A presentation by the Small Business Development Center at Clarke College in Dubuque provided the spark Jennifer Swearingen needed to start her own health care clinic. As a Nurse Practitioner (NP), Jennifer has provided high-quality primary, acute and specialty health care services in a variety of settings. Jennifer knew another nurse practitioner in Dubuque who had started a clinic and had followed her success over a period of years. After moving to the Coralville area and working for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Jennifer decided to pursue a practice of her own.

Once Jennifer started exploring her business idea, she had questions about whether the clinic would be accepted by both patients and the medical community. She went to the University of Iowa SBDC with her questions and they helped her develop a business plan, do financial projections, and analyze the feasibility of the venture. The SBDC also connected Jennifer with an entrepreneurial consulting class at the University of Iowa, which did a market feasibility survey for her. The results of the survey indicated that there was a good chance the clinic would be successful.

Jennifer secured a loan from Hills Bank and Trust Company and opened Coralville Healthcare Clinic in 2005 with just two employees. The clinic offers comprehensive primary care services and many specialty services such as laser hair reduction, intense pulse light therapy, sclerotherapy and acne treatment. The clinic empowers people to actively participate in their healthcare process and educates them in health promotion, disease prevention and illness management. Jennifer takes pride in providing quality care with a personal focus and timely referrals to specialists when necessary.

Patient activity has steadily increased since opening the business, and more insurance companies have been added to the company's list of third party payers. Jennifer is pleased with the acceptance of her clinic by other medical providers in the community. She says, “If I wouldn’t have reached for the stars and followed my dream, I would have, in essence, failed. The SBDC is very assistive in actually helping individuals attain their goals.”