EO Iowa Fellowship Program Announces Class of 2017
EO Iowa Fellowship
Program Announces Class of 2017
Des Moines, IA (31
October 2016) – Four young business owners, who are also juggling
full-time course loads at universities across the state, signed on for two
years of mentoring and guidance from the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Iowa
Chapter.
Students are selected by
the heads of the Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Schools based on their fundamental
business plan, ability to scale to $1 million in revenue and having generated
revenue to date. The EO Iowa Fellowship Program includes five full-day sessions
with set curriculum, as well as mentoring and roundtable discussions that focus
on mission statements, operations, sales, marketing and branding, working
capital and cash flow, and leadership and culture.
The EO Iowa Fellowship
program is unique in the networking opportunities they offer the young
entrepreneurs. They bring in a variety of EO Iowa members and sponsors to talk
about their experiences and answer questions for the group. Bryan Hoyer, EO Iowa
Fellowship alum and CEO of Rite Environmental based in Waterloo, found the
opportunity to network and partner with professionals in the industry was by
far the greatest takeaway from the program. “When I was first starting my
business out of my parents’ garage, most of my entrepreneur friends wanted to
build websites or be a marketing guru. Curbside recycling and trash pickup is
not a sexy industry. But EO Iowa connected me with CEOs and general managers
who had been in my industry for years. I still call or text them for advice on
a weekly basis,” says Hoyer. He started out with one pickup truck and 200
curbside residential customers and after only two years, now has over 20
trucks, 10 drivers and over 1,000 customers in the Waterloo and surrounding
areas.
“EO Iowa also brings in
guest speakers, attorneys, and big bankers – people you would have to pay $300 an
hour for usually, but instead we are able to work with them for free.” said
Hoyer. And mentors receive just as much out of the program as do the Fellows. “As a mentor, the students help us
stay up on the current social media trends and generational marketing tactics.
They also ask in-depth questions which keeps us on our toes as well.” said Jason
Berger. “EO Iowa has a unique ability to foster peer-to-peer relationships
amongst its members– it also has a strong network of support for entrepreneurs
in the Greater Des Moines community.” EO Iowa Fellows and mentors look forward
to continuing their relationships outside the classroom. “We look forward to
seeing the Fellows grow in their endeavors and hope we can continue to
establish fulfilling business opportunities,” says Berger.
EO Iowa’s Fellowship
program has seen a high level of success over the years – with over half their
alumni reaching revenues of over $1 million dollars within the next few years.
About
the Entrepreneurs’ Organization
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization
(EO) is a global, peer-to-peer network of more than 12,000+influential
business owners with 160 chapters in 50 countries. Founded
in 1987, EO is the catalyst that enables leading entrepreneurs to learn and
grow, leading to greater success in business and beyond. For more information,
visit www.eonetwork.org.
Contact
Ron Mealey
Entrepreneurs’ Organization
Phone: 515.669.3418
Email: [email protected]
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