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Professional Management Enterprises celebrated as Vendor of the Month for December 2024

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Professional Management Enterprises celebrated as Vendor of the Month for December 2024

By SPECIAL TO THE RECORDER

INDIANAPOLIS – Today, the Office of Minority and Women Business Development (OMWBD) Director David Fredricks and Indianapolis City-County Councilor Brienne Delaney recognized Professional Management Enterprises, a minority-owned (MBE) and veteran-owned (VBE) as the Certified Vendor of the Month for December 2024.

In 2006, Danny Portee, MBA, founded Professional Management Enterprises with a vision for transforming the scope of professional services in the greater Indianapolis area.

(Photo provided/Office of Minority and Women Business Development) 

PME works diligently with corporate, commercial and local government clients to identify and hire diverse, qualified employees with valuable skills. They also specialize in information technology staffing solutions, transportation and fleet management and health care and life sciences among other core business competencies. Over the years, Portee and his team have grown PME into industry leader, expanding to satellite offices in Washington, D.C., and South Carolina to service nationwide clients such as the United States Army, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Elevance Health (Anthem).

(Photo provided/Office of Minority and Women Business Development) 

“As leaders in our fields and communities, we must embrace our roles to mentor, motivate, and move others. We have a duty to inspire those around us with our actions and words. To renew, refresh, and reset our approaches as needed, ensuring we remain adaptable and resilient in the face of changing circumstances,” said Danny Portee, MBA, founder of Professional Management Enterprises.

Professional Management Enterprises has been recognized for business excellence at the local and national level, having received several awards acknowledging their success as both an XBE and small business. PME’s impact goes beyond their business ventures. As a proud veteran of the U.S. Army, founder Danny Portee channeled his passion for service into the Indianapolis community. PME has cemented themselves as a pillar of community service in our city, working closely with philanthropic organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Indiana Pacers Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and Job Ready Veterans.

During the award ceremony, OMWBD Director David Fredricks spoke about his decision to recognize Danny Portee and Professional Management Enterprises during the month of December because of Portee’s extensive community service during the holiday season. Fredricks emphasized the several ways in which PME embodies the core values of the Office of Minority and Women Business Development, and how the business continues to have an powerful and profound impact on the city of Indianapolis.

OMWBD is honored to recognize Professional Management Enterprises as our December 2024 Vendor of the Month because of their dedication to equity inside and out of the workplace.

Minority Business Highlight: Face Finances

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: Face Finances

Monica Warren is the founder of Face Finances, an accounting firm in Indianapolis. She has been in business officially since 2019 but has been self-employed since 2021. 

Face Finances offers financial and accounting services for small businesses, such as bookkeeping, CFO services or payroll tax planning. 

RELATED STORY: Minority Business Highlight: HBH Professionals


“The business has its ups and downs. I do find that in our community it’s really hard to get people to know the value of having an accountant. I used to own a boutique, and I always say I made way more money from selling fake purses than I have as an accountant,” said Warren. 

“That’s because that’s what our community resonates with: buying what we think has value. They won’t spend their money to hire a bookkeeper until they owe the IRA thousands of dollars.” 

Face Finances

She understands that this is because a lot of people are not financially literate, and African Americans fall even further under that category. 

That is what motivated her to start the business. 

On her website, her opening question is, “Are you tired of struggling with your finances? We empower you to become financially free.”

“Seek out the knowledge. I think a lot of people are fearful. So, you have to get over that fear of having a conversation about money. A lot of people think it’s taboo to talk about it or rude. You have to get over that fear in order to gain and get further,” said Warren. 

She said people need to understand the importance of investments and savings. 

“They buy a fake purse before they put money in a 529 account for their kid. Not having that understanding of saving and then just being mindful of their spendings. You have to have a budget.” 

This minority business highlight was composed by Jade Jackson at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at (317) 762-7853 or via email at JadeJ@IndyRecorder.com.  

If you would like your business highlighted in the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, click here!  

Minority Business Highlight: Maven Space

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: Maven Space

Webster’s dictionary defines a “maven” as an expert or connoisseur.  

The term aptly fits Maven Space: an Indianapolis co-working space, event venue and social club created by mavens, for mavens.  

Co-owner and CEO Leslie Bailey said the space serves to support entrepreneurs, remote workers, executives, creatives, dreamers and doers. It was created for those who crave opportunities to make connections. Maven Space is for people to find the resources they need to get their big ideas off the ground.  

RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: Rejuvenate Massage & Wellness

“First, there was Indy Maven, which is our website. I saw a gap in the market when it came to storytelling and news for women. It was really supposed to launch as a website with a newsletter, but women kept asking can they join something, so we added a membership to the website,” said Bailey.  

Indy Maven launched in 2019.  

Five months after its launch, the pandemic happened.  

Minority Business Highlight: Maven Space
Indy Chamber’s Women in Economic Development event hosted in the conference room inside Maven Space on September 6, 2023. (Photo/Jade Jackson)

Bailey said connecting women was an initial part of Indy Maven. She remembers hosting numerous one-on-one phone calls with members. 

“I didn’t know what it was going to be, but when I think back to the vague general vision I had, I feel like I spoke the space into fruition,” said Bailey.  

All Bailey initially wanted was an old building with a new feel. She never thought Maven Space would turn into a tangible location in the heart of Downtown offering members much more.  

“The launch of Maven Space has been a labor of love from day one. It happened with my husband’s and my personal savings, my co-founder, Kate Tauton-Rigsby, and a healthy dose of optimism or insanity, depending on how you look at it,” said Bailey in a statement made when launching the space’s IFundWomen crowdfunding campaign. 

“Given that only 2% of venture capital dollars go to women, I knew better than to even try that route. And yes, there are small business loans available, but that only increases your overhead and makes it harder to break even.” 

According to of 2019 Small Business Administration (SBA) report, only 28% of total SBA loan dollars went to women-owned businesses.  

Those loans came with a nearly 10% interest rate.  

With a lot of community support and partnerships, Maven Space opened on the first floor of the historic Gibson Building, at 433 N. Capitol Ave. Suite 100. 

The space offers a fully equipped podcast studio – available to rent by the hour –  virtual mail services, exclusive member programming, as well as private and semiprivate meeting spaces.   

Along with several other amenities, the space also offers a mother’s room, a private place for women to pump their breast milk that includes a mini fridge for milk storage and complimentary pumping supplies provided by The Milk Bank.   

Maven Space’s memberships are open to everyone, and you can find further details on the perks it offers HERE.

Minority Business Highlight: Local Initiatives Support Corporation 

Braxton Babb
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Minority Business Highlight: Local Initiatives Support Corporation 

The Local Initiative Support Corporation connects local groups across America with capital and technical knowledge to help build inclusive, resilient communities of opportunity.

They invest in overlapping program areas that reach into every corner of community life, such as affordable housing, childcare and early learning, economic development, education and more. 

RELATED: Plate it Up! Catering

With the mission of “Together with residents and partners, we help forge resilient and inclusive communities across America-great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families,” they pursue different strategies to successfully accommodate the community. They also have a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.  

“Poverty and other forms of inequity and injustice that LISC works to help redress are largely rooted in this country’s historic and systemic racism, as well as in other forms of discrimination. Pursuing our mission demands that we conceive and implement every aspect of our work through the lenses of equity and anti-racism.” 

In 1992, LISC established its local Indianapolis office and became known for their integrated approach to community development- an approach that recognizes the importance of a set of interdependent neighborhood characteristics to the well-being of neighborhood residents and that coordinates investments in commercial and industrial corridors, community facilities, businesses and job creation in Indianapolis’ core urban neighborhoods.  

To learn more about LISC Indy visit, www.lisc.org/indianapolis/. 

Minority Business Highlight: Durby x Ellen Candle Co.

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: Durby x Ellen Candle Co.

The inspiration behind Durby x Ellen Candle Co. comes from founder Kayla Rivera’s grandparents.

Married for 50 years, Durby Mayfield and Ruth Ellen Mayfield instilled the meaning of support, love and family into the foundation of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Durby x Ellen Candle Co. began in 2021 as a way to help Rivera cope with the missing her grandfather, who passed in 2010, and accepting the new reality that their grandmother’s Alzheimer’s brought to her family’s lives.

RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: Indy Fresh Market

Minority Business Highlight: Durby x Ellen Candle Co.

“10% of those sales go to the Alzheimer’s Association. Feedback has been pretty good for sure. A lot of people tend to stock up when they stop by. I would say right now of my signature collection my top seller would be ‘Ol Little Girly,” said Rivera.

“Then for my fall collection, it would be the Cozy Mornings which is an expresso nutmeg vanilla. People tend to like coffee a lot.”

A lot of the candles’ scents pay homage to the memories that she will always hold near and dear.

Rivera is one of 12+ grandchildren of Durby Mayfield and Ruth Ellen Mayfield and recently got into the art of candle making.

She believes it is the science and using her bare hands to create something small that makes a big impact.

This is something that both of her grandparents exuded, as her grandmother was an elementary school teacher and her grandfather was an auto mechanic. This process has been both emotional and therapeutic for Rivera, but deciding to name this business after them is her way of honoring them and cherishing memories that will always be with her.

Durby x Ellen Candle Co.’s fall collection recently launched and features candles, wax melts and reed diffusers.

Their products are vegan, toxic-free and phthalate-free.

Minority Business Highlight: Durby x Ellen Candle Co.

This minority business highlight was composed by Jade Jackson at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at (317) 762-7853 or via email at JadeJ@IndyRecorder.com.

If you would like your business highlighted in the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, click here!

Minority Business Highlight: Indy Fresh Market

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: Indy Fresh Market

Indy Fresh Market, a new grocery store opened up off E. 38 Street and Sheridan Avenue on the city’s east side. Access to a new store brought much-needed relief to one of the biggest food deserts in the city.  

Co-owner, Marcus Williams grew up on the east side and said there were more grocery stores when he was a kid, but they have since closed.

“We need food around here,” said co-owner Marcus Williams, “So, this store has been in the planning process for about three years. Kroger’s gone. Safeway is gone. Walmart’s gone. The closest store is five miles away. So, we had to do something to provide for the community.”

RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: The Herron Academy of Beauty & Therapeutic Wellness

Minority Business Highlight: Indy Fresh Market

The locally black-owned store has been in the works for nearly three years and saw more than 1,000 customers walk through the doors a the soft opening. 

Co-owner Michael McFarland said he has known Williams since the 6th grade.

