MASON CITY, Iowa– Are you a Veteran planning to start or grow your own small business? There are a few basic things you must know to get started down a path to success.

Home Base Iowa, America’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Iowa, and the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship at Iowa State University will be co-hosting a first-ever Iowa Veterans Entrepreneurship Conference that will take you through all aspects of starting a business, including topics such as insurance, intellectual property, business organization, registration, legal, banking, and operations. Business professionals and experienced Veteran entrepreneurs will present topics. “This event provides a great opportunity to bring together Veterans, military personnel, and their families and business partners to connect with entrepreneurial experts and resource providers for a day of learning, networking, and inspiration,” shared Jathan Chicoine of Home Base Iowa, one of the conference co-hosts.

Participants will have the opportunity to network with professional service providers, agencies that support Veteran entrepreneurs, and hear from keynote speakers and panelists.

The conference will be held at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in Ames Tuesday, June 7. A reception on the evening of June 6 will be held at the ISU Research Park Core Facility. The conference is open to Veterans, military personnel, their families and business partners, and community members who support Veteran entrepreneurs and business owners.

When: Reception (included, optional) June 6, 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Conference June 7, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Who: Veterans, military personnel, and their families and business partners

Cost: $50 after May 10, 2022

Limited travel scholarships are available through the event. The NIACC Pappajohn & SBDC Center will reimburse registration fees for participants who provide documentation of attendance.

Organizations that serve Veterans wanting to book an exhibitor table may register through the conference website. Companies interested in sponsoring the conference or sponsoring registration costs for a select number of attendees of limited means may visit the conference website for information.

Registration for the Iowa Veterans Entrepreneurship Conference is available at

https://www.isupjcenter.org/event/iowa-veterans-entrepreneurship-conference/ or by contacting Jean Walsh, Iowa State Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, 515-294-2776 or info@isupjcenter.org.

 The NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center is the expert in rural business innovation and success. In partnership with North Iowa’s Small Business Development Center, together we provide tools, support, and resources to Iowa’s entrepreneurs. We counsel both new and existing local businesses, from Main Street to industry leaders. We’re growing Iowa’s entrepreneurial culture through grade school initiatives, college and community programs, and business training and development. Contact the NIACC Pappajohn Center at 641-422-4111 or pappajohn@niacc.edu.

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