Family ties and the countless opportunities are what brought senior Colton Good to Simpson College.

“My two younger brothers go here,” Good said. “I was going to DMACC last year, finishing up my associate’s degree and just looking to continue on. I found that the program I was doing there, all the credits transferred over so it was an easy transition.

“Then I came here, toured, and found that I was really looking forward to coming here because of all the opportunities.”

Good is a management major from Ogden. He is involved with the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization on campus, a group that gives students advice and tools toward starting their own businesses.

Through this group, Good was introduced to a new product called Guerrilla Signs and is now aiming to start his own business with them.

“I’m partners with the real estate agent in town, Terry Pauling,” he said. “It’s a sign business. There’s a new temporary sign that’s collapsible, portable, just different than any other sign out there.”

The signs are manufactured in Missouri. Good works with Pauling to distribute and sell the signs in Indianola.

“It’s a new, different sign for real estate agents, and we see them being used in any industry that uses signage. Anybody can use them.”

The company presented at 1 Million Cups in Des Moines, an entrepreneurial event where companies come together and discuss business and startup ideas.

“The Guerrilla Signs came and presented their idea and then Todd [an adviser for CEO] told Terry and me about it, and it kinda just went from there,” he said.

Along with being a student, Good has been in the National Guard for five and a half years.

When Good saw the National Guard at a recruitment event, he was moved by “a passion to serve my country.”

“I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into,” Good said, “but it turns out my job is pretty awesome in the Guard.”

Good is a crew chief on Blackhawk helicopters for the National Guard.

“I have flight hour requirements that I have to keep. I have to fly Wednesdays and Thursday nights, we fly practice missions. I have to go every once in a while, plus I have regular drill once a month,” he said.

When National Guard cuts into school, Good said it’s all about balance.

“I hope that I’m good at time management and organization cause if I’m not, then this would all fall apart,” Good laughed.

Good’s advice to other students is that if you have a passion for it, then go for it.

“That’s how I got into the Guard, or else if you don’t have that passion, then it’s not worth trying to manage anything,” Good said. “But if you do have that passion, you’re gonna be able to handle it.”

As he approaches the end of his senior year, Good credits his favorite part of Simpson to his involvement with CEO.

“I don’t think I would have ever had that anywhere else, being able to start a business and work with other people here that are so willing to help me progress in my career path and where I want to go,” Good said. “That has definitely been the best opportunity here.”