“This is also the neighborhood I grew up in and it feels good to give back. Most of the people we have working here are taking advantage of our second chance opportunity. A lot of them are on probation or house arrest,” said McFarland.

“You might be a stocker today, but you could be a manager or supervisor tomorrow. These are our people. We’re coming back to a neighborhood we grew up in and giving back.”

Indy Fresh Market

Minority Business Highlight: Indy Fresh Market

The new full-service, 16,772-square-foot grocery store is a collaboration between Cook, IMPACT Central Indiana, Martin University, neighborhood leaders, Goodwill, the City of Indianapolis, the State of Indiana, Michael McFarland & Marckus Williams and national grocery store expert Joe The Grocer.

According to Indy Food Policy over 200,000 Indianapolis residents live in a food desert, and 10,500 live without access to a car or bus to reach grocery stores. To be considered a food desert more than 33% of an urban population must live more than one mile from a grocery store.

With a steadfast commitment to tackling food insecurity, fostering neighborhood ownership, and providing access to affordable, nutritious food, Indy Fresh Market has successfully established a model that will positively impact the community and address its needs.

“Food is a necessity for life. Now, we have access to healthy foods in the community. It feels amazing to get all the great feedback,” said Williams.

This minority business highlight was composed by Jade Jackson at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at (317) 762-7853 or via email at JadeJ@IndyRecorder.com.

If you would like your business highlighted in the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, click here!”

Minority Business Highlight: The Herron Academy of Beauty & Therapeutic Wellness

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: The Herron Academy of Beauty & Therapeutic Wellness

Inside the walls of The Herron Academy of Beauty & Therapeutic Wellness, a class of beauty students learns about the importance of professional image.  

The instructor, Shante Flowers, is founder and CEO of the new beauty school.  

Located on the Far Eastside of Indianapolis, its location is intentional: It is where Flowers grew up.  

RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: The TLC House and Residential Services LLC

“I hate when people say, ‘Oh, the Eastside is this,’ or ‘I can’t wait to move away from the Eastside.’ It’s like, no. If you have the ability to do so, you need to give back to the community that you were raised in,” said Flowers.  

The Herron Academy is a beauty culture school that was created to raise the current standard of education in the beauty industry. The goal is to leave an impact on each student by developing their professionalism in an environment that promotes health of the mind, body and spirit.  

The school currently offers cosmetology, manicuring and aesthetics courses under three instructors.  

The academy’s programs are designed with beginners in mind but also help experienced students prepare for their goals as licensed professionals.  

The Herron Academy of Beauty & Therapeutic Wellness

“It’s not just about teaching them a trade; it’s about making sure that they as a person are ready to work in the industry or create their own business,” said Flowers, who has been in the beauty industry for the last decade.  

The school launched in January, and the first classes started in March.  

Because the academy is a new beauty school, they are not yet accredited, which means they cannot accept federal funding.  

“This means that people cannot get a student loan to come to the school. So, I wanted to make the tuition where people could put down whatever payment they could afford and then make monthly payments based off the rest,” said Flowers.  

That is part of the reason why Kaylin Hernandez Granger and Lauren Davis enrolled in the academy for its manicurist program.  

Granger, who has been painting her nails since middle school, said she noticed that the tuition for many beauty schools near her starts at $10,000. However, she found Flowers promoting the academy on social media for a little over $3,000.  

“It was so affordable, and it feels like Shante is doing something different. She has different plans set up for everybody, which is really cool – follow me on Instagram at BlackCoffeeNails. She is big on us having goals and being able to obtain them,” said Granger.  

Davis said she had a bad experience with a nail salon that would not refund her after she said she was not satisfied with their work. This is when she decided to learn how to do her own nails.  

“Then a lot of people asked me to do their nails, and I would tell them, ‘I’m not licensed or anything,’ but I got a lot of support because I saw, and they saw, that I was actually good,” said Davis. 

Flowers said that many local hairdressers or nail techs in the city are unlicensed and are usually offering services out of their homes.  

“A lot of people go, ‘Oh, it’s just a piece of paper.’ I have students in the program who were working without a license before they came to school, and there is so much value in the piece of paper.”  

Flowers said a license does not dictate talent, but it does mean that the foundations of beauty have been met.  

“There’s no reason why people are applying eyelashes but don’t understand the anatomy of the eye or some don’t know proper sanitation,” said Flowers.   

She also said the state board is cracking down on beauty service providers who often advertise their unlicensed services on social media. 

“I know some people who are more skilled than teachers at these beauty schools that cost $10,000-$25,000. I still think it’s worth the investment because you’re doing a disservice to your talent by not being licensed; imagine how much further you could go.” 

The academy is located at 1515 N. Post Rd, and its current promotional tuition rate is $3,500. This can be paid in a lump sum or divided into monthly payments. In the future, the academy will offer massage therapy and barbering courses in addition to the cosmetology, manicuring and aesthetics courses it currently offers.  

This minority business highlight was composed by Jade Jackson at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at (317) 762-7853 or via email at JadeJ@IndyRecorder.com.

If you would like your business highlighted in the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, click here!”

Minority Business Highlight: The TLC House and Residential Services LLC

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: The TLC House and Residential Services LLC

The TLC House and Residential Services LLC is a nonmedical company with compassionate caregivers who have experience caring for the elderly. Some of the services they offer include companions, transportation/escort, housekeeping and attendant care. 

With over 20 years of experience as a CNA, HHA and CHPNA, the goal of TLC House and Residential Services is to meet the needs of each patient on an individual basis according to their needs. 

“My motto is, everything I do, I do in love. We’ve grown in the last three years as a women’s minority certified company. We service about 180 clients and employ close to 200 employees,” said owner Tamara Brown. 

“We’ve built an amazing name in the community because we give back. Everything’s been word of mouth. I don’t really utilize social media, and still the business grew,” said Brown.  

Angelique Robinson has been working for Brown for approximately a year and said the environment fostered by Brown at TLC House and Residential Services makes her look forward to going into work every day. 

“I have an employer that has a heart for people. I’m glad to work here. I love my job because I’ve gained some skills even while working under her [Brown],” said Robinson.  

“A lot of people have problems, and you never know what people are going through. You have to have the heart for it and love people.”  

Angela Anderson, who has been working at TLC House and Residential Services for more than a year, also spoke highly of Brown and TLC House and Residential Services.  

“Ms. Brown is very dedicated to what she does. She goes above and beyond and takes very good care of not only her clients but her caregivers as well. I have a business on the side, and she supports that. She expects excellence out of us because she gives excellence to the community,” said Anderson.  

She said Brown even purchased jewelry from her side business to give to clients. 

Along with bringing an abundance of experience to their positions, TLC House and Residential Services workers pride themselves on providing a warm smile, positive view and loving care.   

“I worked for a home healthcare before, and it was a lot of mess and foolishness,” said Anderson.  

“We’re going to be older one day, and there are people unfortunately who can’t care for their loved ones. Just like a younger child can’t tell you they’re being harmed, so are our seniors. You have to love the elderly.”  

Tiffany Howard’s 75-year-old mother has been a client of TLC House and Residential Services for the last two years. 

“My mother needed help with personal care, cooking and cleaning because she forgets certain things. I’m there every day with my mom, but the company will call, check up on her and make sure we have everything we need. They really give that TLC,” said Howard.  

“They have a text group with caregivers and clients, and every month they give extra money on your caregiver account, and give out gas cards, and I thought, ‘What company does that?’ Clients get gift cards.”  

She appreciates how the company calls her mother and her every week to make sure everything is going well. 

The company further seeks to help the community through participating in an annual coat drive. Additionally, Brown has taken money out of her own pocket to supply air conditioners for some of her clients who were experiencing overheating in the summer.  

“It’s not a job or a business for me; it’s a calling,” said Brown.  

Minority Business Highlight: Sweets by Charlotte

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Minority Business Highlight: Sweets by Charlotte

By STAFF

A native of Indianapolis, Charlotte Sanders began baking as a hobby, but the hobby quickly turned into a business because of the frequent requests she received for her treats. That is how Sweets by Charlotte was born.

Custom Gucci-themed cake. (Photos provided/Sweets by Charlotte)
Custom toolbox cake.

Sanders’ cookies, custom cakes, brownies, pies, parfaits and candies are all made from scratch using high quality ingredients.

She describes herself as “just a girl who decided to go for it.” She has been honing her baking skills for years, trying out new flavors and specialty designs. Sanders has built a loyal fanbase from people who can taste the love and time she puts into each of her desserts.

Custom Jurassic-themed birthday cake.
Valentine’s Day cookie gift sets.

Sanders bakes traditional sweets like chocolate chip cookies and old-fashioned pound cake as well as new fan-favorites like banana pudding cake and cookies and cream cupcakes. She also makes custom themed cakes, cookies, and cupcakes for weddings, birthdays, corporate events, and special occasions.

Sweets by Charlotte offers individual-sized treats at local farmer’s markets. (Photos provided/Sweets by Charlotte)

Orders may be placed directly through her website: sweetsbycharlotte.com. You can also contact her via email at contactus@sweetsbycharlotte.com or by phone at 317-932-0094. Like and follow her on Facebook (@SweetsbyCharlotteESanders) and Instagram (@sweetsbycharlotteindy).

If you have a minority owned and operated business you’d like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, visit Indiana Minority Business Directory.

Minority Business Highlight: We Don’t Run From Adversity (WDRFA)

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: We Don’t Run From Adversity (WDRFA)

The lifestyle brand We Don’t Run From Adversity (WDRFA) is stepping out of the online realm into the vibrant heart of Indianapolis.

This is all thanks to a pioneering collaboration to give e-commerce entrepreneurs an opportunity to grow through a brick-and-mortar location.

Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the City’s collaboration with WDRFA as the first local business selected for the St’Artup317 Retail Incubator pilot program at the Stutz. 

RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: Gobble Gobble Food Truck

“This is creative economic development in action, and we’re excited to open our first-ever storefront with WDRFA as the featured local business,” said Hogsett.

As part of Hogsett’s downtown resiliency strategy, the City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development created the first St’Artup317 retail incubator program. It is part of a public-private partnership with the Stutz’s owner and developer SomeraRoad.

“The Stutz is known historically as a place for creativity, innovation, and community which makes it the ideal location for this next phase for St’Artup317. Our goal is to make downtown Indianapolis a place where small businesses can launch and grow, and as a result, we’re evolving our economic development tools to grow the Indianapolis retail economy,” said Hogsett.

Striving to expand Downtown’s retail sector, the program’s long-term goals are to invest and empower historically underrepresented entrepreneurs.

