If you’re looking for a unique night out in Ames, Time Out may be the place for you. A family-owned bar and arcade, Time Out is full of pop culture nostalgia from the 1980’s and 1990’s. Owned and operated by Chris Harding and her sons, Lance Harding and Logan Ristau, Time Out has been located just off Main Street since 2017. The idea for Time Out began when Harding was looking for a way out of her corporate job in Des Moines. After doing some preliminary research, she pitched an arcade bar to her family, and they ran with it. “I was at a point in my career where work just wasn’t fun anymore,” recalls Chris, reflecting on the origins of the establishment. “I remember pitching the idea to my sons and they immediately ran with the idea.” At the time, Chris cashed in her retirement to fund the project and the brothers instantly started rattling off arcade games that they wanted to see included. “Lance and Logan immediately let their imaginations run wild, thinking back to all the arcades they frequented growing up,” said Chris. “The ideas started immediately,” said Logan. They sketched the design of the logo on a napkin and began work on the layout. They chose the name because they wanted to design it as a place to take a “Time Out” from the daily stresses. Before they knew it, they had a building full of arcade games. “It’s the little things that provide the atmosphere for Time Out,” said Lance, acknowledging the curated nostalgia that they put into the design. He pointed to a Gremlin that sits atop a television on the wall, or Slimmer from the Ghostbusters movie franchise. “Certainly nostalgia is a big part of our place,” said Lance. “Most of the things you see in here date past 20 years, but that is what creates the immersive experience.” Moving around Time Out, you may also recognize a life-sized TARDIS in the corner from the Doctor Who series, a Back to the Future poster, and an extensive music video playlist from the MTV era of music videos playing on the televisions throughout the bar. From the Beastie Boys to Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston, the music atmosphere takes your mind away from your daily life. Even their power-button like, teal and black, futuristic logo, pays homage to another 1980’s science fiction film: TRON. Over the past several years, Time Out has grown a following of dedicated patrons that frequent the establishment. Thursday is known for BINGO night, and each evening on the weekend, Time Out is home to karaoke. They have won various Des Moines People’s Choice Awards, most recently been voted the Best for Trivia Night, Karaoke, Children’s Birthday Party Venue, Date Night Spot, Beer Selection, and Ames Bar. All of this is the result of a family working together and leaning into each other’s strengths. Lance has an eye for details in game placement and decor that gives Time Out its unique atmosphere. He manages the games to make sure that each one is working properly. This isn’t always easy with some games dating back 30-40 years. Logan is credited with designing the entire bar and building it from the ground up. He was key in their construction projects, from the stage to the karaoke booth. If Chris and Lance dream it up, Logan builds it. His artistic ability can be seen throughout the facility from the circuits on the front of the bar to the paintings on the wall. Chris is happy to do most of her work behind the scenes to ensure that each customer has a pleasant experience. Time Out is both family-friendly and a late night hang out, depending on the time of day. “We encourage families to stop by in the afternoons,” said Chris. The list of throwback games continues to expand, but includes Galaga, Ms. Pac Man, Frogger, Super Mario Bros, and Marvel vs. CAPCOM, among others. If those games are not your style, they also have skee-ball and a wide range of pinball games, all of which still take quarters. Time Out is located at 120 Kellogg Avenue in Ames.
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Iowa State University (ISU) was recently named the #1 Entrepreneurial University of the Year for the Americas by the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities. This latest recognition of Iowa State’s entrepreneurship program is the third national or international award in as many years and is the result of a university-wide approach to supporting innovation. One of the leaders responsible for this success is David P. Spalding, Raisbeck Endowed Dean of the Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business at Iowa State University, and Interim Vice President for Economic Development and Industry Relations (EDIR). Now in his eleventh year at Iowa State, Spalding has been a foundational leader who has overseen the entrepreneurial growth at Iowa State and is at the center of innovation. Under his leadership, the total enrollment at the Ivy College of Business has grown 33% in the ten years from 2012-2022. Spalding acknowledges that the growth is not an accident, but the result of great faculty who care about what they are doing in the classroom. “Iowa State is internationally known for research, but it is also essential that we be on the cutting edge of what is happening in the field,” said Spalding. “Over the past 10 years, we have launched new programs after listening to the needs of our students and industry.” In an ever-changing business landscape, Spalding and his team recognize the importance of staying current. “We talk with a lot of businesses across the state to identify where their needs are, and we build our programs in response to that.” Spalding grew up in Kentucky and spent much of his career on Wall Street in New York City. