North Iowa entrepreneurs learn and grow businesses at John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center, SBDC

Entrepreneurship is one of the strongest catalysts for economic development, job creation, and long-term community vitality. For the past 25 years, the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) has offered consistent examples of how nurturing business ideas at every stage of development can drive economic growth across North Central Iowa.

Founded through the generosity of John Pappajohn, the Center is part of a unique public-private partnership. While similar centers exist at Iowa’s largest four-year universities, NIACC is the only community college in the state to host one of the centers. 

“John Pappajohn was our benefactor,” Brook Boehmler, Director at the North Iowa Area Small Business Development Center, said. “He was one of the first millionaires and then billionaires in Iowa. He was a venture capitalist, and he wanted entrepreneurism to be a key focal point.” 

At NIACC, the Center enjoys a deeply integrated relationship with the North Iowa Small Business Development Center, or SBDC. This partnership creates a powerful combination of resources and business expertise. Every counselor serves both organizations, offering a seamless support system for entrepreneurs. 

Boehmler highlighted the community college partnership also allows the Center to move very quickly on assisting with all aspects of a small business, from development to employees. The support system also spans the entire entrepreneurial journey. 

Whether a business is in the idea stage or scaling, counselors and available educational resources help streamline the process through private counseling. 
“We offer free, confidential business counseling to anyone at any phase of their business,” Boehmler emphasized. “If you’ve ever thought about starting a business or already own a business, we’re here to help. 

There are no barriers to participation, and no need to walk through the door with a detailed business plan or financial statements. Starting with just an idea and a desire to explore it is OK. 

“Ideas are fine, but the quicker the visit, the better,” Boehmler said. “We hate to have people spending a lot of time that is misguided, and then the process becomes frustrating. It doesn’t matter if their credit score is bad. Give us a call. It all revolves around an idea. There’s plenty of capital if you have a great idea and the fortitude to pursue it.’ 

Educational opportunities at the Pappajohn Center

Beyond one-on-one counseling, the Pappajohn Center fosters entrepreneurial thinking through robust educational programming for all ages. Efforts start early with an Entrepreneur for a Day program introducing fifth graders to business concepts, teamwork, and financial literacy. The initiative has been running for over 20 years.

Boehmler explained the program exposes fifth graders to the concept of entrepreneurship and what running a business is like. 

“They pick a product to make. They have to buy the materials, market it, price it, and work together in a group,” he continued. 

As students progress through school, the Center provides additional learning opportunities such as IDEA Camp and the Youth Entrepreneurial Academy (YEA). IDEA Camp is a hands-on day camp for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. YEA offers a week-long immersive experience where high school students pitch business ideas and earn scholarships. At the college level, students participate in the NIACC CEO club and enter pitch competitions, nurturing their business development skills at every level.

Hands-on development shapes businesses

At the Center, business development extends beyond the business plan to more practical exercises designed with a growth focus. 

“Business plans are great,” Boehmler said. “However, very few people read them. We use the business model canvas. It’s a one-page of all the building blocks for a business, and less is more. The biggest thing they start out with is ‘Who’s your segment and what is your value proposition for it?’ And customer discovery is a big part of that process. It’s not that you want to open a lemonade stand. It’s ‘Does the market need a lemonade stand? What segment are you serving?’ Because everything has changed in the world. Every segment you have to reach in a different way and may have a different value proposition.”

Entrepreneurs who want to explore a business idea or take their idea and bring it to life can register for Venture School. It’s an eight-week intensive course designed by the University of Iowa utilizing the National Science Foundation’s iCorps model. Through the course, the participants have mentors, work through the business model canvas, and utilize customer discovery to test their assumptions. The participants pitch their idea in a Venture School Launch Day competition for an opportunity to win seed money for their business idea. They can also move on to a state-level competition sponsored by the University of Iowa, which features up to $25,000 in prize money.

These efforts contribute to a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem supporting small business growth and economic diversification in North Central Iowa. In many communities, fostering local entrepreneurship is vital for economic resilience, and the Center can help open the door to success by helping business owners and potential entrepreneurs develop the tools and skills they need to succeed.

Partnerships with local economic development organizations, such as Winn-Worth Betco, generate additional opportunities for participation. For example, Winn-Worth Betco offers reimbursement scholarships for Venture School tuition to entrepreneurs who successfully complete the seven-week course.  

To learn more about educational programming or small business services at the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center, visit the website and review upcoming events here.

For more information about business incentives and opportunities in Winnebago and Worth Counties, visit the Winn-Worth Betco website.