Sure seems to be the question of the day.

Why Iowa?

I have to be honest we have had several occasions to relocate our business to other states for various reasons. Can't say anyone really courted us...just planted some interesting seeds. However, time and again we find Iowa to be a very business friendly state that is actively embracing the Nex-generations business models, such as ours.

Rodeo? .... REALLY???

Amazingly...YES!

They are looking, listening and adapting to our business needs.

We have expanded our operations in a rural Iowa community (Truro) and now offer a store front, warehouse, small manufacturing, printed catalog, web-site/e-commerce, mobile event sales and remain focused on product distribution globally. The community boasts a fiber-optic network from I-35 Communications with high-speed Internet, affordable property, K-12 School and low taxes. The local government is enthusiastic and ready to lend a hand to do what it takes to bring the rural community back to life.

Quite honestly we have excited people around us trying to better understand what we will continue to need as we grow and they are helping to align the resources that will be required at each of the next stages of growth.

Hard to imagine...RIGHT?

Take for example last week. We had a group of business leaders come to us. They drove to Truro, Iowa to spend the afternoon listening to our story. Learning about the challenges that we have overcome and allowed us to share our vision of where we think our Industry is heading and what resources will be required.

It was breath-taking to have the Executive Director of Warren County Economic Development in our business listening and learning what we are doing and studying what they might be able to put into place to help attract more businesses like us to their communities in Warren County and Iowa overall.

We have found the business climate to be extremely accessible with a vast number of resident experts around every corner eager to help. Fortunately we have been blessed by getting plugged into several of these resources.

We spent the better part of a year working directly with the regional SBDC Office in Urbandale developing a plan for our future growth. Eventually we landed in several meetings with Kreamer Law Firm (which I highly recommend) that allowed us to become networked with Transitional Capital Management.

For those of you who happen to stumble across my ramblings, if you are in need of growing, relocating, seeking funding or exiting your business...most anything you can think of business related....they (TCM - Tom Steen, Adam Steen & Hannah Steen) are absolutely a blessing and can help you in ways you can not even think of...till it happens and then you see what they saw. I am personally convinced that they have and will continue to play a major roll in shaping Iowa's business environment.

Another great example is Mike Sansone from Converstations.com who has expanded our conversations with our vendors and customers. He hosts several free blogging sessions throughout the month that have been priceless for us, creating a ton of new relationships. Last week he was featured on The Iowa Business Hour with Jim Goodman and he was a guest on the HWY 6 - Road to the Country with Michael Libby, both programs on 98.3 WOW FM. Mike referenced our company as an example of expanding rural Iowa businesses reach through the use of Blogging. Thanks for the shout out Mike...we do appreciate it greatly. Iowa should embrace what you are saying...because it works .... and we know it first hand!

On Monday we have been invited to present our business to a group called SEME - Society of Entrepreneurial Minded Executives in Des Moines. We expect somewhere between 75-150 business owners, executives and other related industry experts (lawyers, VC, bankers, accountants...) to be in attendance. The group is focused on identifying solutions (non-money related) to help businesses grow (their scope is broader than that...but for simplicity). Soooo.. I must say it's pretty impressive to be a guest and sitting at this table of respected players. Can you say "Enthusiastically Terrified"...I am so excited I'm scared...guess that is what makes me tick! I'll get on a bull anyday...now public speaking...that is another story!

So before you decide to have your products made overseas....we think you should consider Iowa. Perhaps even Truro, Iowa next door to us.

We are listening and they (our state) is listening. They like what they have heard once we peeled back a few layers and exposed our potential. They like Rodeo and they appreciate our business being in this state.

What can we do to help our Rodeo Industry grow?