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history cum laude in 1976 from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and a Master of Business Administration degree in finance from New York University in 1984. He began his career in New York with The Chase Manhattan Bank. His rounds in the banking industry included being vice president with The First National Bank of Chicago and senior vice president with GE Capital Corporate Finance Group Inc. In addition, he was a managing director at Lehman Brothers in New York, and more recently vice chairman of The Cypress Group LLC, a firm that he co-founded and co-managed. After 29 years in banking and private equity investing, Spalding wanted to do something with a higher mission than Wall Street. “I always believed in the transformative nature of higher education, and I wanted to give back to youth in particular.” He returned to Dartmouth and spent the next eight years in higher education, most recently serving as senior vice president and senior advisor to Dartmouth’s president. Through a national search, Spalding landed in Ames, which was also geographically appealing to his family. “I was drawn into the land grant mission of Iowa State University,” said Spalding. Comparing Dartmouth to Iowa State is not easy. Dartmouth is one of the smallest Ivy League schools, with a total enrollment around 6,000 students. But Spalding saw Iowa State was well-positioned to impact a vast number of students across the state, region, and country. “As a land grant university, I appreciate the practical admissions process that allows for broad student access, how the university is engaged in the economic activity of the state, and of course, the research component that has a global reach.” During his time as dean, the college has added six undergraduate majors including entrepreneurship, business analytics, human resources management, health care management, actuarial science, and a bachelor of business administration (BBA), which is an online program for those who started college and want to complete their degree. In addition, five new master’s programs were launched including finance, business analytics, entrepreneurship, healthcare analytics and operations, and real estate development, along with an Executive MBA focused on agriculture, food and biosystems. This year, the college is launching a fully online part-time MBA program and next year, a masters of Accounting Analytics. The office of Economic Development and Industry Relations (EDIR) that Spalding oversees, assists external stakeholders in accessing the unique capabilities and services of Iowa State University. EDIR is a single point of contact to streamline the process of making connections between industry and the university. This office includes Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS), the Iowa Small Business Development Center Iowa (SBDC), Iowa State University Research Park (ISURP), the Office of Innovation Commercialization (OIC), and the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship. Last fall, the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship received the 2022 Nasdaq Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, the highest honor presented by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers, a group of more than 200 leading university entrepreneurship programs around the world. In 2021, Iowa State received the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Model Program Award, the highest of the organization’s four annual Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education awards. The most recent entrepreneurial ranking assessed the prioritization of entrepreneurial initiatives across the university and solidified ISU’s global reputation for innovation and excellence. “This award recognizes our approach to incorporate entrepreneurial initiatives throughout the university and foster an innovative mindset in our students, faculty and staff,” said Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen. Innovation and entrepreneurship are ingrained in the culture at Iowa State University, so much, in fact, that it is part of the brand of ISU. “Iowa State has become a recognized national leader in innovation and entrepreneurship with world-class educational programs, activities, and facilities,” said President Wintersteen. “Our numerous awards for entrepreneurial education demonstrate that Innovate at Iowa State is helping our students express their amazing creativity to make the world a better place.” It was this culture that not only appealed to Spalding, but one that he has leaned into and reinforced as dean and vice president. “There is a tradition of collaboration among the colleges and deans at Iowa State. In my experience, this collaboration is like nothing I have ever experienced before.” The culture built the Innovate at Iowa State brand, and the brand is spreading a new energy across campus that is impacting all seven colleges. Iowa State University’s undergraduate entrepreneurship program is ranked #11 in the nation by The Princeton Review. Iowa State was the first public university in Iowa to offer an undergraduate major in entrepreneurship and only the eighth in the United States to offer a Ph.D. specialization in entrepreneurship. Programs like CYstarters, CyBIZ Lab, and ISU Startup Factory exemplify Iowa State’s culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. For Spalding, it comes down to providing opportunities to students that will prepare them for the future and creating a positive economic impact on the state. He points to countless examples where the areas he oversees have a local, regional, national, and