The Greater Des Moines Partnership’s sixth annual Small Business Success Summit will take place on Wednesday, March 22 from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the FFA Center on the DMACC Ankeny campus. Summit participants will have a chance to hear presentations by keynote speakers and participate in workshops with fellow business owners.
New this year, The Partnership will offer a Pitch Competition for local entrepreneurs to take place during The Summit. The competition is geared toward business owners or entrepreneurs who seek to establish a new business or grow or expand an existing business in Des Moines.
Applications for the competition close on Sunday, March 5 at 11:59 p.m. Applications are open here. Entrepreneurs chosen for the competition will be notified on Wednesday, March 15. If chosen to compete, a participant would be asked to prepare a three-minute pitch to present to a panel of judges at The Summit.
Confirmed speakers during The Summit are:
- Dawnelle Conley, U.S. Small Business Administration and Jodi Essex, CIRAS Apex Accelerator, will provide an overview on supplier diversity and contracting.
- Mollie Frideres Smith, MFS Consulting, will discuss small businesses HR strategies.
- Christy Jones, Certified Business Coach, Accelerate Action Coach, will discuss how a strong culture leads to a strong team in addition to sales and profit strategies.
- Siobhan Spain, Mainframe Studios, will moderate a panel of Iowa creative entrepreneurs who share their experiences as creative business owners.
The event’s keynote speaker is Adam Davidson, award-winning New Yorker writer and co-creator of NPR’s “Planet Money.”
“Anyone who is looking to further grow their established small business or jumpstart their startup business is encouraged to attend the Small Business Success Summit,” said Meg Schneider, Senior Vice President of Business Resources and Community Development at the Greater Des Moines Partnership. “Successful small business owners and entrepreneurs often talk about the importance of working ‘on your business,’ not just ‘in your business.’ This is an opportunity to do work on your business.”
Costs for The Summit range from $79 for Partnership Investors and Members to $99 for nonmembers.