BIZ BLOGS
SBA ANNOUNCES TOP 5 BLOGS FOR 2013
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced its top five blogs for 2013. Most popular blog topics range from home business ideas to small business loans and tax incentives, business plans, and government procurement. Click here to read the top five SBA website blogs. ISBDC BLOGS AVAILABLE
Did you know that ISBDC business advisors from throughout Indiana regularly share small business tips and information through blog posts on the state network's website? Click here to read the blogs on a variety of timely small-business topics. |
EDUCATION
 IPFW COURSES
The IPFW Division of Continuing Studies, which hosts the Northeast ISBDC, offers a variety of courses and certifications for business owners and entrepreneurs. Upcoming offerings include five new course topics in partnership with the Northeast ISBDC (see article at right), as well as courses related to human resources, leadership development, inventory control, project management, and business marketing and communica-tion, to name a few. For more information, click here to go to the course listings.
NE-ISBDC WORKSHOPS
The Northeast ISBDC offers the following one-session business workshops at its offices in the IPFW Hobson Center at 4312 Hobson Road in Fort Wayne:
Launching Your Own Business: A Sound and Proven Path
Funding Options and Financial Literacy for Small Business
Developing Successful Marketing Strategies
How to Create a Business Plan to Fuel Success
Click here to register for or learn more about the above workshops. |
ABOUT THE NE-ISBDC
 The North-east ISBDC, serving the 10 counties
of Northeast Indiana, is a part of the ISBDC network, funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). The NE-ISBDC also is funded by many local partners, including the City of Fort Wayne and host Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW).
The ISBDC network grows the economy one business at a time. Through one-on-one advising and a focus on informed decision making, we help existing businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs diagnose issues, implement solutions, and evaluate results. To become a client of the NE-ISBDC, take the online assessment on the home page of the ISBDC website,
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REGIONAL NEWS
Fort Wayne business owners Dave Maberson of 101 Tool and Die, LLC (center) and Otto Solis from Solfire Contract Manufacturing, Inc. (second from right) display the EDGE Awards they recently received from the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) network and the State of Indiana in recognition of the positive impact that their companies had on the Hoosier economy in 2013. Pictured with the business owners are Northeast ISBDC Business Advisors Mary Popovich and Scot Goskowicz (far left and second from left, respectively), Regional Director Jane Rich (center), and Business Advisor Wes Shie (far right). The awards were presented on January 14 by Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann at the Indiana Statehouse.
Local Firms Presented EDGE Awards
Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann and the State of Indiana presented two Fort Wayne businesses, 101 Tool and Die, LLC, and Solfire Contract Manufacturing, Inc., with Economic Development and Growth through Entrepreneurship (EDGE) Awards during a Statehouse ceremony on January 14. The local firms were two of 20 Hoosier businesses that were honored with an EDGE Award this year for making a measurable economic impact in the state of Indiana in 2013. 101 Tool and Die, LLC, owned by David Maberson and Gary Jackson, won an EDGE Award in the Emerging Business category, while Solfire Contract Manufacturing, Inc., owned by Otto Solis, won an EDGE Award in the Established Business category. The Northeast ISBDC congratulates these two businesses that were nominated by NE-ISBDC staff in recognition of their successful year. Read the NE-ISBDC news release.
NE-ISBDC Introduces New Small Biz Courses
 The Northeast ISBDC is collaborating with its resource partners to sponsor five new courses for small business owners and leaders in cooperation with the Division of Continuing Studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW). The new courses have been designed to complement existing small-business courses and workshops, and most of them will meet in February and/or March on the IPFW Campus. The following new courses are listed in the order of their starting dates:
--Feb. 6-27: Practical Contract Management
--Feb. 11-Apr. 22: Guaranteed Growth for Small Business
--Feb. 14-Mar. 14: The Keys to Process Improvement
--Mar. 7-28: Business Analysis Models for Real-Life Decision Making: An Excel-Based Approach
--Mar. 18-25: Small Business Strategies: Financial, Legal & Tax Considerations for Small Business Owners
Individuals interested in enrolling in or in learning more about one more of the above new courses should go to learn.ipfw.edu and click on the Small Business Development Center course group, or call IPFW at 260-481-6619. More information can also be obtained through the NE-ISBDC news release.
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CLIENT NEWS
'Painting with a Twist' Offers Creative Fun
 What do wine, paintings, and the last government shutdown have in common? According to Northeast ISBDC clients Marshall and Bonnie Springer, they all play a vital role in Painting with a Twist, a new business the entrepreneurs recently opened at 6425 West Jefferson Blvd. in Fort Wayne. Springer, who has been with the Air National Guard for 33 years, said that he decided to find another way to generate income after experiencing the recent government shutdown that found him laid off and with no income. Even though he is back to work at the Air Guard, the Springers decided to go through with their idea of opening the local Painting with a Twist franchise. Click here for more information or to sign up for a class, or read the Springers' recent news release about their new business and its grand opening. (Photo courtesy of Greater Fort Wayne).