international impact and each is led by exceptional leaders. The Iowa State University Research Park (ISURP), led by the President and Director Rick Sanders, has doubled in the past ten years. With tenants like Vermeer, Kent Corporation, Sukup Manufacturing, Workiva, and John Deere, the ISURP is a hub of global technology and innovation. The Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS), led by Director Mike O’Donnell, has helped more than 4,400 businesses and manufacturers in the past five years. The program reaches every county in Iowa and created an economic impact of more than $3 billion. The ISU Research Foundation (ISURF) and Office of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer (OIPTT), led by Director Patrick Klepcyk, facilitates the inventive and creative works of Iowa State University’s employees and students, and transfers that work for the benefit of society. Collectively, they work on about 100 patent applications and 1,400 supporting agreements in a year. The Small Business Development Center Iowa (SBDC), led by Director Lisa Shimkat, offers no-cost business counseling to small-business owners and entrepreneurs. During the past fiscal year, SBDC counseled 4,217 clients and those companies self-reported more than $156 million in sales increases, 213 new business starts, and 1,961 new jobs created. The Pappjohn Center for Entrepreneurship (JPEC) has seen unprecedented success and been validated with top national and international awards. As an example, at the end of last year, 88 total startups have graduated from the ISU Startup Factory and more than $47 million has been raised in external financing since the program’s inception in 2016. Led by Director Judi Eyles, the Pappajohn Center is perhaps the definition of Innovation at Iowa State University. In an op-ed, Dean Spalding said, “the return on the investment that the university delivers from federal and state sources is significant and the ripple effect reaches well beyond campus to benefit every corner of Iowa.” On any given weekend, people will arrive at The Slater Station in Slater, Iowa, by car, bicycle, or the preferred method of a golf cart, to enjoy the outdoor atmosphere, conversation amongst friends, and a cold one. This summer, the bar celebrated its one-year anniversary of selling drinks in a can and being a family-friendly place to unwind from the week. Building a bar was not the original intention of the two couples from Huxley, Ardie and Cindy Drummond and Roger and Carol Ossian, who own the establishment. “Originally, we were going to turn this space into a garage to hold a couple classic cars,” said Ardie, looking around the space that is now a bar. “We thought it would be fun to have a car club and maybe sell a few drinks. That was the original reason why we got our liquor license, but it quickly shifted once we started building it out.” The Drummonds and Ossians are long-time friends, having first met each other when their daughters were playing sports together. The friendship evolved over the years to include woodworking that launched their first business venture together. Roger and Ardie create custom cabinets on the side through their 501 Woodshop label, which was the original reason why they purchased the building on Main Street. As some point when Ardie and Roger were building out the garage, the idea shifted to creating a bar. Cindy and Ardie agreed to take on the day-to-day operations of the bar and spent time learning the point-of-sale system and ordering. “The scary part of starting all of this is wondering if anyone would buy beer from us,” said Cindy, reflecting on the opening weekend. On June 30, 2022, with no announcement and little fanfare, the Drummonds put a small sign out front that indicated they were open. A golf cart passing by saw the sign, stopped, and asked “are you open?” By the end of the night, there were about 30 people who stopped in. “That was enough,” said Cindy. Their first test was the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend. “We didn’t know if we purchased enough beer,” said Ardie, who then phoned in a favor from the former owner of the Nite Hawk Bar & Grille. They quickly learned they did not and pivoted to ordering more. When visiting The Slater Station today, pay attention to the custom made tables by Ardie and Roger that are sourced from repurposed materials. The bar is made from beams from an old car dealership in Des Moines. The outdoor tables are old electrical spools, and the tin siding on the walls are from an old barn. This past summer, they installed the roof covering for the outdoor seating and expanded the deck. The owners have plans to continue to expand. They recently purchased the lot adjacent to The Slater Station that they will use for a family-friendly green space, and Ardie has aspirations of finally building the garage on the property, with a “car club” to follow. The Slater Station is located at 501 Main Street, Slater, Iowa 50244. In 1996, Anne Taylor and Roger Ossian launched A & R Marketing, a custom screen printing and embroidery company, located in Campustown. For the past 27 years, they have served the business and Iowa State community with apparel marketing needs. Thinking back to those early days, Ossian said “the company took off immediately.” When they first incorporated back in 1996, they became a licensed vendor of Iowa State products within a few days and over the past three decades, have worked with nearly every college and hundreds of student organizations on campus. Their original location was on Hayward Avenue, then in 2010 they moved to their current location on Welch Avenue. In between that time, they opened the retail