Access webinars, workshops and trainings designed to help grow you business or expand your career skills.  

UPCOMING EVENTS

SBDC Coffee Break Series - Free Virtual Sessions 
March 18 - Understanding Accounting Basics for Business 
April 15 - How AI is Changing SEO
REGISTER HERE TO JOIN ONLINE 

Take a break, grab your favorite cup of coffee, and join us for the Coffee Break Series—a monthly virtual learning opportunity designed for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

These sessions focus on timely topics that matter to small businesses, including emerging trends, practical tools, and best practices you can apply right away. Each Coffee Break is led by trusted experts and offers actionable insights in a convenient, one-hour format. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to strengthen and grow your business, the Coffee Break Series offers practical, relevant insights to support you at every stage. We hope you’ll join us!

SBDC Storm Lake Office Hours 
Dates Coming Soon 
The Foundry | 524 Lake Ave
SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT HERE

Have you ever thought of starting your own business or need help navigating the opportunities and challenges you face as a small business owner? The Small Business Development Center is here to support you throughout your business journey through confidential and no-cost business counseling. For more information, contact Kirsten Case Fuller at case_k@iowacentral.edu or 515-574-1997.

America's SBDC Iowa Workshop Calendar  
Featured Events For Small Business

Check out these featured events for entrepreneurs and small business owners, hosted by both the SBDC and their community partners.  

 SCORE Des Moines Workshop Calendar 

The SCORE Foundation is non-profit organization that serves as the philanthropic arm of SCORE, America's premier source of free and confidential business advice to entrepreneurs and small business owners.    

 
Iowa Center For Economic Success

Iowa Center For Economic Success educational series, workshops, and groups are designed to empower you to own the drive to pursue entrepreneurship.  Their class and event lineup includes business planning courses, special topics such as accounting, legal or marketing, networking events, and small accountability groups that can help you feel connected, supported and confident to move forward.  

PAST EVENTS:

8 Predications for 2026: What Small Business Owners Need to Know

Main Street Business Insights:  What trends will shape Main Street businesses in 2026? And how can you prepare now?

In this annual predictions episode, host Matt Wagner analyzes the intersection of society, technology, and economic trends to forecast what’s ahead for small businesses and Main Streets. Drawing from consumer data, industry reports, and Main Street America’s latest research, Matt identifies eight key trends that will impact everything from retail strategies to food and beverage concepts to financing models.

Enhancing Your Social Media Strategy - Iowa State University CIRAS 

Social media is a powerful tool—but without a clear strategy, it can quickly become overwhelming and ineffective. Join us for this virtual session designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses looking to strengthen their social media presence. This session will be led by Madison (Mady) Stano of Webspec, a digital marketing strategist who works with clients across Central Iowa to boost brand reputation and visibility in the digital space.

In today’s digital world, simply having a social media account isn’t enough. This session will help you understand what makes a strategy successful and how to tailor your approach to meet your unique business goals. From boosting engagement to building brand awareness, you'll walk away with actionable tips you can put into practice right away.

Main Street Business Insights Podcasts

Welcome to Main Street Business Insights, a podcast powered by Main Street America. 

Each week, join host Matt Wagner, Ph.D., as he travels the country and takes a deep dive into the personal journeys of downtown and neighborhood entrepreneurs. The stories that far too often go unheard. Learn about the innovative ways that these Main Street businesses have overcome adversity, whether it’s starting a new enterprise or keeping a multi-generation business alive, and the advice they have for others on how to keep their businesses on track.

Digital Strategies To Grow Your Business
Boost Your Business With AI 

Learn how to boost your online presence by writing clear, compelling business descriptions, selecting the right keywords, and using AI tools to simplify the process and sharpen your message. Key Topics Covered: 

- Writing engaging long and short business descriptions 
- Identifying strategic keywords that improve SEO
- Strengthening your Google Business Profile and website
- Enhancing your copy using simple AI tools

Main Street America Small Biz Digital Trainers 
Boost Your Small Business Webinar Series 

ILCDC | Lunch and Learn |  Business Succession Planning 
View the Recording Here

On March 20th, the Corridor hosted a Lunch & Learn panel of experts with business succession and transition experience at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake. In attendance were approximately 35 business owners, financial professionals, and community leaders.

The panel consisted of Gary Sterling, Director of the Buena Vista University Lamberti Center for Rural Entrepreneurship; Kirsten Case Fuller, North Central Iowa SBDC Regional Director; Duane Johnson, Program Manager of Farm, Food, & Enterprise Development at Iowa State University Extension & Outreach; and Dan Nieland, Small Business Education Specialist for Farm, Food, & Enterprise Development at ISU’s Extension & Outreach. The discussion was moderated by Corridor President & CEO Curt Strouth.

Topics discussed included what resources are available for business transition planning, why it is important, and how to get started, no matter how far out that transition seems.

The key takeaway from the event is that it is important to have a plan in place. Whether that means having clearly documented policies and procedures, planning and documenting what you want to happen to the business if anything happens to you, or even what you will do after you transition out of your business. Having your “house in order” and a plan in place will set you, your business, and your loved ones up for success in a transition.

Increase Your Holiday Sales Using Google Tools  
View the Webinar Here

Holiday shoppers are beginning their shopping earlier and earlier. Learn tools to increase your holiday sales for free, even if you don’t have an e-commerce website or a website at all. We’ll show how local brick-and-mortar businesses can list products on a Google Business Profile. We’ll also cover Google Merchant Center, a no-cost tool that allows both e-commerce and brick-and-mortar businesses to create free Product Listings on Google. 

Workshop led by:  Courtney Stringer, Grow with Google Virginia Coach , Teresa Heger, Grow with Google Michigan Coach, Chelsea Brosterhous, Grow with Google Oregon Coach

Understanding Your Customer Using Google Tools
View the Webinar Here

As a business owner, you’ll need more than good products or services to grow your business. It’s also important to have strong customer-focused marketing strategies to reach your audience and turn them into loyal customers.  

In this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Create your buyer personas 
• Develop your messaging and voice
• Use AI to simplify creating your buyer personas 
• How Google Bard can help you learn about your audience

Workshop led by:  
Lindsey Newland, Grow with Google Iowa Coach 
Janet Hurn, Grow with Google Ohio Coach

Top 10 Google Tools To Grow Your Business
View the Webinar Here