VERV Auto Sales, an electric vehicle startup operating under the Moxie Solar umbrella, offers the latest in hybrids and plug-in electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf. CREDIT VERV
About a year ago, Moxie Solar founder and CEO Jason Hall had what he calls an "epiphany."
The trailblazing Corridor entrepreneur who turned his garage-based business into a 150-employee venture spanning eight states, woke up in the middle of the night, realizing Moxie was only doing part of the job.
The company had successfully brought solar energy solutions to about 1,500 customers, offering efficient arrays capable of powering up to 125% of a home or business' consumption needs. But sitting in their garages and parking lots were gas-guzzling vehicles responsible for pumping out 30% of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.
"It just hit me at one point that a lot of the people buy solar from us because they want to offset their emissions and save money," said Mr. Hall at the Feb. 11 grand opening of
VERV Auto Sales, a used electric vehicle (EV) dealership he hopes to eventually bring to every community Moxie serves. "They're very proud the day they install the solar and they think they're done ... But there's another step that they could be doing."
VERV, located at 230 Sugar Creek Lane in North Liberty, hopes to draw from Moxie's existing base of eco- and cost-conscious solar customers eager for even more bang for their buck. And it aims to persuade everyone - even those not yet sold on solar - that today's EVs aren't just cleaner and cheaper with no need for oil changes and frequent trips to the gas station, they're also cool.
"These cars have become viable from a range perspective - some of those vehicles have 600 miles worth of range on them," Mr. Hall said, adding that "range anxiety" was just one misplaced fear many consumers have about EVs along with price, charging time and torque. "You know, everybody thinks golf cart when they're thinking electric vehicle. But when they get in one and step on the gas, all of these cars are faster than gasser cars. And it's not just one model, it's not just the Tesla. They're all quick."
VERV currently offers about a dozen cars, from the entry-level all-electric Chevrolet Spark with a range of approximately 80 miles (retailing for about $5,000) to the high-end Tesla Model 3 with a range of about 200 miles (going for upwards of $70,000). In between are models like the plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander, with an unlimited range supplemented by a gas engine, on sale for between $15,000 and $40,000.
Read more about VERV Auto Sales in the Feb. 17 edition of the CBJ.
Brooke Fitzgerald shown behind the counter of The Early Bird as part of her 2018 Woman of Influence profile. PHOTO Brian Draeger
A popular downtown Cedar Rapids gathering place will be closing its doors next month as its owner and self-styled "top chickadee" flies off in search of new horizons.
Brooke Fitzgerald, owner of the Early Bird Coffee Shop at 333 First St. SE, announced this week she would be closing the business March 6. In a Facebook post, Ms. Fitzgerald said she had been transitioning into a new role as a commercial real estate agent for Skogman for about a year and had "realized my time with the Early Bird is complete."
Ms. Fitzgerald, a 2018 CBJ Woman of Influence, opened the Early Bird in 2011 in the Towne Center building, moving to the former Smulekoff's on First Street in 2016. Over the years, her café became known as "the heart of downtown Cedar Rapids," as she gathered a reputation for volunteerism and philanthropy, as well as "making connections and helping build ideas that grow the Corridor," according to Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart. It was named the Best Coffee Shop for a Business Meeting five times by CBJ readers, as part of the CBJ's annual Best of the Corridor program.
"This has been an important chapter in my life," Ms. Fitzgerald told the CBJ. "A lot of things have happened at the Early Bird, a lot of memories, so this is definitely bittersweet."
Ms. Fitzgerald said her decision to close the coffee shop was prompted by getting a commercial real estate license and her children entering elementary school.
"I knew I was not doing this forever, in my mind," she said. "It was getting hard to go into a coffee shop everyday at 5 a.m. and kiss them goodbye ... In small business, there is never a time you're not thinking about the business. When you're on family trips and on weekends, you're thinking about it. The time has now come to move on."
The Early Bird had been leasing space from developer Steve Emerson and Ms. Fitzgerald said it was possible the café could continue under new management.
