IASourceLink Blog

Small business success is as much about the growth of the owner as the business itself. Clint Dudley, owner of Shade Tree Auto in Grimes, learned this important lesson by investing in his own professional development.

An extensive business background and a love of craft beer led Clark Lewey and his team ofToppling Goliath innovators to build Toppling Goliath into the giant of Iowa’s beer industry.

Applications for the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Venture Competition are now being accepted. The fourteenth annual statewide competition will be awarding $100,000 in cash prizes!

Brad and Angie Barber dreamed up the idea for Cabin Coffee back in 2001. They knew Brad’s current career would likely transfer them out of state soon, but the Barbers wanted to stay in Clear Lake, Iowa. They started Cabin Coffee in 2002 with a single retail location in Clear Lake and have steadily and sustainably grown Cabin Coffee over the last 17 years, going from a start-up business with no employees to having sales of $5.5 million and 140 employees in 2017.

FedEx Corp. has launched its seventh annual Small Business Grant Contest. The contest offers a collective prize pool of $220,500 that will be awarded to 10 winning small businesses. Winners will also receive an additional dollar amount in credit to use toward FedEx Office print and business services to help run their businesses. The contest is open to U.S.-based for-profit small businesses with 99 or fewer employees and operating for six months or more.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) is partnering with StartupDubuque to offer an Entrepreneur Certificate, starting this year. The new Entrepreneur Certificate at NICC will teach participants how to build a successful business plan, prepare financial statements, and marketing and selling on social media platforms. The certificate is open to all students, as well as current or future business owners in the Dubuque area, who want to develop, enhance or grow their business.