Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2024 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, October 2, 2024  Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here As a small business owner, you won’t ever really know the unexpected challenges or opportunities that await you in life and business. Always Ready: Lending is a working session for you to learn how to financially prepare your small business for the next step in your journey. The Iowa Center staff will show you what you need to do to always be ready to make financial moves in your business, including applying for a loan or buying/selling new goods. This class is especially for you if you’ve ever been denied a loan or need a helping hand to get your financials on track. Click here to register!

Date: October 7, 2024 Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 am Location: Online Registration: Click Here Work for Yourself@50+ is a webinar to help you gain the knowledge, support, and resources you need to make informed decisions about working for yourself and take the right first steps toward successful self-employment. The decision to start your own business can be both exciting and daunting. Work for Yourself@50+ breaks the choices down for older adults in an approachable way through five steps: 1. A careful consideration of the potential benefits and risks of working for yourself 2. Exercises to help develop the self-employment idea 3. A realistic overview of what it takes to pursue a self-employment opportunity 4. Guidance to help avoid pitfalls and scams 5. Ways to find trustworthy support and services This is an online webinar. In order to access the webinar, you will need to use either a computer, tablet for smartphone. You will receive instructions on how to join the webinar in your registration confirmation or your reminder email that will go out prior to the webinar. Please do not share the webinar access information with anyone who is not already registered. Click here to register!  The Iowa Center Women's Business Center is funded in part by U.S. Small Business Administration.

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024 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: Wednesday, October 9, 2024 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 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, October 15, 2024 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! 

          Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2024 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: Mary Funk Date: Thursday, October 24, 2024 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Join Mary Funk at The Iowa Center office for Business Basics: Employees vs. Independent Contractors! Do you have questions on hiring the right kind of help for your small business? Are you confused over the legal differences between independent contractors and employees? This one-hour course will help you analyze factors used to properly categorize workers as employee or contractor, and provide time for you to have your specific questions answered. Mary E. Funk is a shareholder with Nyemaster Goode, P.C., handling exclusively employment and labor matters. She litigates on behalf of management in state and federal courts, administrative agencies and before arbitrators. In addition to litigating cases, Mary: · proactively counsels clients and trains employees on issues such as hiring and firing, drug testing and policies, harassment and discrimination investigations, employment policies, wage and hour issues, employee leave issues, and company handbooks; · negotiates collectively bargained contracts and drafts corporate documents related to employment such as contracts, non-compete agreements, policies and procedures, company handbooks, and settlement agreements and releases; and · conducts workplace investigations into allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, compliance/ethics violations and concerns raised by whistleblowers. Mary is a native of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and a 1995 graduate with distinction of the University of Iowa College of Law. During law school, Mary served as a Note and Comment Editor for the Iowa Law Review. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Drake University, graduating magna cum laude, in 1992. Click here to register!

Date: October 26, 2024 Time: 9:30 - 11:00 Location: ARTSwork office, located inside Mainframe Studios: 900 Keosauqua Way, Studio 431, Des Moines Registration: Click Here Join us for business and career development tips for artists of all disciplines; plus, you'll get to know your artist neighbors and we'll be sharing artist opportunities in our community! Complimentary coffee and pastries will be provided. Click here to register! 

Presenter: Michael Dayton Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2024 Time: 2:30 - 4:00 pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Join Michael Dayton at The Iowa Center office for the LLC Bootcamp! Are you looking to make your small business official, but have questions on navigating the process setting up a sole-owner LLC? Then this bootcamp is for you! During this guided workshop, we will work with you to answer any questions you may have about getting an LLC set up. By the end of this session, you will have your sole-owner LLC registered! 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!