Upcoming Events
Understanding Your Numbers
This workshop helps entrepreneurs understand their cash flow, expenses, and income so money feels less stressful and more manageable. You’ll leave with a simple financial snapshot of your business and tools you can use to make informed decisions.
Building Bridges Between Us
Join Dream City for a powerful evening of dialogue, reflection, and connections as community leaders come together to explore unity and healing within Iowa City’s Black community. This is a space to listen, learn, and build bridges that move us forward together.
Living History Museum (Youth Showcase)
Experience history brought to life through the voices, creativity, and brilliance of our youth at Dream City’s Living History Museum. This inspiring event highlights Black leaders, culture, and storytelling led by young people in our community.
Black History Pop-Up Market
Join us for a full day of culture, connection, and commerce as entrepreneurs showcase their products and services. Shop local, support Black-owned businesses, and celebrate community at Dream City.
Pricing That Reflects Your Value
Learn how to price your products or services with confidence while covering your costs and honoring your value. Participants will build a pricing framework that supports sustainability, growth, and fair compensation.
Budgeting & Planning for Growth
This session breaks down budgeting and financial planning into practical, easy-to-understand steps. Entrepreneurs will create an outlined business plan that aligns their goals with realistic financial expectations.
Marketing Basics for Non-Marketers
This workshop is designed for entrepreneurs who would like to gain the knowledge as a marketer. This session simplifies branding, messaging, and customer connection. You’ll clarify who you serve, what you offer, and how to communicate it clearly.
Low-Budget Marketing Strategies
Join us to discover practical ways to attract and retain customers using little to no money. Entrepreneurs will leave with a marketing plan focused on visibility, consistency, and results.
Building Trust, Referrals & Customer Discovery
This workshop focuses on becoming the go-to business in your community through trust and relationships. You’ll learn how to generate referrals, gather customer insights, and strengthen your reputation.
Building Entrepreneur Confidence
Join us as we breakdown self-doubt, and fear that often hold entrepreneurs back. This workshop will allow participants to gain confidence-building tools to move from ideas to action with clarity and purpose.
Business Clarity & Strategy Essentials
This session helps entrepreneurs cut through overwhelm and focus on what matters most in their business right now. You’ll define clear priorities and create a practical action plan that’s measurable.
Resource Navigation & Support System
Learn how to identify and leverage local resources, mentors, and support systems to strengthen your business journey. Entrepreneurs will build a personalized support map to help them stay connected and supported beyond the workshop.
First Pitch Practice
Entrepreneurs will practice delivering their pitch in a supportive environment. Participants will receive feedback to strengthen confidence, clarity, and storytelling.
Elevate: A Night of Opportunity & Connection
Join us for a night of opportunity & connections representing the entrepreneurs we serve. This is chance to be a vendor to advertise your products & services and connect with like-minded business owners. Don’t miss out on this exciting night to celebrate you!
Grant Writing Workshop
Unlock the power of funding for your business! Join us as Goodwill of the Heartland breaks down proven grant writing strategies that help entrepreneurs secure the resources they need to grow. This is your chance to learn insider techniques, ask questions, and walk away with tools you can use don’t miss out!
AI Marketing for Entrepreneur Success
Join us here at Dream City as our Facilitator Mohamed Traore dive into AI in an interactive workshop. Are you familiar with AI, or don’t have any knowledge of it? This is your workshop to attend.
Dinner & Learn Libraries & Entrepreneurship
Do you have a small business or thinking of starting one with limited resources? Look no further, Dream City is collaborating with the Iowa City & North Liberty Public Library to bring you insightful tools around grant writing, entrepreneur growth & resources the Public Libraries has to offer!
Deluxe Salsa Night
Join us at Dream City for a night of Salsa dancing. Sunset Salsa is bringing the fun & entertainment! This event is free for everyone to attend.
America's SBDC: Emergency Preparedness Dinner & Learn
Dream City will host a special Dinner & Learn with America’s SBDC, offering a free, one-hour Emergency Preparedness Workshop for entrepreneurs and small business owners. This interactive session will equip participants with practical strategies and ready-to-use tools to protect their business before, during, and after emergencies helping strengthen both business resilience and our local economic ecosystem.
Neighborhood Resilience Workshop
Looking to build in your community? Join RSFIC non-profit organization at Dream City to learn more about how we could build resilient communities together.
Dream City Grand Opening
Dream City is thrilled to announce our upcoming Grand Opening. We will have a ribbon cutting ceremony starting at 2:30pm leading up to tours of our facility and food to celebrate.
