Category: News

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According to the population numbers recently reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, Marshalltown kept pace with similar-sized communities in Iowa. Between 2010 and 2020 Marshalltown showed a slight growth from 27,552 to 27,591 or an increase in population of 0.1%.

“Given what has transpired in this community over the last several years with two significant natural disasters, you would expect to see a sharp decline in population as a result,” said John Hall, President & CEO of the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce. “The results we received of effectively holding steady came as a welcome surprise and means we are incredibly well positioned to bounce back from those disasters and grow from there.”

In comparison to other cities of similar size in the state, Marshalltown, Muscatine and Ottumwa saw growth while Fort Dodge, Mason City, Burlington and Clinton saw a population decline.

Marshall County as a whole did see a decline of 1.3 percent in population.

“We will continue to work with our partners in other area towns to help with the growth of the county,” Hall said. “It’s no secret that the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce has ambitious growth plans for Marshalltown and Marshall County and it’s going to take growth in all corners of the county in order to make that happen.” 

By Andrew Potter, Tourism Director

One of the best parts of my job is giving city tours to prospective employees or new hires for Marshalltown businesses and other entities. 

I get to talk about something I love – Marshalltown- and I essentially get to give a 45-minute commercial for the town.

I get to meet people from various backgrounds who are willing and interested in learning more. A few years ago, I also had the pleasure of helping a candidate push his airplane across the runway at the Marshalltown Airport so he could gas it up before his flight home – that always makes for a good story.

The route I take and each tour’s focus is usually dictated by the interests of the person I’m with. 

Several months ago, a young man on our tour said he loved playing tennis and biking on trails. As you can guess I had a field day with him pointing out the brand new Marshalltown Court Complex, the Linn Creek Recreational Trail and River’s Edge Trail. That was a slam dunk in my book.

I’ve also been fortunate to give tours to small buses of international visitors. I’ll never forget driving by the Alliant Energy plant east of town, which then started a discussion of power plants on the bus. One international visitor brought up a slice of Americana that he knew – Homer Simpson. I assured him that this was not a nuclear power plant and Homer Simpson, in fact, did not work at that plant in Marshalltown. It was good for a laugh, though.

I’m looking forward to one of my biggest tours yet this September. I get to lead a tour of a bus full of Marshalltown High School graduates from the classes of 1950-1959 as part of the Fabulous 50s reunion. They will visit as part of Oktemberfest weekend and are sure to have a lot of fun in town.

As we look to continue to get positive messages out about Marshalltown, I encourage all of you to be my assistant tour guides. When you have new people in town, point out the Linn Creek Recreational Trail as it winds through town. Hop out and do a quick tour inside the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA, which has impressed more visitors than I can count. Swing by Main Street which is seeing improvements by the day and then let them soak in the uniqueness of the 13th Street District. A few chocolates from Lillie Mae’s there can help sweeten any deal, by the way.

Many of the people that I’ve taken on tours are surprised and often say “I didn’t know Marshalltown had this much to offer.”

It is all of our jobs to make sure we get the word out on the great things we have to offer here in Marshalltown. Since we reside here, we already know what a great place Marshalltown is to live, work and play. Let’s be more adamant in not keeping that a secret.

Andrew Potter is Tourism Director with the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce.

John Hall has been named the next President and CEO of the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber’s Board of Directors made the announcement this week. Hall comes to Marshalltown from his post as Vice President of the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Commission. His work at the Ames Chamber of Commerce focused on business and community development. 

“I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to serve as President and CEO of the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce,” said Hall. “The community is tremendously well positioned for growth and opportunities for new business, new housing, new residents, and increased tourism.”

An Iowa State University graduate, Hall also holds a certification in economic development from the International Economic Development Council. 

His experience in Ames had him serving as Executive Director for the Nevada Economic Development Council and Ames Main Street, in addition to leading the Ames Seed Capital organization. 

“We had an extensive search for our leader of the Chamber and we couldn’t be more excited about the choice of John Hall,” said Joe Carter, Chair of the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “John brings a ton of experience to the position, but more importantly he brings a skill set and enthusiasm to lead this organization and help our local communities and businesses grow and thrive. We are excited to welcome John and Brianna and their new daughter to Marshalltown. They will be a huge asset to the community and I’m proud to have them join us!” 

