Partner Spotlight: Iowa Economic Development Authority (TSB)

• Jeff Eckhoff

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) offers a variety of programs and services to individuals, communities and businesses to attract and grow business, employment and workforce in Iowa.  One of these programs is Iowa’s Targeted Small Business (TSB) program, which is designed to help women, individuals with minority status, service-connected disabled veterans and individuals with disabilities overcome some hurdles to start or grow a small business in Iowa. 

Service Highlight: Productivity (and getting recognition for it)

• Jeff Eckhoff

Every manufacturer has tried to get better. Many have set goals to be great. Some even aim for world class.  

Iowa manufacturers have employed a variety of tools to get there: Lean, Six Sigma, ISO 9001, Total Quality Management, and countless others. 

But how do you know if you are “there”? What is great? What is world class? Here are three ways to measure yourself against the best in the nation and potentially get global recognition for your achievements: 

CIRAS Service Spotlight: SWOT

• Jeff Eckhoff

It sounds so basic: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. SWOT. We’ve all heard it before, but few of us stop to take the time to do this critical first-step of strategic planning correctly.  

CIRAS Resource Highlight: Small Business Development Centers

• Jeff Eckhoff

There are a vast number of resources available to Iowa businesses. One of the roles of CIRAS is to help companies connect with the right one of those resources at the right time.  One entity that CIRAS partners with a great deal is the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC).

PyroGraphics Resets Its Future with a Little CIRAS Assistance

• Jeff Eckhoff

Everything seemed to be going great, Dan Svec recalls, until the first hints of a recession appeared and began to expose the weaknesses at PyroGraphics.

In 2008, the West Des Moines printing company, which specializes in business promotional items and souvenirs, was starting to struggle in a declining economy in which most promotion had stopped. By 2012, when the company discovered CIRAS, the end was very much in sight.

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