"I think the community would love that," she said. "Hopefully, some other 'top chickadee' will come along."
Sue Tyrrell, of Hands Up Communications. CREDIT Hands Up
Corridor entrepreneur Sue Tyrrell has won a special award from America's SBDC Iowa, the statewide business support program funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, for her work growing her Cedar Rapids-based company.
Ms. Tyrrell, CEO and owner of Hands Up Communications, was named the 2020 Deb Dalziel Woman Entrepreneur Achievement Award winner. The award is given annually to an Iowa woman entrepreneur who has significantly changed or improved her life and the lives of others, according to the organization.
Ms. Tyrrell founded Hands Up Communications, a translation and interpretation company offering sign language and foreign language services, in August 2009 in her basement. Over 10 years, she has grown the company to more than $2 million in sales and more than 20 employees.
Scott Swenson, regional director of the Kirkwood SBDC in Hiawatha, nominated Ms. Tyrrell for the award, saying, "Sue has been a model for how a person with a passion recognized a market opportunity, then sought to complement her technical skills with entrepreneurial skill development."
He added that her company's services have been particularly valuable in the Cedar Rapids community, which has a large and growing immigrant and refugee community: "Her team is seeded with employees who have experienced the same fears and have made it their mission to change that person's life in America."
Also awarded was Dr. Martin Gross, president and co-founder of Ames-based Gross-Wen Technologies, who won the 2020 Neal Smith Entrepreneur of the Year Award. That award is given annually to an Iowa entrepreneur who has been in business for a minimum of three years and has been significantly assisted by an Iowa SBDC center.
The two awards will be presented at a ceremony on March 3 during the SBDC Day at the State Capitol in Des Moines.
America's SBDC Iowa is an outreach program of Iowa State University's Ivy College of Business and the Office of Economic Development and Industry Relations. The program has 15 regional assistance centers located across the state, including in Hiawatha and Iowa City.
The inaugural Think Iowa City Restaurant Week will kick off this Saturday with the
Foodie Festival at the Coralville Marriott - a tasting event featuring 14 local restaurants with proceeds benefiting local food banks.
"Coralville, North Liberty, Iowa City, and the surrounding area have so many fantastic culinary options," said Monica Nieves, vice president of special events at Think Iowa City in a release. "An event like this has been on the wish list for many residents, visitors and restaurants for years."
Participating restaurants at the Foodie Festival include Marquee; La Vecina; Clinton Street Social Club; Vue Rooftop; Pullman; Tin Roost; Saint Burch Tavern; Reds Alehouse; Blackstone; Edgewater Grille; 30hop; Mellow Mushroom; and Big Grove Brewery.
Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery will be sampling drinks and will have a signature cocktail special for the event, which runs from 6-9 p.m. Feb. 15. Tickets are $55 each and can be purchased online at
FoodieFebruary.com. CommUnity Food Bank, Coralville Community Food Pantry, and the North Liberty Community Food Pantry will receive the proceeds.
A restaurant week featuring 28 participating restaurants follows the festival.
"
Restaurant Week is a great way to expose locals to restaurants they haven't been to yet," Ms. Nieves said, adding participating eateries would be offering a prix fixe menu. "This is the opportunity to step out and try something new with no risk and all reward."
There is additional incentive to dine out during Restaurant Week. Using a passport punch card system, anyone who attends the Foodie Festival on Feb. 15 and dines at three or more participating restaurants during Restaurant Week will be entered to win a grand prize: a pack of gift cards donated by each of the 28 participating restaurants of Restaurant Week.
Restaurant Week concludes with the Iowa City Downtown District's sold-out Top Chef: Downtown.
In this week's small business spotlight, Gale Mote of Gale Mote Associates reflects on how her career and life were shaped by Stephen Covey's classic "7 Habits of Highly Effective People."
In 2012, the world lost a wonderful teacher and mentor in Stephen Covey. His book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," has been named one of the most influential books in management by both Forbes and Time.