store of the company, Dogtown University, where they specialize in Iowa State vintage logo apparel. The name of the retail store has historic roots to campus. For many years, the Campustown area was popularly known as “Dogtown” by students and staff. The name was grounded in the lore that students were not allowed to bring cars to school, but rather had to walk or “dog-it” to get around. At the time, small economic centers sprouted up near college campuses to serve the needs of students, many of which were named “Dogtown.” For years, the name was popular with students before Campustown became the norm. Custom screen printing and embroidery continue to be the number one driver of business for Taylor and Ossian, but the retail store full of ISU gear is how most people know their company. They have a wonderful relationship the Iowa State and love calling Campustown their home. “One of the misconceptions of Campustown is that it is only for students,” said Taylor. “We encourage everyone to visit the shops and restaurants of Campustown and to embrace the energy that a university has.” With the fall athletic season upon us, consider visiting Dogtown University and updating your ISU gear. Dogtown University is located at 217 Welch Avenue in Campustown. In 2022, YSS, focused on creating hope and opportunity by putting kids first, launched its Ambassador Program with Gabe Kalscheur as their first-ever YSS Ambassador. Kalscheur, a member of the Iowa State men’s basketball team at the time, engaged in volunteer activities such as helping at the local YSS youth shelter and residential treatment facilities, meeting with youth in YSS programs, and making appearances at YSS fundraisers and events. “I’m excited to partner with YSS and use my platform to give back,” said Kalscheur in a 2022 press release. “I believe in YSS’s mission and the important work they do to empower youth in Ames and across the state.” Headquartered in Ames, YSS is one of Iowa’s oldest and largest youth-serving nonprofits—ideally positioning the organization to collaborate with Iowa State student athletes such as Kalscheur. The YSS Ambassador Program collaborates with the We Will Collective, which compensates ISU student-athletes with donated funds while helping the athletes use their name, image and likeness to benefit the community. “Working with YSS has been the perfect match for our mission of keeping the Cyclones thriving by doing great things in the central Iowa community,” said Brent Blum, executive director of the We Will Collective. YSS creates opportunities for Ambassadors to get involved throughout the year, allowing them to use their influence to bring awareness to the organization’s mission and support local youth and families in need. In 2023, the Ambassador Program expanded to include three ISU athletes: Jaylin Noel (football), Nyamer Diew (women’s basketball), and Tamin Lipsey (men’s basketball). “YSS has a strong history with Iowa State, with dozens of student athletes volunteering each year to help our youth and families. The YSS Ambassador Program is the perfect evolution of this partnership,” said Andrew Allen, President & CEO of YSS. “I was amazed by Gabe’s impact and how much our youth looked up to him. This year, we are building on that success and expanding the program with three new YSS Ambassadors who, like Gabe, are ready to get involved and give back,” Allen said. Name, image and likeness — more commonly known as NIL — has rapidly become an integral part of collegiate athletics over the past couple of years. The adoption of NIL stems from a 2021 court case, and subsequent NCAA rules change, that allows student-athletes to monetize their personal brand and on-field accomplishments. The concept of NIL is seeded in the revenue explosion of collegiate athletics over the past decade. Previously, collegiate athletes were considered amateur athletes, and the NCAA governing body penalized students who made money while at school from their collegiate career. Although not professional sports, collegiate athletics, especially at the Division I level, has grown considerable. This is mostly due to revenue generated by football, and in some markets like Iowa State, supported by men’s and women’s basketball program. In 2001, the Iowa State University athletic department saw revenue of just under $20 million. By 2007, that grew to $33 million and was funded largely by ticket sales and supported by conference revenue, fundraising, and media rights. From 2008-2012, the amount of money that media companies paid to air games tripled and by 2014, every Division I football game was on television. Athletes increasingly became household names across the country, becoming the face of their respective programs, or the sport as a whole. For Iowa State, consider the likes of Georges Niang, Monte Morris, Allen Lazard, Brock Purdy, and Breece Hall as recent examples. University athletic departments pumped this influx of money into their programs in what became known as an “arms race.” Facilities for athletes were modernized and the best coaches garnered higher salaries, all while student-athletes on the field were unable to benefit from their work. The new NIL policy changed that, now allowing athletes to receive money to participate in promotional and marketing campaigns, including events, signing autographs, or endorsing products via social media. To help support and manage these opportunities, independent collectives have been set up to support each Division I program, including in Ames at Iowa State University. On August 1, 2022, Brent Blum was announced as the first Executive Director of the We Will Collective. The We Will Collective is not