Marion County residents and visitors can now make short point-to-point trips throughout Indianapolis without spending a penny on gas. BlueIndy today put into service the first 50 of an eventual 500 electric vehicles that provide convenient, cleaner transportation with the swipe of a membership card.
This is the first-of-its-kind electric car sharing service in the U.S. by the Bolloré Group of France, which already operates car sharing services in several other cities, including the world’s largest EV sharing service: Autolib’, in Paris.
“Indianapolis is the perfect home for our first venture into the American market”, said Cédric Bolloré, Vice President for Development. “Indy has a vibrant downtown, thriving neighborhoods, and a population that demands innovation and cleaner alternatives to car ownership, and transit options.”
The Bluecars run on Lithium Metal Polymer (LMP) batteries developed by Bolloré and have a range of 120 miles between charges. They create zero emissions, and integrate innovative technology to make their use convenient, safe and simple.
“Indianapolis is home to a growing tech sector, arts and cultural attractions, first rate medical and educational institutions, and thriving neighborhoods”, said Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. “I am delighted to welcome BlueIndy as a clean, affordable transit option to help connect visitors and residents with all that Indy has to offer.”
As of today, 125 parking spaces are equipped with charge points. Reserved parking spots mean no need to look for parking. As BlueIndy builds out across the city, customers will be able to take advantage of up to 1,000 parking spaces in 200 BlueIndy stations outfitted with charging infrastructure and easy-to-use customer kiosks. With a membership card in hand, drivers will simply swipe their card across the BlueIndy car windshield. The car will automatically unlock and welcome the driver back to BlueIndy with their own favorite radio stations stored from previous trips. The standard BlueIndy membership costs $9.99 per month. Members pay four dollars for the first 20 minutes they use the car, and 20 cents for each minute thereafter. Membership can be obtained via BlueIndy’s website (www.blue-indy.com) or at BlueIndy enrollment kiosks. A BlueIndy smartphone app is also available. Memberships may be purchased for a day, a week, a month, or a year.
“Based on our experience in Paris, Bordeaux, and Lyon, we expect the average car sharing transaction to be about 20 minutes”, said Bolloré. “Indianapolis will benefit from technology and processes proven in Paris for the last four years. Now Indy will be the model for North America.”
BlueIndy expects to provide up to 100 full-time jobs through the end of 2016, as skilled union trades workers install electrical and telecom infrastructure in dozens of neighborhoods and commercial centers. An additional 100 full-time employees will work for BlueIndy in time as ambassadors, dispatchers, and service technicians.
BlueIndy’s car sharing service is a perfect complement to the city’s long-term public transit strategy, which includes expansion of IndyGo and bicycle lanes. BlueIndy will also help attract professional talent to the city’s employer base, and help central Indiana move more quickly away from fossil fuels as an energy source for public transportation.
Indiana University Health President and Chief Executive Officer Daniel F. Evans, Jr. announced his plan for retirement. Evans will relinquish his role as president but will continue to serve as the statewide health system’s CEO until May 1, 2016. As part of the succession plan, current IU Health Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dennis M. Murphy will be promoted to president of the organization, effective immediately, and become CEO as well on May 1, 2016. Murphy will continue to serve as COO until a successor is named.
A historic legacy of growth and expansion
In his 13 years as the system’s president and CEO, Dan Evans has overseen the expansion of the IU Health system from three hospitals in downtown Indianapolis to a unified statewide health system of nearly 20 hospitals and health centers that treat more than 2.5 million patients a year. Throughout his tenure, IU Health has consistently been included in the prestigious U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals rankings, which also recognizes IU Health as the No. 1 hospital in the state of Indiana. Other milestones include the opening of the world-class IU Health Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, the IU Health Neuroscience Center and the Riley Hospital for Children Simon Family Tower at IU Health.
Evans has been an enthusiastic proponent of the recently announced plan for a regional academic health campus in Bloomington and helped lead the development of the Strategic Research Initiative (SRI), a five-year, $150 million collaboration between IU Health and IU School of Medicine that was created to advance research and produce innovative treatments for patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders.
