Traction Steam holds first meeting

Traction Steam held its first meeting monthly meeting Wednesday at The Grange Public House and Brewery.

The meetings are designed to build up a microbusiness (businesses with fewer than 10 employees) community around the area, specifically Henry County.

Kellen Gracey, one of the event organizers, said that the event is a significant first step to building an environment where owners can talk about their business with one another.

“This event is important because it is the first step in building an entrepreneurial ecosystem — an environment in which entrepreneurs can come together to talk about challenges they face, celebrate victories, and reflect on failures,” Gracey said. “Such an ecosystem is an integral part of a robust small business community because it allows for the flow of information and resources in ways that wouldn’t be possible without them. It creates a space for business people to find information they need, to network, and to reach out for help when they need it.”

The hope is to create an environment where the business community can support and encourage each other, which Gracey says is vital for businesses to thrive.

A presentation was given to show how Henry County fairs against other counties in microbusiness growth.

According to the presentation, as of Sept. 2021, Henry County ranks at the bottom with .51 microbusinesses per 100 people, the lowest out between Lee, Washington, and Des Moines.

Jefferson County currently has a rate of 38.97, as of September.

Examples were given on how to help increase that rate.

Skills training, including business development and digital strategies, updated and properly-scaled marketing strategies, which involve access to capital and affordable space, and broadband infrastructure, were all examples given to help increase the county rate.

Eighteen participants attended the event.

Gracey said the turnout is a win, showing that people are interested in events like this.

“For so many people to show up, this tells us that the community needs this type of event. It says that an ecosystem is needed. Mt. Pleasant has a history of entrepreneurship, but that history has become just that — history. Small business start-ups are relatively rare around here. As some of the data we shared tonight shows, there is a noticeable decline in the number of microbusinesses, the starting point for so many small businesses. Tonight we had folks from big companies, small companies, from the health care industry to the video game sector, and everything in between. We had folks who were running a one-person operation out of their garage on their cellphone and folks who were established businesspeople.”

Gracey also said that the event is a major step forward in developing the community, not only in Henry County but southeast Iowa too.

Comments: hunter.moeller@southeastiowaunion.com