Grant Simms created Smerbo to spend more time with his grandmother, allowing him to grow a hand-sewn clothing brand from family time.
“I really think just watching my Grand C and hearing all the stories about her making clothes …then after my grandfather died, it was having the time to sit down with her one-on-one and have her teach me,” Simms said.
“Smerbo” is a nickname given to him by friends, and he used it as his brand name to signify the connection between his clothing and himself.
“The fact that I’m making a lot of the clothes myself and putting my own spin on every piece, it’s kind of like my signature at the end … just like when you go to an art museum, you’ll see a signature on the front or back of the paintings, so I just felt like using my nickname is my signature for pieces I was making by hand,” Simms said.
He started by learning how to make women’s shirts and sold his first pieces with a release of multiple 1/1 lace hoodies.
His creative direction stems from his love of dressing and clothes while also thinking about what people may want to wear.
The marketing behind Smerbo is based on his focus on creating quality products so when someone goes out in one of his pieces, they speak for themselves and drive people to buy.
Now, he says his brand is starting to grow in Indianapolis, but he wants to continue to be a student of fashion and design and eventually make Smerbo a household name around the world. To see his work and buy a piece, go to www.Smerbo.com.
This minority business highlight was composed by Garrett Simms at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at [317-762-7847] or via email at garretts@indyrecorder.com. If you would like your business highlighted in the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, click here
“Due to the recent news of the City Market closure next year, [T Street Eatz’s] foot traffic, sales and catering inquiry has decreased tremendously causing it to be very challenging to support the business and myself personally,” said founder Tasha Claytor.
She said that although she has lost a lot during this process, she is optimistic that the business will survive this tough time through the support and services they provide, the quality of their products and new added adjustments, along with having their brand on several platforms.
They are seeking funding and support needed to continue to serve their community in a healthy, smarter way, and they would love to have the opportunity to transition into a more stable, safe, customer-ideal location that can meet the needs of their high demand of catering.
To book, visit their website www.tstreeteatzindy.com or Call 317-720-9495. Visit T Street Eatz’s physical location before it closes inside of City Market, 222 E Market St.
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!
Many businesses struggle to grow or remain profitable because of people challenges in their organization. These challenges exist in part because they don’t have proven HR strategies and systems to attract, engage, and retain top talent. That shouldn’t be the case!
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While going into his senior year of college, Nathan Meriwether and his team started Get Better Academy (GBA), a basketball training organization, to address some of the missing elements of training he saw as a college basketball player.
“We started GBA because of the mindset of always getting better at something in your life, from a physical level, a mental level and, most importantly, from a spiritual level.”
Now, three years later, at 24 years old he has built GBA with his mentor and partner, PJ Boutte (PJ TRAINING), and has worked with over a hundred players, from 5 years old to overseas pros.
“It never was a solo effort. I wouldn’t be here without the collective unit that helped me start in the beginning.”
Meriwether’s training style combines building a personal relationship with players while still keeping his basketball skills sharp daily to back up the advice he gives his players. He talks to his players’ parents, connects basketball to real-life lessons and uses his youth and basketball talent to relate to them.
“I focus on the skills and essentials of life before basketball. Once I focus on that, then I tie it into basketball, not the other way around,” Meriwether said.
Meriwether and his team built GBA on word of mouth. What started with one client grew because, as Nate put it, “You don’t need to sell a good product.” When people see the players he trains get better, it makes more people want to see how Meriwether is doing it.
He also credits his lack of social media use to keeping everything he is doing strictly about the players he trains and not putting himself in a box. While he is a successful basketball trainer, he is also a successful businessman.
If you want to see GBAs work or get training yourself, follow @gbaindy on Instagram.
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.
“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!
The Regional Development Company (RDC), headquartered in Valparaiso, Ind., announced their 2023 year-end accomplishments and lender awards at their Annual Membership Meeting held on November 9, 2023. The Regional Development Company is a non-profit organization and Certified Development Company (CDC) that administers the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 504 Loan Program for small business growth.
The Regional Development Company had 12 loans approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration, which brought a total of $19 million in U.S. Small Business Administration funding to local companies. Of those loans, five were to women owned businesses, two were to minority-owned businesses, one was to a veteran-owned business and three were to rural businesses. The Regional Development Company partners with local banking institutions to provide business financing for large capital projects. The Regional Development Company funded 18 loans in 2023, helping bring $25 million of capital investment into communities and were a catalyst in the creation of 107 jobs in the states of Indiana and Illinois.
“The 504 loan program continues to be a great solution to provide long-term, fixed rate financing for major fixed assets. The RDC provides outstanding community-based support for these projects throughout the Region, and we are proud to have them as an SBA partner,” said Stacey Poynter, Indiana District Director for the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Awards were given at the event to the top referring lenders to the Regional Development Company. Centier Bank was awarded the Bank of the Year Award with three loans and $3,195,000 in referral dollars. The 2023 Lender of the Year awards were presented to Tim Warner of Centier Bank who referred $1462,000 in SBA loan dollars and to Bill Gertner of Horizon Bank, for referring two loans each to the RDC in 2023. Lenders inducted into the Millionaires Club, an exclusive group of lenders who have referred loans of $1 million or more, included Dan Duncan and Ron Knestrict of Peoples Bank. A new award was also added to recognize those individuals in non-sales positions. Laura Holesapple of Centier Bank was the first recipient of the Support Person of the Year award.