Evans is a well-known presence in both the federal and the state public policy communities as an advocate for health and wellness programs and high-quality, accessible healthcare. He has been deeply involved in numerous legislative healthcare matters and advocated for the renewal of the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), which provides access to affordable healthcare for more low-income, working Hoosiers. Evans also pushed for continued government funding of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program to support the education and training of much-needed future physicians.
More recently, Evans announced a $1 billion investment in a new adult academic health center in downtown Indianapolis, which will serve as the system’s principal referral center for patients with severe illnesses and complex cases, serving as a major part of IU Health’s statewide organized system of care.
“Under Dan’s remarkable tenure as CEO, IU Health has evolved into one of the finest hospital systems in the country and one that is steadfastly devoted to providing Indiana residents the highest possible standard of care,” said Michael A. McRobbie, Ph.D, president, Indiana University. “The deep partnership between Indiana University and IU Health is vital to both institutions—as well as to the state of Indiana—and Dan’s determined leadership and commitment to creating a world-class academic health enterprise has been critical to our combined success.”
Throughout his tenure, Evans has also been faithful to IU Health’s relationship with the United Methodist Church and facilitated the addition of United Methodist leaders to hospital boards throughout the system. He led fundraising efforts resulting in an endowed Evans Center for Religious and Spiritual Values, and recently secured significant funding for the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church to support important health, wellness and psychological services for the church’s clergy, which enables them to better lead their parishioners.
“One of Dan’s lifelong passions has been the United Methodist Church,” said Bishop Michael J. Coyner of the Indiana Area United Methodist Church. “His board leadership during the formation of Clarian Health and his executive leadership as CEO of IU Health have deepened and sustained the health and welfare mission of the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church in remarkable ways. I look forward to working with Dennis Murphy going forward. He, too, deeply appreciates the religious roots of our medical mission and will be an excellent partner on this journey.”
“Dan’s vision and leadership have built IU Health into one of the most respected and skilled healthcare systems in the nation,” said Anne Nobles, chair, IU Health Board of Directors. “We are grateful for his sustained leadership and positive influence on the organization. During this transition period, Dan and Dennis will work together to continue the momentum they have created to keep IU Health strong and able to deliver on our mission of improving the lives of our patients, families and communities.”
A vision for innovation and success
Evans’ successor, Dennis Murphy, is also a highly experienced healthcare leader. Murphy joined IU Health in 2013 as its executive vice president and chief operating officer after serving in a similar role at Northwestern Memorial HealthCare in Chicago. There, he led the implementation of key systemwide initiatives, which resulted in consistent multi-year improvements in patient satisfaction, cost reduction, clinical program mix and key clinical quality initiatives. Murphy worked extensively across its medical school, practice plan and affiliated private physicians to ensure the long-term development of key clinical, research and education programs, and was responsible for the opening of a 328-bed, $507 million replacement women’s hospital.
Previously, Murphy held leadership positions at several of the nation’s top hospitals and academic health systems, including the University of Chicago Medicine and a 10-year stint at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
“The board is confident that Dennis is the right leader to continue our transformation as the preeminent leader in clinical care, education, research and service,” said Nobles. “Dennis has tremendous career experience from other healthcare systems and has a history of delivering impactful results. At IU Health, he has built a reputation for collaboration and, in a time of ferocious industry change, he is leading major system operational improvements so IU Health can meet the needs of our patients and the communities we serve.”
“We sought Dennis out because of the breadth and depth of his experience, his track record of innovation and success, and his proven leadership skills,” said Evans. “I’ve grown even more deeply impressed with him as we’ve worked side-by-side for the past two years. We are indeed fortunate to have a nationally recognized leader like Dennis to lead IU Health into the future.”
Evans added that he is “grateful for the thousands of colleagues and team members I’ve worked with over the past 13 years; we’ve accomplished a lot as we worked together to provide our patients with the best possible healthcare experience.
