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Small Business
Part-time manager experiment working: Pilot program could be expanded beyond Indianapolis
May 29, 2006
Michael DabneyThe bell outside Michael Goldberg's office rang, and the OmniSource Marketing executive exchanged a knowing glance with part-timer
Rob MacDonald. One of the company's 17 sales representatives had just closed a deal. And MacDonald deserved some of the credit,
since he has managed OmniSource's sales force for about a year-working four hours a day twice a week. It's a concept MacDonald
developed as part of his full-time job at Sales Team, an Indianapolis-based consulting firm. The aptly named Part-Time Sales...
MoreWEB REVIEW: Is e-mail marketing the answer for you?
May 22, 2006
Jim CotaIf you're running a business, there's a good chance you've been frustrated with marketing. You've spent time and money on
ads here and there, but the results were unpredictable-or worse-questionable. You're in the phone book because you feel you
have to be, but the cost goes up year after year. Word of mouth works, but it's too slow. Direct mail works, but it's too
expensive. Radio and TV are difficult to do well and nearly impossible to track for results....
MorePROFILE: Complexions Day Spa: Downtown day spa has glowing business Irvington native focuses on organic products, attracts
clients from entertainment, sports scenes
May 15, 2006
Jo EllenComplexions Day Spa Downtown day spa has glowing business Irvington native focuses on organic products, attracts clients from
entertainment, sports scenes Trinia Cox's venture builds on a 10-year career in skin care and makeup artistry with stints
in Chicago and Los Angeles. And the location of Complexions Day Spa on Massachusetts Avenue was a good fit with her background
in the arts, including gigs as a singer with Dr. Bop and the Headliners and her own group, Trinia and the...
MoreSmaller banks seeking relief: Legislation takes on costly regulatory costs
May 15, 2006
Scott OlsonGerman American Bancorp in Jasper has spent more than $1 million the past two years complying with the stringent accounting
provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The cost alone is reason enough for the community bank's president and CEO, Mark Schroeder,
to support a measure exempting smaller public companies such as his from Section 404 of the act. He even traveled to Washington,
D.C., May 3 to testify in front of the U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee. "Ultimately, this...
MoreRight decision crucial for small firms:
April 24, 2006
Barbara HassellOf course, trying to be less subjective does not mean you shouldn't consider "fit" with the organization's culture. In a small
company, fit can be critical. One way to attempt to reduce early turnover is to use the "realistic job preview," in which
prospective employees are given both the positive and negative aspects of the job, as opposed to the traditional approach
of "selling" the firm. If individuals aren't going to enjoy the job, it's better to know it before...
MoreSMALL BUSINESS PROFILE WTH: Firm mapping out its own success Owner shifts focus from old-school engineering to GIS
April 24, 2006
Marc D.SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE WTH Firm mapping out its own success Owner shifts focus from old-school engineering to GIS Rex Jones
wants to show off his company's work, so the lights go down, a computer comes on and a map of Starke County appears on a screen.
The map is a maze of green lines representing county and local roads, red for state/interstate highways, blue for water. Jones
zooms in further, picking a random street in the rural county. Up pops...
MoreVOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: As construction costs rise, older buildings gain appeal
April 24, 2006
Brian MannConstruction costs continue to rise in the wake of hurricanes, tornadoes, the war in Iraq, the building boom in China and
general inflation. The trickle-down effect often lands at the feet of small business owners. According to the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics' Producer Price Index, prices for materials and construction components increased 0.3 percent in February,
following a 1-percent hike in January and continuing a threeyear upswing. The average building cost index has increased about
45 percent since 1995,...
MoreIndiana to alter Web site: Small IT firms aren't thrilled with contract requirements
March 27, 2006
Peter SchnitzlerFor the first time in more than a decade, Indiana is shopping for a Web portal manager. Indiana Office of Technology CIO Karl
Browning is attempting to make the state's award-winning Internet gateway even better. The hunt will also test Gov. Mitch
Daniels' "Buy Indiana" initiative, which aims to give local companies a leg up in competition for state contracts. The larger
players in Indiana's IT community say they're pleased with the new process. But some smaller firms complain it's...
MoreE-commerce can level the playing field:
March 27, 2006
Nolan TaylorThe same point can be made for small businesses, which can reach wider audiences through electronic commerce-purchasing, selling
and exchanging goods and services over the Internet. So how can small-business owners take advantage of the e-commerce phenomenon?
First, it's important to understand that ecommerce isn't an end unto itself, but a tool to grow your business-as such, it
should be used only if it serves your business strategy. Ask yourself a few questions: Can you effectively promote your product
or...