I remember reading his book shortly before I started my own company in 1990. I was eager to be a success and knew little about what it meant to be an entrepreneur. Business is about relationships and I was naïve about how to create customer loyalty. I was married to the man of my dreams and under-stood how work-life balance would be essential for our happiness. I wasn't so sure how to make it all happen.
While some authors focus on gimmicks, Stephen's work was grounded in principles that have stood the test of time. His insights were and remain steadfast and true. To honor his memory, I would like to share what his lessons have meant to me and how they shaped my life, personally and professionally.
Be proactive is the first habit. This was my first insight into the whole subject of emotional intelligence and self-management. I learned that life is about choices. You can be a victim or you can drive your own bus. While I still struggle with the principle, I work hard to communicate and respond based on my values, not emotions. Focusing on solutions is so much more productive than complaining about problems. Talking about what we need to do going for-ward creates positive energy while focusing on what we "coulda, shoulda, oughta" have done drains our motivation.
The second habit,
begin with the end in mind, helped me to realize that I needed a solid vision for my business and my life. Gale Mote Associates was born out of a love for teaching and a passion for making a positive difference. My core values are demonstrating passion and energy in everything I do, have fun, never cease to be the best I can be and be a contribution.
To grow my business, I had to define my market niche and how I was going to differentiate myself from all the other professional consultants and trainers in the industry. With a clear vision, it is easier to define strategy, allocate resources and focus your efforts.
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Corridor Stocks
Short-Term Event Planner
Feb. 13
Annual Banquet 2020, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, 5-8 p.m., Coralville Marriott, 300 E. Ninth St. Akwi Nji, an award-winning speaker and writer, will tell stories that motivate, inspire and empower. Cost: $75 for members, $95 for non-members. To register, visit
bit.ly/2RWddL9.
Feb. 14
Health Care Summit, by Corridor Business Journal, 7:30-11:15 a.m., Coralville Marriott, 300 E. Ninth St. The CBJ's annual Health Care Summit examines national health policy issues and refocuses them to the regional level through speakers and panel discussions. Cost: $65 after; $
585 for table of 10. To register, visit
corridorbusiness.com/events. For more information, contact Ashley Moore at
[email protected]or (319) 665-6397, ext. 311.
Diversity and the Impact of Social Norms in the Workplace, by Association for Talent Development Hawkeye Chapter, 8-9:30 a.m., ESCO Group, 3450 Third St., Marion.
Discuss the impact of diversity on business and how understanding cultural norms can affect performance in the workplace. Cost: Free for members, $20 for non-members. To register, visit bit.ly/2t9bgTs.
Feb. 17
Coralville Roundtable, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., Fuzzy's Taco Shop, 201 E. Ninth St., Ste. 100, Coralville. Members are invited to network and keep up to date with chamber and community events. Free. For information, call (319) 337-9637.
Headlines from KCRG-TV9
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A Dubuque man will serve two years of probation for threatening students on social media last month.
Curtavion Saunders, 20, pleaded guilty to a charge of first degree harassment. On Jan. 13, authorities said he posted a warning telling students at Jefferson Middle School not to go to school the next day, or they would 'be in ashes, pure death.' The Dubuque school district delayed classes two hours until authorities determined the threat was not credible. Investigators used Saunders' cell phone to link him to the posts.
A new bill could recognize show choir as P.E. credit in Iowa.
The bill would fill the requirement for middle and high schoolers if their weekly participation equals the amount of time they would have spent in a physical education class. On Tuesday, a Senate subcommittee advanced the bill to the full committee. If passed into law, parents would write a request to the school. The school district would then review it and decide if the student's involvement meets physical education requirements. Click or tap here to read the bill.
These news items are provided by KCRG-TV9
Your KCRG-TV9 First Alert Forecast
Tonight, the wind relaxes and the coldest air settles in. Plan on lows around -10. The wind turns around to the south tomorrow and highs should get well into the teens thanks to ample sunshine.Looking ahead, our weekend weather continues to look decent overall from a temperature standpoint with highs going well into the 30s on Saturday.
Auto sales go electric at North Liberty's VERV 
