Students from Iowa Lakes Community College had a chance recently to be inspired by a real-life entrepreneur.

Duane “Speed” Herrig, owner of several businesses in Wall Lake, addressed more than 60 Emmetsburg Campus students about the ups and downs of business and how to get what you want out of life.

“Never give up on dreams, never give up on goals,” Herrig told the students.

He knows what he is talking about. He started Speed’s Automotive Repair in a machine shed on a remote rural gravel road near Wall Lake in 1962. People said he would never make it and 1½ years later he lost everything in a fire.

 
Herrig didn’t give up on his dream. He rebuilt his business on those ashes and has since expanded numerous times.

He is no longer on a gravel road – because the county has paved it!

He’s probably best known as the founder and spokesperson for Cookies Bar “B” “Q” Sauce – a company he grew from about 100 gallons of sauce per week up to some days when 6,000 gallons of sauce are made.

“If it wasn’t fun, I wouldn’t have been at it all these years,” Herrig said as he looked back at his career.

His accomplishments include being named the 1985 Siouxland Business of the Year; receiving the Iowa Venture Award in 1990; and in 1999 being inducted into the Hall of Fame as ‘Supplier of the Year’ by the Iowa Grocers’ Association.

His advice to students as they pursue their own career is to “Show up on time, be enthusiastic and get along with fellow employees.”
He also encourages them to consider living – and building businesses – in small towns in Iowa.

Following his presentation, students in one of the programs (Hotel and Restaurant Management) met individually with Herrig. So together, they cooked up some appetizers and, appropriately, dipped them in Cookies Bar “B” “Q” Sauce!