MoreFederal farm lending could shrivel under latest budget: Banking associations oppose proposed fee increases
March 13, 2006
Scott OlsonBrent Kerns likes to compare the U.S. Department of Agriculture's lending program to that of the Small Business Administration's.
In short, the USDA helps farmers the way the SBA assists small-business owners. But if a proposal to cut the budget of the
farm loan program is approved, it could become as expensive to use as the SBA's offering. Supporters fear a hike in user fees
would hurt those who need the money the most. "That cost goes straight to the...
MoreYou can take it to the bank: Financial experts say state's economy is rising, merger mania isn't over and regulatory laws
could take a toll
March 13, 2006
On Feb. 24, IBJ Publisher Chris Katterjohn, Managing Editor Greg Andrews and banking reporter Matt Kish sat down with four
leaders from Indianapolis' banking and finance sector: Judith Ripley, director of the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions;
Kit Stolen, CEO of Union Federal Bank of Indianapolis; Steve Beck, president and CEO of the Indiana Venture Center; and Keith
Slifer, senior vice president of LaSalle Bank. Among the topics of conversation: How's the state's economy doing? Are more
bank mergers on...
MoreIT firm bought again: New York company acquires Core Business Technology but will move HQ to Indy
March 6, 2006
Chris O\'malleyNow, Core Business Technology Solutions has gone down the aisle again, tying the knot last month with White Plains, N.Y.-based
Convergence Technologies Inc.-a deal that makes Indianapolis headquarters for a company with 270 employees and $105 million
in revenue. But, with apologies to Wynette, nobody at this wedding sang, "Stand by your LAN." The good ol' local area network
is now just a slice of the increasingly diverse information-technology products and services Core offers small and midsize
companies these days....
MoreSix firms land $6.1M from state tech fund: 21st Century program issues its first grants since 2004; local companies Semafore,
Cadent among recipients
February 27, 2006
Scott OlsonThe state launched the fund in 1999 to invest in new technologies and appropriated $137 million during the first five years
of the program. The state awarded no money in 2005, partly because none was available the first half of the year. The administration
took the second six months to get acquainted with the fund. Kidd left his job as vice president of the Indiana Venture Center
in October to join IEDC. The veteran small-business consultant since has helped reshape...
MoreNew support group aids entrepreneurs: Growing network quick to attract diverse membership
February 27, 2006
Matthew KishBut it's not because Roots doesn't know how to write HTML code. Rather, he's got so much business coming in the doors he doesn't
have any free time for turning wrenches on his own site-www.squishdesigns.com. That's a good problem to have for an entrepreneur
who's still dotting the "i"s on his LLC application. He credits the influx of business to a new networking group for entrepreneurs
that is attracting a sizeable contingent of women and minority business owners. The group-which...
MoreBanning 'McLawsuits': State bill outlawing fast-food litigation nears passage
February 27, 2006
Matthew KishA bill nearing the governor's desk would make it illegal to sue Indiana restaurants-including the state's ubiquitous fast-food
joints-for those extra notches in the belt. Commonly referred to as the "cheeseburger bill," the measure is part of a national
effort by restaurants and small-business owners to protect themselves from enormous class-action lawsuits that have been filed
against some national chains. House Bill 1113 passed out of the Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters
on Feb. 14 by a...
MoreKnow where to look for funding:
February 27, 2006
Charles SimConventional bank loans Banks provide conventional financing, evaluating loan requests against the socalled "five Cs" of credit.
They must feel comfortable that borrowers have: capacity to repay the loan; capital of their own invested in the business;
collateral to offer as a secondary source of loan repayment; creditworthiness, based on personal and business borrowing history;
and character worthy of the bank's trust. It's in banks' best interest to minimize risk. Loans are made only where the likelihood
of being repaid...
MoreDevelopment plans percolating in five urban corridors: East 10th Street, Fountain Square lead FOCUS pack
February 20, 2006
Tammy LieberDataSmith Technologies owner James Smith started looking almost two years ago for a building to house his business, his home
and possibly a revenue-generating tenant. What he ended up with was a dilapidated former bar on a struggling section of East
10th Street that had become a haven for vagrants. Smith took a chance on the building at 2032 E. 10th St., most recently home
to Mustang Sally's tavern, largely because of the involvement of the East 10th Street Civic...
MoreFirms face choice: Spend or be swallowed: Independent third-party benefits administrators watch consolidation wave sweep through
state
January 30, 2006
Tom MurphyFor small companies, "their systems costs are just eating them alive," said Donley, president of Donley & Co. Inc. "If they
lose a couple large clients, all of a sudden they go from being in the black to being in the red." Donley and others say the
skyrocketing cost of doing business has triggered a wave of consolidation in the Indiana market for benefits administration.
