Date: Monday, December 15, 2025 Time: 9:00 - 4:00pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Hosted in partnership with Bank Iowa  |  Limited Spots Available Join us for a free 30-minute professional photo session designed to help you create high-quality content for your business. Whether you need updated headshots, product photos, or visuals for your social media and website, this session is built to support your brand’s growth. What’s Included: A 30-minute personalized photo session Professional headshots Product or service photography Edited images and raw files for full creative flexibility If your business sells products, artwork, or other tangible items, feel free to bring them so we can feature them in your photos. We will reach out via email during the week of December 8th to confirm your appointment and share final details. Click here to register! 

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, December 16, 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: Wednesday, December 17, 2025 Time: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Location: Muscatine Community College, 152 Colorado Street, Rm 8 Strahan Hall, Muscatine, IA 52761 Register: Here Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or small business owner in Eastern Iowa looking to make a big impact on a limited marketing budget? Taking Your Business to Market will give you the practical strategies and tools to promote your business effectively without breaking the bank. This workshop covers cost-effective marketing techniques tailored for startups and small businesses—from crafting your brand story and leveraging social media to guerrilla marketing tactics and optimizing your online presence. Learn how to reach your audience, generate leads, and build a loyal customer base while managing resources efficiently. Walk away with a clear blueprint to market your business smarter and set yourself up for growth and success. Click here to register!

Date: Thursday, December 18, 2025 Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm Location: Virtual Register: Here Elevate is The Iowa Center’s more advanced 5-class series that helps our clients develop growth strategies for their established small businesses. The series is open to clients who received assistance to launch and grow their small businesses and are ready for the next step, as well as existing businesses seeking education and support to strengthen, stabilize and grow. Topics: Recruiting strategies and onboarding Employee development and training Performance evaluations and retention strategies Understanding payroll, benefits, and legal compliance Action Items: Draft a job description and an onboarding plan Develop employment policies and procedures Click here to register!

          Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Thursday, December 18, 2025 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!