Jonathan Reed, owner of Stomping Grounds, said quality and atmosphere are what set his cafe apart from other coffee shops.

“I’m proud of our products. We do real high quality food and drink,” Reed said. “It’s not speed; I have never tried to be the fastest. I have really focused on good products and the atmosphere of the coffee shop.”

Reed talked with students from the ISU Entrepreneur Club Tuesday at Stomping Grounds, 303 Welch Ave., gave advice as well as answered questions about the struggles and the beneficiary things of starting a business.

“We chose Stomping Grounds over other businesses because it has been in the Ames area for over 20 years and have many students employed there,” said Jack Kenney, president of the ISU Entrepreneur Club and a junior in finance. “Many students go to the cafe regularly.”

After graduating from Ames High School, Reed bought Stomping Grounds because he wanted to make improvements.

“I started around the year 2000,” Reed said. “I’ve owned the business for about 11 years. The business itself has been around since 1992.”

After purchasing the business, Reed soon realized the money he spent had to be distributed carefully.

“There were several easy things to improve the business,” Reed said. “Two of the most important reasons you go to a coffee shop are for good coffee and good atmosphere. The main marketing I’ve been doing is sponsorship.”

It was the Campustown area that brought Reed to the business.

“When it came up for sale I knew I was interested in a business like that,” Reed said. “That’s where the business area was. Campustown is my favorite area of Ames, which was another reason why I chose to buy it.”

Most of Stomping Grounds’ 40 employees are ISU students.

“Some of them are full-time students,” Reed said. “They worked with me when they were college students and then when they graduated they worked full time. I have about a handful who aren’t students at all.”

Business picks up depending on the season.

“We start to get busier in April,” Reed said. “Every month is progressively busier through September, and slows down a little in October.”

The ISU Entrepreneur Club invites local businesses in Ames to give their insight and advice to students on their experience.

“We try to get businesses that are local only to Ames and are small businesses that ISU students would enjoy going to and are interested in,” Reed said.