MUSCATINE, Iowa–In early May, the Iowa Center for Economic Success officially opened its satellite office in Muscatine, bringing valuable business advice, networking events, and financial opportunities to current and prospective small business owners in Muscatine County. In the past month, Client Services Coordinator Jordan Lloyd has seen for herself just how much the Center has to offer and has welcomed the opportunity to assist Muscatine area small business owners in making their dreams realities.
In her role with the Center, Lloyd works to connect small business owners or people wanting to start their own businesses with the correct resources to help them take their next steps, whether that involves virtual one-on-one mentoring with one of the Center’s experts in Des Moines, online classes, or investigating different kinds of loans to promote growth. Lloyd has valued the chance to get to know so many small business owners already and looks forward to learning the unique stories of even more entrepreneurs going forward. As she put it, she has most liked, “getting to meet with clients and learn about all the amazing ideas and motivation that individuals have to pursue their entrepreneurship goals.”
Utilizing a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and support from the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, Muscatine Community College, and the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Iowa Center for Economic Success will pilot providing the services they have given clients in Des Moines in their first satellite location here in Muscatine. To compliment their current online offerings, they plan to introduce in person classes and events as well. “Once we start getting some more clients from the Muscatine area, we will start offering more in person services and the Muscatine office will start to look more and more like what the Des Moines office offers,” explained Lloyd. She especially encourages people to watch for a special event coming soon to celebrate the Center’s grand opening in Muscatine.
So far, Lloyd has worked mainly with people looking into starting their own businesses and has found that the Center has a lot of tools available to assist them. “I would say a lot of our clients have an idea for a small business and just need starting at step one and bringing it to fruition,” she said. “This comes with many steps, and no matter where clients are at in the process, we have the resources or can connect them with the resources to move them forward.”
While much of her focus has gone to helping people start new businesses, Lloyd also urges people who have an existing small business to come see what the Center can do for them to help them bring their businesses to the next level: ” We are a hub of resources and expertise needed to set up Iowans for success when it comes to their pursuit of starting or growing their small business, and I think Muscatine should utilize our services and take advantage of all we have to offer!” she emphasized.
Lloyd also looks forward to leveraging all of the partnerships the Center has made, especially with the Chamber. “We want to support Muscatine in every way we can, and being a part of the Chamber and teaming up to encourage entrepreneurs to utilize both of our services are part of that!”