“Much more remains to be done,” continued Evans. “I leave knowing there is no one more capable or better positioned than Dennis to lead IU Health into the future and to the next level of success.”
Since joining IU Health, Murphy has been responsible for leading the design of IU Health’s new organizational structure and process improvement efforts that will enable the system to fulfill its mission in a dynamic, ever-changing healthcare environment. He’s also been instrumental in the expansion of IU Health Plans and its application of the population health model of care, which enhances the relationship between patients and their providers and seeks to keep patients healthier by better managing chronic conditions and overcoming obstacles to improved health.Additionally, Murphy has been working closely with IU School of Medicine Dean Jay Hess, M.D., Ph.D, to enhance alignment between the two institutions for the benefit of patients.
“During his time at IU Health, Dennis has proven to be an outstanding collaborator who has worked extremely well with the leadership at the IU School of Medicine to promote our shared vision of how best to positively affect health outcomes across the state,” said McRobbie. “His impeccable background as a health administrator and demonstrated success as COO of IU Health make him an ideal choice to lead this critically important institution during a time of dramatic change, and I look forward to working closely with him in the future.”
“I am honored to have been selected for this incredible opportunity,” said Murphy. “I am eager to continue the work of bringing groups of committed individuals together so they can grow to know and trust one another as they collaborate to find solutions that help to improve the health of the patients and communities we serve.”
Experts like psychologist and Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman say the key to entrepreneurship is one’s state of mind. While factors such as the type of business, products and services offered play a significant role in the success of a company, experts contend the owner’s mindset is what will prove most beneficial in the long-term.
Most experts also agree that a successful entrepreneur must have willpower. Willpower is what will initially give an individual the courage to step out on faith and execute the idea formulated in their mind. Willpower is what will give someone the courage to continue despite a low initial return on investment. And when that budding entrepreneur is feeling discouraged and frustrated, willpower is what will bring them out of that dark state and into the light.
There has been on-going debate in the business world about entrepreneurs and it can be summed up in one question: Are entrepreneurs born or made? I tend to believe the latter. There is no mistake about it; there are some entrepreneurs who have an innate ability to succeed. It is a characteristic they are born with and such distinctive gift has proved well for them professionally. But being born void of “the gift” does not prevent someone from becoming an entrepreneur.
I dare to say that not having an innate ability makes a person that much more determined to succeed because, perhaps in a small way, they think the odds are stacked against them. One’s personal circumstances can also help them determine whether or not they would like to pursue entrepreneurship. I have a friend who lives in an incredibly competitive city, and though she is highly qualified, securing permanent positions that utilized her vast skills was difficult.
So, instead, she set out to form her own education consulting business. For her, failure was not an option. She had to succeed because her life and the lives of her two young daughters depended on the success of her company. Four years later, she is more financially-comfortable and personally-fulfilled than she has ever been. My friend’s success as well as the success of other entrepreneurs I’ve encountered can be contributed in large part to willpower.
Nearly all of them said there were times they almost threw in the towel, but their determination to stay on the course kicked in, resulting in a vengeance that made them even more motivated. Willpower is significant. It can erase doubt, combat naysayers, inspire investors and stimulate growth. Willpower is a tool and should be used as such.
This issue of Indiana Minority Business Magazine features entrepreneurs who used willpower to not only launch their companies, but also to help navigate them through challenging times once their businesses got off the ground. You will learn each entrepreneur’s road to success, some bumps in the road they experienced, as well as advice they offer burgeoning entrepreneurs.
Whether you’re looking to start your own business or find pleasure in climbing the ladder of pre-existing companies, having willpower will help you accomplish your goals. I hope you find this issue of IMBM as compelling and motivating as our staff does. Here’s to you finding and utilizing your sheer determination to succeed!
Just 50 miles east of Chicago, the city of Valparaiso offers a range of entertainment, educational and business resources to its community of about 30,000 residents. The city is also home to the nationally acclaimed Valparaiso University, which has repeatedly been rated a top university in the Midwest. Other universities such as Purdue and Notre Dame are headquartered nearby.
