are: Established businesses Generating revenue Interested in scaling/growing their business What does Ascent offer? A user-centered, customizable learning experience, with the flexibility to take full courses within a topic or short, micro-lessons to accommodate...