directly overseen by any University entity but is a 501c3 organization that has a simple mission: We aspire to support student-athletes that share our passion for the Cyclones and encourage them to be community-minded. As the Collective’s only full-time employee, Blum runs the day-to-day operations for the We Will Collective. A class of 2007 Iowa State alum, Blum is a life-long Cyclone and known figure in the Cyclone community. He spent the previous ten years working for the Cyclone Radio and TV networks and served as a Director of Development for the Iowa State Foundation. “We have a retain, not recruit goal through the We Will Collective,” said Blum, acknowledging both the importance of supporting student-athletes financially with the reality that he cannot fundraise the same amount of money as other programs. The We Will Collective has set a goal to fundraise $3 million per year to support Iowa State athletes. This can be done through fan or donor subscriptions, fundraisers, or other traditional marketing efforts. Right now, their focus is on supporting the revenue-generating sports of football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball. “We would love to be able to set a base level of support for each one of those athletes.” One of the primary aspects of the Collective is to provide opportunities for athletes to use their position in the community to give back to charities and others in need. “We believe that NIL should be used to grow the character of athletes and to benefit our communities,” said Blum. “Part of what makes Cyclone Nation so special is the connection between Cyclone athletes and the community. These players come from all over the nation and world and decide to be a Cyclone; choose to be one of us. They are our highest-profile ‘celebrities’ and become heroes for our youngest fans.” One successful partnership has been through the Ames-based Youth and Shelter Services of Central Iowa. Last year, Cyclone basketball player Gabe Kalscheur spent considerable time with YSS youth through their Ambassador Program. This year, it has expanded to more athletes giving back to the community. “For us, it is not about just giving big sums of money to athletes, it is about finding ways for them to engage with our community and compensating them accordingly.” The We Will Collective also partnered with the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Association. “We believe that we can do good in Iowa and help Iowa State as well,” said Blum. “There’s no avoiding that NIL opportunities are attractive to students. We want to make those opportunities available for work that makes Iowa better and Iowa State student athletes more engaged in their community.” More information on the We Will Collective can be found at their website: https://www.wewillcollective.com Ames Lager: Ames Lager, a unique beer blend from Okoboji-based brewery, West O Beer, is coming this fall. Proceeds from the Cyclone-branded beer will benefit the We Will Collective. What is Name, Image and Likeness: Name, image, and likeness, or NIL, is the term used by the NCAA to refer to a student-athlete and their ability to monetize their brand. In the past, due to NCAA rules, student-athletes could not profit from their NIL. This included selling autographs, memorabilia, or being paid to appear at events or other marketing endeavors. Colleges and universities could use the individual’s NIL in marketing, merchandise, school promotion, and other materials. In 2021, the NCAA voted on and approved a change in rules regarding NIL after a court ruled in favor of student-athletes on the topic. Previous NIL rules were suspended, and student athletes can now take full advantage of their NIL. A few of the most common ways include participating in camps, selling autographs, sponsorships, and social media posts. Lincolnway Energy, located between Ames and Nevada, celebrated the milestone of 1 billion gallons of ethanol produced in January 2023. Originally formed in May 2004, the plant started as a 50 million gallon per year dry mill ethanol plant. Today, it produces close to 95 million gallons of ethanol a year and is a driver of economic activity across the region. According to the Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa produces 2.5 billion bushels of corn each year, with over half of that going to ethanol production. Iowa leads the nation in ethanol production, with 57 percent (1.5 billion bushels) of the corn grown in Iowa going to create nearly 27 percent of all American ethanol. Lincolnway Energy is one of 42 ethanol plants in Iowa and a key player in helping assure a strong future for clean, renewable, and domestically produced fuels. Nearly 20 years ago, Lincolnway Energy was one of only 4 coal-fired plants in the nation. At the time, coal was inexpensive to use, and the plant paid for itself in a short period of time. They produced 50 million gallons a year and operated partner ethanol plants in Minnesota and North Dakota. In 2014, the company moved to natural gas through Alliant Energy, and this move, along with a staff restructuring and efficiency audit, triggered an acceleration in production. The company started producing 50, 60, 70 million gallons of ethanol a year, and by 2023, they were up to 95 million gallons. The daily operations of an ethanol plant are robust, but with automation, much of it can be controlled by a small crew working around the clock. There are days when Lincolnway receives 40,000 bushels of corn an hour. At 56 pounds a bushel, this can be up to 200 truckloads a day. Through their dry mill production, they are grinding 90,000 bushels a day, creating corn mash, and ultimately producing 260,000 