Client Businesses Receive Media Coverage
Three local businesses with ties to the Northeast ISBDC recently received media coverage in regional news publications. Wolfpack Chassis announced that it has recently completed a $625,000 round of financing. Wolfpack was founded by NE-ISBDC clients Robert Frost and Steve Hawk and moved into its current building in Kendallville in late 2012. Read the KPC Media article. Cathy's Natural Market owner Cathy Price, a client of the Northeast ISBDC, was recently featured in the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly. The Northeast ISBDC client opened her Wabash market in November to offer natural and healthy food and grocery items, as well as natural household and personal products. Read the feature article. Happy Cleaning, owned by Mark and Kwang Williams, recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary of being in business. The owners cited the NE-ISBDC as a helpful resource for running a business in a recent Business Spotlight article in The Journal-Gazette.
What's New at Your Business? Northeast ISBDC clients are encouraged to submit company news for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue of this newsletter. Send your information to mpopovich@isbdc.org. (The editor reserves the right to edit, abbreviate or exclude items received due to space constraints, newsworthiness or timeliness). |
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STATE NEWS
Lead Center staff members pose with the Governor's Innovation Award received in December from Governor Mike Pence. Pictured, left to right, are Lisa Spalding, ISBDC associate state director; Jacob Schpok, ISBDC state director and OSBE executive director; Noelle Dunckel, ISBDC program coordinator; Jerome Lodovisi, ISBDC informatics and marketing specialist; Heather Jernigan, ISBDC office administrator; and Erick Scheub, OSBE public relations director and small business ombudsman. The Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (OSBE) is a new state agency that oversees the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) statewide network and lead center in Indianapolis.
ISBDC Receives Governor's Award
During the Cabinet Meeting of Indiana Governor Mike Pence on December 12, the Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (OSBE), which oversees the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) network, was awarded the Governor's Innovation Award in honor of the accomplishments of the ISBDC. Jacob Schpok, executive director of the OSBE and state director of the ISBDC, was on hand to accept the award, which honors state government offices using innovative practices to increase efficiencies. Governor Pence recognized the ISBDC's performance-based evaluation model and praised the return on investment that the ISBDC offers Indiana. Receipt of the Governor's Innovation Award resulted in the ISBDC receiving praise from a number of resource partners. "Congratulations to you and your network colleagues and to your board members for their guidance and commitment to the program," said G. Gail Gesell, Indiana District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration, in an e-mail to Schpok and the ISBDC network.
OSBE Hosts PTAC Program, Names Director
The Indiana Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (OSBE) late last year announced that it was planning to host the Indiana Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) program on a statewide basis. The PTAC program, formerly hosted by Partners in Contracting Corporation (PICC) in Hammond, helps Hoosier businesses market their products and services to federal, state and local governments. One of the PTACs is housed in the Fort Wayne headquarters of the Northeast ISBDC, represented by PTAC counselor/trainer F.G. "Gil" Perry.
NEW STATE DIRECTOR HAS LOCAL TIES
OSBE Executive Director Jacob Schpok recently named Jerry Hadley as state director of the Indiana PTAC program, overseeing the various PTAC locations from the OSBE headquarters in Indianapolis. Although Hadley resides in central Indiana, he has many ties to this region and says he is "looking forward to working with the great organizations in Northeast Indiana in my new role as PTAC director for the State of Indiana."
Elaborating on his past ties to the region, he said: "I enjoyed my time living in Fort Wayne in the mid-90s while I worked as an industrial engineer for Michelin Tire Corp. at the Uniroyal Goodrich Plant in Woodburn. I also had the honor of serving for several years in the 1st Battalion 293rd Infantry Battalion (Indiana National Guard) located on Cook Road in Fort Wayne. My first full-tme job in the National Guard was as the senior full-time supervisor for the unit from 1999 to 2001. I commanded the Battalion from 2006 to 2008, including a year-long mobilization and deployment to Iraq.
"My next interaction with Northeast Indiana was from 2008 to 2010 as professor of military science at IPFW, Ball State University and Indiana Wesleyan. I always look forward to my travels in the region, as I have many fond memories of my time living and working there."
As state director, Hadley will oversee the three existing PTACs in Hammond, Bedford and Fort Wayne, as well as additional locations that are in the works. The Fort Wayne center and PTAC counselor/trainer Gil Perry, in addition to working with Indiana businesses, are heavily involved in the Northeast Indiana Defense Industry Association (NIDIA), an organization that supports and promotes government contracting on a regional basis. For more information on the new state director, read the OSBE news release; or to learn more about the Fort Wayne PTAC, e-mail Perry.
ISBDC Involved in 'Launch Indiana' Initiative
The Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) network is partnering with Launch Fishers to establish a new initiative called Launch Indiana SBDC ("Launch Indiana"). Launch Indiana will connect Indiana's innovation-driven entrepreneurs with mentorship, education and assistance from successful entrepreneurs, according to a recent announcement by Indiana Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann. Click here to read the announcement, or e-mail entrepreneur-in-residence John Wechsler for more information. |
PARTNER NEWS
Schpok to Speak at LaGrange EDC Dinner
Jacob Schpok, state director of the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) network and executive director of the Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (OSBE), will be the keynote speaker at the
Fifth Annual LaGrange County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Investors Dinner. The event will take place on Friday, February 28, at the Michiana Event Center, in conjunction with the Northern Indiana Woodcrafters Association annual furniture show. The EDC dinner, which is by invitation only, will honor eight local companies that contributed to the economic development of LaGrange County during the past year.