Hall will begin leading the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce on August 2^nd. 
Contact John Hall, President & CEO at jhall@marshalltown.org.

It’s that time of year to remind everyone of the ways in which they can get the most out of Chamber membership. 

Check your chamber emails. Members receive frequent e-newsletters (Chamber Headlines & Happenings) that contain pertinent information, reminders of upcoming events, and general information. Take time to read these and reach out to the Chamber with any questions.

Attend events whether virtual or in-person. Despite the changing times, we’re in, the Chamber has continued to provide value, while respecting COVID-19 restrictions and concerns. Attend Chamber-sponsored webinars or online events. This is a great opportunity to learn new things AND connect with others.

Sponsor a Chamber event. Sponsoring an event will allow you to advertise your business to a targeted audience, have brand visibility, create some potential leads, and provide community goodwill. 

Free job postings. Did you know the Chamber will post your job opening on our website, thereby increasing your chance to connect with qualified candidates? It’s true! And it’s part of your membership!

Purchase mailing labels for $30. We will print mailing labels for all Chamber members (close to 500) for you to use for your business’s marketing campaigns. This is a great, inexpensive way to connect with other Chamber members.

Become more involved. Join a committee or become a volunteer. This is a great way to get to know others in the community while providing assistance to the Chamber.

Do you believe your company’s success hinges on how well you prepare your budget, the kind of product you have or your customer satisfaction scores? Yes, those aspects do matter – but ultimately business will just be as good as the employees performing the work. Business wise, it makes more sense to hire smart people to add value to your company as opposed to resorting to the antiquated command and control model.

Autonomy in the workplace goes a long way to promoting and fostering creativity and innovation. As long as an organization has a clear trajectory and plan laid out, the leadership should be providing direction and oversight of its execution. David Ricardo, a British economist spoke about comparative advantage which has to do with matters of trade and relates to a country’s ability to execute economic activity in a more effective and efficient way compared to other nations. This principle can be applied to management, we must capitalize on what we are poised to do best. If your role involves being a manager then by all means, manage but leave the human resources to your HR Director.

Time is a finite resource and with the plethora of activities already in a manager’s calendar, it is important to know how to allocate time and resources appropriately. For example, consider a startup that is currently expanding. In the beginning the Founder & CEO most likely wore many hats if not all of them, from marketing and sales to coding, graphic art and fundraising. One day the company is able to fill those roles, vice presidents, directors and coordinators now roam your building, looking to maximize and perform the job they were hired to do. It is not unreasonable for the Founder & CEO to believe they can do a better job than the staff (which may or may not be true). The question is, should they? No, their time would be best spent pursuing growth opportunities for their company and strategizing their next move in the market.

Analyze your company’s mission, vision and overall strategy, even though management styles diverge across the board, remember that the way you approach it can make the difference between growth and stagnation. Even though success is in the details, it is important to know when to delegate, provide feedback and step in when needed. Are you working on your business or in your business?

By: Kyley Leger, Vision Marshalltown Executive Director

Marshalltown More Than Ever is a way to focus on the Marshalltown story. It identifies us, celebrates our rich history, focuses on our world-class education, applauds our state leader position in business and education partnerships, highlights rich collaborations, and aspires continued growth.

How Do Businesses Use Marshalltown More Than Ever?

Marshalltown More Than Ever is a tagline and story created for use by individuals and businesses to show their connection to the community. It helps connect into a community collaboration. It associates a business or individual with the community as a whole.

Recruiting

Have a job posting or going to a career fair? Does your current material sell your company and the proposed job? Does it sell our community? Have you ever thought about how a candidate cares equally about the community they will be joining? Housing, amenities, schools, and things to do top the list of things people look at when moving to a community. We created a recruiting flyer that has the community selling points written on one side of the flyer and the other side of the flyer is for you to include your company or job posting information.

We’ve also developed a PowerPoint presentation that highlights Marshalltown More Than Ever as a great place to live, learn, and play. This presentation is short in number of slides, but powerful in community overview. It can be used during employee orientation or as a form of recruiting. Use as a standalone or combine with your company slides.

