Chuck Hammond of Raining Rose Named the SBA's 2013 Iowa Small Business Person of the Year

Raining Rose originally started as a family hobby in a basement in Cedar Rapids in 1996. But today's Raining Rose, the "the lip balm company and more," started its rise in popularity and production in 2003 when Chuck Hammond and business partner Art Christoffersen purchased the company.

In their first year, Hammond and Christoffersen focused on learning the business—not just about lip balm, but about all natural body care and the industry. This self-education, along with their individual business knowledge and experience, enabled the business to expand and the line of Raining Rose products.