They seek to eliminate empty storefronts and increase local and visitor consumer spending.  Gary Patterson and Michael Gillis are the co-owners of WDRFA.

The lifestyle brand that features apparel, headwear, accessories and drinkware and promotes a community that connects people, places and things.The uncle and nephew launched in 2016 and debuted their storefront inside Stutz on Saturday, Aug. 12.

“The conversation with St’Artup 317 started over a year ago. We had done pop-ups at art galleries, coffee shops and different retail spaces since 2016. They liked our vision and the things that we could create,” said Gillis.

“We’ll only be here about nine months max. Then the next business will be coming in. This is the first time that they have a space that they’ll have for years to come.”

Gillis said that the new storefront venture is exciting but also challenging due to many elements differing from e-commerce. They also have to account for the foot traffic in the popular area.

“In Indianapolis, there are a lot of Black owned retail businesses. Most of them are e-commerce just because of the challenges that come with it, like renting properties, and that’s why the program St’Artup 317 is great,” said Gillis.

“In Indianapolis, most landlords want you to sign five- or six-to-ten-year deals where you have to lock in that big commitment of money. This is a great way to get our brand out there and aligns perfectly with what we’re selling.”

Patterson said it was important for them to reach more people with their brand.

“At the time that we started WDRFA, Indianapolis retail hadn’t really taken off yet. It’s something that’s still growing, like the whole city being into fashion and wanting to support fashion that’s not necessarily sneakers and things like that,” said Patterson.

“For the most part, we’ve been a mall-based city, not like boutiques, or knick-knacks, or niche kind of markets. We have a niche store, so for us, being online just made sense.

This program is perfect because it’s not necessarily long-term but enough time for us to touch the people who can check out our quality.”

Located in the Stutz Maker’s Alley, the 500-square-foot St’Artup317 Retail Incubator is located off 11th Street.

If you have a minority owned and operated business you’d like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, visit Indiana Minority Business Directory.

Minority Business Highlight: Gobble Gobble Food Truck

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: Gobble Gobble Food Truck

There were few Black vendors at the Indiana State Fair this year, but Gobble Gobble Food Truck has stood the test of time on fairgrounds since opening their business.

“It’s been an honor that I can keep this legacy going that my father started. To be one of the few Black owned vendors, we’ve learned a lot along the way to keep this going,” said Gobble Gobble Food Truck CEO, Alfarena “Alfie” McGinty.

RELATED: Indiana State Fair: What to know before you go

Her father started Gobble Gobble 22 years ago and has been at the state fair ever since. He retired in 2010 and McGinty took over, turning the business into a traveling food truck.
McGinty enters the Taste of the Fair competition every year.

To prepare for the competition, she holds a tasting with family and friends to try out new recipe ideas. This year she came up with the “Mac Daddy Empanada,” which is consists of macaroni cheese and pulled BBQ turkey.

In 2021, Gobble Gobble Food Truck won second place. It was coincidentally, on the same day as the 20th anniversary of their company opening. They won with their “BBQ Sugar Mama,” a donut with pulled BBQ turkey.

“People know the truck, and people come specifically for my number one item: the jumbo turkey legs. Everybody’s wanted to try the Mac Daddy Empanada. People come for the fun food, and we appreciate our customers who come and try,” said McGinty.

The food truck is located across from the DNR building and is open Wednesdays-Thursdays during fair hours.

Black vendors at the Indiana State Fair

Knowing that she is only one of few Black vendors, McGinty wants to see more Black vendors in the future.

“I’ve been talking to Leroy Lewis III, the new marketing director at the state fair; we’ve talked about how we can generate and get more African American food vendors into the fair and having them understand how to keep up with the capacity,” said McGinty.

She said vendors need to be able to cook onsite and have staff there through the duration of the state fair, for 12-13 hours at a time to keep up with the volume of customers.

McGinty said it takes a lot of work, commitment and funding to become a vendor; however, she is eager to help any business that is up to the challenge.

“I told him [Lewis] that I’m willing to be a part of any type of training or informational that can be given to future vendors to help them prepare for the fair,” said McGinty.

If any Black business is interested in becoming a vendor, they can apply on their Indiana State Fair’s website.

Contact staff writer Jade Jackson at 317-607-5792 or by email jadej@indyrecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON

Minority Business Highlight: EXHALE app

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: EXHALE app

Launched in 2020, the EXHALE app is the first emotional well-being app designed specifically for Black, Indigenous and women of color.

“In lieu of everything that was happening in the Black community, the oppression that already exists, was being exasperated. I was frustrated. And I was stressed. I went to search for some well-being apps, and there was nothing for the Black community,” said Katara McCarty, president and CEO of the EXHALE app.

Since launching in 2020, EXHALE has reached 17,000 downloads, with users in 55 countries. This, playing a critical role in filling a gap in the number of available resources that support minority women.

RELATED: Minority Highlights: Edit Me Lo Graphic Design Agency

The Indy entrepreneur hosted a free event to celebrate the launch of the new version of her EXHALE app. She also hosted a panel discussion on “The State of Self-Care for Black Women” report.

McCarty, who surveyed over 1,000 Black women for the report, moderated the panel, speaking with panelists Dr. Colette Pierce-Burnette, president and CEO of Newfields, Andrea Hunley, state senator for District 46, and Angela Smith Jones, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion at Health & Hospital Corp. of Marion County.

“The people that have to do the dismantling are non-people of color, and we don’t hold the power and privilege to do that as a Black community. We can speak to it, we can resist it, but my hope is that EXHALE exists to give a space on how to handle our mental and emotional health,” said McCarty.

Nearly half of the Black women surveyed for the report indicate that stress impacts their daily lives. 25% report being hospitalized or needing medical care due to stress.

An overwhelming 76% of the respondents think there is a prevalence of people who believe Black Women are stronger than most people. Therefore, they should be able to manage more stress than others.

66% of those surveyed say they overexert themselves to excel in the workplace and to take care of personal responsibilities.

While resources to manage stress have become more abundant, the report further confirms that Black women face many barriers in accessing formal mental health resources, with the majority of resources failing to address the unique experiences of Black women.

As a result, 77% of respondents believe there is a need for more tools like EXHALE and resources tailored to support their specific needs.

The EXHALE app had their first panel discussion in New Orleans, Louisiana, at Essence Fest.

They will hold further panels in Los Angeles, California, and New York City, New York.

For more business highlights, click HERE.  

If you have a minority owned and operated business you’d like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, visit Indiana Minority Business Directory.

Minority Highlights: Edit Me Lo Graphic Design Agency

Jade Jackson
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Minority Highlights: Edit Me Lo Graphic Design Agency

Lauren Dickerson is the CEO and founder of Edit Me Lo Graphic Design Agency.

She officially launched in 2020 but has been creating graphic designs for the last nine years.

RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: Live Project Juice Company

The 25-year-old said the name comes from her friends who would say, “edit me” in reference to Dickerson editing photos of them into graphic designs; Lo is short for Lauren and was her college basketball nickname.

“My mom needed an invitation made. I was the one told to make it. I’ve always had an eye for it. In college, I actually thought I wanted to be an engineer, which didn’t work out with my basketball schedule being a student athlete,” said Dickerson.

“I walked into this art building, and I was so amazed at how it looked, and I said this was going to be my major. So, it’s something that I’ve always had a niche for, and I just fell into it.”

Edit Me Lo

She said this is the first year that her company has taken off with clients trusting her skills for their projects.

“We design to tell the story of a business. I believe that you should be able to look at something and feel something,” said Dickerson.

Her goal is for people to recognize her company as a big design agency.
She also wants to give college students the chance to work for her agency to obtain graphic design experience.

For more business highlights, click HERE.  

If you have a minority owned and operated business you’d like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, visit Indiana Minority Business Directory.

Minority Business Highlight: Live Project Juice Company

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: Live Project Juice Company

What started off as a trip to the doctor’s office six years ago has turned into a Black-owned juicing company promoting wellness and health.  

James Long was dealing with high blood pressure and was diagnosed as prediabetic when his doctor suggested juicing as an option to improve his health.  

“Doctors usually push medicine on you. My doctor said I should try juicing. I didn’t know what juicing was. I just needed to change my diet and do things to change everything all together,” said Long.  

RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: Stepping Stones Therapy Center

He started researching the benefits of different ingredients. Long experimented with blending different fruits and recipes to create something that tastes good and is good for you.  

At the time, he was an educator, and when sharing his juice creations with coworkers, they started encouraging him to sell it to others.  

Live Project Juice Company

Squeezing, pouring and juicing: How this company is nourishing communities with vibrant wellness
Live Project Juice Company travels around Central Indiana with their products for customers to buy. (Photo/Jade Jackson)

“Things started snowballing after that. I was selling out of my truck at first. Then I landed at one farmers’ market; one turned into five. Then five farmers’ markets turned into seven gas stations, and now we’re online,” said Long.  

He called his business Live Project Juice Company to promote healthy fresh juice with no added sugar and original ingredients.  

Talia Bynm has been a loyal customer for a few years. She works Downtown and looks forward to seeing him serve his juices at the Indianapolis City Market.  

“He just offered us a tasting, and my hair flew back and everything. So, I was like okay this is my favorite new thing in the world. It’s the taste. It’s the fact that even though it’s healthy it tastes so good, and that’s so hard to find. That’s what I love about it,” said Bynm.  

Live Project Juice Company recipes

Live Project Juice Company consists of five main juices: 

Squeezing, pouring and juicing: How this company is nourishing communities with vibrant wellness
There are five current juice flavors to choose from with Live Project Juice Company. (Photo/Jade Jackson)

Grandma’s Iced Tea features honey, lemon, orange, iced tea and elderberries. It promises to boost your immunity. Some of its benefits include stress relief, heart health and fighting off a cold and flu, with vitamin C and antioxidants.  

Purple Reign features peach, mint, mango, grape, green tea and stevia. Some of its benefits include improved bone health, reduced allergies, fat burning properties, decreased blood sugar and a memory boosting ingredient, with vitamin K.  

Sweet Nectar has no added sugar. It uses ginger and turmeric, which provide healing properties. These antioxidants promote eye health and offer benefits against heart disease, Alzheimer’s, depression and muscle pain.  

Honey Moon utilizes ingredients that consist of sea moss, raspberries, blue berries, lemon, lime, honey, watermelon juice and spirulina.   

