Racing simulator lands real tax break for two-seaters
Legislature agreed to extend to Indy Racing Experience the same sales-tax exemption enjoyed by race teams.
Small Business
Articles
Angie’s List CEO Oesterle grows east-side footprint
Bill Oesterle’s firm Henry Amalgamated has purchased 48 properties in the Holy Cross neighborhood from 2006 through this May. Nearly 40 percent of those purchases have been made since Angie’s List struck a $7.1 million incentives deal with the city of Indianapolis in October.
Taxing career path ultimately appeals to entrepreneur
Accounting, church jobs lead to software firm that helps tax accountants manage property tax disputes.
What’s New: Ready the Nest
NICU nurse Becky Drummy’s maternity concierge service helps new parents handle the arrival of their little life changers.
INSIDE DISH: Smokers’ haven prepares for ban
Mass Avenue Pub survived a two-year hiatus in the mid-2000s after a massive infrastructure collapse. Its owners think going smokeless on Friday will be a comparative breeze, even though 65 percent of their clientele like to light up.
Mentors give entrepreneurs a business boost
Good mentors can make a world of difference to up-and-coming entrepreneurs. Countless business owners find themselves in need of a gut check from time to time and, these days, mentors are an essential part of their toolkit.
Not-for-profit hoping to grow microloan program
Small amounts of funding often ignored by larger banks.
For graying generation, startups are booming
Since the 1990s, the demographic makeup of new entrepreneurs has been steadily shifting toward baby boomers as they seek personal and financial fulfillment. Count Fountain Square Brewing Co.’s Bill Webster among them.
Lemonade Day gives kids taste of entrepreneurship
About 15,000 of central Indiana’s youngest entrepreneurs are testing their business-ownership chops this weekend in tried-and-true fashion: setting up and running lemonade stands.
Kids to sell lemonade at the Indiana Statehouse
More than 15,000 young people from pre-school age through high school will open lemonade stands across the greater Indianapolis area this weekend.
Biz boosters embrace One Click, but it’s no sure thing
Husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Randy and Angie Stocklin started Greenwood-based One Click Ventures out of their home with $20,000 in 2005. They now own a portfolio of niche retail websites, including SunglassWarehouse.com, HandbagHeaven.com and Scarves.net, which brought $5.3 million in revenue last year.
Chamber to merge with economic development groups
The Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce will lead economic development efforts for central Indiana by merging with Develop Indy, Indy Partnership and Business Ownership Initiative, the groups announced Thursday.
Signature Inns founder plans auto-care franchises
Honest-1 Auto Care hopes to open as many as 20 shops in Indiana over five to seven years and has tapped the founder of the Signature Inns chain to help lead the effort.
Contest aims to find next hot ‘foodpreneur’
About 60 aspiring food-business operators entered the Hottest Kitchen Entrepreneur Challenge in hopes that they have the next big idea.
Former Pac-Van owners return to mobile office biz
Brent and Matthew Claymon have founded OnSite Space LLC and acquired Indianapolis-based Tyson Corp., to form OnSite Space by Tyson. The brothers sold Pac-Van in 2006 and have returned to the industry after their five-year non-compete expired.
Digital textbook firm Courseload raises millions
The Indianapolis-based digital textbook company Courseload completed a new round of fundraising in April that its CEO says gives the company the cash it needs to keep landing new university customers in what has become a fast-growing but hyper-competitive field.
Carmel event firm sold, relocated to Castleton
EventzPlus, besides hosting large gatherings, will also offer daily office space rentals to small business owners.
Progress spotty in narrowing tech field’s gender gap
Most technology firm startups are birthed by men in their 20s and 30s who have a background in computer science. To what degree women are underrepresented in the ranks of tech entrepreneurs is hard to quantify, but it’s a small universe.
Purdue’s Indy tech incubator nearing capacity
Officials consider expanding facility that got off to a slow start but began filling up last fall.
Want to check your coat? Now, there’s an app for that
Indianapolis-based upstart CoatChex is preparing the launch of an iPad-based, ticketless coat-check system for bars through which a patron enters his phone number to check a coat and, later, to retrieve it.