Also known as “Valpo” and the “Vale of Paradise,” Valparaiso has a plethora of parks, golf, courses, bike trails and city fairs to enjoy. Following is an overview of some of the options Valparaiso has to offer.
ATTRACTIONS
Chicago Street Theatre: Celebrating its 61st season of producing first-class live theatre for Valparaiso and the greater Northwest Indiana region, Chicago Street Theatre is an award-winning company that seats 130 people. The theatre has welcomed productions such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Frankenstein,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and many more.
First Thursdays: The first Thursday of each month from 5-10 p.m. is a time for local residents and visitors to please their palate while enjoying a stroll through the streets of downtown Valparaiso. Over 10 restaurants and bars offer $5 food and drinks specials.
Music lovers are invited to enjoy the sounds of the summer at the Rhapsody Music Festival beginning every Thursday in July at 7 p.m. in Central Park Plaza. Attendees are encouraged to bring their picnic baskets, blankets or chairs and music-loving family and friends. Admission is free.
Thirty-seven years and counting, the Valparaiso Popcorn Festival has been named the “Best Festival of the Region” by The Times newspaper and continues to offer family-fun activities for all ages. The festival hosts over 250 arts and crafts vendors, over 30 food booths, kids’ games, two live music stages and the nation’s first Popcorn Parade. This year, the event will be held September 12 from 7 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
The Fall Harvest Festival held in downtown Valparaiso is a two-day event full of costumes, tricks, treats and more for the entire family. The event will begin on October 16 from 4–6 p.m. with Trick-or-Treating. The following day Valpo Parks Department’s 3rd Annual Monster Dash 1K will take place.
In 1995 this 1850s home was remodeled to include 11 spacious suites with king or 2-queen beds, Jacuzzi for two, fireplace, lazy ceiling fan, patio or balcony and over-sized private bath. A three-course breakfast is served during the morning hours, dessert is served in the evening and unlimited snacks and beverages are available. An 18-hole championship golf course surrounds the Inn, salon spa and restaurant adjacent.
3158 S. State Road 2, Valparaiso, Ind. / (219) 465-3753. / Innataberdeen.com.
Pikk’s Inn
With a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars, Pikk’s Inn is conveniently located at 62 West Lincolnway above Pikk’s Tavern in historic downtown Valparaiso. The two guest rooms offer king and queen beds, flat screen TVs, hardwood floors and room service. With a close proximity to Valparaiso University, this bed and breakfast is perfect for family, friends and business professionals visiting the institution.
With five suites, fireplaces for winter enjoyment and double-sized whirlpools this bed and breakfast is located to the east of downtown Valparaiso. A hot country breakfast is served in the sunroom overlooking the woods, with the sounds of songbirds and feathered friends serenading and entertaining guests as they dine. Songbird Prairie also offers massages, reflexology, botanical body treatments and facials to accommodate wellness needs.
174 North County Road 600 W, Valparaiso, Ind. / (219) 759-4274. / Songbirdprairie.com.
DINING
Restaurante don Quijote
Experience Spanish cuisine at Restaurante don Quijote. The restaurant’s two chefs, natives of Spain, offer a wide variety of items such as grilled shellfish, swordfish steaks, skewered pork, Castilian style roast lamb, two versions of paella, calamares, octopus, Galician stuffed meat pastries the traditional Spanish potato omelet and much more. This eatery is complete with Spanish outdoor-style seating and European murals.
Looking for food and drink specials? Pikk’s Tavern has plenty. Tini-Tuesdays offer $5 martinis, Wednesdays has select alcoholic beverages are $3 and Thursdays, drafts on tap are half price. The menu consists of items such as Gulf shrimp, fresh oysters, Irish nachos, gumbo, seafood chowder and many more.