Fountain of Youth contains kale, cucumber, spinach, green apples, pineapples, lemon, ginger and orange juice. The healthy green juice serves as a meal supplement, providing great benefits for weight loss and for individuals with diabetes or asthma.

Long said he is going to continue to grow and scale his business, with secret plans for what is to come in the future. 

For more business highlights, click HERE.  

If you have a minority-owned and operated business you would like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, sign up here at the Indiana Minority Business Directory. 

Minority Business Highlight: Stepping Stones Therapy Center

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: Stepping Stones Therapy Center

Established in 2015 by Joycelyn Wilson, Stepping Stones Therapy Center offers diverse services in Indianapolis. These services include child welfare, family preservation, counseling, supervised visitation, casework, and self-referred services in Indianapolis.

Stepping Stones Therapy Center collaborates with DCS to provide counseling, supervised visitation, casework, and wrap-around services for the Marion County Coroner’s office.

The dedicated team at Stepping Stones conducts clinical interviews to assess clients’ current challenges, strengths and functioning levels. They do this in order to determine the most effective evidence-based treatment.  

RELATED: Doing the world a flavor: Popcorn World

They offer personalized care and unique treatment plans tailored to meet each client’s needs. The goal is to promote long-lasting mental wellness and building confidence. 

In partnership with the City of Indianapolis, Stepping Stones Therapy Center is currently in the process of launching the Clinician Led Community Response Team. 

Stepping Stones Therapy Center partnered with Indianapolis to launch the Clinician Led Community Response Team.

Stepping Stones Therapy Center

This initiative aims to address mental health calls received through 911, with the goal of reducing the number of incarcerations and hospital admissions for individuals with mental health needs or substance use disorders. 

Mayor Joe Hogsett recognized Stepping Stones Therapy Center as July’s Vendor of the Month, emphasizing their status as a valued local minority-owned business and critical partner to the City of Indianapolis.  

Their involvement in the clinician-led 911 response team demonstrates their commitment to assisting the city in effectively responding to mental health crises. 

The Vendor of the Month program is an ongoing collaboration between the Mayor’s Office and the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Development in Indianapolis. It aims to bring attention to certified businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans and disabled individuals (XBEs). 

For more business highlights, click HERE.  

If you have a minority-owned and operated business you would like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, sign up here at the Indiana Minority Business Directory. 

​Doing the world a flavor: Popcorn World

Jade Jackson
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​Doing the world a flavor: Popcorn World

Peter Lee, the Indy franchise owner of Popcorn World, had their store’s grand opening on 3755 E. Raymond St. at the beginning of April. 

The gourmet popcorn shop that originated in Gary calls itself the largest shop, with close to 500 flavors of popcorn. The Black-owned company is expanding its locations, with their newest one being the franchise in Indianapolis.  

“It’s been beautiful. It’s been wonderful. We get quite a few people every day. There are almost 500 flavors, but we’re running 85 of our top flavors out of here. Every week, I introduce a new flavor,” said Lee.  

Flavors vary from crab leg to ranch Doritos to Oreos. The uniqueness of the popcorn comes from original recipes.  

“The flavor’s perfectly correct. It’s not overwhelming or less. If you ask for banana pudding, you get banana pudding. If you ask for peach cobbler, you get peach cobbler, and if you ask for green apple, you get green apple. We remove at least 98% of the husk from the popcorn. That’s the stuff you get stuck in your teeth. It helps people with braces,” said Lee.  

Black-owned gourmet popcorn like no other

black-owned gourmet popcorn shop
(Photo/Jade Jackson)

A growing franchise, customers can also order online here. 

The brick-and-mortar store is open Tuesday-Saturday from noon to 7:00 p.m.  

Customers can request gourmet popcorn bars for corporate work events, receptions and other parties.  

They also offer sample bags and regular-sized bags.  

“People always ask me which one is my favorite flavor. Most of these flavors are very good to me. Especially the cookies and cream and birthday cake flavors. I like the jerk and the steak, but what I always go back to is the good old traditional cheese popcorn,” said Lee.  

He grew up on cheese and caramel-flavored popcorn.  

“We use real cheese too. We don’t use powder like everybody else uses,” said Lee.  

He said their popcorn could last in their bags for almost two to three weeks without it going bad.  

Lee also said they have had offers to sell but they refused.  

“It’s a Black-owned company, and we’re trying to make other Black entrepreneurs. We’re not just trying to run-and-gun like others. In history, Black folks have always made phenomenal stuff. What has been the biggest problem? We sold it, or it was stolen from us,” said Lee.  

He plans on opening more franchise stores in the next two years. 

Contact staff writer Jade Jackson at 317-607-5792 or by email at jadej@IndyRecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON

for more minority business highlights such as Lee’s black-owned gourmet popcorn shop, click here!

Minority Business Highlight: Importin’ Joe’s Ethiopian Coffee

Jade Jackson
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Minority Business Highlight: Importin’ Joe’s Ethiopian Coffee

Importin’ Joe’s Ethiopian Coffee is one of few minority manufacturers in the city of South Bend and one of three nationally distributed Black-owned coffee companies in America sourcing their coffee from Ethiopia.

When Joseph Luten and his Ethiopian wife, Afomia, would visit her home country, he noticed coffee was weaved into the way of life for the people.  

“I actually hated coffee before I came to Ethiopia. When I tasted this coffee, especially with my refined palate, I said, ‘Oh my.’ Fruit and berries and chocolate and all kinds of crazy flavors,” said Luten. 

RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: Perk Up Café

Ethiopia, internationally recognized as the birthplace of coffee, is renowned for its “buna” ceremony. It is a communal tradition involving the roasting, grinding and brewing of beans. 

Ethiopian coffee practices

A key aspect of proper social etiquette is to inhale the aroma of the roasted beans before they are ground and to enjoy three cups of coffee in the company of others.  

“Buna means coffee. They light frankincense and myrrh. They offer a prayer and roast the coffee over a cold fire by hand in a small pan. Then, they grind the coffee and brew it in this old ancient traditional pot called a jebena,” said Luten.  

This sparked an entrepreneurial endeavor that the couple called Importin’ Joe’s Ethiopian Coffee.  

The couple brought coffee to Mishawaka, Indiana, introducing the coffee to Indiana grocery shoppers to provide them with a warm way to start their mornings. 

They travel to Ethiopia every year and source their coffee exclusively from the country.  

“We started in the middle of Covid when I got laid off; ended up cashing out our life savings of $4,000. It ain’t much, but it is what it is. We got to work and built the company from our living room,” said Luten. 

He said his wife and he traveled throughout Indiana, Illinois and Ohio to grow the brand at festivals and fairs.  

The business grew, with consumers supporting the unique flavor of the coffee.  

Importin’ Joe’s Ethiopian Coffee

They are now the primary coffee providers for the University of Notre Dame, north of South Bend.  

Meijer, the American supercenter chain that mainly serves the Midwest, introduced the coffee to its shelves last year.  

“Our whole purpose for starting the company is to bring awareness to the issue of child homelessness in Ethiopia,” said Luten. 

Along with fighting to eradicate childhood homelessness overseas, Importin’ Joe’s Ethiopian Coffee simultaneously invests into the social fabric of marginalized communities in the U.S. 

Project Impact, an initiative in South Bend, offers resources to support minority-owned businesses like Importin’ Joe’s Ethiopian Coffee.  

Luten acknowledges the company’s dependence on such support to attain its goals, which encompass scaling up to a new 4,200-square-foot facility.  

They are working to create a small sustainable community in Ethiopia that would accommodate up to 15,000 orphan children.  

Do you want your business highlighted in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine? Click here to sign up!

Minority business highlight: 3BFit Body, Beauty and Brain LLC

Jade Jackson
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Minority business highlight: 3BFit Body, Beauty and Brain LLC

3Bfit Body, Beauty and Brains Meditation and Yoga takes a mind and body approach to conscious discipline and self-regulation. It provides safe spaces where individuals are able to express and promote positive self-awareness.  
 
It was founded by Tiffianie King, a certified meditation and yoga instructor, in 2020. She created the three-tier prevention-focused program that provides evidence-based mindfulness tools.  

When applied, mindfulness can enhance the quality of everyday living, help relieve anxiety and stress and increase grades in school, and lower behavioral issues.   

She offers adult and youth meditation and yoga classes, family yoga classes, meditative talk sessions and toddler courses on mindfulness.  

She also offers Baby N Me yoga classes and a Bike N Bookcamp for free. 

 King first began meditation in 1997 to relieve her own addictions, anxiety and depression and has since gained 15 years of experience working with youth and families.  

She has taken her love for meditation and yoga into classrooms and communities to share the positive experiences these practices can foster.  

If you have a minority-owned and operated business you would like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, visit Indiana Minority Business Directory.

Minority business highlight: Rel Eve co.

Jade Jackson
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Minority business highlight: Rel Eve co.

Rel Eve Co. (pronounced “re-leeve”) wants to set a new standard for how Millennial and Gen-Z women shop for menstrual care by selling period products that are all-natural and non-toxic.  

The products are sourced from top U.S. companies and small businesses. The focus is on highlighting businesses owned by Black and/or women entrepreneurs.  

The Millennial-founded company is making it easier to find clean, sustainable period care in America.  

RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: Tea’s Me Cafe

“When you go to a drug store or a local Target to pick up a box of pads, there aren’t a lot of options to choose from. They usually have the same five to ten brands but even then, those are not organic or non-toxic,” said Jasmine Bennett, the founder. 

Stats and data

According to the U.S. Environmental Protective Agency, long-term exposure to high levels of toxic contaminants called dioxins can cause cancers, reproductive and developmental issues and other health problems.  

Dioxins can form when bleach is used on pulp and paper products that go into pads and tampons. Most people are not exposed to high enough levels to cause health problems.  

However, these traces can accumulate. The average woman uses approximately 11,000 tampons in her lifetime. So, there is an increased chance that the chemical may actually be absorbed into their bodies according to Tampon Tribe. 

The World Health Organization said dioxins are highly toxic. They can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer.  

After switching to a more holistic lifestyle to heal her body from debilitating cramps, Jasmine Bennett found period products that lowered her premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. They gave her the relief she wanted.  

Bennett soon discovered there was not a central location where she could order all of her products.  

“I used to be on a hormonal roller coaster every month until I changed products. There’s Amazon and Target, but there’s only a certain number of products you can get even online. Every month I was tired of trying to search and I said there has to be a better way,” said Bennett. 

That’s on period

A lot of the products that she used were from Honey Pot Co., Mixhers and Top Organic.  

