Bev Anderson was working in Ames, Iowa when she heard about the industry of document shredding. She and her husband, Terri Richter, had been trying to come up with an idea for a small business and thought document shredding just may be the perfect niche for them. After two years of thoroughly researching the idea, …
Clint Dudley began his business repairing cars for his friends and family in his garage. At first it was a way to deduct some property expenses, but soon his friends and family realized it was a great way to save money on their car repairs. Shade Tree Auto began as a side business in 2001, …
Nearly three years ago, Sandra Hendred visited a frozen yogurt shop in St. Louis, Missouri and became inspired by the idea of opening a frozen desserts shop in her community of Ottumwa, Iowa. After sharing the idea with her husband, Jeff, they began visiting yogurt shops in Iowa City and Des Moines, then decided to …
Cody Ritz, originally from the Des Moines area, moved to Dallas, Texas to attend college. While there Cody fell in love with fashion and the industry as a whole. When he moved back to Iowa, Cody struggled to find a job in the fashion industry that allowed him to hone his creative abilities. Finally, after …
Hoover’s Hatchery Company, LLC, Rudd Tony Halsted had grown up working the incubators and packing chicks for his family’s business, Hoover’s Hatchery Company, LLC, in Rudd, Iowa, and never intended to come back to the family business. However, thanks to the family business, Tony had a college education and a great career in business development …
“People would want this. They would buy this!” was the recommendation from Jennifer Knox’s friend when she tried Jen’s spice blends for the first time. Little did Jen know just how true her friend’s statement was. In 2011, Jennifer debuted her herb blends as holiday gifts, which eventually were sold in farmers’ markets in Brooklyn, …
Joe Roush’s grandfather gave him his very first car, an ’88 Ford Mustang GT, the day he turned 16. From that moment on Joe was infatuated with fixing it up and making it better. When his high school counselor encouraged him to pursue his hobby as a career, Joe began working at the local body …
Jim Shepherd, co-owner and founder of Shepherd Engine Development, Inc., spends three to five nights a week providing track support for his clients and business partner, Chad Holladay, at race tracks from March to mid-October. Jim and Chad believe wholeheartedly in the value of building relationships with people, and in this case race car drivers …
Pat Gehling had over 25 years of experience in welding and repair when he decided to start his own company, GehlPRO Welding, which opened for business in March of 2014. Pat’s entrepreneurial experience and strong business sense was crucial to his success in building the new company from the ground up. Years before opening the …
The Iowa Small Business Development Center at Kirkwood Community College provided business plan and financing assistance to Juliet Pae-Corr so she could grow and expand her beauty salon/spa business. Juliet Pae-Corr had always wanted to be a hair stylist. Raised by a single mom after the death of her father when Juliet was a toddler, …
