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Jessica Stenzel, For The Love of School owner

Space is filling up at the North Iowa Business Incubator on the North Iowa Area Community College campus with two businesses, both led by women, which are joining the entrepreneurial community.  The North Iowa Business Incubator is operated by NIACC’s John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center.

MotoDuds designs and distributes racing quality leather apparel for women motorcyclists. MotoDuds is the premiere women-only brand, developed to meet the need of the motorcycle industry’s increasing trend towards female riders. Ashlea Schaumburg said, “MotoDuds’ goal is not only to provide women with flamboyant colorful apparel, but especially to provide apparel that fits.”  The company relocated from Minnesota; they were led to the area upon the recommendation of one of their board members because of the quality of assistance available at the NIACC JPEC & Small Business Development Center. For more information visit Schaumburg’s website at www.motoduds.com.

Also in the clothing and textiles industry, For The Love Of School manufactures logoed apparel for distribution through boutiques and has agreements with over 29 different colleges and universities as well as other schools. Jessica Stenzel recently moved her previously home-based business into the Incubator. She took the FastTrac® NewVenture™ course and consulted with the wide range of SBDC and JPEC resources. Her niches are unique designs and the ability to customize. To see some of Stenzel’s designs, visit www.fortheloveofschool.com.

“Even in times of economic uncertainty, businesses can be started and grown,” Mark Olchefske, Accelerator/Incubator director, said.  “Those entrepreneurs that identify a real need in the marketplace and are able to fill that need can be successful regardless of economic conditions.  Jessica and Ashlea have each identified underserved niches with significant growth potential.  Certainly there are challenges ahead in executing their respective strategies, but successfully overcoming those obstacles is part of owning your own business.”

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.  Limited space is still available in the new North Iowa Business Incubator for start-up businesses.  For more information, contact the NIACC JPEC at (641) 422-4384 or incubator@niacc.edu.

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