“But, like certain off brand products and products on Etsy that I was using, aren’t on Amazon. There’s this one company that sells pads infused with CBD,” said Bennett.  

She looked online for any store that offered all of the non-toxic products that she used, but she couldn’t find it. So she decided to create it. 

She won a $20,000 pitch competition with Elevate Ventures, a venture development organization based in Indianapolis that focuses on supporting entrepreneur growth for the state. 

“I was really taken aback by the fact that the number of non-toxic products available in the U.S. weren’t available in local communities. Especially, urban communities,” said Bennett. 

She launched her business in March 2022.  

She offers pads, tampons, pain patches, holistic pain management, cramp relief oils, yoni soaps, washes, menstrual cups, supplements for balancing hormones, PMS bath bombs, period underwear and menstrual relief shower steamers that help relieve period anxiety.  

Bennett is a Christian and named her business Rel Eve Co. because of Eve in the Bible.  

“After she ate from the tree, she had to have horrible pain that comes with menstruating before childbirth. So, I said there has to be a better way to relieve the pain and I said ‘Oh! Rel Eve’ when you think of relief and I thought it was cool,” said Bennett. 

She wants to scale her business to be accessible across the country with physical locations in urban areas especially.  

Her next steps are to open up a warehouse in Indiana or Illinois. She is planning on hosting pop up shops throughout the Midwest.  

“I feel like women need a store they can shop at that celebrates and honors what our bodies can do,” said Bennett. “Menstruation is a beautiful cycle and our periods should be a time that we treat our bodies with the utmost care.” 

Do you have a minority-owned business? Register it with our directory HERE.

Minority Business Highlight: Sip and Share Wines  

CHLOE McGOWAN
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Minority Business Highlight: Sip and Share Wines  

Nicole Kearney, wine lover and owner of Sip and Share Wines, got her start in 2016 by sharing wines for private tastings and making homemade sangria in mason jars on the side. 

Today, Kearney’s winery is one of only two Black-owned wineries in Indianapolis. Sip and Share Wines produces a diverse selection of handcrafted vegan wines from semi-sweet to dry to limited edition. 

Kearny’s mission is to create community through wine — especially for winemakers and wine lovers of color who typically are overlooked or underrepresented in the industry. 

While she loves making wine to share with her community, Kearny also enjoys educating consumers on wine etiquette, different wine varieties as well as the winemaking process.  

READ MORE: Black women vintners changing the wine game – Indianapolis Recorder 

In the past few years, Sip and Share Wines released several collections, inducing the 7 Words Wine Collection and the Gem Collection, which includes limited production wines.  

Monthly and quarterly wine club memberships are available with Sip and Share Wines, with offerings of two, four or six bottles of sweet or dry — or both — wines right to your door, plus a 10% discount on all other wine orders. 

Sip and Share Wines is located at 2202 E. 44th St. More information about SipSperiences, Wine Club and community events can be found at sipandsharewines.com. Get in touch with Sip and Share Wines by email at Marketing@sipandsharewines.com or call 909-747-9463. 

If you have a minority-owned and operated business you’d like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, visit Indiana Minority Business Directory. 

Contact staff writer Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @chloe_mcgowanxx. 

Community stories: The importance of local media outlets

STAFF
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Community stories: The importance of local media outlets

By CASEY CAWTHORN

In October 2021, after lending nearly $23 million to Indy’s small business community, the Indy Chamber embarked on a media partnership with the Indianapolis Recorder. Little did we know then, this partnership would yield exponential value in ensuring that small, diverse businesses—navigating a rebounding business climate with ever-changing fluctuations—would prove to be one of the most important vessels for business awareness, resource-sharing and collective corporate calls for equity.

Through our partnership with the Indianapolis Recorder, over nearly the last two years, the Indy Chamber’s marketing and communications team has worked with minority, small-business owners in various industries and communities across the nine-county, Indy region. These individuals have trusted us to help them share stories about their business ownership journeys while also calling attention to the critical resources—capital, coaching and connections to a regional network of businesses—available through the Indy Chamber. At the end of 2022, data showed that through these articles, we’ve reached over 300,000 people (about half the population of Wyoming) across Indiana and beyond. Equally as important, we’ve reached them authentically.

Between 2020 and 2021, the Indy Chamber was immersed in initiatives to advance equity. Develop Indy, the front door to economic development for the City of Indianapolis and Marion County, was already leading equity efforts through inclusive incentives. However, in 2021, the Indy Chamber partnered with the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) and the Indianapolis Urban League (IUL) to form Business Equity for Indy (BEI), an initiative fully committed to advancing equity and economic opportunity for the region’s Black residents and other people of color. In addition to that work, the Indy Chamber’s Entrepreneur Services department, which includes the Central Indiana Women’s Business Center (CIWBC), Hispanic Business Council (HBC), Enterprise Corps, the Re-Entry Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (REDi) and Business Ownership Initiative (BOI)—a certified community development financial institution (CDFI), houses an entire team dedicated to ensuring diverse, small businesses have support at every stage of business growth.

As the longest-running African American-owned newspaper in Indiana and the fourth largest in the United States, a partnership with the Indianapolis Recorder was a true dream for our marketing team. Our team, which is tasked with amplifying the impact of our equity work alongside the success stories of our small, diverse members and clients, quickly began working with these individuals to guide their storytelling efforts. While we continue to expand our partnership with the Indianapolis Recorder, we’re excited to announce that we’re also launching a new, free event series to connect a greater number of businesses to storytelling support and opportunities.

A three-part Indy Chamber Masterclass series will take place virtually this summer. Each Masterclass will feature a specific, communications-related topic and invites business owners and community members to log in ready to learn. The first event, which takes place on June 27 from 1-2 p.m., is Storytelling 101 presented by Deana Haworth, chief operating officer with Hirons. Individuals interested in attending are encouraged to register online at IndyChamber.com/Events. The July session will feature Travis Brown, founder and CEO of Mojo Up Marketing, and the August session will feature Jennifer Dzwonar, managing principal of Borshoff. Specific dates and topics to be announced soon.

While we continue to expand our programs and services to support diverse small business owners, we hope to continue leveraging diverse media partnerships to increase the visibility of services, connections with the community and ultimately, the impact that the Indy Chamber has on our regional business community. If you are interested in learning more about services available to support your business, I invite you to learn more at IndyChamber.com/Entrepreneurship.

Casey Cawthon is Indy Chamber’s vice president of marketing and communications.

Black-owned Open Kitchen Restaurant offering Italian-style recipes  

Jade Jackson
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Black-owned Open Kitchen Restaurant offering Italian-style recipes  

The name of Toni and Dexter Smith’s restaurant, Open Kitchen Restaurant, is befitting of their mission to create an open atmosphere for customers.   

Officially launched in September 2020, during the pandemic they offered carry-out, which performed well with customers. They moved into their brick-and-mortar location at 4022 Shelby St. on the south side of the city in March. 

“We focus on comfortability. Anyone can come here, relax and be themselves. We serve American and Italian food. You don’t have to feel uptight,” said Toni Smith.  

She said they maintain an upscale beat at the restaurant, but they allow people to come as they are.  

“There’s been places and times at the restaurants where we really wanted to try the food, but we didn’t feel like ourselves. You feel like you’re rushed through, or you feel like your money isn’t appreciated and you’re not welcome,” said Smith.  

Bringing Black owned Italian style recipes with Open Kitchen Restaurant
Dajuan Morris prepping inside Open Kitchen Restaurant (Photo/Jade Jackson)

Dexter is the chef, and he offers American and Italian dishes on the menu. 

“Italian food is great. It’s so many different flavors and so many different cooking techniques,” said Chef Dexter. 

While he has worked as a professional chef for the last five years, he has been working in a kitchen since he was 16. His first job was serving patients at Community East.  

“This is nowhere near what I thought I would be doing in the future. I’m a math person. I thought I was going to do actuary for sport, but I love the work that goes into figuring out a recipe to make a dish great,” said Chef Smith.  

His math skills come in handy when he is figuring out and experimenting with the right measurements and proportion sizes for each meal. 

He changes the menu every season to always offer new items.  

Contact & hours

Address: 4022 Shelby St, Indianapolis, IN 46227

Phone: (317) 974-9032

Tuesday-Thursday 9AM-10PM

Friday 9AM-11PM

Saturday 10AM-11PM

Sunday 10AM-5PM

Bringing Black owned Italian style recipes with Open Kitchen Restaurant
Open Kitchen Restaurant is located at 4022 Shelby Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46227 (Photo/Jade Jackson)

If you have a minority-owned and operated business you’d like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, visit Indiana Minority Business Directory to register.

Getting down to the root of the problem with Kurlykoils

Jade Jackson
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Getting down to the root of the problem with Kurlykoils

You can find Britteny Davidson inside her shop Kurlykoils, off W. 42nd St., tending to the many clients that walk through her doors. The business launched in 2016, with its main styling services focusing on curly hair care.

“I was actually looking for somebody to cut my hair curly. At the time, I couldn’t find any Black women. I did find a white lady, and she was booked out probably four months in advance,” said Davidson.

During her eight years in the beauty industry as a licensed cosmetologist, Davidson had never heard of anyone being booked out that far. She said, at the time, there were two other curl specialists in Indianapolis, but all three women were Caucasian.

RELATED: Black representation matters: Urban Beauty Supply

Britteny Davidson is the owner of Kurlykoils, a forward-thinking salon with a mission to help people embrace their natural hair (Photo/ Jade Jackson) Getting down to the root of the problem
Britteny Davidson is the owner of Kurlykoils, a forward-thinking salon with a mission to help people embrace their natural hair (Photo/ Jade Jackson)

“So, I said if I start this business being a Black woman, I know it’s going to do well, and it definitely has,” said Davidson.

Born and raised in Indianapolis, she did not start to venture into natural hair care until she started wearing her own hair natural in her twenties.

When she was younger, she would straighten her hair often.

Kurlykoils: The beginning

According to Davidson, natural hair care is not taught in standard beauty school curriculum. It is considered a specialty training that one has to pursue on their own.

“We’re missing the mark in beauty school. It just focuses on how to straighten the hair and how to cut the hair while it’s straight. So, this is a skill you have to seek to become an expert in,” said Davidson.

She had to travel to take classes that taught her how to perfect the curly craft.

She started serving clients on Lafayette Road inside what used to be Indianapolis Hair Studio. From there, she moved inside the Salon Lofts on College and Broad Ripple Ave.

After becoming a mother, she started the recruitment process to create Kurly Koils in 2017.