62 W. Lincolnway, Valparaiso, Ind. / (219) 476-4755.
Uptown Café
Uptown Café is a specialty coffee, tea and soda bar with cuisine set in a fusion of modern and classic designs. Not only are the ever-popular lattes, cappuccinos and mochas available, customers can enjoy Italian soda, white hot chocolate, sweet chai, frappes and gelato shakes. The food menu consists of breakfast burritos, flatbread pizzas, salads, soups and other snacks.
1400 E. Lincolnway, Valparaiso, Ind. (219) 246-2526.
Valley Kitchen & Bar
“Have you tasted fresh food lately?” is the question Valley Kitchen & Bar poses to all of their customers. This establishment believes the best food to eat is the food grown close to home. Valley Kitchen & Bar has a seasonal soup of the day, fried pickles, Truffle fries, a variety of entrees and several sides served family style. The dessert menu serves fried Oreos and Southern Pig Pickin’ Cake.
55 Franklin Street, Valparaiso, Ind. / (219) 531-8888.
Valpo Velvet Ice Cream Company
It all began as the Valparaiso Home Ice Company in 1920, but today most people know this establishment as Valpo Velvet Ice Cream Company. Since then the Brown family took ownership and has been operating the ice cream shop for three generations. Valpo Velvet Ice Cream Company serves up old-fashioned ice cream, hand-dipped malts and milkshakes, smoothies, gourmet sundaes and more. Over 50 flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and sorbet are available.
55-57 W. Monroe Street, Valparaiso, Ind. / (219) 464-4141.
By definition, an entrepreneur is “a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.” What many Hoosiers in the State of Indiana have learned over time is not only do those challenges cause owners to haul over financial hurdles, but mental and social ones as well.
For those who unlock the code to the glory of entrepreneurship, they discover an indescribable reward they couldn’t have found outside the walls of their typical nine to five job. Entrepreneurs discover the freedom to choose with whom their business engages with, how to master branding and marketing, hiring quality staff and most of all being “the boss” of their own masterpiece.
From major names and brands like Madame C.J. Walker who created her own hair products and John Schnatter, the creator of Papa John’s Pizza, to the sister duo of Just Pop In, Carly Swift and Mandy Selke, Hoosiers are ready to create their own and share their talents with the world. These individuals have inspired others to take risks, make mistakes, learn from their doings and most of all–flourish.
Entrepreneurship, from the outside looking in, seems to be a path encompassing many things people desire—freedom from the ball and chain of cubicles, time clocks and bosses, being at the top of the list—yet forego upon realizing the enormous responsibility that comes along with self-employment.
The most recent data on American entrepreneurship from Gallup shows the U.S. currently ranks 12th, falling behind countries like Hungary, Denmark and Finland in terms of new business creation making this the first time in the past three decades business deaths outrank business births in America. This decline is not due to a lack of passion, or lapse in creation but rather an economic hurdle as many new business owners have trouble securing financing and rely primarily on their personal savings to get going and stay afloat.
Despite the nation’s oftentimes troubling financial landscape, independent business ownership may soon experience a much needed resurrection by way of new minority-focused entrepreneurship initiatives from the Small Business Administration.
The SBA has innovation clusters akin to Silicon Valley popping up in places like Cincinnati, Montana, and even rural Indiana, as well as primetime television competition shows like “Shark Tank.” For the brave souls—like Billie Dragoo of RepuCare, Michael Lopez of Actin Inc., and sisters Mandy Selke and Carly Swift of Just Pop In—who have taken the reins of success in their own hands to venture into uncharted territory, the experience however daunting, is one full of rewards, triumph, and an expanded wealth of knowledge.
The iconic Steve Jobs of Apple Inc., said it best with this quote on independent journeys, “It’s more fun to be a pirate than to join the navy.” And while the aforementioned assemblage wouldn’t necessarily associate themselves with Bluebeard or Captain Hook, there is something to be said about the shared characteristics between the two. Like any pirate worth their weight in gold, a strong entrepreneur must be a resourceful tactician, have the ability to navigate tough terrain, and the fortitude to capture spoils by any means necessary.
