Westfield resident Jenn Kampmeier is a CEO—that’s “chief everything officer” in the get-it-done world of startups—who prefers an even-loftier title: Mom.

Small businesses like KnowSweat Workouts increasingly are adding products and services to keep revenue flowing during tight economic times.

Universities and other not-for-profits are ramping up business training for artists and art students—in the form of workshops, classes and counseling—in hopes of making “starving artists” a thing of the past.

Flashy displays of wealth seldom erupt in Indianapolis after an entrepreneur makes good, and they’re even more unusual now that the recession sobered even the most successful among them.

The trend toward small businesses' delaying payments appears to have leveled off, but it's still unclear how soon—or even whether—receivables will return to the 30 days that was standard for most businesses before the recession began in December 2007.

What does Indiana have to show for the deluge of resources made available to would-be entrepreneurs in recent years—venture capital, angel investors, incubators and the like? Judging by the number of people taking the plunge into business ownership, not as much as might be expected.

Mayor Greg Ballard,a former Marine, has made some progress in the two years since he pledged his administration would purchase 3 percent of all city goods and services from veteran-owned businesses, but he remains far from his goal.

Several Indiana companies are in a position, or soon will be, to launch an initial public offering. But don't expect a wave of new Indiana public companies. In the recession, with both revenue and profits down, companies may choose to wait until they have better numbers to report.

Tasked with boosting Indiana’s economy following the Great Recession, the 2010 General Assembly tinkered at the edges by passing a handful of incentives meant to spur small-business growth.

No incentive can make a bad deal bankable. But President Obama's stimulus measures are spurring some promising small businesses to begin borrowing again, despite the recession.

Businesses say the money they must pay to provide customers the convenience to use plastic adds up. For example, Ricker Oil Co. paid a whopping $3.9 million in 2009, according President Jay Ricker.