Deja Parker, a stylist inside Kurlykoils (Photo/Jade Jackson) Getting down to the root of the problem
Deja Parker, a stylist inside Kurlykoils (Photo/Jade Jackson)

Deja Parker has been a Kurly Koils stylist for almost three years. She grew up around hair stylists, so doing hair came naturally to her.

Kurlykoils: The experience

“I always knew I wanted to do the natural side of hair, but I started second guessing myself because I didn’t see it here in Indiana. Then, when I finally saw Britteny, and I made my appointment with her, she reconfirmed for me to go off and set this as a goal,” said Parker.

She believes that stylists with expertise in natural hair care are scarce in the area but that their numbers will increase over time.

“It hasn’t been a part of the culture for long. Natural hair care is becoming more well known around the country, so I think it’s just taking its time to get here,” said Parker.

It is a journey, and part of her job is to help people navigate along that journey.

She said the working environment is peaceful, and the clients love to come in to enjoy the “realness” that they provide, which makes it feel like a second home.

They serve over 700 clients and style around 25 people on a weekly basis. Their clients return every three months for hair care maintenance.

“The amount of growth has been tremendous, and having stylists here now establishing those relationships and maintaining them has made the biggest difference,” said Davidson.

The goal for Kurly Koils is sustainability and changing the thought process surrounding natural hair.

Davidson wishes more stylists had a better understanding of natural hair and styling it.

“There are more textures than straight hair for sure, so it should definitely be taught in beauty school. It should be a federal guideline. I think it’s nice, especially for our younger clientele, to be able to embrace their hair,” said Davidson.

Contact staff writer Jade Jackson at 317-607-5792 or by email JadeJ@IndyRecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON

Indianapolis Recorder President and CEO Speaking at Startup Ladies Study Hall 

Jade Jackson
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Indianapolis Recorder President and CEO Speaking at Startup Ladies Study Hall 

Recorder Media Group President and CEO Robert Shegog will speak this week to an international group of women entrepreneurs on how to work with media outlets that focus on Black and brown communities. 

The Startup Ladies are hosting the special Startup Study Hall on Wednesday, May 17, from 6-8 p.m. 
 
Roughly a dozen women entrepreneurs from Argentina, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela will attend the event hosted by the International Center of Indianapolis. 

A similar event was held at the Heritage Group in 2019 before the start of the pandemic. Organizers say this is a great opportunity to meet with leaders from other countries.  

One of Shegog’s talking points will cover inclusive advertising. He will advise those in attendance on how to communicate and collaborate with minority groups.  

Recorder Media Group, which includes the Indianapolis Recorder and the Indiana Minority Business Magazine, is Indiana’s leading minority-owned communications company. The Recorder staff has won more than 60 journalism awards in the past three years. 
 
COhatch downtown Indy is sponsoring the event located in the Circle Center Mall. 
 
Register here: 
https://lnkd.in/g4Yvahd2 

Minority Business Highlight: A Good Life Photo Co.

Noral Parham
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Minority Business Highlight: A Good Life Photo Co.

A Good Life Photo Co. is a headshot and personal branding photography studio founded in March 2019 by La’Meshia Hayes of Indianapolis.

Hayes founded the business after reading the book ‘Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. Hayes wanted to secure generational wealth for her and her family while exercising a craft where she excels: photography.

A Good Life Photo Co.
La’Meshia Hayes, owner of A Good Life Photo Co. (Photo/Hayes)

Like most entrepreneurs, Hayes attempted many ventures. However, her ability to capture the moment behind the lens sent her over the top online.

Today, Hayes’ photo studio has a package for every event, including proms, graduations, birthdays, holidays and more. Hayes has studio space but does not hesitate to travel to venues that will best capture the moment for a client.

A Good Life Photo Co. is located at 6256 La Pas Trail, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46268. Hayes and her staff can be reached on Facebook and Instagram. For email inquiries, contact Hayes at Agoodlifephoto@outlook.com

If you would like your business featured in the the minority business highlights, click here.

Motivational Monday: Urban Beauty Supply

Jade Jackson
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Motivational Monday: Urban Beauty Supply

Shirley Milligan and her husband have three daughters which meant they would spend a lot of time in local beauty supply stores.

Often owned by Non-Black people, the family would be disappointed by the lack of customer service they would receive from beauty supply businesses when shopping. That’s how Urban Beauty Supply was born.

Launched in February of 2020 just a month before the COVID-19 pandemic, the new business struggled to sell products curbside, but word of mouth spread and the shop started to get popular.

At Urban Beauty Supply they want you to be your best version. They offer a wide range of high-quality beauty, skincare and haircare products. From deep cleansers to the lightest moisturizers, you can get the most popular looks and brands in their store.

No matter what your skin or hair care needs are, Urban Beauty Supply said they are your one-stop shop to look great and maintain your healthy, beautiful skin.

Contact and hours:

5333 E. Thompson Road Indianapolis, IN 46237

(317) 875-1484

UrbanBeautySuppy1@Outlook.com

Monday – Saturday:
10:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Have a business? Sign it up for our business directory HERE.

Latino Business Support Network Launches in Indianapolis

Jade Jackson
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Latino Business Support Network Launches in Indianapolis

A group of Indianapolis nonprofits have come together to create the Latino Business Support Network (LBSN). The network is committed to assisting Latino small business owners and entrepreneurs.

The LBSN’s primary focus is on building a stronger Latino business community in the city. Created by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), along with the other organizations, the network collaborates to provide resources and programs.

“The Latino community is an economically resilient community. As we have attempted to close the racial wealth gap, especially in Black and Latino communities, these are often the most underserved, overlooked and undeveloped,” said Executive Director of LISC, David Hampton.

RELATED: The misconceptions of Cinco de Mayo

He said the Indianapolis small business community is incredibly diverse. There are 14,000 Black businesses, 5,000 Latinx businesses and 2,000 Asian owned businesses.

His hope for the network is to create a greater commitment and investment to support the Latinx community.

“Between 2010 and 2020, the Latinx community has grown by 42% and so have Latinx businesses. However, the resources for Latinx businesses have continued to be incredibly limited,” said Hampton.

As the community grows, there is an increasing need for language access and access to capital and services to support.

The start of the network

Four organizations — Hispanic Business Council, La Plaza, Emprendedoras Latinas en Indiana and Indiana Latino Expo — have come together to form a group dedicated to supporting Latino-owned businesses in Indianapolis.

The Director of International & Latino Affairs with the City of Indianapolis, Ruth Morales, said the Latino community is the fastest growing population in Marion County.

Executive Vice President of for External Engagement at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation Salena Scardina said a lot of stories go untold around Latino business, and this network is an opportunity to change that.

“Five years ago, I started a business, and I did not know what resources were available to me here. Latino-based businesses make up the largest minority sector of our entrepreneurship small businesses, and we don’t talk about that enough,” said Scardina.

By collaborating these organizations can provide better support and increase visibility for their work.

Motivational Monday Highlight: Nap or Nothing

Jade Jackson
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Motivational Monday Highlight: Nap or Nothing

It is a simple phrase with a profound meaning: Nap or Nothing.

Etched across clothing inside a storefront on Massachusetts Avenue, owner of the streetwear brand Antonio Maxie said the slogan instills pride within people from Indianapolis.

“’Nap’ is short for Naptown, which is the nickname for the city. ‘Or Nothing’ is about repping to the fullest: Repping your backyard and being proud of where you’re from,” said Maxie. “It’s important for everybody to let people know where you come from and what made you or built you.”

Nap or Nothing has been around for nearly a decade.

Despite the brand’s release of hundreds of different colors and designs, Maxie said he never planned on owning and operating a clothing brand.

Originally a musician, Maxie’s fashion concept arose when he wanted to make a couple of extra bucks performing at shows.

“So, I started putting logos on merch with phrases from my songs and phrases that I say with my friends. It kind of just kept growing, and growing, and growing,” said Maxie.

Maxie said a friend of his opened a clothing store inside Lafayette Square Mall, and the shop ultimately fell into his lap.

The brick and mortar for Nap or Nothing at Lafayette Square Mall launched in 2015. Because the mall is now temporarily closed due to a redevelopment project, the store transferred to online sales before moving to Mass Ave.

From local artists to athletes and everyday people, all his customers rock the brand. Nap or Nothing has always shared space with other Indianapolis streetwear brands.

The organization GangGang culture partnered with Nap or Nothing to open multiple locations around the city in 2023.

“I feel blessed. I feel honored. I feel like I keep putting the work in and doing my due diligence to provide Indianapolis with quality representation,” said Maxie.

The recognition Nap or Nothing has gained over the years has been cool according to Maxie, but he’s even more excited that he can help other people achieve their goals and dreams by incorporating pride into the city.

“I don’t look at it like it’s a ‘me’ thing. It’s a ‘we’ thing. When the doors open for me, they open for others as well. My opportunity is their opportunity. They just have to capitalize as they see fit,” said Maxie.

Nap or Nothing’s goal is to have biweekly drops for products.

Have a business? Sign it up for our business directory HERE.

KFC employees can receive 100% tuition paid for degree through online university

Jade Jackson
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KFC employees can receive 100% tuition paid for degree through online university

If you work for any KFC restaurant in the city, you’re now eligible for a bachelor’s or master’s degree through Western Governors University (WGU) Indiana’s collaboration with the KFC Foundation.

The school is an accredited online university dedicated to making higher education accessible for as many people as possible.

The partnership launched the new program in January.

According to the executive director of the KFC Foundation, Emma Horn. The program seeks to ensure that every KFC restaurant employee feels supported and empowered to be their best selves.

They’re proud to offer employees an opportunity for higher education without the burden of tuition.

“We started working with WGU almost a year ago now. We love that every student is paired with a mentor, so they’ve got that champion that they can lean on. Somebody to cheer them on when things get tough. Also, WGU’s really focused on competency-based education,” said Horn.

The average salary for a KFC employee is $25,207 a year. Black and African Americans make up almost 13% of staff across the country. There are 14 restaurants across the Circle City, which means the program has the potential to reach about 300 employees.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for our team members who really don’t have time to go through traditional college. They can go at their own pace and earn money while they do it,” said Kelsie Ternet, area manager of a Carmel based KFC.

She said the program would be great for working parents.

They can work full-time and take care of their families while getting a degree to further their education.

Knowing that employees enter through KFC’s doors in all stages and phases of life, Horn said it’s their honor as a foundation to take care of them in their current position and to help them reach for their dreams.