You have to have blind faith
“You have to be a risk taker, be confident and have sort of a blind faith,” said Dragoo, the founder and CEO of RepuCare, a medical staffing company based in Indianapolis. Dragoo knows a thing or two about faith. In the late 80s she owned a small retail shop in her hometown of Franklin, Ind. Sometime later the then divorced single mother of two enrolled in a local community college and then went to work as a corporate headhunter for Century Personnel. Although she excelled in that position, Dragoo believed she could do even more.
In 1995 she along with a partner, started RepuCare out of her home. “I wanted to go down a different avenue and provide for my kids, I put both of them through college. I wanted to be in control of my own destiny so to speak,” she said. “I think all entrepreneurs have some sort of apprehension, you have no clue where your next check is coming from…a lot of business owners use their own savings or credit cards. It’s very difficult to get a business loan when you’re new to this, fortunately I had a very good business plan and a lot of business owners don’t. That’s their biggest mistake.”
The company, whose name is a nod to the strong reputation it has of providing quality care, benefitted from Dragoo’s excellent planning. RepuCare grew enormously in its early years but was dealt a series of nearly crippling blows not even the most prepared person could foresee. “In 1999 there were regulatory changes in the arena. I lost 87 percent of my business,” she said.
In an effort to stifle the hemorrhaging, Dragoo laid people off and spent her personal assets to buy out her partner and keep the company afloat. Then in 2006, her chief operating officer died suddenly. “It was sudden, he wasn’t sick. He had just turned 40 years old,” she said. “When someone dies, you start to peel back the onion – he had done some very bad things in my company, that cost us $750,000.”
Following the double whammy of loss, RepuCare was hit once again in 2009, 2010 and 2011 as the entire country experienced an economic recession. Despite the veritable three-piece jab, straight right and left hook circumstance had dealt them, Dragoo and her team embodied Ali’s famed rope-a-dope technique and emerged like true champions—stronger, wiser, and ready to keep going on. Just last year, RepuCare’s spinoff company, RepuCare OnSite, acquired comprehensive wellness provider Spectrum Health Systems—another woman owned Midwest based entity.
The company, now known as Verve Health, is spearheaded by Dragoo’s husband Gerry Erb. “Our acquisition of Spectrum Health Systems expands our employer health service offering, enables us to offer a continuum of comprehensive wellness and clinic services and positions the company as the only worksite health provider in Indiana offering wellness capabilities with proven health outcomes,” said Erb, in a released statement following the acquisition.
In 2014, Dragoo added two more kudos to her long list of public honors as she was awarded the Mentoring Women’s Network “Pass the Torch for Women Lifetime Achievement” Award and was also recognized by the Central Indiana Business Hall of Fame Junior Achievement for her business success and dedication to important civic causes. “An ‘a ha’ moment came when I was awarded a $12 million contract from Anthem/WellPoint in 2006 and another big contract with the Indianapolis Airport Authority in 2004,” said Dragoo. “I was very proud we were able to get those based on our reputation. You have to evolve and change, you have to figure out ways to throw that negativity into a different direction so you can survive and thrive.”
Find your niche and take off running
Beautiful images captured on film develop in darkrooms. Lotus flowers grow in mud. The mythical phoenix is lauded for its ability to be reborn again and again out of fiery ashes. The theme of using the universe’s offering of lemons to conjure up lemonade sweetened with ingenuity and determination are the items winning tales are made of.
Michael Lopez
In other words, you’ve got to use what you have to get what you want. Against the historically troubled economic backdrop of northwest Indiana, Michael Lopez, the founder and president of Actin Inc. has done just that. “I worked for a large industrial waste company and they were merging with another company,” he said. Lopez alongside his childhood friend and business partner John Hurubean identified an immediate void and seized the opportunity to secure their first contract with the local steel mills.
