NextGen Motors in Muscatine, Iowa, is planning a major expansion to the business layer this year. CREDIT NEXTGEN MOTORS
MUSCATINE, Iowa – NextGen Motors in this community is planning a major business expansion this year. The NextGen located at 310 Cleveland St. plans to add two additional bays to the service department and hire more employees in 2025. The project, estimated to cost more than $200,000, is expected to start this spring and be […]
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MUSCATINE, Iowa – NextGen Motors in this community is planning a major business expansion this year.The NextGen located at 310 Cleveland St. plans to add two additional bays to the service department and hire more employees in 2025.The project, estimated to cost more than $200,000, is expected to start this spring and be complete in the fall, Denise Greenhaw, general manager and an owner of the family-owned NextGen Motors,said in a release.“We don’t have final quotes for all of the work, but in essence, we are expanding our service and detail department to accommodate our growing business and improve the customer experience,” Ms. Greenhaw said. She added that NextGen will be able to add two to three more employees in Muscatinewith the expansion.Ms. Greenhaw told the QCBJ on Thursday, Feb. 27, that NextGen is in the process of securing an SBA 504 loan with a local bank. It will allow the business to do its expansion project this year.The Muscatine business started three years ago this spring in the same building where car salesman Jimmy Greenhaw had worked for nearly three decades. The family-owned business is run by Denise and Jimmy Greenhaw and their son, Drew.With an eye on expanding the business, Ms. Greenhaw recently competed in SCORE’s 60th anniversary Pitch Competition to gain support for the expansion project. (SCORE is a national nonprofit organization that supports small businesses through free mentoring.)More than 2,200 small businesses applied to compete in five pitch events. Contestants were pared down to 60 contenders. Participants were matched with SCORE mentors to refine their pitches, strengthen their presentations, and hone their business plans. Ms. Greenhaw was one of 45 finalists. She teamed with SCORE Des Moines mentor Tony Gansen.
Unique business model
Mr. Gansen served as a new set of eyes in reviewing several iterations of her presentation. “The business has a pretty unique business model focusing on creating a pleasant and efficient buying experience while helping to ensure you get the vehicle you want,” Mr. Gansen said in the release. “They have done a good job taking advantage of her husband’s extensive experience in the car sales business and her corporate marketing experience.”A self-described “constant learner,” Ms. Greenhaw said SCORE’s website and regular email newsletters have helped guide her entrepreneurial journey.“SCORE is really near and dear to me,” she added. “I like to understand what’s happening in the industry.”While at the pitch competition, she met a U.S. Small Business Administration representative that guided her through the ins and outs of the SBA loan process. NextGen’s business hours are: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays; 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays; and closed on Sundays.To learn more about SCORE, request a mentor or volunteer to be one, visit score.org. Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 17 million entrepreneurs start, grow, or successfully exit a business. SCORE’s 10,000 volunteers provide free, expert mentoring, resources, and education in all 50 U.S. states and territories.
