America's SBDC Iowa (SBDC) Announced that The Hub of Council Bluffs, Iowa is the winner of the SBDC's statewide Business of the Month Award for November! We are so proud to have worked with The Hub and Brooke Hubbard during her start-up process! What a great addition to our community. Read the entire press release here: The Hub

What a way to begin the new decade! Get out there and finally start that business you have been dreaming about. The Iowa Western SBDC has free Smart Start Workshops in January and February. These workshops cover the essentials to help you get started and answer those daunting questions. The SBDC is a free service and will work with you one on one after the workshop to help you through the process from planning to managing and marketing your business.

After you purchase insurance that’s required by law, you can find insurance to cover any other business risk. As a general rule, you should insure against things you wouldn’t be able to pay for on your own. Speak to insurance agents to find out what kinds of coverage makes sense for your business, and compare terms and prices to find the best deal for you. Here are six common kinds of business insurance to look for. Insurance typeWho it’s forWhat it does General liability ins

Market research blends consumer behavior and economic trends to confirm and improve your business idea. It’s crucial to understand your consumer base from the outset. Market research lets you reduce risks even while your business is still just a gleam in your eye. Gather demographic information to better understand opportunities and limitations for gaining customers. This could include population data on age, wealth, family, interests, or anything else that’s relevant for you

What is a popup shop? PopUp shop is the temporary use of physical space to create a long term, lasting impression with potential customers. A pop-up shop allows you to communicate your brand’s promise to your customers through the use of a unique and engaging physical environment while creating an immersive shopping experience. What are the advantages of having a PopUp Shop? Additional Revenue Stream. This is a great way to get your products in front of customers without the

Creating a personal brand can be a intimidating task. And one of the easiest ways to get lost in the process is to not know how to start. Even Oprah Winfrey began by going through several reiterations before defining her voice into one of the most influential personal brands in the world. In both our “FameBook” cultural shift and evolving job market, it’s both helpful and necessary to stand out when applying for a job or starting a small business. A personal brand is somethin

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, and is used to identify a business entity. Generally, businesses who have employees or are registered as a corporation, LLC or partnership need an EIN. You can apply for an EIN online at IRS.gov. This is a free service offered by the Internal Revenue Service and you can get your EIN immediately. Be aware of websites that offer services to get your EIN for you. These are third party

Floods and other unexpected disasters can devastate a business. The Iowa Western SBDC is here for all businesses affected and can help in any capacity to help avoid further distress and get businesses back on track to growing. Please share this information with any businesses who has flooding or will lose business because of road access. WE are available to visit one on one to assist with any problems and help find the right resources. Below are a few things that we have hel

Program benefits To help provide a level playing field for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people or entities, the government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses that participate in the 8(a) Business Development program. Disadvantaged businesses in the 8(a) program can: Compete for set-aside and sole-source contracts in the program Get a Business Opportunity Specialist to help navigate federal contracting Form joint venture

As soon as you start accepting or spending money as your business, you should open a business bank account. Common business accounts include a checking account, savings account, credit card account, and a merchant services account. Merchant services accounts allow you to accept credit and debit card transactions from your customers. You can open a business bank account once you’ve gotten your federal EIN. Most business bank accounts offer perks that don’t come with a standard

Having goals for things we want to do and working towards them is an important part of being human. Goals big and small can be the stepping-stones to a successful business and the way you set them can make a difference to achieving them. The path towards our goals may not always run smoothly or be easy. It is important to use the SMART method of developing and setting your goals: Specific: Specifically describe each goal/objective Measurable: How will the goal/objective be

Are you dreaming of starting a small business? The Iowa Western Community College SBDC is offering FREE workshops titled “Smart Start” at various times in February. In addition, the SBDC will offer “FastTrac®”, a hands on 4 week/8 hour in March 2019. FastTrac® will give participants the ability to collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs as well as hands on learning as they build their business model and plan. FastTrac® does have a fee of $50.00 Smart Start is a 2 hour rapid fir

Market research blends consumer behavior and economic trends to confirm and improve your business idea. It’s crucial to understand your consumer base from the outset. Market research lets you reduce risks even while your business is still just a gleam in your eye. Gather demographic information to better understand opportunities and limitations for gaining customers. This could include population data on age, wealth, family, interests, or anything else that’s relevant for you

Cybersecurity is critical to all businesses, especially small businesses. In order to understand cybersecurity, we’ll begin our Cybersecurity Basics with some definitions, why cybersecurity is relevant to small businesses, and a review of some of the legal requirements associated with data security and consumer privacy. Cybersecurity Basics Terminology Cyberspace is the global interdependent network of information technology infrastructures, including the Internet, telecommun

Establishing and managing business credit can help your company secure financing when you need it, and with better terms. Business credit can be crucial for negotiating supply agreements and protecting against business identity theft. These five steps can lay the groundwork to sound financial planning. Determine whether you have business credit on file with Dun & Bradstreet Establish a business credit history by using lines of credit associated with your business Pay bills on

After careful consideration, you may decide selling your business is a good option.  Sound planning can help ensure you cover all your bases. Use business valuation to set a monetary value before marketing to prospective buyers. You can do a self-evaluation and also seek out a qualified business appraiser. Accurately value all property and real estate tied to your small business. This can include intangible assets like brand presence, intellectual property, customer informati

The balance sheet is the foundation of managing your finances. It operates as a snapshot of your business financials. It helps you keep track of your capital and provide a cash flow projection for future years. A balance sheet will help you account for costs like employees and supplies. It will also help you track assets, liabilities, and equity. You can get insights by separating and analyzing segments of your business, like comparing online sales to face-to-face sales. Cost

With effective time management, you will: Maximize what can be accomplished in a work day Maximize the use of the limited resources Identify critical areas for special attention Identify tasks that can be delegated to employees Track progress toward your goals The number one benefit of time management is more business, which means more income. Time management will allow you to be more focused on key tasks, be more organized, have less stress, and have more time for family, fr