In 1980, the pair founded Actin. “You always have apprehension, it’s like rolling dice but I knew a lot of people and I built on those relationships. We found our niche along the lake here and kept moving and maintaining ever since.” Actin, which has been in business for over three decades, provides demolition, waste management and environmental services for large corporations while also handling municipal duties for cities across the region.
“What I’m most proud of is the fact that we’re dealing with Fortune 500 companies. The ArcelorMittal’s of the world, the U.S. Steel’s, Praxair…we are involved in work that affects a lot of people,” said Lopez. “We keep a lot of folks working and we keep a lot of money in the community. We struggle at times, like when some of the steel mills closed. It affected us, but we survived and we’re still here on the map.” Lopez’s commitment to quality work as well as his connection to his community is what garnered him the title of East Chicagoan of the Year in 2002.
The former Marine Corp sergeant, who currently serves on the board of the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, sees civic leadership as a necessary piece of the enterprising puzzle. “I do a lot of community work. I volunteer and am involved in various education foundations,” he said. “We don’t get lost in what we do, we get out and participate in the community, I am very community minded.”
Lopez also uses his platform to not only employ but to inspire future generations of minority business leaders. “I think it’s important to set examples for other minorities. The door is open and you’ve got to go through those doors but frankly you have to be able to fulfill those obligations.”
Allow passion to guide you
Carly Swift
Twin sisters and business partners Mandy Selke and Carly Swift are the creative minds behind one of the Circle City’s hippest exports, Just Pop In popcorn. The pair has found a way to infuse their passion for family, creativity, and popcorn into a lucrative, growing business. “The idea of popcorn was important to us. We would pop it with our grandfather at our grandparents house.
It was something very nostalgic to us and something that brought our family together,” said Swift. In their hometown of Crown Point, Ind. the sisters were exposed to entrepreneurship at a young age. Their parents owned a lumber company together and at one point their mom ran her own small apartment development company. “Our grandfather owned a bar that mom helped at but he made her quit because she was about to give birth to twins,” Swift said laughing.
She said those early experiences taught her and her sister how to build a successful business life that included loved ones. Unlike many people who forego formal schooling to instead take up a family business, Selke said college was an expectation for them. “Going to college wasn’t a choice, it was embedded in us,” said Selke, who shared she originally had intentions of pursuing a career in fashion design. “I ended up graduating with a degree in pre-med and now we are in the popcorn business—part of my education in chemistry helps with flavor development. I help create the store’s recipes,” she said.
Swift, who attended Indiana University in Bloomington alongside her sister followed an unconventional path as well. “I had a double major in speech communication and African-American studies. I originally started in business and found my passion in both of these areas,” she said. “With African-American studies, as a young girl I was really interested in the civil rights movement—there were so many moments that were defining to me. I wanted to learn as much as I could to help as much as I could.” Following a corporate career in sales at Automatic Data Processing (ADP), where they were office mates, the two went on to make small business ownership a reality. “The success of working our corporate job taught us the things we needed to know and the foundation gave us the freedom to start this business,” said Selke.
Mandy Selke
Just Pop In opened its initial flagship location in the heart of Broad Ripple Village located in Indianapolis in 2003. Today, the many varieties of the delicious snack can be found at several shops across the state and at the Indianapolis International Airport.
Their shared compassion for people and community has led to partnerships with the Damien Center, a nonprofit agency that caters to HIV/AIDS prevention and care; Sun King Brewery; the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and many more. “I think the evolution of our company from 2003 until now, so much of it has to do with our staff and our culture. The other piece has to do with the constant creativity we get to experience every day,” said Swift. Of course, as most things go, the sisters’ success is not without challenges. “The challenging parts are in the growth methods and trying to figure out how to not put the cart before the horse,” said Selke. “Of course there is so much we want to do but with a small business, finances are always an issue and Carly and I are still investors so we don’t have any outsider support in that way. So launching our new ideas in a way that won’t capsize the business is challenging.”
Yet even through obstacles, Selke advises aspiring business owners to keep their eyes on the prize and the haters at bay.