gallons of ethanol a day. All of this is done with 42 employees on staff. Plant Manager Chris Cleveland, who has been with Lincolnway Energy since 2008, recognizes the importance of developing a strong staff culture for the plant to operate effectively. “For us, it’s not just 42 employees, it’s 42 families that are part of our organization. What makes Lincolnway Energy special is that everyone has a voice, a hieracrchy is almost non-existent because we each need to understand jobs across the plant.” He talked about long hours at the plant with many working 12-hour shifts. “Sometimes we see each other more than our families and because of that sacrifice, we have to take care of our employees.” Lincolnway employs staff from across a four-county region including Boone, Marshall, Polk, and Story County. A few have relocated their families to the region from as far as Texas and Georgia. The economic impact of this ethanol plant extends beyond the Ames MSA. This plant touches nearly 300 Iowa farmers and works closely with economic partners such as Key Cooperative, located east of the plant. With a direct line on the Union Pacific Railroad, the alcohol is shipped as far as Arizona where it is blended to be used as gasoline. Cleveland sees Lincolnway Energy as the “jewel” of Iowa ethanol plants. In many ways, they are a destination to learn about the ethanol production. In 2007, the cast and crew from American Chopper, the reality television series from the Discovery Channel, visited the plant and later revealed America’s first renewable energy chopper. More recently, three different documentary crews who are covering the ethanol industry toured and conducted interviews at the plant. Evie Peterson is a roll-up-her-sleeves type of entrepreneur who requires little sleep, a lot of coffee, and is not afraid to tackle the next big thing. Over the past 17 years, she has grown a successful catering business into a quintet of companies that has transformed Main Street Nevada. She is relentless and passionate about smart business growth, and in doing so, has been integral in the revitalization of her community. Her portfolio of businesses now includes FarmHouse Catering, FarmGrounds coffee shop, Gatherings venue (one of the premier event spaces in the Ames MSA), the thoughtfully curated Cozy Home & Table store, and most recently, Copper Spaces, the beautiful coworking and flex space. Peterson sat down with Traction to discuss the origins of her various companies, how she keeps it all straight, and her opinions on what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. How it all began “[FarmHouse Catering] started on the side and evolved. With three kids, I needed to do more than just a few events a year to make a little extra money for my family. I had previous experience in large-batch cooking, and some experience at a conference center. So it was a natural fit to grab onto and it eventually grew.” In 2006, the work of FarmHouse Catering served the need that many early businesses do: it was created out of necessity to provide for her family, but quickly became a dream come true. Peterson rented the kitchen at Indian Creek Country Club and catered their events while also making connections across the community. The word-of-mouth grew the business and when life circumstances required it, she was able to capitalize on the momentum and produce at a larger scale. “Those early days really got me into this town and built some really good relationships with people that utilize catering on a regular basis.” Today, Peterson is known across the region not only for her catering, but also her range of recently new businesses that have transformed Main Street Nevada. Gatherings event venue opened in 2014, FarmGrounds coffee shop in 2016, Cozy Home & Table in 2021, and the co-working Copper Spaces opened most recently in 2022. But it is the original FarmHouse Catering that supports it all in many ways. “For us, one thing led to another, and each business opportunity was created on the momentum that preceded it. Gatherings was developed because I needed a kitchen for the catering business. I figured that if I am going to invest in a kitchen, why not invest into a venue so that I can get to a point where I am not having to move food all over the place.” As a business owner, what will you never compromise on? Today, Gatherings is a destination event space that is used for a range of events from wedding to corporate. If you explore their website or social media channels, you will immediately notice the design, décor, and overall aesthetics that have been purposefully curated. “We created a marketing standard across the company that impacts each individual business. Kristy, our Marketing Director, developed color schemes that all coordinate together. Aesthetically, if you see items at Cozy, you will immediately know that it is connected with Gatherings.” Gatherings, and the co-working space above it, Copper Spaces, include a wow factor that is immediately noticeable. It is this standard of excellence that Peterson and her team are not willing to compromise on. That philosophy applies to other aspects of the business as well. “We have a philosophy of just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should. If the product or the process is not enjoyable, beneficial, and life-giving to our company, then we are not going to do it. That is where the buck stops. If it does not meet those criteria, then we just shut it down.” Although the decision-making ultimately rests with Peterson, she knows that her decisions impact other people, including many who have invested time and energy into making each business successful. She wants the