Columns

Let Iowa small businesses swipe smarter, not harder
Running a small business in Iowa means learning to stretch every dollar. I work long hours, manage tight margins, and hustle to build something meaningful in locations that big chains overlook. But no matter how efficient I get, there’s one…
Creating and sharing content that connects
Today the average consumer is overwhelmed by a never-ending supply of TikTok videos, memes, Facebook…
Drivers of real estate values
As a key part of our business, we collect and analyze trends in real estate…
Teaching children to save good practice for adulthood
Teaching a child good savings habits is essential for any financial foundation as an adult.…
Guest column: Overcome scotomas before they become brick walls
Here’s your new business word of the day: Scotoma. Usually a medical term, a scotoma…
Best practices for interviewing customers and others
While your organization communicates with your customers or stakeholders every day, critical insight can be…
Mental health in times of stress
As I’ve highlighted before in this series, it is no secret that we live in…
Transforming Iowa’s direct care workforce
The demand for direct care workers (DCWs) will increase substantially in the coming years as…
What’s next for entrepreneurs in 2022
As we continue into 2022, some trends are emerging for entrepreneurs to monitor to stay…
Ways to resolve business disputes
Viable businesses are typically engaged in multiple business areas. These can involve traditional commercial activity…
Consumer Connection: Storms and Homeowners Insurance
Iowa’s recent devastating tornadoes remind us to review our insurance policies to ensure we have…
Accepting college financial aid
If a student in your household applied for college financial aid for the 2022-2023 year,…
4 ways business owners unknowingly drain their monthly budget
As an entrepreneur, you likely have a set monthly budget that consists of the overhead…
Your brand story
With the ability to purchase anything online, the world is oversaturated with goods and services.…
The state of the agricultural economy
Iowa’s economy is particularly tied to agriculture. The state is the No. 1 U.S. producer…
Consumer connection: Romance scams
February is the month of romance, but love and companionship may also involve a scam.…





