Maddie Palmersheim didn’t just leave the Wilson College of Business at the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in marketing — she left with a vision. “UNI is where I blossomed,” she said. That growth led her to open Moo’s Bakery, now located just steps from the campus that helped shape her.

After most of her business ideas didn’t get the momentum she’d hoped, in May 2021, Palmersheim recalled a voice in her head saying, “Get up, go to Target, we’re starting a plant-based bakery.” That night, her first menu item was developed: deluxe brownies, which are still featured on the menu today.

The following summer she poured her time into developing the business. She crafted a menu, designed a website, received her home bakery license and launched a social media presence. 

“It was the first time a business name and logo came to me instantly,” says Palmersheim. “That’s how I knew this one was different, this one had a real life to it.” 

Palmersheim owes some of her most impactful experiences to both the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurship Center and the Entrepreneurship Club at UNI. 

“These spaces weren’t necessarily the most popular on campus, but for me, they were everything,” she says. 

The John Pappajohn Entrepreneurship Center, also known as JPEC, supports entrepreneurs and innovators at UNI, in the Cedar Valley and throughout Iowa. Iowa entrepreneurs can find resources, explore programs, collaborate with peers and develop new or existing ideas. 

“Check-In Fridays at the JPEC were meaningful. “We share our highs, lows and what we’re looking forward to in the week ahead,” says Palmersheim. “More often than not, those check-ins turned into deeper conversations — sometimes about business, but often about life.” 

Palmersheim says the JPEC never pretends that life and business exist in separate worlds. Instead, they embrace the fact that real life impacts how entrepreneurs show up, making it a core part of their culture. 

“This has encouraged me to now be open with my Moo’s community on what is going on in our lives and how it might affect the bakery.” 

Being around like-minded people was inspiring for Palmersheim, “I built real, lifelong friendships and found mentors and advisors who guided me in my pursuits and also showed up for me in real life. They encouraged me, believed in me and helped deepen my love for entrepreneurship.”

Palmersheim visits the JPEC often to check in with staff and current business students. She also comes back each semester to host a workshop in public speaking and presentations for Business 2000.

 

 

"They encouraged me, believed in me and helped deepen my love for entrepreneurship."

Maddie Palmersheim

Owner of Moo's Bakery

“The most important thing I gained from the JPEC were my mentors — Bart Schmitz, Laurie Watje, Lindi Roelofse, Shelley Wessels, Patrick Luensmann, Amy Dutton and the entire Business & Community Services staff,” Palmersheim says. “That whole building is filled with people who want nothing more than to see you succeed. They rally behind you, walk beside you on your entrepreneurial journey and are always ready with a listening ear or advice when you need it most. Even now, over four years after graduating, they continue to check in on my business, my family and my well-being.”

Moo’s Bakery moved to College Hill in April 2024, after having her eye on a vacant location for years. “I see untapped potential and a place worth investing in,” says Palmersheim.

The transition from a home bakery to a storefront was anything but easy for her small team, but the doors officially opened early December 2024. Palmersheim documented over seven months of progress in renovating and preparing to open on her TikTok account that has accumulated over 22,000 followers and 296,000 likes. 

“Slow and steady has been the model for my business from day one. Every time we hit a milestone — whether it’s moving from our home bakery into a storefront, or growing from a team of two to six — I feel the weight of it,” says Palmersheim. “There’s been so much fulfillment in building a community, developing a team, transforming a space and now shifting some attention towards bettering the College Hill neighborhood.”