What’s New: Vital Skates
Meet Naptown Roller Girls Amber Jones and Kate Bothwell, who opened Vital Skates in October to serve the growing roller derby community.
Startup
Articles
Entrepreneurs aim to deliver custom beverages
Mad scientists, rejoice: An Indianapolis startup is rolling out a make-your-own-soft-drink campaign its founders hope will become the YouTube of the beverage industry. They left Thursday night on a 6,000-mile promotional tour.
Site aims to be city’s go-to events calendar
Two local concert promotors have launched a calendar website, called Do317.com, that ranks arts and entertainment events according to the preferences of its users and designated “tastemakers.”.
What’s New: Indy NUT House
Meet Margaret Broderick and Mike Lehane, who opened Indy NUT House in May to sell “nice, useable things" to home rehabbers.
Q&A
Carmel resident David Wasilewski has launched WhatNext, a website that uses algorithms to make it easier for cancer patients to connect with others in similar circumstances. Wasilewski, 39, spent eight years as chief operating officer of the Spanx line of body shapers and did health care consulting before that. In addition to helping patients, he thinks WhatNext can become a way for health care organizations share their expertise with patients in need.
What’s New: Acting Up Productions
Meet Brian Noffke and Beth Hofmann, who opened acting school/production company/art gallery Acting Up Productions in downtown Greenfield in late summer.
What did you do this weekend?
Dozens of enterprising entrepreneurs spent 54 hours planning new businesses as part of Startup Weekend Indianapolis.
Trio of ad agency executives launches boutique firm
Three well-known advertising industry executives formed an agency this month that industry insiders think could make some noise in the local market.
What’s New: CrossFit NapTown
This week, we meet ex-IUPUI soccer players Peter Brasovan and Jared Byczko, who opened CrossFit NapTown last month in a Delaware Street building that once housed an FBI tactical team.
My Toy Garden wades into specialty retail business
A teacher for 17 years, Carmel resident Janet Pillsbury opened her store in September to give shoppers more options.
What’s New: Technical Threads
Meet Adam Howell and Matt Simon, who left “high-dollar, high-profile and high-pressure” sales jobs to launch a company distributing industrial fasteners.
Carmel resident takes entrepreneurship plunge with Amy’s PJs
Amy Graham left her job as marketing director of a plastic surgery practice early this year to pursue her dream of running a high-end pajama boutique.
Cashing out: An entrepreneur’s dream or nightmare?
Some would say Larry Howald accomplished every small-business owner’s dream: Selling his company to a big competitor for “good” money.
Owner launches HVAC business after selling family firm
Larry Howald sold his father’s 40-employee HVAC business to Lennox in 2000 during a wave of industry consolidation. He stayed with the firm for a decade, but has now left to strike out on his own again.
Startup aims to mend doctors’ social media woes
RepuChek software tracks, analyzes what’s being said about doctors on the Internet.
What’s New: Amy’s PJs
This week, we meet Amy Graham, who opened upscale pajama boutique Amy’s PJs in Indianapolis on Oct. 1.
What’s New: My Toy Garden
In this week’s startup profile, we meet Janet Pillsbury, who opened My Toy Garden in Carmel last month.
INSIDE DISH: Avec Moi in midst of startup tests
Kris Parmelee pulled off a major career shift by switching from consultancy to the kitchen. But getting her home-cooking takeout startup, Avec Moi, off the ground has been tough.
Indianapolis tech companies seeded by big ’90s success
Money and experience have flowed to a number of firms from Software Artistry executives.
Critics: Patent overhaul could hurt startups
When the Senate passed legislation last week overhauling the U.S. patent system, large multinational corporations like Eli Lilly and Co. rejoiced. But small-business advocates cried foul, saying the changes would put innovative startups at a disadvantage.