“What better opportunity to be able to offer team members than a flexible college degree program that can fit seamlessly into their schedule,” said Horn.

“An employee who works for a participating franchise is qualified on the day that they start employment at KFC to receive full tuition to start or complete any degree,” said chancellor for WGU Indiana and the University’s regional vice president, Alison Bell.

WGU Indiana has a wide range of programs.

Bell said KFC employees working full time can anticipate completing their degrees in two years.

Contact senior staff writer Jade Jackson at 317-607-5792. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON

$1.5 million partnership will provide funding for Black entrepreneurs

Jade Jackson
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$1.5 million partnership will provide funding for Black entrepreneurs

Katara McCarty is the founder of Exhale, an emotional wellbeing app designed for Black women and women of color.

“It’s more than an app. It’s a movement. Society has ignored the health and wellbeing of Black women for too long, which is exactly why I am unapologetic in my pursuit to create space specifically for Black women,” said McCarty.

The grant from the Nile Capital Fund will allow her to launch a 2.0 version of the app.
The new fund from the Be Nimble Foundation is providing revenue-based equity loans and traditional equity investments for Black founders.

Be Nimble is a social enterprise creating fully diverse and inclusive tech ecosystems. They launched the fund in collaboration with Cummins Inc., the City of Indianapolis and IMPACT Central Indiana.

“The Nile is the longest river in the world. It’s a lifeline for Egypt, fueling the economy and diverse ecosystem in Northeastern Africa. It also reflects our vision for Be Nimble and how we serve our community,” said Jeff Williams, co-founder of Be Nimble.

“This fund will serve as a mode of transportation for our existing programs and partnerships, just as the Nile enables communities to flourish. We’re feeding the ecosystem and supporting the entrepreneurs we’re committed to seeing succeed.”
The Nile Capital Fund will also allocate funds to companies that have participated in Be Nimble’s other entrepreneurship programs.

Cummins Advocating for Racial Equity (CARE) Executive Director Latonya Sisco said working with Be Nimble, the city and IMPACT leverages the focus area on economic empowerment to create more inclusive communities.

“By joining forces, we aim to create a more equitable landscape for business ownership and growth and support the talented Black founders in our community who may not otherwise have access to the resources they need,” said Sisco.

Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city is proud to have contributed over $725,000 to launch the Nile Capital Fund.

“This partnership adds to our many efforts to continue to foster Black entrepreneurship,” said Hogsett.

Be Nimble said they will continue the legacy begun by Madame C.J. Walker, of Black women-led beauty brands in Central Indiana.

Contact senior staff writer Jade Jackson at 317-607-5792. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON

Dunkin’ diapers: PS&E deliver more than 64,000 diapers for Indiana families in need

Noral Parham
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Dunkin’ diapers: PS&E deliver more than 64,000 diapers for Indiana families in need

While the Indiana Pacers front office focuses on navigating the offseason, forward Obi Toppin and the organization are ensuring the franchise’s impact continues well beyond the court. 

Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) and the Indiana Diaper Bank concluded their annual diaper drive on May 22, raising more than $16,000 to provide more than 64,000 diapers to central Indiana families in need.  

In total, the initiative delivered essential resources to more than 2,500 local families. 

The campaign was highlighted by a “Pack the Plaza” activation outside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis ahead of the Indiana Fever’s preseason home opener, where fans dropped off boxes of diapers and wipes.  

A generous, undisclosed financial contribution from Toppin ultimately pushed the campaign comfortably past its initial fundraising goal. 

“Diaper need is directly linked to food insecurity, and we’re proud to help close that gap for our neighbors in need,” Senior Vice President of External Relations for PS&E Tracy Ellis-Ward said. “Thanks to our partners at the Indiana Diaper Bank, as well as our players, staff, volunteers and fans, this year’s drive delivered meaningful impact.” 

Obi Toppin.
Obi Toppin of the Indiana Pacers in December of 2025 in Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo/Tiffany Nmose)

Following the drive, PS&E staff, community groups and volunteers gathered at the fieldhouse to sort and bundle the influx of donations.  

The Indiana Diaper Bank will distribute the supplies through its regional network of community partners, which includes food pantries, childcare providers, shelters, foster care programs and family resource centers. 

Indiana Diaper Bank President and CEO Ashley Burns noted that the partnership provides critical relief during a time of heightened economic strain for many residents. 

“Together, we’re not only providing essential items like diapers, but also reminding parents and caregivers that their community stands with them,” Burns said. “This support helps families maintain dignity, reduce stress and focus on building a brighter future for their children.” 

For Toppin, the latest off-court assist adds to a sustained pattern of philanthropic work across the Circle City since joining the roster. 

During the holiday season in December 2025, the high-flying forward traded his basketball gear for a shopping cart, hosting a dedicated holiday giveaway for the youth at Castleton Square Mall.  

Toppin personally treated local youth from the Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis to a holiday shopping spree at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Each child was provided with a $150 store gift card and Toppin personally added another $100 out of his own pocket for every participant to ensure they could get exactly what they wanted. 

“Being able to come here, give some of the kids money to get some stuff for the holidays is always great,” Toppin said during the shopping spree. “Obviously I’m a Jordan athlete, so we rocking all Jordans. I’ll bring them to the Jordan wall, get a couple things … and just give them a good time.” 

Whether it is in the paint or out in the community, Toppin and the Pacers continue to drop the philanthropic hammer on the Circle City. 

Contact multimedia & senior sports reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. 

For more news, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.

Minority Business Highlight: Bodi Buzz Urban Farm

Noral Parham
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0
Minority Business Highlight: Bodi Buzz Urban Farm

Bodi Buzz is a minority-owned wellness brand and urban farm based in Indianapolis, founded in January 2022 by David Johnson. The enterprise emerged from a critical observation: underserved communities face a nutrition crisis, with many living in food deserts and lacking access to fresh, healthy options.  

According to the company’s vision statement, Bodi Buzz is dedicated to “putting an end to health disparities in underserved communities,” where high rates of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer are prevalent. 

Operating from the Circle City, Bodi Buzz transforms underutilized spaces into productive urban farms that grow fresh organic produce, herbs and natural remedies. The company’s product line includes cold-pressed juices, herbal teas, loose herbs, tinctures and vitamin supplements, all crafted to support holistic wellness. Beyond product sales, Bodi Buzz offers hands-on workshops, sustainable farming education, culturally rooted programming and health coaching for those interested in creating home food gardens. 

The company’s mission is rooted in addressing systemic health disparities. Researchers have noted that even when grocery stores are introduced to underserved areas, high rates of processed food consumption persist due to a lack of nutrition education. Bodi Buzz steps in to fill this gap by “bringing nutrition back to the table” while also emphasizing environmental stewardship. The brand aims to produce over 15,000 pounds of locally grown food this year. 

In January 2026, Rehab Industries, the parent company of Rehab Medical, acquired Bodi Buzz. The acquisition is designed to expand production capacity and make healthy living more accessible to Indianapolis families. Bodi Buzz operates without grant funding, relying instead on community support to provide food, educational classes and field trips. 

“Having access to expanded resources through this new relationship with Rehab Industries accelerates our ability to do what we do best — serve the community through agriculture, education and wellness initiatives,” Johnson said. “It allows us to increase production, reach more families and build systems that make healthy living more accessible and sustainable for the long term.” 

Contact Information: 

  • Phone: 317-979-3352 
  • Social Media: Facebook and Instagram (@bodibuzz) 

This highlight was composed by Multimedia & Senior sports reporter Noral Parham as a part of the 2026 HBCU All-Stars Vendor Showcase. If you would like your business highlighted, contact him at 317-762-7846 or email noralp@indyrecorder.com. 

For more, visit indianaminoritybusinessmagazine.com.

Minority Business Highlight: Alms Home Care, LLC

CHLOE McGOWAN
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Minority Business Highlight: Alms Home Care, LLC

Alms Home Care is dedicated to personal care that keeps families together, with programming that supports both aging relatives and their caregivers.

Jeremy and Kiera White founded Alms Home Care in 2023 as a way to provide compassionate, comprehensive care management for Hoosier seniors and their families.

“As a provider of creative care management and personal care services, we aim to bridge the gap between an aging population of seniors and the loved ones who take responsibility for their care,” the website states. “Our team understands that changes can come unexpectedly as we age and we are here to help you manage all of life’s changes with confidence and innovative solutions.”

READ MORE: Minority Business Highlight: Kurlykoils

The agency and direct staff at Alms Home Care are educated and trained in geriatric care and share a passion for delivering compassionate elderly care services, according to the website. The goal of the business revolves around being able to serve as an advocate for Hoosier families in all matters related to, but not limited to, care coordination, in-home support, Medicare and Medicaid issues, legal matters, financial services and placement.

Following a comprehensive assessment, Alms Home Care works to align the resources and support needed to reduce stress, rising costs and avoidable hospitalizations while improving the quality of life for seniors and the family caregiver, according to the website. 

Services include structured family caregiving — including both personal and companion care, medication reminders, diabetic shoe ordering and fitting, a dedicated Medicare advisor, in-home notary services, and waiver transportation and non-waiver/Medicaid-only transportation. This program believes in keeping family members in their own homes or with caregivers rather than placing them in nursing homes, and advocates for maintaining familiar connections.

Alms Home Care also provides free caregiving coaching and attendant care, also known as Home Maker, which ensures eligible caregivers receive hourly compensation for their services.

Alms Home Care is based out of 5625 N. German Church Road, Unit #2275. For more information or to check services and eligibility, visit almshomecare.com. To get in contact, email info@almshcs.org or call 317-730-0186 or 317-721-1128.

Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx. If you would like your business highlighted by the Indiana Minority Business Magazine, email chloegm@indyrecorder.com.

Minority Business Highlight: Angela’s Hair Design  

Hanna Rauworth
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Minority Business Highlight: Angela’s Hair Design  

Angela’s Hair Design is a family-owned salon brand built around personalized hair care, community service and long-term client relationships. 

Based on its official history, the business began in 1994 in Bloomington, Indiana, starting with a small team and a modest space before growing into a multi-generational, family-run operation. The salon emphasizes that it has evolved over time while maintaining its original focus on hands-on service and client care.  

Today, Angela’s Hair Design operates as a full-service salon and barbershop offering cuts, styling and grooming services for men, women and children. The business highlights its ability to serve all hair types and textures, with a focus on creating a welcoming environment for clients looking for both routine maintenance and full style transformations.  

