South of 6 Iowa City Business District is excited to announce the Down to Business program, a lunch and learn series aimed at directly connecting local underserved small business owners and entrepreneurs to education, resources, and connections they can tap into year-round. The series will be hosted at Dream City, a community center located in the newly formed business district.

The first event in the series, How to Finance Your Business, will take place on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Dream City, 611 Southgate Avenue, Iowa City.

If you are a small business owner or entrepreneur seeking continuing education for your business, this event is for you. Meet other small business owners, local entrepreneurs, and community leaders, and get answers to your financial questions from a panel of area experts.

How to participate

Those interested should complete the online registration form by Monday, Feb. 20, 2023.

Lunch will be provided at no cost by a local small business vendor. These events are free and open to the public, with translators provided on a request basis. 

About the Down to Business Series

The Down to Business Series is a community initiative born out of the Johnson County Inclusive Economic Development Plan from 2022. This project engages local independent consultants (Banjo Knits Empowerment, Mendoza Consulting) who directly serve underestimated populations of small business owners. They are supported by the following partners: America's SBDC - University of Iowa, Hills Bank, MidWestOne Bank, Johnson County, the South of 6 Iowa City Business District, Mendoza Consulting, Dream City, and the City of Iowa City. 

Follow the series as we announce additional learning opportunities focused on the topics the public requested through surveys; for example, financial literacy, licensing and permits, etc.

For more information about the series, please contact Marlén Mendoza at mmendozaconsulting@outlook.com.