NewBo City Market launches FLO Business Hub

CEDAR RAPIDS — NewBo City Market, an incubator for small businesses at 1100 Third St. SE, is launching a six-month FLO Business Hub program for entrepreneurs and for people who’d like to start their own business.

The FLO acronym stands for Fellowship for Launching Opportunities, market officials said in a news release.

The program is to designed to equip participants with the knowledge, skills and resources necessary to thrive in a competitive business environment.

The training begins May 8 and costs $249, with a limited number of scholarships available to those who cannot afford the fee.

Participants will meet three times a month. Each month will have one class, one peer review session to assess progress and one networking event.

Classes will be led by business professionals, and workshops will give people the chance to refine their business strategies.

Topics to be covering include writing an effective business plan; establishing banking relationships and business accounts; building a brand identity and a marketing strategy; developing price models and competitor analysis; business budgeting and forecasting; and business licensing.

In addition, Hub participants will gain access to insider information, priority consideration for NewBo shopkeeper opportunities; $20 discounts on Saturday guest vendor rates; discounts at the market’s food-based business entrepreneurs; and entry to monthly networking events.

To obtain more information or to sign up, contact Matt McGrane, the market’s director of equitable business development, at (319) 200-4050 or email him at matt@newbocitymarket.org.