The most successful entrepreneurs are those who are wise enough to invest their time, energy and resources into growing their communities in tandem with their business. Andrew VanFleet is a Cedar Valley entrepreneur who has taken that advice to heart and at 30, is reaping the rewards of community stewardship along with his business profits. Andy is the fourth generation of the VanFleet family to live and conduct business in the Cedar Valley. He is a 1998 graduate of UNI with a degree in graphic design and business. Andy honed his technology skills with a local web development firm until 2000 when that company unexpectedly closed during the dot-com bust, leaving him to face a difficult choice between pursuing an out-of-state career or creating his own opportunities at home. He chose to stay home.
VanFleet opened a graphic and web design company in Waterloo called Darning Pixels. Like many early stage technology companies, he was unable to secure adequate commercial capital when he launched his firm because his balance sheet was devoid of assets, outside of his intellectual property. He turned to the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) SBDC after hearing there was a program for early stage businesses there.
Darning Pixels soon became one of the first tenants at the UNI Regional Business Center’s incubator program in downtown Waterloo. Andy launched his company on a shoestring budget in the center of a downtown city block which, at the time he opened, had a sixty percent vacancy rate. His rationale was simple: “Many generations of my family have worked and lived in Waterloo. Someone needs to take the first step to create change - it’s appropriate that I do this.” Over the course of the following two years, VanFleet became a cheerleader for downtown entrepreneurship while launching his new firm.
As an incubator client, VanFleet received an average of ten hours of monthly technical assistance from SBDC staff in business planning, marketing, financing and other early stage business growth issues. His $250 per month rent included utilities, a state of the art computer and Internet connectivity, along with receptionist services and access to standard office equipment. According to Andy, it made a big difference in how quickly his company grew.
In his free time, VanFleet began to mentor other tenants and served as a role model to many during long nights and working weekends at the business incubator. He first sought expertise from the local SCORE chapter counselors and later became a SCORE member himself. He has volunteered numerous hours on behalf of the Cedar Valley SCORE Chapter, helping other new entrepreneurs make sound business decisions.
In 2003, VanFleet graduated from the incubator, secured a $10,000 line of credit from a local lender, and expanded his operation into a large historic downtown storefront where he hosts four other small firms with shared services. Since then, the firm has grown from a few corporate clients to over 50 educational, non-profit and corporate clients worldwide.
Today, VanFleet is a frequent speaker at UNI entrepreneurship programs, inspiring others to pursue entrepreneurship opportunities. This past year he was elected to the Main Street Waterloo board of directors. In September of 2005, VanFleet was honored with the Cedar Valley’s “20 Under 40” award, a regional award given annually to 20 business people under the age of 40 who have contributed to the regional economy.
While he has been in business less than five years, Andrew VanFleet’s example has drawn other small firms into the downtown, and has added a new voice of optimism to the Waterloo business community. Currently, VanFleet has two full-time employees and subcontracts work to three freelance programmers. We believe his business ethic of giving back ‘sooner rather than later’ characterizes an exciting generation of 21st century entrepreneurs: civic minded, hardworking, optimistic individuals not unlike those entrepreneurs who settled the Cedar Valley in the 19th century.
Quote: “The Regional Business Center/SBDC services were excellent. From the training, to the one-on-one technical assistance and incubator program, the SBDC was an excellent partner in helping accelerate the growth of Darning Pixels”. – Andrew VanFleet, Owner, Darning Pixels, Inc., Waterloo