team to weigh in and it is part of her responsibility to initiate those conversations. “That is part of any process that we make. Any decision that I make or thing that we add to our company must answer the following questions: does this make sense? Does this fit with anything else that we are doing? And does this benefit any of our other businesses? It has to check off some boxes as far as how it correlates to our core beliefs.” During this interview, this conversation was timely with Peterson and her team as they were currently engaged in this decision-making process. “I wanted to know around the table what their dream for it would be. If some of them said, ‘we should shut it down,’ then we would have considered that. But not one person said that. They all had a great perspective which meant that they were invested. So that tells me that this is something that we can improve upon so we will continue with it.” The evolution of space and addition of Copper Spaces “It was a dream when we bought this building to do something up here. We were creating a lot of traction downstairs (at Gatherings) for smaller events, as well as corporate events, and we were not able to accommodate them. I realized that we could utilize the upstairs more and that became Copper Spaces.” Although they had a lot of ideas for the space, including the option of renovating it and using it for their own residential living, the catalyst to move forward came when they received a grant from the State of Iowa. “As workplace dynamics were shifting during the pandemic, we started thinking of turning that into a co-working space. I was familiar with that concept through travel and thought that if we could get the grant, then we will do it.” The opportunity presented itself when they were awarded a $75,000 matching grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), along with a $15,000 grant from the City of Nevada, to support their renovation. The Community Catalyst Building Remediation Program through IEDA “assists communities with the redevelopment or rehabilitation of buildings to stimulate economic growth or reinvestment in the community.” They received the maximum amount at the time. The Copper Spaces project fit the grant opportunity perfectly and kicked off further revitalization efforts on Main Street Nevada. To date, five additional Nevada businesses have received city-issued grants. When you reflect on starting something new, what advice would you give a new entrepreneur? “Advice would be to get guts and have a plan. It can be scary when you take the first jump. But I have always had confidence in my abilities because that had been bred into me from an early age. I always knew that I could fall back on my abilities. And for me, that came down to hard work.” Peterson grew up at Hidden Acres Christian Center, now one of the largest camp and conference centers in Iowa. Her father helped catapult its growth when he was hired in 1985, and as any family-operated business knows, everyone pitched in, including kids. “My dad built it from a little shack to a resort-style camp. In many ways, I have been in the hospitality business from a young age. I started doing dishes at age 10. I had to stand on a crate to push the button on the dishwasher. Cleaning toilets and all of those things to be hospitable is completely second nature to me. Those abilities have taken me places in every job I’ve ever had.” Only recently has Peterson come to the realization that she grew up in an entrepreneurial household. “I had no idea. I didn’t realize it until I started my own business. Just in the last few years, I find myself doing exactly the same stuff that my dad was doing. He always had to be building, but he never did it for himself, but for others. It was 100% service for him. He never got rich off the things that he was doing, but it was purely for fun and the Lord. As I’ve been going down this path of one thing leading to another, I am doing part of this for money, but it’s also a lot of fun and contributes to making the community around me better.” Entrepreneur Extraordinaire Any entrepreneurial journey is measured in part through financial success. Peterson knows this as well as anyone. But running a business is more than finances, it is a way of life and must be just as life-giving and bucket-filling in order to continue. Being flexible, creative, and having the ability to let go is also important. “I’ve had to let go of some ideals. I think as an entrepreneur, it is important to understand that perfectionism is not attainable. It will impact profits and it will cause you to lose sight of your real goals.” As Peterson’s enterprises have expanded over the past 17 years, she has had to grow as well. With five separate, yet inter-connected businesses, she has been forced to assess where she spends her time. Two years ago, she added a Business Manager, Ryan Larson, who oversees all of the companies: contracts, company policies, website development, and accounts payable to name a few items on his list. He was also the Project Manager for the Copper Spaces redevelopment. Larson’s position and personality has transformed the business and opened up opportunities for Peterson to focus on others. Today, the quintet of businesses employs 6 full-time staff that help manage the event and retail spaces, along with human resource and marketing related projects. This is in addition to the 40+ part-time staff. “Each business is a labor of love, but the team makes it absolutely amazing! They give their all and this community has supported us the entire way.” Heartland of Story County is changing the vision of aging with the Sixty Forward initiative. In today’s