“Ninety percent financing allows our customers to retain more of their funds for working capital needs, and the long-term fixed interest rate mitigates the risk of increasing payments during the life of the loan,” said Erica Dombey, President and Executive Director of the Regional Development Company. “Banks benefit from the collateral structure, which allows them to maintain a 50% loan-to-value on the project real estate or equipment. With a 25-year fixed interest rate lower than bank rates, this is the best loan for any business owner looking to buy, build or refinance owner-occupied commercial real estate.”
For more information about the Regional Development Company or the U.S. SBA 504 Loan Program, please call the Regional Development Company at 219-476-0504 (Indiana) or 708-960-3177 (Illinois) or visit www.rdc504.org.
A’Bryanna Williams is the creator and founder of HBH (Hello Beautiful Hair) Professionals, a hair care line for textured hair. She has been a local stylist since 2014.
In 2020, she went back to school to learn formulas for proper hair care.
“So, on this side of the industry, when it comes to professional brands that are made by Black people for Black people, they don’t exist. There aren’t any Black curators or products that are made specifically for Black and African American hair,” said Williams.
“I wanted to step into this because I was tired of mixing the concoction and doing all of these different products to get what I needed for my clients’ hair.”
She already owns and operates Hello Beautiful Hair Salon, where she uses her products.
Her brand was built on a core foundation of compassion, respect and a love for delivering happiness.
Williams strives to fulfill the needs of women in search of endless healthy hair results.
From the consultative start to the remarkable finish, she said the company’s top goal is to ensure the health and beauty of clients’ hair.
They are located at 4202 West 56th St. in Indianapolis.
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!
Local fashion brand MELI is working to change the way Hoosiers think about streetwear.
Created by founder and creative director Monty Matuka, MELI stands for “More Equality, Less Ignorance.” Matuka launched the sophisticated streetwear brand in 2020 with the goal of designing and using clothing to elevate the community by articulating themes of confidence and mindfulness and in turn, inspiring those who wear MELI clothing.
MELI hosts community-centered events, workshops and First Friday pop-ups and is active with Circle City Storytellers to help provide a platform for others to share their stories. The luxury clothing brand also “seeks to promote equality and cross-cultural awareness” — which is what inspired MELI’s partnership with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 2023 Indy 500.
The collaboration — called MELI Motorsports — was inspired by the history of auto racing and aimed to pay homage to minority trailblazers in the sport. The line, which is still available on MELI’s website, includes clothing items with motorsport-themed graphics and designs that include a more urban take on classic racing jackets and vintage racing t-shirts.
For more information about MELI, visitmeli-intl.com or visit the MELI Showroom in Fountain Square, located at 43 Virginia Ave.
This minority business highlight was composed by CHLOE McGOWAN at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at 317-762-7848 or via email at chloegm@indyrecorder.com. If you would like your business highlighted in the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, click here!
Dr. Ngonzi Truth Crushshon is a licensed psychologist with a mental health private practice located in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 15 years of experience, she provides mental health therapy in community health clinics, psychiatric emergency rooms and private practices.
Dr. Truth and Associates, LLC is a safe space for clients to heal by exploring new ways of thinking, feeling and behaving through culturally-affirming, solution-focused mental health therapy services. Crushshon and her team motivate clients to develop into the most healed version of themselves by breaking longstanding generational patterns of trauma, poverty-thinking, disease and emotional dysregulation. The goal of treatment is to empower clients with daily rituals and strategies to live life more aligned with their life purpose.
Crushshon wears numerous hats: She is a former professor of neuropsychology and child/adolescent psychology, three-time-author (“Shift,” “Grace” and “Black Girls Cry: 10 Strategies to Cope with Grief of a Close Loved One”) and the creator of grief healing baskets/grief healing workshops that have helped hundreds of individuals in their grief, healing and release journey after the death of a loved one. Her journey as “the grief doctor” was a result of the death of her Aunt Jay, whom she shares about in her book “Black Girls Cry.”
Virtual sessions are available. To enlist Crushshon’s services as a life coach for executive women in emotional wellness, contact Truth by visiting www.drtruthcoaching.com or 501-500-HOPE (4673).
This minority business highlight was composed by Multimedia Staff Reporter Braxton Babb at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at (317)762-7854 or via email at BraxtonB@IndyRecorder.com. If you would like your business highlighted in the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, click here!
Fight for Life Foundation, founded by former Indianapolis Colt Marlin Jackson, receives $200,000 grant
(INDIANAPOLIS) – November 7, 2023 – Fight for Life Foundation (FFL), an Indianapolis not for profit organization that helps underserved youth develop by providing social-emotional learning programs, has been awarded a $200,000 Elevation Grant. The Elevation Grant Program is a partnership between The Indianapolis Foundation, Mayor Joe Hogsett, and the City-County Council with a goal to decrease crime and increase opportunity. Funds from the grant will support organization growth and schools’ access to the technology.
