Small businesses recovering from summer of disasters

One year ago, natural disasters tore through the Cedar Valley, leaving many small business owners with nothing. Some of these firms experienced physical damage; others saw their supply chain disrupted, had their customer base displaced or experienced an increase in disaster-related operational costs.
   
Despite this, small businesses have access to help and are looking toward the future. During the past few months, the University of Northern Iowa's Regional Business Center has contacted small businesses throughout the Cedar Valley to gauge their recovery progress. Of the businesses contacted, 124 identified themselves as directly affected by the natural disasters and many of these shut down in the days following the disasters.

Thirty-four percent of these businesses reported they have either permanently closed or significantly downsized since then. However, a majority of the businesses surveyed have re-opened and are operating at or above pre-disaster levels.
   
Small business owners have been working to rebuild their businesses and, according to Maureen Collins-Williams, director of UNI's Regional Business Center, $10.7 million has been invested back into disaster-affected businesses in the Cedar Valley.
   
The UNI Regional Business Center has worked extensively with businesses affected by the disasters.
   
"They've been able to offer us logistical support in the form of office space, utilities and Internet connectivity until we're able to regain solid footing," said Mike Wallace, owner of Dyton Media Inc.
Businesses have remained positive and so has UNI's Regional Business Center.

"We have been happy to see businesses use the disasters as a launch pad to restructure their business or to rethink their business operations." Collins-Williams stated.
 
The UNI Regional Business Center is a program of the Business and Community Services division within the College of Business Administration. For more information, contact Collins-Williams at (319) 236-8123 or maureen.collins-williams@uni.edu.