culture, age is truly just a number, and the aging process is unique to everyone. The reality is that as people enter their 60s, 70s, and 80s, they want to stay active and engaged with others. They want a wider variety of options to help them stay healthy and feel their best. They want easy access and supportive services when health issues arise. The driving mission of Heartland has always been to enrich and support the health and quality-of-life as people age. In recognizing the need to shift how we think and talk about aging well, they have identified the need to reimagine the programs, services, and activities offered. Sixty Forward is a collaboration with Heartland of Story County, Mary Greeley Medical Center (MGMC), and the City of Ames Department of Parks and Recreation. Together, it is a community-wide programmatic model that connects those 60+ to opportunities that include physical activities, social networks, and wellness offerings. The program will launch in early 2024, aligning with the opening of a new 15,000 square foot facility. Through a new unified Sixty Forward website, the partnership will allow participants to seamlessly access programs and services for those 60+ that utilize existing recreational facilities in Ames and through Story County. For example, there will be a Sixty Forward golf league at Homewood Golf Course, aqua exercise classes at the Furman Aquatic Center, and pickleball leagues offered through Ames Parks & Recreation. By utilizing community facilities and the expertise of each entities’ staff to lead programs, Sixty Forward will support those 60+ on their journey to aging well. Collectively, programs, activities, and services will be provided in the areas of physical activity, social networks, health and nutrition. At the Sixty Forward Center, MGMC staff will offer nutrition, wellness, and health classes. Parks and Recreation will offer aerobics, yoga, Silver Sneakers, Tai Chi, and more, while Heartland will continue to provide meaningful educational offerings, Adult Day services and social activities. In January 2022, Heartland partnered with 10Fold Architecture + Engineering to develop the state-of-the-art Sixty Forward Center facility. Harold Pike Construction of Ames began earthwork in September 2022 with construction beginning in the spring of 2023. The Sixty Forward Center has been made possible through private gifts that total over $9.5 million. The Story County Board of Supervisors awarded Heartland $300,000 toward this project from Federal ARPA funding. The City of Ames is leasing the land to Heartland for $1 per year. Innovation happens slowly, meticulously, through trial and error, and a great amount of research. That early work often goes unseen by the majority of people, but when it is shared with the world, it can be revolutionary and change the trajectory of the industry that it aims to impact. The future of housing construction may very well be taking place on the campus of Iowa State University. Under the leadership of Assistant Professor Pete Evans, AIA, IDSA, Julie Robison, Interim Director, IDRO, and Kevin Kane, Director, GIS Facility, in the College of Design, his team is researching the feasibility of 3D concrete printing, in the 3D Affordable Innovative Technologies Housing Project. Why 3D printing? Initial industry analysis suggests that a 3D concrete printed home can be built faster, with less labor costs, and with a reduction in material costs. When developed, the application for such technology can impact affordable housing initiatives and when housing needs to be built in emergency situations, such as in the fallout of natural disasters. The goal of Evans and his team is the “create a collaborative in-state ecosystem for high performing affordable housing through innovative and emerging 21st century technologies and strategies.” Other specific goals include streamlining the process for quicker to market affordable homes, and to collaborate with state and local officials to help develop housing codes for this new technology. But simply speaking, their goal is research. “We are a research institution,” said Evans. “We are not in the business of printing 3D homes for purchase, but rather, to uncover and provide information to housing contractors and developers who may be interested in using this technology.” Evans talks about how all of their research and key understandings will be available to the design and building industry in order to eventually unlock this technology. Funding has come from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). Director Debi Durham admits that the “industry is not there yet,” but adds that “in five years, I guarantee that we are going to be ready for this and it’s going to make a huge difference.” The IEDA has committed $2.14 million dollars to the project. Evans and his team began their research in early 2022 with the acquisition of printers and related technologies. Since then, they have been incrementally conducting research, working with smaller versions of the 3D printer, developing the right mix and process. This spring, the team moved toward the printing of reasonably sized shed prototypes to test their understandings. In addition to their 3D concrete printer on campus, they are collaborating with Iowa Central Community College, where an even larger printer resides. All of this momentum is building toward a large collaboration in Hamburg, Iowa, in the far southwest part of the state, later this summer. Brunow Contracting has committed to utilizing the 3D printing technology for one home in their development. The house will be occupied by Brunow contracting staff, and will be used for further research. |