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Pat Palmer

Pat Palmer, of Hampton and owner of “The Computer Guy,” received a $2,500 NanoLoan from North Iowa Area Community College’s John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center to pay for upgrades to his successful home-based business. 

After operating the computer repair business on a part-time basis for many years, Palmer decided to make “The Computer Guy” a full-time endeavor.  He takes pleasure in serving local clients as well as national accounts like Dell, Staples and Sears.  He offers free pickup and delivery service within a 45-mile radius of Hampton. 

“The staff at the Pappajohn Center is there to help.  Their years of true business experience shows through when you talk to them.  I feel they are partners in the success of my business,” Palmer said.

NIACC’s NanoLoan program targets a specific, underserved segment of the entrepreneurial community; businesses in the ‘pre-bankable’ phase. NanoLoans up to $2,500 can be used to move a business model farther along in its development by paying for prototype development, patents, equipment, working capital and other start up costs.  

NanoLoan applicants are required to successfully complete the FastTrac® New Venture™ course; a 10 week ‘business boot camp’ that exposes entrepreneurs to key aspects of being a small business owner and helps them put together a business plan. FastTrac® graduates from NIACC have enjoyed significantly better business survival rates with over 200 businesses founded by graduates since 1997 and over 78% of them still in business today.

For more information on the NIACC JPEC NanoLoan program, call (641) 422-4342 or visit www.niacc.edu/pappajohn. 

The John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center is located on the North Iowa Area Community College campus in Mason City, Iowa and provides college level courses and degree programs in entrepreneurship, as well as comprehensive consulting services for business start-ups and existing industries in the North Iowa region.  Space is available in the new North Iowa Business Incubator for start-up businesses.  For more information, contact the NIACC JPEC at 641-422-4342.

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