Cedar Witch Goods Wins Emerging Entrepreneur Competition

March 28, 2024

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, March 27, 2024 – Cedar Witch Goods, a bath and body products company owned by Katie Adams, has won this year’s Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year competition sponsored by Linn Area Credit Union. The competition took place at NewBo City Market on March 22 and 23.

“Linn Area Credit Union is thrilled to congratulate Cedar Witch Goods and owner Katie Adams on being named the LACU Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. The credit union is proud to help fund Katie’s dream of growing her business, and to further the mission of NewBo City Market,” said Andrea Brommelkamp, Member Development Ambassador at Linn Area Credit Union.

The competition featured educational seminars and networking on the first day, as well as a guest vendor fair the following day where the finalists sold their products and services to the public. The six finalists participating in the Emerging Entrepreneur competition were graded on a series of criteria that included their business plan, booth display, and sales. Each finalist then presented a business pitch in front of a panel of judges from Linn Area Credit Union and NewBo City Market.

“I felt like I was incredibly prepared and that I had a really good shot at winning, but I also didn't want to get my hopes up and then get crushed,” said Adams. “It still feels very surreal.”

As the winner of the Emerging Entrepreneur competition, Adams will receive a rent-free space at NewBo City Market for the next year, courtesy of Linn Area Credit Union. She will also receive one-on-one business development mentoring from NewBo City Market and the credit union.

“Having access to this grant is such a financial weight off my mind,” said Adams. “It's going to give me a chance to make mistakes as I learn to run a retail store for the first time.”

Cedar Witch Goods is slated to open its first retail location in NewBo City Market in June, and will specialize in products like soaps, lotions, sugar scrubs, beard and body oils, lip balms, essential oils and wax melts.

To learn more, contact:

Andrea Brommelkamp with Linn Area Credit Union – email: abrommelkamp@linnareacu.org phone: (319) 893-3414

Matt McGrane with NewBo City Market – email: matt@newbocitymarket.com phone: (319) 200-4050 To learn more, visit https://www.newbocitymarket.org/summit-2024.

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About Linn Area Credit Union

Linn Area Credit Union was founded in 1935 when eleven Cedar Rapids teachers each put up $5 of their own money. By the end of the first year, the Cedar Rapids Teachers’ Credit Union (as it was then known) had 72 members. Today, Linn Area Credit Union, soon to be Corda Credit Union, has five locations and serves nearly 25,000 members in 22 counties. The credit union actively contributes to local communities and nonprofit organizations centered on children, families, and education. Linn Area Credit Union’s mission is to be partners in a successful future with our members and employees by providing caring financial services and community support. Learn more at www.linnareacu.org.

About NewBo City Market

The mission of NewBo City Market is to foster regional economic development by uplifting entrepreneurs and artists through an equitable business incubator, accessible public programming, and a community gathering space. NewBo City Market utilizes a series of programmatic resources called The Hatchery. Our toolkit of resources include: business consulting services, monthly mentorship meetings with a business coach, technical assistance, rent discounts, childcare stipends for our Shopkeepers who are parents, and general capacity building grants. The Linn Area Credit Union Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year will have access to all of these resources when joining the Market