Business Resource Center

Aaron is a native Iowa Citian and owner of Payroll Vault, which offers a boutique, full-service, payroll and human resource services designed for small business owners in the Johnson County area. Schedule with Aaron today!

Alex has more than 30 years of business experience working in a variety of entrepreneurial organizations and capacities. Currently he’s the Director of Entrepreneurship for NewBoCo, is completing his 15th year teaching in the Tippie College of Business, and along with his wife co-owns and operates Woofables, a national manufacturing and distribution business based out of Coralville, Iowa.  He’s a seasoned and highly networked business mentor, connector, leader, and coach. Schedule with Alex today!

Aminata is a highly accomplished entrepreneur, a licensed CPA, and founder and CEO of Tailored Tax and Accounting. Dedicated to serving clients of various industries by providing a variety of professional services, primarily in the audit and compliance areas, with deep industry specialization. Providing valuable services to clients by getting to know and help them by creating opportunities. Schedule with Ami today!

Catherine is a leader with a passion for community development. She holds a managerial role at Community CPA & Associates, Inc., overseeing branch operations, and supporting small businesses and budding entrepreneurs in their business journey. Schedule with Catherine today!

Ed Leighton-Dick helps small and midsize businesses solve their most challenging database performance, resiliency, and data security issues at Kingfisher Data, the consulting firm he founded in 2014. He has taught thousands of people at over 200 events, including the world’s largest Microsoft data platform conferences, and he has been a leader in the Microsoft data community since 2008. Microsoft has recognized Ed seven times as a Data Platform MVP for his expertise and service to the data community. Schedule with Ed today!

Kaitlin serves as the Capital Access Manager for Kiva Lending Iowa, a community-backed loan program for small business owners to gain access to early capital, at zero interest. Kaitlin connects entrepreneurs to lenders who value character and community over a credit score. Her goal is to make sure business owners from diverse backgrounds have access to capital through the power of crowdfunding. Schedule with Kaitlin today!

As Director of the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center, Lynn is a national expert in student business incubation, having developed and ran the university’s Bedell Entrepreneur Learning Lab, one of the first of its kind when it opened in 2004. Her expertise is in consumer product marketing, software development, team building and entrepreneurship. Schedule with Lynn today!

Mackensie is the founder of Ampersand Legal, PLLC where she practices business and employment law. She knows that navigating your business through the complexities of relevant laws and regulations can be complicated! As a volunteer with the Business Resource Center, she can refer you to the wealth of legal resources based on your individual needs, as well as connect you with other experts who can help you tackle your latest challenge. Schedule with Mackensie today!

Paul Heath is a seasoned leader and advisor in small business development, bringing over three decades of expertise to his role as Regional Director at the SBDC, part of the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center. He is a certified management accountant, a certified business advisor, and a certified public accountant. With a commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth, Paul combines his deep financial expertise and business acumen to guide small businesses in achieving their goals. Schedule with Paul today!

Quanda Hood serves as Senior Systems Administrator for Taxwell, a tax software company with operations in North Carolina and Texas. With over 28 years of experience in IT, Quanda provides guidance on best IT practices to support new and small businesses through MERGE. She is passionate about fostering innovation and equity, helping entrepreneurs navigate technology to grow their ventures. Schedule with Quanda today!

Rachel Kilburg-Varley is the Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Iowa City. Through her role, she can assist Iowa City based entrepreneurs and small business owners navigate City processes such as permitting and zoning, provide referrals to local business support organizations, and share information on small business programs and resources. Schedule with Rachel today!

Robin Springer’s background includes leadership roles in financial planning and analysis, accounting, program management and systems implementation. Her career has included work with multi-billion dollar global corporations, first-time startups and everything in between. She can help you achieve your business goals by creating financial structure, and by providing the tools and education you need to manage your business and let go of outdated beliefs about money. Schedule with Robin today!

Scott is a seasoned business advisor and entrepreneurial learning instructor. As the statewide instructor for the University of Iowa’s Venture School Program, he guides entrepreneurial cohorts across six locations in the state. Swenson specializes in startup strategy, financial modeling, marketing, operations, business formation, and access to resources. Schedule with Scott today!

Tom Altman is a seasoned Fractional CIO with over 25 years in technology strategy and innovation. He specializes in building scalable tech foundations that drive business growth, helping companies align their technology with strategic goals to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape. Schedule with Tom today!