Statewide Contest Worth $1,000 a Month Announced for Iowa Small business
Contact: CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – MyEntre.Net, Iowa’s online community for Iowa entrepreneurs and small business, has announced the launch of the new ‘Dream Big Grow Here’ contest for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Iowa. Starting in June, businesses statewide can compete monthly to win $1,000 to help bring their business concept to reality or help their business to grow here in Iowa. Contest participants can submit a video or email about their business idea, share their dreams for starting or growing their Iowa company and express what it means to them to be in business in Iowa. Visitors to ‘Dream Big Grow Here’ will have the opportunity to vote on the ideas they like the best and every month through the rest of 2010, one lucky entrepreneur will pocket $1,000. UNI’s first partner in this campaign is the Iowa Banker’s Association (IBA). The IBA is contributing the money for the contest. Starting June 2nd, entries can be submitted on the ‘Dream Big Grow Here’ Web site at www.DreamBigGrowHere.com. Voting will begin on the 16th of each month and end on the last day of the month. Individuals will be able to vote for their favorite ideas once per day. The entry with the most votes at the end of each voting period will be that month’s ‘Dream Big Grow Here’ contest winner. To help you better understand the contest, we’ve included a screen shot of the site along with a short video introducing ourselves and the contest that you can find here: MyEntre.net’s YouTube. For more information on the ‘Dream Big Grow Here’ competition and for complete rules, go to www.DreamBigGrowHere.com or contact MyEntre.Net at info@myentre.net
Dan Beenken, Program Manager, UNI Regional Business Center, (319) 273-4322
Rebecca Schultze, University Marketing & Public Relations, (319) 273-6728
According to UNI Regional Business Center director, Maureen Collins-Williams, “We’d like to encourage entrepreneurs to move one step closer to making their business ideas a reality or give a hand to existing business owners with dreams for the future. This contest is an exciting new way to get them to share – we think entrepreneurs are going to love it!”
IBA president & CEO John Sorenson sees the $1,000 per month as an investment in economic development. “Thousands of small Iowa companies work hard every day to make payroll, pay rent, and carve out a niche in the market for their goods or services. Iowa’s bankers provide the financing to start and grow a small business. The DREAM BIG GROW HERE contest is an investment in our state’s small businesses and entrepreneurs.”
Visitors to the new site will also find celebrity blog posts from some of Iowa’s foremost entrepreneurs talking about business in Iowa. This month, entrepreneurs can tour the new Find My Banker map introduced at www.DreamBigGrowHere.com and meet hundreds of Iowa bankers online for the first time or search statewide for grants, loans, and other financial incentives on the Iowa Money Map.