IPFW Online Bachelor's Degree One of Best
Students often look all over the country for the best college programs, but did you know that one of them can be found right here in Northeast Indiana? According to U.S. News, the online Bachelor of General Studies degree program at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) is one of the best in the country. The IPFW program is tied for ninth place among all U.S. regionally-accredited, for-profit, private and public institutions that grant bachelor's degree programs online. Karen VanGorder, the former director of online learning and credit programs at IPFW (and before that, a business advisor with the Northeast ISBDC), who is now serving as the interim Chief Information Officer for the university, was quoted in a January 8 news release announcing U.S. News' 2014 Best Online Program rankings. Click here to read the news release and learn more about how the programs are evaluated and ranked. The IPFW General Studies program is part of the Division of Continuing Studies, which hosts the Northeast ISBDC. Whitley EDC Starts 'TrailMaker' Initiative
The Whitley County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has launched a new TrailMaker program as part of its Small Business & Entrepreneurship Initiative (SBEI). Throuh TrailMaker, SBEI program manager Bruce Stach and SBEI consultant Steve Franks will work with Whitley County EDC clients to identify growth inhibitors and develop strategies for overcoming them to support the clients' business growth. The EDC's SBEI programming provides resouces for pre-startup and growing businesses in Whitley County. Programming is developed with partners such as the Northeast Indiana SBDC and other existing programs. For more information on Whitley County EDC's new TrailMaker program, read the EDC announcement that appeared in Inside INdiana Business.
IU Center Recognizes Local Intern Program
The Northeast Iniana Graduate Retention Program (GRP), which was developed by the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce (now Greater Fort Wayne, Inc.) nearly 10 years ago, has been recognized as an effective regional approach to internships by Indiana University's Indiana Business Research Center and Public Policy Institute. The GRP partners with Indiana Intern.net to match students looking for internship opportunities with Northeast Indiana companies offering internships, with a goal of retaining talent within the region. Click here to read an article that appeared in Inside Indiana Business about the GRP and other regional initiatives designed to boost internship efforts within the Hoosier state.
Urbahns is New VP at Greater Fort Wayne, Inc.
John Urbahns, former director of community development for the City of Fort Wayne for nearly seven years and an 18-year city employee, was recently named executive vice president of economic development for Greater Fort Wayne, Inc. (GFW). GFW, the new organization formed from the merger of the Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance and the Greater Fort Wayne Chamer of Commerce, serves as the single point of contact for economic development in the Fort Wayne vicinity. For more information on Urbahns' recent appointment, read the news release. |
EVENTS
Fort Wayne Arts Incubator Kickoff Thursday
 A brand-new Fort Wayne Arts Incubator will be unveiled this Thursday, January 30, at the Artlink Gallery. The event will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the gallery, located in the Auer Center for Arts and Culture, 300 East Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne. At this kickoff event, Artlink Executive Director Deb Washler will introduce the new incubator for arts-based entrepreneurs, which Artlink hopes "bridges the gap for folks who have a great idea or talent but do not know how to act on it," according to the Artlink news release. Click here for more information.
Client Series Helps Conquer Food Addictions
 Northeast ISBDC client Miles Nitz, MS, LMFT, is currently facilitating his second round of seminars addressing the question "Why Can't We Put the Fork Down?" The seminars meet for four consecutive weeks to help individuals work on conquering their food addictions through evidence-based strategies gleaned from the newest advances in brain research. Nitz, whose counseling practice recently celebrated its five-year anniversary, will be offering this series on a recurring basis. For more information, go to the website www.takechargecounseling.org or send Nitz an e-mail. Applied Leadership Series March 19-21
The third annual IPFW Applied Leadership Series is currently accepting registrations. The three-day event will take place March 19-21 at the Steel Dynamics Keith E. Busse IPFW Alumni Center, with Steel Dynamics founder Keith Busse as the keynote speaker. Ten additional presenters will present timely topics designed to develop the leadership skills of the manager who is energetic, visionary, and ready to move up to a new level of performance with a commitment to the future. NE-ISBDC Regional Jane Rich will be among the regional presenters, discussing how to "Connect Decisions with Financial Performance." Click here for more information on the Applied Leadership Series.  |
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ATTEND AN OPEN HOUSE FOR MORE INFORMATION
FEBRUARY 19, 4:30 P.M. TO 6 P.M.
or MARCH 11, 11:30 A.M. TO 1 P.M.
Click Here for More Information on the Accelerated MBA Program and the Upcoming Open Houses |
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Northeast Indiana Small Business Development Center
Mailing Address: IPFW -- Attn: NE-SBDC
2101 E Coliseum Blvd Ft Wayne, IN 46805
P: 260-481-0500 F: 260-481-0499
E: northeast@isbdc.org
Physical Address: IPFW Hobson Center
4312 Hobson Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46815
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