A Note from IEDA Director Durham

Greetings,

As the director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, I am committed to the success of Iowa entrepreneurs and small business in the state of Iowa. Accounting for more than half of all private sector employment in Iowa, small business will play an integral role in implementing Governor Branstad’s aggressive agenda of creating 200,000 new jobs.

As we’ve continued to listen to the voice of small businesses and our partners around the state, it became apparent that one of the best ways IEDA could assist Iowa’s entrepreneurs in becoming successful was to invest in a system that efficiently “connects” them to the resource providers located across our state who stand ready to help them achieve their dreams and build their business.

We’ve listened – and as a result, it is now my pleasure to introduce you to IASourcelink.

IASourcelink is now Iowa’s central online web portal designed to get you to the right resources and answers at the right time. This past spring IEDA contracted with U.S.Sourcelink, the nation’s most extensive entrepreneurial network. Developed by the Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurship, the U.S.SourceLink web platform and technology is specifically designed around helping entrepreneurs and small businesses find resources.

IASourceLink will improve how small business owners across Iowa can access technical assistance, capital and other business resources. In establishing IASourceLink, IEDA has reached out to more than 300 resource providers across Iowa that serve Iowa entrepreneurs and small businesses. IASourceLink will help ensure this community of resource providers can more effectively reach their targeted customers and will provide a “unifying umbrella” for statewide delivery of service across for Iowa’s entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Most excitingly, you will be pleased to know we have undertaken a significant collaboration with the University of Northern Iowa’s MyEntre.Net, online small business community of more than 12,500 Iowa business owners. The best resources offered by IEDA and MyEntre.Net will be reflected under the IASourceLink moniker, creating a single, state level portal for Iowa small business owners to turn to get connected for their business needs.

I invite you to take a look at www.iasourcelink.com.  At IASourceLink you can instantly find the right resource provider through the Resource Navigator. You can still take part in MyEntre.Net’s semi-monthly business webinars and you can call, click or chat with the Iowa Business Concierge to get a real person to help with your market research, a personal referral or any other business assistance you need.

Join us too, on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter where we have started lot of conversations already. I think you are going to love IASourcelink -and on behalf of our staff at IEDA and the hundreds of resource providers in the state dedicated to your success- thank you for being in business in Iowa.

Let’s go create some jobs!

Debi Durham serves as Director for the Iowa Economic Development Authority.