Global Entrepreneurship Week 2023

November is National Entrepreneurship Month, and this week is Global Entrepreneurship Week!

Entrepreneurs are in and serve each of our communities in so many ways through their businesses, innovative spirits, and commitment.

This year’s theme for the week is “Entrepreneurs Thrive Here,” and we at the Corridor know that to be true! We have many local businesses that have been built from the ground up right here in the Corridor Region. From large financial institutions to small local bake shops, manufacturers that ship worldwide to handmade apparel and keepsakes, our region boasts a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem with resources to support aspiring and growing entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Corridor staff supports our small businesses and entrepreneurs however we can. One resource we have is the SizeUp data tool on our website. This interactive tool provides small businesses with powerful data that is current, industry-specific, and hyperlocal. It can be used to discover potential customers or suppliers, optimize marketing to your ideal customers, analyze characteristics and spending of your area’s consumers, and rank your industry performance across multiple measurements.

The Corridor also supports entrepreneurial education through the annual Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute that occurs each summer and brings 32 college students from across the state for a week of entrepreneurial learning, networking, and coaching at the Iowa Great Lakes.

We can also assist small business owners and entrepreneurs by connecting them with additional resources to start or grow their businesses like the local Iowa Small Business Development Center (SBDC) locations in Northwest Iowa (Clay, Dickinson & Emmet Counties) or North Central Iowa (Buena Vista County). Looking for a space to work if you don’t have a physical location? Maybe one of the region’s coworking spaces is right for you. There are also financial resources both locally and statewide that the Corridor can connect you with including Revolving Loan Funds, venture capital groups, and other grants and incentives depending on your business venture.

And we can’t forget about business succession. It’s important to keep our small businesses here, and the Corridor helps serve as a connector between business buyers and sellers to keep our local businesses local. Check out our Businesses for Sale page to learn more about some turn-key opportunities right here in the Iowa Lakes Corridor that might be right for you.

The Iowa Lakes Corridor is The Place for Entrepreneurship, and Entrepreneurs Thrive Here! Contact us if you want to learn more about the small business and entrepreneurship resources at the Corridor!