The Iowa Center

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, February 3, 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!

Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026 Time: 4:00 - 6:30 pm Location: The Iowa Center Office 2210 Grand Ave Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Access to Capital Day is a one-day event designed to connect Iowa entrepreneurs with lenders, funders, and technical assistance providers, help them understand funding pathways, and build relationships with banks and CDFIs.​ Agenda: 4:00 – 4:30 PM: Welcome + Quick Panel DiscussionTopic: “What Banks Really Want to See” with 3–5 bank/CDFI representatives.​ 4:30 – 6:30 PM: Speed-dating style lender meetingsAttendees circulate through 7–10 bank/CDFI tables for one-on-one Q&A and relationship-building.​ Click here to register!

Date: Thursday, February 5, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 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: Types of funding: debt, equity, and hybrid models Navigating loans, grants, angel investors, and venture capital Crafting an effective pitch deck Understanding valuation and term sheets Leveraging crowdfunding and community investment Action Items: Create a pitch deck Click here to register!

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, February 10, 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!

Presenter: Marcia Treichel & The Iowa Center Staff Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Time: 3:30 - 4:30 pm Location: 2210 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Financial Health Chase Money Skills is a financial education program designed to help students and communities improve their financial health. The program offers practical guidance on topics like budgeting, saving, credit management, and fraud prevention. Click here to register!

Presenter: Barbara Feliciano + The Iowa Center Staff Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:00pm Location: 2210 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 Register: Here Once you have the fundamentals in place, it’s time to take a deeper look at how QuickBooks Online can work for your business. This advanced session is taught by CPA, Barbara Feliciano, who's had hands-on experience at Intuit, helping businesses use QuickBooks tools more effectively and efficiently. Building on the Foundations class, we’ll explore how QuickBooks workflows, reporting, and advanced features provide meaningful insights into your business finances and support better decision-making. In this class, you’ll learn: How do QuickBooks workflows impact financial accuracy? Which reports help you understand your business performance? How can you customize QuickBooks to fit your business needs? What tools improve efficiency and financial clarity? How can advanced features support growth and long-term planning? Click here to register! 

Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Tuesday, February 17, 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! 

          Presenter: Holmes Murphy + Oscar Health Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 Time: 3:00 - 4:00pm Location: Virtual Register: Here This session is led by the employee benefits team at Holmes Murphy, a nationally recognized insurance consulting firm with nearly a century of experience partnering with businesses to promote health, protect wealth, and deliver peace of mind. Joining the conversation will be representatives from Oscar Health, who will share insight into newer healthcare plan options that many business owners may not yet be familiar with. Together, they’ll provide practical, real-world guidance to help you better understand healthcare benefits and confidently take the next step. In this class, you’ll learn: What does employer-sponsored health insurance look like for small businesses? What factors should business owners consider when offering benefits? What role does a benefits broker play in designing and managing a plan? What is ICHRA and how does it work? What healthcare plan options, including newer alternatives, are available to employers today? How can benefits support both business goals and employee well-being? Click here to register! 

          Presenter: The Iowa Center Staff Date: Monday, February 16, 2026 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!

Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026 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: Types of funding: debt, equity, and hybrid models Navigating loans, grants, angel investors, and venture capital Crafting an effective pitch deck Understanding valuation and term sheets Leveraging crowdfunding and community investment Action Items: Create a pitch deck Click here to register!