Creating & Expanding Your Small Food Business
Join us for a special Dinner & Learn at Dream City on July 24th at 5:30 PM!
Led by Penny Huber Brown, Food Business Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, this session will provide practical insights and resources for aspiring and current food entrepreneurs.
You'll learn:
🍎 How to start a small food business from your home or farm
📜 The basics of Iowa’s cottage food law and how it empowers home-based businesses
🧴 What’s required to properly label your food products under Iowa regulations
Whether you're just getting started or looking to expand, this free session is packed with valuable tools to help you grow your food processing business.
Juneteenth 2025
Juneteenth 2025 Presented by The Black Voices Project. This event will have a lineup for a Fashion Show, Live Performances, Community meal, Storytelling, Family activities, Local vendors, Art & Giveaways. Come join the celebration, for any information please contact Royceann Porter 319-321-2779 & follow online for updates.
"Marketing Unlocked: AI Tools for Growing your Business"
Attendees will learn fundamentals of AI, discover how AI can streamline market research and use different techniques. Learn how AI can analyze audiences enabling them to better understand their target demographic & integrate AI insights into marketing strategies.
9th Annual Iowa Statewide Sickle Cell Family Fun Day & Educational Symposium
Join Iowa Health Care 9th Annual Iowa Statewide Sickle Cell Family Fun Day & Educational Symposium. RSVP contacting Manda Bolinger at amanda-m-bollinger@uiowa.edu or 319-356-3595 or Abbie Yoder at abigail-a-yoder@uiowa.edu or 319-384-5300.
Building Blocks for Social Media Success
Join us for an engaging Dinner & Learn Workshop focused on the essential building blocks for social media success. This interactive session will empower you to identify key strategies and lay a solid foundation for your social media growth.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your skills & network with like-minded individuals.
GasLight Proof "Workplace Survival & Self-Healing Retreat”
Escape the Chaos, Reclaim Your Power!
Have you ever left work feeling drained, doubting yourself, or questioning your reality? You’re not alone. Toxic workplaces can take a toll on your mind, body, and soul. It’s time to break free!
Join us for a transformational one day retreat based on the Gaslight Proof: Workplace Survival and Self-Healing Journal. This isn’t just another retreat; it’s your chance to release negativity, rebuild confidence, and reclaim your inner peace.
What You’ll Experience:
Guided self-healing practices
Journaling exercises to break free from workplace toxicity
Empowering discussions to reclaim your confidence
A safe, supportive space with like-minded individuals
A FREE copy of Gaslight Proof to support your healing journey
Seats are Limited!!! SIGN UP HERE
Free Wellness Visits
The exam is completely free. If ongoing healthcare is needed, Tyeisha will work with individuals on a case-by-case basis to ensure their needs are met.
Skilled Trades Career Connections (STCC)
Event: Skilled Trades Career Connections (STCC)
Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Dream City, 611 Southgate Ave., Iowa City
We are excited to invite your business or school to participate in Skilled Trades Career Connections (STCC)—an engaging, hands-on career exploration event designed to introduce students to rewarding opportunities in the skilled trades. Our goal is to ensure that students who may not typically be exposed to these career paths can discover a wide range of in-demand, high-paying jobs in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and more.
Each business is encouraged to bring a hands-on activity for students to experience what it’s like to work in their career.
Fueling Innovation: A Lunch & Learn with InnoVenture Iowa
Join us at Dream City for a dynamic Lunch & Learn with the team from InnoVenture Iowa, the state’s first publicly funded venture capital co-investment fund.
Focused on supporting early-stage startups in biosciences, advanced manufacturing, and information technology, InnoVenture Iowa is investing in the future of Iowa’s innovation economy. This is your chance to hear directly from their team, learn how they work with founders, and ask your questions about funding, strategy, and startup growth.
Whether you're a founder, investor, or just curious about Iowa’s startup ecosystem, this session is for you. Free to attend with registration required.
Marketing Workshop
Create a Simple Marketing Plan:
A step-by-step guide to setting marketing goals and strategies.
Dinner & Learn: Budgeting & Financial Management
Explore relevant ways to master your money in this Budgeting & Financial Planning workshop.
Dinner & Learn: Business Funding
Explore relevant ways a small business can be funded. This workshop will start with an introductory panel discussing ways to fund your business.
Virtual Funding Workshop
Join Dream City and Kymberly Stevenson an impactful workshop focused on helping entrepreneurs gain access to funding.