SPENCER, Iowa (KTIV) -
It can be hard to find work in today's job market, so some people are creating their own jobs.
Spencer, Iowa, held a workshop Monday for aspiring entrepreneurs.
This is the 9th "Pitch and Grow" workshop in Iowa, but the first in the northwest part of the Hawkeye State. Brian Dalziel wishes these types of workshops were available when he started in the 1990s.
"There were no pitch and grows, there were no accelerators, there were no incubators, you know. And we stumbled and made mistakes. Today, there are groups that help entrepreneurs," said Dalziel, vice president of the Iowa Lakes Corridor in Spencer.
At the workshops, people had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to the experts.
"Some are giving a pitch to a prospective client, some are giving a business development pitch, some are looking to take their business in another direction," said Jacobsen.
Jeff Krage has been to these sessions before. This time he's teaching, but there are other reasons he keeps returning.
"I think you're always going to be fine-tuning everything because the worlds are changing. So, you'll always have to find time to fine tune stuff," said Krage, owner of Okobojiworks.
Krage is presenting his mobile application, which works an interactive yellow pages, around the Iowa Lakes Region.
"I think it's important for everybody to have these types of groups around, so you can actually figure out, you know, and make mistakes together, rather than doing it by yourself and potentially harming the business," said Krage.
At the end of the day, the entrepreneurs voted on who gave the best pitch.
"All of the audience members get to invest their sort of monopoly money into the businesses that they like," said Leann Jacobsen, president of the Technology Association of Iowa.
But what's the most practical benefit?
If you ask Dalziel, he'll say the workshops are a great networking opportunity. Sometimes, you'll even find out that your friends are doing something you're doing.
"Get them to know that, hey, I didn't know Kevin was doing this, I didn't know Bob was doing that. And so now, people will know," said Dalziel.
More than 65 aspiring entrepreneurs paid $15 to attend.
