Siouxland Magazine - Volume 3 Issue 1

Thank
You
Small businesses are the
backbone of our community.
When small businesses succeed,
our community succeeds. Your
passion, skills and dedication
benefit everyone in Siouxland. Your
hard work, creativity and resilience
will lead us to a brighter future.
Thank you to all the small
business owners, staff and
families for being a part of
our downtown community.
Siouxland Magazine | Grow/29
DOWNTOWN
BUSINESSES
downtownsiouxcity.com
Small Business, Big Passion
By Grace Nordquist
You know you have a passion for something when
you aren’t happy or satisfied with your life unless
you are pursuing it. Passion is a powerful driving tool in
life. It gives us the determination to go and do, to succeed,
and to fail. Without passion, life is monotonous and stale.
When a person is passionate about something, you can see
it in the way they act, the way they talk about the thing they
are passionate about, and the steps they take to pursue
their passion.
As you read this article, perhaps someone you know comes
to mind. That someone could be you, and a passion you
once had or currently have. It could be a famous athlete
who was so passionate about their sport, they trained in
ways others didn’t so they could be the best. Perhaps it’s
a teacher you had who inspired you and made a lasting
impact on your life. Or maybe it’s someone who had a
dream to start or own a business, and despite the obstacles,
made that dream a reality.
If there’s anyone we know who has passion, it’s small
business owners. From bars and restaurants, auto repair
shops, retail, and everything in between- downtown Sioux
City has many passionate business owners.
At Downtown Partners, we’ve seen home businesses grow
into their very own storefronts. Ideas and plans went from
being sketched out on paper to brick and mortar stores.
The best part about it is, we were able to share in the
excitement and help business owners pursue their dreams
and passion.
Ragen Cote, executive director of Downtown Partners, has
been working with downtown businesses for more than
10 years now. When it comes to small business owners,
“getting to know someone who is putting their heart, soul,
and livelihood into a business, makes you want to do
everything you can to help them. It becomes personal. I’m
honored to be able to do what I do,” shared Ragen.
Downtown Partners is here to help small business owners.
The organization works to create an expanding and
vibrant downtown, whether it’s offering a storefront grant,
promoting their business on social media, or helping
execute a new event. We recognize the commitment it
takes to own a small business. Our goal is to make it easier
so small business owners can continue to pursue their
passion, one sale, idea, or event at a time.
Bring your passion and your ideas, and Downtown Partners
will help you with the rest.
Downtown Partners is a non-profit organization that works
with downtown stakeholders to create a vibrant, expanding
downtown. To learn more about Downtown Partners and to
stay up to date on downtown projects and events, visit www.
downtownsiouxcity.com