Since 2003, larger companies have gobbled or plan to gobble at least seven independently owned...
MoreHome Room Construction: Remodeler's building plan: Double revenue Company targets homeowners considering do-it-yourself projects
January 23, 2006
Julie YoungScott Heinemeyer's business is all about potential. That's why Home Room Construction tackles many kinds of projects-everything
from simple handyman services to complex room additions. After all, what's the point in limiting the possibilities? "We are
a big company that happens to be small right now," Heinemeyer said of his four-person firm. All told, Home Room finishes anywhere
from 200 to 300 projects a year, he said, and revenue is expected to nearly double to $500,000 in 2006. Heinemeyer started...
MoreFirms face choice: Spend or be swallowed: Independent third-party benefits administrators watch consolidation wave sweep through
state
January 23, 2006
Tom MurphyFor small companies, "their systems costs are just eating them alive," said Donley, president of Donley & Co. Inc. "If they
lose a couple large clients, all of a sudden they go from being in the black to being in the red." Donley and others say the
skyrocketing cost of doing business has triggered a wave of consolidation in the Indiana market for benefits administration.
Since 2003, larger companies have gobbled or plan to gobble at least seven independently owned...
MoreBike Line, Broad Ripple firm plan Mass Ave purchases: Two sales would be latest in owner-occupant trend
January 16, 2006
Tammy LieberTwo buildings on Massachusetts Avenue downtown are slated to change hands in coming weeks as two Broad Ripple businesses stake
their claims on the resurging corridor. The first deal scheduled to close is the sale of 409 Massachusetts Ave., owned for
the last 15 years by advertising firm Young & Laramore. Elizabeth Dillon, owner of RN Specialties, plans to move her growing
10-year-old company and its 21 employees into the 17,000-square-foot building after minor renovations to the ad agency's former...
MoreSmall biz preparing wish list: Lobbyists hope to repeat past legislative success
December 26, 2005
Matthew KishBut that doesn't mean the organization and its 16,000 Hoosier members will rest on their laurels for the short legislative
session in 2006. The group will bring a full wish list to the Statehouse in January, lobbying against increased property taxes
and health insurance mandates. It'll also petition lawmakers to restrict eminent domain seizures. Still, observers don't think
the organization will have as much cause for uncorking the bubbly as it did last year. No different than last session, businessfriendly...
MoreWomen inventors pursue their creative dreams: From doggie car seats to valve-less hydraulic systems, these visionaries keep
creating practical products
December 12, 2005
Cynthia A.Windshield wipers, disposable cell phones, Scotchgardâ„¢, the first automatic dishwasher, disposable diapers, Barbie dolls,
nonreflective glass, brassieres, CPR mannequins and "whiteout." These items have one key feature in common-they were all invented
by women. Since the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office does not keep gender statistics, it is impossible to know exactly how
many patents women hold. One thing is certain: since 1809 when Mary Dixon Kies became the first woman to receive a patent
from the government, many other...
MoreHealth care: big problem for small business: Wyoming lawmaker's proposed legislation could end 10-year Senate impasse on controversial
solution
November 28, 2005
Matthew KishMore than 45 million Americans lack health insurance. And more than half of them are employed or dependent on someone who
works for a small business, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. It's a big problem-especially in
Indiana. Between 2000 and 2004, 5.6 percent of Hoosier workers lost employer-provided health care, according to the Economic
Policy Institute. That's a higher percentage than any state except Wisconsin. Legislation just introduced in Congress by Wyoming
Sen. Michael Enzi, however, may...
MoreFine-tuning a business strategy: Local violinmaker finds success by raising prices
November 28, 2005
Matthew KishF ine-tuning a business strategy Local violinmaker finds success by raising prices John Welch made a counterintuitive business
decision two years ago. The violin business was in decline. Asian manufacturers were turning out high-quality stringed instruments
for a fraction of the price of their American competitors. Welch decided to swim against the current. He raised prices. "We
realized the only way to compete with the Chinese was to improve our quality," said Welch, CEO of Indianapolis-based Sofia
Violins. "We realized...
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It's also across the street from Fogo de Chao and Morton's....
Yep, the haters are trying to make good news bad. I guess it is hard to get people to believe the series is dying when they are gaining new sponsors.
David Copperfield! I remember watching his specials on TV when I was little.
Don't forget this is next to an MMA gym, a pawn shop, and some abandoned spaces.
Good project for Zionsville - A group who has owned the property for many years has waited and worked patiently to bring highest and best use development to a major corridor, and mix that in with the great downtown you have. Win Win. All the Best to Pittman Partners and Zionsville.