Franchise outlook is murky
Undaunted, some entrepreneurs still count on franchises, despite the shaky economy.
Small Business
Articles
Indy Power drops electric-car focus for more lucrative control boxes
After a stint making parts for electric cars, Symphony Motors recently became Indy Power Systems, changing course to make power control boxes for a variety of vehicles and also industrial and military applications.
Playground installation biz travels further to find clients
Child’s-Play, a small business that installs playground equipment, has been hurt by the residential construction crunch, but
is surviving by traveling more and providing more maintenance services.
Small business banks on IT backup
BlueLock provides IT infrastructureâ??or serversâ??to companies for loading software applications, and the startup is growing at a fast rate.
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Company delivers hyper-targeted messages
Radius Connection, a new national marketing service, wants to offer innovative products within five years to help small-to-midsize businesses grow their revenue and expand their market share.
Proprietary developments withering from recession
Financing is the lifeblood of companies turning intellectual property into a product or service, but turbulent economic conditions
have made it increasingly difficult to raise cash from investors who are content to wait
out the storm by concentrating on their existing portfolios.
A post-stimulus survival guide
Instead of waiting around for the state to save your business, plan strategically to survive.
Geist restaurateur buffeted by financial squalls
Henri and Shelley Najem, who own The Bella Vita restaurant in Geist, represent the scores of Indiana restaurant operators
feeling financial pressure, given the severe economic slump.
How to innovate your way out of this recession
It doesn’t matter what industry you are in or how well you have prepared–we will all be affected by what has taken place
in the financial markets over the past several months.
Broad Ripple natives grow up to be neighborhood entrepreneurs
Many Broad Ripple business owners say the neighborhood is an oasis for eclectic and independent small entrepreneurial ventures.
Family business repairs what others toss
Much of downtown has been erased and rebuilt over the last 38 years, but quietly and with almost no notice, Cento’s Shoes has remained one of the few constants.
Company banks on targeted texting
Steven Dickerson realized the potential for mobile advertisements when he saw his daughter texting.
Great Fermentations continues to prosper
Revenue at Great Fermentations has increased 71 percent since the business moved in 2006 to a new, much larger location.
Fast-growing Tuitive seeks to put unintuitive programmers in back seat of software, Web design
Jonathan Arnold sees big business potential in his firm “Tuitive,” which specializes in cleaning up the confusion caused by
programmers, who often put features and functionality ahead of making their product intuitive to use.
Some female small-biz owners anticipate boost from changes by new administration
Some local women business owners are encouraged by the election of President Barack Obama and his appointment of a new chief at the Small Business Administration who is thought to be especially interested in the needs of women-owned businesses.
Redevelopment plans threaten Gasoline Alley
Business owners along the fabled Gasoline Alley north of Rockville Road think a proposal to close a north-south road linking
them to the front door of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will have devastating effects.
Phase 10 inventor’s lawsuit sets up high-stakes fight
The man who created Phase 10 is suing to yank Plainfield-based Fundex Games’ rights to make and market the popular card game.
New shop offers nutrition, exercise advice
Fitness-minded partners collaborate to open a Broad Ripple nutritional supplement store.
Market owner: “Look into the future”
Georgetown Market has stayed in the health food game since 1973, in part because of owner Rick Montieth’s ability to see down
the road.
Plainfield salon a family enterprise
Beth Metzger has talked about opening a salon and day spa with her daughter, Jill Dennis, for years.