“Everything we’re able to do through Fight for Life and Building Dreams is because of community partnerships and a shared understanding that various solutions are needed in order to support students and families, as well as address underlying issues,” said former Indianapolis Colts Marlin Jackson, Fight for Life Founder & CEO. “The Fight for Life Foundation is proud to be one of many solutions being supported to provide prevention and early intervention methods for youth who are in need of guidance,” Jackson said.
In 2018, FFL created the Building Dreams platform. Building Dreams software as a service is expansive; it is packed full of features based off of education models that are commonly used: MTSS (Multi-tiered System of Supports), SEL (Social-emotional Learning), and PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports).
“Through a student-centered approach, we use a proven process to build stronger classrooms and create healthier schools. This is an aspect of mental health care and us acknowledging the zones of stress. I know firsthand how hard it can be when you enter school with stress and personal trauma,” Jackson said. “Students are facing all types of adversity, and sometimes those things can affect their focus and behavior in school.”
Currently, over 6,000 Indianapolis youth are using the Fight for Life Building Dreams program/platform across 17 sites. Some schools are directly using software modules to combat bullying, provide students with mechanisms to anonymously report (or self report) safety issues, understand the needs of their students, teach critical social-emotional learning competencies, and more. There is also a unique communication portal similar to social media, where students can safely interact with each other, communicate with school leaders. Each school that licenses Building Dreams has the autonomy to customize the way it’s implemented to best fit the needs of the culture and climate.
“One of our PBIS tools includes the ability for teachers and students to document and reinforce positive behavior through a gamified system,” said Anna Sutter, FFL Director of Program Management . “By using football terms like “First Downs” and “Extra Points,” students are able to get excited about participating in prosocial and safe interactions with their peers and teachers at school.”
Funds used from the Elevation Grant will support Building Dreams technology development (such as the creation of new behavior tracking modules) and organizational growth, including the hiring of an implementation specialist.
Once hired, an implementation specialist will further help schools expand their access to the software. This person will provide the proper integration into the organization’s existing systems and may train employees. They will also support efforts to ensure Building Dreams is meeting the needs of those using the software.
The Elevation Grant was made possible through the City of Indianapolis’ allocation out of the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, CFDA No.21.027, created by Section 9901 of the American Rescue Plan Act, Pub. L. No. 117-2 (March, 11, 2021).
According to The Indianapolis Foundation, the purpose of the grant is to address the root causes of violent crime in Indianapolis through a comprehensive approach, including empowering youth, community building, interventions, and healing to reduce initial or chronic interaction with criminal and/or juvenile justice systems and increase the safety of Indianapolis residents and their neighborhoods by reducing risk factors or increasing protective factors.
To learn more about Fight for Life Foundation and its Building Dreams app, visit FightForLifeFoundation.org.
About Fight for Life Foundation (FFL) Founded in 2007, by former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Marlin Jackson, the Fight For Life Foundation helps underserved youth develop the social and emotional qualities needed for success. Since that time it has grown from the vision of founder Marlin Jackson into an independent 501(c)3 organization delivering services to vulnerable youth by providing social-emotional learning programs to more than 12,741 underserved youth. In 2018, FFL created Building Dreams, a comprehensive social-emotional learning (SEL) program that equips administrators with the data they need to support their teachers and students with resources to improve classroom management and student behavior issues. This includes engaging students with a fun, gamified program that rewards their responsible decision making and ultimately helps meet their needs. FFL’s mission is to help deserving but underserved youth develop the social and emotional qualities needed to be successful. FFLF programs use technology, education, enriching experiences, and wellness activities as the foundation for positive youth development. For more information, visit: FightForLifeFoundation.org
About Marlin Jackson Marlin Jackson is a former Indianapolis Colts cornerback. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, a social entrepreneur, and a lifelong-learner who sees every experience and encounter as an opportunity for learning. As a former collegiate and professional athlete, Marlin was groomed and developed within a structured, organized, and challenging environment. This experience of learning, in the classroom and in the arena of collegiate and professional football, caused Marlin to develop a unique perspective and skill set that is embedded in structure, organization, time-management, leadership, creativity, and passion. Over the years, Marlin has proven himself to be a goal-oriented, disciplined, and driven person who can do whatever is needed to help himself and others succeed. He has displayed these qualities throughout his life as a captain on the University of Michigan football team, in the National Football League with the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles, as a sports analyst and sports radio show co-host, and now, as President of Fight for Life Foundation, Revive Investments, Revive Property Group, MarlinJ28, and Prepare to Succeed. In 2012, Marlin married his beautiful wife, Mrs. Nikki Jackson. Together, they have three smart, handsome, loving boys: Camden, Kingston, and Kash Jackson. Mr. Jackson is extremely passionate about his faith, family, and occupational purposes in life.
