NAWCO-CI Blog

Wanted: Your Ideas for Reducing Federal Debt

It's time for an interactive federal budget exercise in central Iowa and November 14 is the date!  The Des Moines Register and the Concord Coalition are partnering to hear our voices regarding a key issue of the Iowa caucus: the economy.

Community members, business leaders, students and young professionals will come together to recommend how to reduce the nation's deficit. What's your ideal plan for deficit reduction? Let's find out before the upcoming Congressional Super Committee report and the first-in-the-nation Presidential caucuses.

The free event runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, November 14, at Drake University's Olmsted Center (Parent's Hall). Limited seating is available, so preregister now.

 

Special Event for SBA Region VII Women Entrepreneurs

On August 3 the U.S. Small Business Administration and the National Women's Business Council will host the "Iowa Summit for Women Entrepreneurs," one of only ten gatherings in the country to do the following:

• explore the business challenges facing Iowa women entrepreneurs,

• seek to guide national policy recommendations for Congress and the Executive Branch,

• promote dialogue in the women's business community, and

• provide networking opportunities for women business owners.

Discussion topics include start-ups, access to capital, contracting, and "the missing middle." 

Speakers include Ana Recio Harvey, assistant administrator for the Office of Women's Business Ownership, SBA; Patricia Brown-Dixon, regional administrator, Kansas City Region VII Office, SBA; Debbie Durham, director, Iowa Department of Economic Development; Lu Spane, Zumi's Fashions, and Robyn Sloan, Doherty's Flowers. NAWBO-CI members will be assisting in the event.

The 1 to 5 p.m. gathering is at the FFA Enrichment Center, 1055 SW Prairie Trail Parkway in Ankeny. Attendance is free, but space is limited. SBA is now accepting registrations online. Come make your WBO voice heard!

Tell it to the SBA on June 27

Fifteen to 20 regional WBOs are about to have the opportunity to share their experiences and concerns regarding healthcare, environmental issues, burdensome national regulations or simply what doesn't make sense about doing business in our country. And you don't have to travel to D.C. to express yourself as a WBO! D.C. is coming to us.

The Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy is conducting a nationwide series of roundtables on issues facing women business owners, and you're invited to the table. Please reserve your spot now for June 27, 3:30 - 5 p.m. at Jasper Winery, 2400 George Flagg Parkway, Des Moines. Please contact Rebecca Greenwald (rebecca.greenwald@sba.gov) by June 21. Becky is the SBA Advocate for Region VII (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri & Nebraska), and WBOs from all four states are invited.

The Office of Advocacy will also release new data on women business owners at the event. NAWBO-CI and its Public Policy Team are delighted to help get the word out to Iowa WBOs.

- Pam Schoffner, P.S. Writes, www.schoffner.com