(Photo/Angela’s Hair Design)

The salon is led by Angela Carter, who is described as the founder and a central figure in the business’s growth. Carter and her team emphasize professional skills paired with a family-oriented atmosphere, aiming to provide a space where clients feel comfortable and supported throughout their appointments.  

Angela’s Hair Design also operates with a strong community presence, positioning itself as more than just a salon by emphasizing relationships with clients and a consistent commitment to service. Over the years, it has maintained its Bloomington roots while continuing to serve a broad and diverse clientele.  

More information can be found at https://angelashairdesign.wixsite.com/angelas. 

Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth. If you would like your business highlighted by the Indiana Minority Business Magazine, email newsroom@indyrecorder.com. 

Minority Business Highlight: Divine Grace Fashion Hub, LLC

MALIK SIMON
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Minority Business Highlight: Divine Grace Fashion Hub, LLC

Divine Grace Fashion Hub LLC is an online fashion and lifestyle boutique focused on offering apparel and accessories.

The boutique sells accessories such as bracelets, earrings and necklaces.

“We curate high-quality fashion and accessories, including pieces handmade in Ghana exclusively for our boutique. Our collections blend modern design with timeless appeal, inspiring women, men and children to express confidence, individuality, and undeniable presence,” the company states on its website.

Andrea Akuffo is the owner and founder of Divine Grace Fashion Hub. Akuffo’s mission is to empower individuals and families through fashion that enhances confidence, embraces individuality and reflects divine grace.

“Divine Grace Fashion Hub was created through faith, determination, and a deep passion for empowering others through style and grace. Thank you for embracing this vision and allowing us to be part of your journey. The best is yet to come,” Akuffo said in the website’s founder message.

Customers looking for more selections from this boutique can find outerwear such as jackets, apparel and other accessories on the website’s catalogue.

For more information visit divinegracefashion.com/.

Staff Writer Malik Simon created this highlight. If you would like your business highlighted in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine, contact him at 317-762-7847 or via email at maliks@indyrecorder.com. 

Minority Business Highlight: Kurlykoils

CHLOE McGOWAN
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0
Minority Business Highlight: Kurlykoils

Kurlykoils, an Indy-based luxury curl salon, is helping Hoosiers embrace their natural hair.

Brittany Davidson, owner and curl specialist, earned her cosmetology license in 2007 but shifted her focus to natural hair in 2015. Davidson later opened Kurlykoils in 2016 as a thriving, forward-thinking salon that aims to help Hoosiers “embrace their natural hair as it grows from their head,” according to the website. 

“We are passionate about spreading awareness surrounding toxic ingredients in cosmetics with the goal to make beauty safer for all,” the website states. “We value our clients and truly look at our relationship between clients and stylists as partners. As your Curl Partner, we look to align with your goals and concerns, create a suitable at home and salon routine and help you live your best natural hair life.”

READ MORE: Minority Business Highlight: CC Bodycare: Exfoliating Body Scrubs for Beauty & Wellness

The skilled team of stylists at Kurlykoils includes Alayah Shabazz, Raelyn Murphy and Noel Willis, each of whom specializes in custom curly cuts and custom colors, promoting self-love and self-acceptance so clients can celebrate their healthy, natural hair. 

Services for both new and returning clients include flat twists and two-strand twists, express curly cuts, customized curly cuts and a wash and define service. Clients can also add on a variety of services, including a blowout and a trim, True Enlightenment Scalp Scrub, color refresher toner, a nourishing hair mask treatment or a scalp rejuvenation treatment.

Each service includes a consultation; for clients who only wish to talk, a $25 consultation is available to book, during which clients meet with a stylist to discuss hair, product or routine recommendations for themselves or a loved one, according to the website.

Parents with children ages 6-12 can sign up for Kurlykoils’ personalized 1-on-1 Children’s Workshop, where they’ll learn more about their child’s hair by styling or assisting their child (age-dependent) with a stylist’s help and tips. Parents will learn how to properly shampoo and condition, detangle and style their child’s hair, along with product recommendations.

Kurlykoils is dedicated to serving the Indianapolis community, but often has clients visit from surrounding cities and states, according to the website.

 Kurlykoils salon is located at 4151 Boulevard Place. For more information or to book an appointment, visit kurlykoils.com. To get in contact, email info@kurlykoils.com or call 317-974-9082

Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx. If you would like your business highlighted by the Indiana Minority Business Magazine, email chloegm@indyrecorder.com.

Minority Business Highlight: TR Fit Clubs 

Hanna Rauworth
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0
Minority Business Highlight: TR Fit Clubs 

TR Fit Clubs is a fitness company built around structured group workouts, coaching and a system designed to make training more accessible for a wide range of fitness levels. 

According to the company’s own history, the TR model is centered on a training approach that combines power, cardio and core work through guided classes and digital programming. The method is built to help members improve strength, endurance and overall fitness through consistent, structured workouts.  

At its core, TR Fit Clubs emphasizes coach-led sessions and simplified movement patterns, with an emphasis on scalability so participants can modify workouts based on experience and ability. The company highlights that its classes are designed to be beginner-friendly while still challenging for more experienced members.  

Beyond in-person training, TR Fit Clubs also expanded into digital programming through its TR3 online platform, which delivers structured 12-week workouts focused on strength, fat loss and cardiovascular conditioning. The program follows the same “power, cardio and core” framework used in its classes.  

(Photo/TR Fit)

The business also incorporates branded equipment, including its “Total Resistance” system, which is used in workouts and marketed as a scalable training tool for added resistance in exercises.  

Today, TR Fit Clubs operates as a hybrid fitness brand, combining in-studio classes, digital training and structured programs aimed at helping members track progress and maintain consistency through guided fitness plans.  

More information is available at https://trfitclubs.com/the-tr-story/. 

Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth. If you would like your business highlighted by the Indiana Minority Business Magazine, email newsroom@indyrecorder.com. 

Minority Business Highlight: Circle City Event Rentals & Consulting

MALIK SIMON
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0
Minority Business Highlight: Circle City Event Rentals & Consulting

Circle City Event Rentals & Consulting is a full-scale event planning service that offers decor conception and coordination for clients.

Circle City Event Rentals & Consulting Services, originally established as Nosaj Events in 2018, was born from a genuine passion for helping others create meaningful moments.

“Our mission is to execute the client’s vision, efficiently, with the same quality, professionalism and class, with each service provided, no matter the client’s race, religion, sex or creed. Everyone deserves a chance to celebrate,” the company website states.

Circle City Event Rentals & Consulting Services owner Crystal Gibson is an entrepreneur and nurse from Indianapolis. After nine years in business, she and her team continue to scale Circle City Event Rentals & Consulting, vowing to be one of “the most sought-after events and interior design companies in the mid-west.”​​

The business also offers a wide range of balloon art and accommodates custom printing needs for clients. For customers looking for convenience, this company offers what they call “portable parties on demand,” that can deliver quality, budget alternatives.

For more information visit circlecityeventrentals.com/.

Staff Writer Malik Simon created this highlight. If you would like your business highlighted in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine, contact him at 317-762-7847 or via email at maliks@indyrecorder.com. 

Minority Business Highlight: Marsha’s Specialty Desserts & Tierney’s Catering

CHLOE McGOWAN
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0
Minority Business Highlight: Marsha’s Specialty Desserts & Tierney’s Catering

Marsha’s Specialty Desserts & Tierney’s Catering has been serving Hoosiers sweet treats for more than 30 years. 

Owned and operated by Marsha Quarles and her family, Masha’s Specialty Desserts first opened its storefront in October 2010. Since then, the family has prided itself on being a one-stop shop for all catering needs — from plated meals for weddings, box lunches for orientations, tiered cakes, and assorted dessert bars, according to the website.

Everything, from sweet to savory and in between, is prepared fresh every day, and all items are available for customization for special occasions, including baby showers, anniversaries, weddings and graduations.

READ MORE: Minority Business Highlight: CC Bodycare: Exfoliating Body Scrubs for Beauty & Wellness

In addition to a breakfast, lunch, dinner and children’s catering menu, Marsha’s Specialty Desserts offers a variety of customizable cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, pies, brownies, cobblers, cookies and grazing tables.

Marsha’s Specialty Desserts & Tierney’s Catering prides itself in being a member of Indiana Grown and an Indiana Certified Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise. The business was also juried into Indiana Artisan, featured in the Indiana Artisan Marketplace in Carmel, Indiana and was the Indianapolis Zoo’s Zoobilation People’s Choice Award Winner in 2018 and 2019.

Marsha’s Specialty Desserts & Tierney’s Catering is located at 10834 E. US Highway 36 in Avon. The storefront is open by appointment only, but the Quarles family can be found at pop-ups and festivals around Indianapolis, including the HBCU All-Stars Game in April 2026, the Juneteenth Foodways Festival, the Indiana State Fair and the Avon Gardens Peony Festival.

For more information or to order online, visit marshasspecialtydesserts.com. To get in contact, call 317-271-8300 or email sales@MarshasSpecialtyDesserts.com.

This business highlight is presented in partnership with the HBCU All-Stars.

Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx. If you would like your business highlighted by the Indiana Minority Business Magazine, email chloegm@indyrecorder.com.

Minority Business Highlight: Powers & Sons Construction 

Hanna Rauworth
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0
Minority Business Highlight: Powers & Sons Construction 

Powers & Sons Construction is a third-generation, family-owned construction firm based in Indiana that has grown into one of the Midwest’s most established general contractors and construction management companies. 

Founded in 1967 in Gary, Indiana, the company began as a residential homebuilder before expanding into commercial, industrial and institutional construction. Over time, it widened its footprint with offices in Indianapolis and Chicago, allowing it to serve clients across Indiana and Illinois.  

Today, Powers & Sons provides general contracting, construction management, design-build and owner’s representative services across a wide range of sectors, including education, health care, public works, hospitality and housing development.  

(Photo/Powers and Sons Construction)

The company has completed major projects throughout the region, including work tied to the Indiana Convention Center expansion, Indianapolis International Airport and large-scale redevelopment and housing initiatives. It has also played a role in affordable housing developments and public infrastructure projects in both Indianapolis and Chicago. 

With a workforce that includes engineers, project managers and skilled trades professionals, Powers & Sons emphasizes collaboration, safety and community impact as core values.  

Now operating for more than five decades, the firm reports more than $1 billion in completed work since its founding and continues to position itself as a key minority-owned construction leader in the region.  

More information is available at https://powersandsons.com/. 

Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth. If you would like your business highlighted by the Indiana Minority Business Magazine, email newsroom@indyrecorder.com. 

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