What’s New: FoundOPS
Meet Jon Perl and Oren Shatken, co-founders of Startup Bowl winner FoundOPS LLC.
Small Business
Articles
INSIDE DISH: Carmel eatery unafraid to break a few eggs, rules
Restaurateur Larry Hanes stuck to his guns in creating Eggshell Bistro, bending conventions with eclectic decor, artisanal coffees, and a simple menu with restrained portions.
Small businesses share space to find efficiencies
Popular waxing spa The Naked Monkey is set to open its third location Nov. 1—a “Mini Monkey” inside MDG Salon | Studio’s new space downtown. The independent businesses are sharing space to cut costs.
Charter airline proposed by local entrepreneur on investment firm’s radar
Legacy Travel Club finds believer after months of fruitless fundraising locally.
What’s New: Medley Portraits
Meet Cassandra Medley, who launched Medley Portraits in August and specializes in taking photos of special-needs children.
Purdue-born app wins $15,000 Startup Bowl prize
FoundOPS took first place with a mobile app that offers route optimization, customer-relationship management, data collection and GPS tracking for field-service companies.
VIDEO: 12 startup pitches distilled to 3 minutes
Boiling down the dozen pitches from budding entrepreneurs at Thursday's Startup Bowl reveals vital themes: the mammoth influence of mobile, an intense craving for consumer data, and the relentless pursuit of revenue.
Startup answers call for better phone bank
Noblesville-based VolunteerYourVoice is setting out to revolutionize phone banks with a Web app that allows advocacy groups to manage virtual campaigns, getting instant results from calls volunteers make through their home computers.
Digital marketing firm starts landing big clients
Former Google manager returns to roots to launch FoundSM.
Indianapolis tech firms, hospitals discover mutual need
An initiative is matching tech entrepreneurs with hospital officials in the hope of solving health care problems.
Powder Keg aims to blast Indy startups onto national scene
If Indianapolis’ startup community is on the brink of exploding, Matt Hunckler wants to light the match.
Microsoft, Chase fuel ad shop’s growth spurt
Thanks to blossoming relationships with corporate behemoths like Microsoft and JPMorgan Chase, local ad agency Bradley and Montgomery is making plans to double its 50-employee work force.
INSIDE DISH: New partners boost sales at Pure
Receipts at the locavore's haven in Fountain Square have surged since February, when two new partners took over day-to-day management, redefined the space, expanded the menu and turned its hours of operation upside down.
Banks eager to loan, but small firms hold back
Indiana banks can tout more success in small-business lending since the recession ended, but the success is hard-won because the masses of entrepreneurs remain cautious about borrowing.
Hopes slipping among state business owners
A survey of Hoosier business owners shows an increasingly a ho-hum outlook, with only one in seven optimistic for their own company and even fewer encouraged about the U.S. economy.
Small loans for small businesses
Business Ownership of Indiana is ramping up its micro-lending program, awarding a $10,000 loan to Indianapolis-based Stage Ninja LLC. Can such small amounts make a difference to fledgling firms?
Startup aims to help relieve business leaders’ stress
No job is too small for Simply Helpful, which provides office-support services on a contract basis.
Royal Spa owner prevails in suits involving ex-employee
Royal Spa CEO Robert Dapper won a small judgment against ex-employee Kevin Roessler, and had a complaint and counterclaim containing sexually explicit charges against him dismissed.
Gerdt Furniture closing Castleton location
The 26-year-old store at 8602 Allisonville Road is liquidating its merchandise and is marking down prices as much as 70 percent. Gerdt’s original and lone remaining store, in Southport, will stay open.
Defender Direct acquires Williams Comfort Air
Home-security and satellite-dish installer Defender Direct Inc. has acquired local heating, cooling and plumbing powerhouse Williams Comfort Air, creating a home-services company with nearly 2,200 employees and $335 million in annual revenue.