IASourceLink Blog

Entrepreneurial pitch competitions happen year round all over the world but this month in Iowa, EntreFEST is hosting one of the most exciting pitch competitions for start-ups and early stage entrepreneurial endeavors through a partnership with the five John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers - the EntreFEST Pitch Competition. So for those start-ups and entrepreneurs pitching, or for anyone soon competing, here are a few tips to get you started and prepared.

With EntreFEST happening later this month, it seemed like a good time to catch up with the event organizers at NewBoCo and get an inside scoop for attendees. Conference scoop they did, but in addition to running the Midwest’s biggest entrepreneurial event, the team at NewBoCo have their hands in a lot of other ‘pies’. In this month’s Resource Partner Spotlight, NewBoCo Director of Marketing, Jessalyn Holdcraft, filled us in on the upcoming conference, as well as the other innovative, educational and entrepreneurial programs and resources they provide.

When the afternoon rolls around at work, our brains often just don’t want to focus. Our eyes are automatically drawn to any slight distraction we detect, losing any momentum we had just gained. Deciding to stay focused at work is hard, and knowing how to do it is even harder.

Every year, the U.S. Small Business Administration honors small businesses throughout the country and 2018 is no different because on April 29 - May 5, 2018, National Small Business Week will be taking place. With the annual traditions of the weeklong celebration also comes honoring 52 small business owners and here at IASourceLink we are always excited to see who the Small Business Person of the Year will be in Iowa.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has been in the business of supporting small businesses since 1954. by providing access to capital, opportunity to contract with the government, and no-cost business counseling. With at least one SBA office in every state, they are uniquely positioned to provide these strategic services to grow the nation's economy on a grassroots level.

Along with showers and flowers, April brings us the start of National Small Business Week, recognizing the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. This month we visited with 2016 SBA award recipient, Lynn Schrader, co-owner of KHI Solutions with offices in Fort Dodge, Webster City and West Des Moines, to hear more about her business and passion for helping women business owners succeed.

Your business has won an award! But now what? Unfortunately, many people just sit the award on a shelf and let it get dusty even though there are multiple ways you can share the news that won’t take too much time off your plate. Not to mention it demonstrates an expertise in your industry, boosts your brand image, and even provides a little morale boost to your staff when they see their hard work being recognized.

WASHINGTON – Today, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Administrator Linda McMahon announced that this year’s National Small Business Week will be held from April 29 – May 5, 2018.

When you hear the term “company culture,” what comes to mind? Is it the famous nap pods at Google? Is it the fast paced cut-throat environments on Wall Street? Is it the ping pong table in the break room at the ad agency up the street? Actually, it’s all of those and so much more. Here are 3 things that help create and grow a company culture for your business.

What if I told you that there is a way to help break the cycle of poverty by drinking your morning coffee? Freedom Blend Coffee leverages one of America's favorite ways to get caffeinated (coffee!) to do just that. The company focuses on training young people who live in low-income impacted areas in Des Moines’ urban core as a means by which they start to break the cycle of poverty for people right here in Iowa. It was a pleasure to have a conversation with Carlos Sims Jr., the GM of the shop to find out where the idea came from and how the Freedom Blend vision comes to life each day!