Attendees in session at the 2009 EntreFest! in Coralville, Iowa. Photo courtesy of EntreFest!
Later this month, the third iteration of EntreFest! will take place at the West Des Moines Marriott. I caught up with the coordinator of event, Amy Kuhlers, who is a program manager with MyEntre.Net, an “entrepreneurship support system” out of the University of Northern Iowa‘s Regional Business Center in Cedar Falls.
In the Q&A below, Amy tells us what to expect from the event, why you should attend, and more about the MyEntre.Net program.
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Silicon Prairie News: What is EntreFest?
Amy Kuhlers: EntreFest! is a two-day conference dedicated to Iowa small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, which will take place on Thursday and Friday, February 25-26 at the West Des Moines Marriott. The conference provides attendees with an opportunity to hear nationally-acclaimed speakers, participate in relevant and information-rich breakout sessions, have the chance to win $10,000 market research project and other prizes, and meet with like-minded individual in a fun and informal setting.
SPN: What’s the history of the event?
Amy: Understanding that small business owners benefit and learn more from interacting with like-minded peers, a collaborative group of Iowa service provides joined forces in 2007 to plan what has become EntreFest – a venue for Iowa small businesses to come together to learn, share and celebrate being a small business in America’s heartland.
This collaboratively hosted conference continues to be planned by a committee of state-wide service providers including the University of Northern Iowa Regional Business Center/MyEntre.Net, Iowa State University Extension and Community Vitality Center, Iowa Farm Bureau/Renew Rural Iowa, Iowa Area Development Group, Iowa Small Business Development Centers, UNI Business & Community Services, Small Business Administration, ISED Ventures, Alliant Energy and Iowa Department of Economic Development, as well as small business owners from FocusFirst, Strat Exe, and Nanny2Shoes.
The first EntreFest conference was held in Cedar Falls in February 2008, and last year more than 250 attendees joined for the second annual conference in March at Coralville.
SPN: What should attendees expect to get from the event?
Amy: EntreFest! attendees can expect to receive information and tools they can take back and apply to their businesses immediately.
They will hear from two nationally-acclaimed speakers; Al Lautenslager, entrepreneur and co-author of the best-selling book Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days and principal of Market for Profits, is the keynote speaker. Al is a member of USA Today’s small business panel and appears regularly on radio and TV, including annual appearances reviewing Super Bowl TV commercials. The featured capstone presenter is Susan Solovic, CEO of SBTV.com, the first and only video news and information destination site for America’s small businesses. Solovic is a regular contributor to ABC’s America This Morning and other popular national radio and television programs.
They will attend a selection of 15 breakout sessions geared to help pull them out the recession. There will be sessions about Facebook, Google Ads and blogging, marketing must-do’s for each generation, why now is a great time to start or expand a business, and how to engage the hearts and minds of employees. And the Biz Info Smorgasbord will provide attendees a chance to ask questions of business experts in a fun, informal setting.
And most of all, they can expect an abundance of networking opportunities for the opportunity to share tips, tactics and stories other small business owners from across the state – not to mention great food , great exhibits, and many surprises along the way!
SPN: Many small business owners have a very limited budget for continuing education events in the economy, why should they choose EntreFest over other events?
Amy: The EntreFest conference was developed specifically for Iowa small businesses. This is the one venue where a small business owner or aspiring entrepreneur can invest two days in the future of their business by learning from extremely knowledgeable business experts, sharing ideas with other business owners, connecting with some of the state’s premier service providers and have a ton of fun – still at the same cost to attend as it was for the first conference – $79!
SPN: What is your organization and how does collaborating on EntreFest fit into your mission?
Amy: MyEntre.Net is an entrepreneurship support system which addresses the needs of both entrepreneurs and the Iowa communities that support them. Through an online community at www.myentre.net small business owners are engaged and served throughout their business life with services and resources they need to succeed. MyEntre.Net is a resource for communities too, offering support system training and technical assistance, shared technology resources and collaborative event planning.
First developed in 2001 by the UNI Regional Business Center, MyEntre.Net has nearly 4,700 Iowa entrepreneurs engaged online and hundreds more tap into technical assistance and networks in their home communities through service provider partners in 14 competitively selected counties.
MyEntre.Net is based on the premise that small businesses need several key elements to be successful, including technical assistance and training, access to capital, networks and a supportive community culture. These resources and services need to be comprehensive and customized to meet the unique needs of the business owner throughout his or her business life. So sometimes, entrepreneurs need a boy scout rally – a bit event where they can feel as though they are a part of something larger than themselves!
EntreFest! is that boy scout rally for small business owners in Iowa! EntreFest celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit and surrounds attendees with the support they need. There are opportunities to network with peers, to meet with service providers from across the state, to learn and receive the technical assistance necessary for growth and to hear about existing and new capital sources for their business. EntreFest! offers entrepreneurs resources on many of their business needs – all under one roof!