Advertising

Do your 2021 goals include advertising? We designed a set of digital and print advertisements that promote Marshalltown More Than Ever. If you’re looking for a way to advertise, maybe this message can be adjusted to fit your business goals. Or maybe these advertisements can be used to support your company advertisements.

#MoreThanEver

Do you have a social media account? Use our community hashtag to connect with the qualities in our community that stand out. What does your company offer that is better than your competition? Or, what first-class offerings do you have? These are all examples of how we are #MarshalltownMoreThanEver. Think about sharing more than your company content. Help other businesses promote their offerings by sharing their #MarshalltownMoreThanEver stories.

Email Signatures

Consider adding the phrase “Marshalltown More Than Ever” to the bottom of your signature or use the logo in your emails.

What Next?

Share Marshalltown More Than Ever stories with friends and family. Share them on digital media, tell your friends and neighbors, and start using the Marshalltown More Than Ever materials!

To find these files, visit www.marshalltown.org/morethanever/. For editable files, email office@marshalltown.org with your request.

Sustainable economic development comes from innovation and industrialization – this is what draws employees to cities and in turn creates demand for housing, amenities, and everything related to quality of life. Marshalltown has truly been a startup town that has seen large industrial players start here and expand. The Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce wants to further that trend. Our role is to help preserve, protect, and grow the free enterprise system. We recognize that, in order to grow, we have to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation. New businesses have the potential of attracting customers, workers, and visitors from all over the region; the new traffic flow then creates demand for other types of goods and services. The multiplier effect from a singular investment can create powerful ripples throughout the local economy.

Today, there is a tremendous shortage across the United States within the STEM (science, technology, engineering & math) fields for both labor and new products. Pent up demand has prompted the creation of incubators and start up accelerators in multiple cities in the U.S. Venture capitalists and angel investors are constantly hunting for new, disruptive, and groundbreaking deals to invest in. Academia has learned to better align their curriculums with the needs of our employers in order to fill the supply gap. Whether you have a way to revolutionize farming, manufacturing, or even coffee making – we want to hear from you!

This is the time to invest, not tomorrow or a year from now. If not today, when?

January 2021 is here and it’s time to think about New Year’s Resolutions. 2020 was rough but that doesn’t mean 2021 has to be. Creating resolutions can help better you in your work life and personal life, and with many of us continuing to work at home, that’s one in the same! Below are my 2021 resolutions. I hope my ideas assist you in generating resolutions of your own.

1. Learn something new every day

I have an Audible account that I don’t use. I am going to begin listening to audiobooks on my commute every morning and evening. Some will be fiction and some career but you can always learn something new from reading. Or, try this ‘word of the day’ calendar by Merriam Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/calendar

2. Budget and travel big

I was super excited last year at this time as the kids and I were to take a life-changing trip to Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy. Then Coronavirus hit. Plan a trip for 2022 and start saving money now, so you can afford your vacation and not stress about it. Have your bank deduct $50/paycheck into a vacation account, so by next year you will have $1200 to use on vacation expenses. Budget your expenses this year using one of these budget apps: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/finance/budgeting-saving-tools/

3. Drink more H20 by tracking water intake

This will be so difficult for me. I don’t like drinking water. But, in this crazy world, this is something I can control so why not be more proactive? There are lots of applications out there that you can utilize to accomplish this goal: https://www.healthline.com/health/hydration-top-iphone-android-apps-drinking-water

4. Make ‘Me’ time

I’m a single mom and ‘me’ time doesn’t come easy. My daughter created a 10-minute yoga routine that is simple and for the yoga beginner, like myself. It is easy, feels good and is a time that I am focusing on myself. Create your own using this guide: https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/poses-by-level/beginners-poses/

5. SUPPORT LOCAL EVEN MORE

I’m saving the best for last and this is a big one folks! Try to support local in every purchase you make. Could I buy my cat’s $75 special urinary protection cat food online and save $10 a bag? Of course, but I’m not going to because my local veterinarian needs my support. It’s about putting your money back into Marshall County and helping our businesses thrive even during the bad times (ummm, like now).