“Block out the naysayers and the negatoids. There are always going to be people trying to tell you that you may be making a mistake but it’s so important to follow your gut and your passion.”
Billie Dragoo’s 7 Life Lessons
Hold a healthy disrespect for the impossible.
Don’t follow your dreams, lead them!
Make use of the one thing you can control; the power to define yourself and to use your power.
Find a way into the room. If there is one thing we must accomplish over the next decade, it is finding a way into the room; the board room, the U.S. Congress, in leadership positions within our communities.
Choose wisely whom you spend your time with.
Understand the power of reciprocity.
Failure isn’t falling down, it’s the staying down that is true failure. By virtue of being an entrepreneur you are going to fail, in fact you will probably fail often and fast.
Technology has allowed people to conduct business away from their desk and entrepreneurs have certainly taken advantage of that. Being out of the office while still being connected to their work gives business owners more freedom to build their business.
Some are even opting to forego purchasing complete brick and mortar spaces and either working from home or using office-sharing spaces like The Branch in South Bend; Cowork in Bloomington; or Velocity in Jeffersonville.
There, business builders can rent a single office; have access to a conference room for meetings; or work from their iPad in a professional setting. This option is certainly more professional than trying to fight for an inconspicuous spot in Starbucks to Skype an important client.
Since today’s entrepreneurs are more mobile, they are choosing business clothing that allows them to be professional yet comfortable. This quarter’s Work Style features two entrepreneurs looking great on the go.
Kyna Willis Owner K. Lee Public Relations Looking great for work can be easy when you choose simple pieces with interest. Accessories can take the outfit from work to wow! (Dress, Profyle Boutique; shoes and accessories by way of Styles By M.E. LLC personal collection)
When you own your own business you can set the tone of the work style. On more casual days add standard items to a daring pair of pants and a sexy bootie. (Shirt, tank, and pants, Profyle Boutique; shoes, belt and accessories by way of Styles By M.E. LLC personal collection)
Jason Williams Owner SPYCOMPS A great boat shoe is the perfect blend of causal and comfort. Pair these sneaker-like shoes with a pair of slacks and a cotton shirt. (Shirt, slacks and boat shoes, by way of Styles By M.E. LLC personal collection)
Who says a tie must go with a standard button down shirt? Make the traditional shirt and tie less stuffy with casual pieces. (Shirt, vest, jeans tie and shoes by way of Styles By M.E. LLC personal collection)
Acknowledgements: JusFam, Photography Profyle Boutique, Styles By M.E. LLC, Temara K. Payton, 10/Ten Productions and The Bureau.
Data from 2014 compiled by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) shows for the fourth year in a row, the U.S. has experienced tremendous growth in the area of business ownership with a minimum of 13 percent of U.S. adults starting and running new businesses. Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the number of entrepreneurship focused post-secondary offerings.
According to findings published by the Kaufmann Foundation in their 2013 report titled “Entrepreneurship Education Comes of Age on Campus,” in 1985, there were approximately 250 courses in entrepreneurship being offered at college campuses in the United States. By 2008, that number grew to more than 5,000 at two-year and four-year institutions. In 2013, there were well over 400,000 students following this course of study.
With this increase in interest, comes a growing need for resources. In 2010, Ivy Tech Community College addressed this need by adding a set of course offerings for current and future business owners. Steve Bryant, the executive director of the Gayle and Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship in Bloomington, said the program was developed out of a sense of urgency.
“We always had a strong connection with the small business development centers around Indiana. The Bloomington small business office was moved to Terre Haute and left a void. There was a lack of resources for local business owners,” he said. Bryant, who has been the executive director since the program’s inception, drew on his own past experience to help bring the vision to life. “I was part of senior management for a small biotech company in Bloomington. When I came aboard the startup it had no sales. I grew it to a $5 million business,” he said.
Like most institutions of higher learning, Ivy Tech already offered business administration curriculum with all the usual trappings of courses on finance and marketing, but nothing geared toward those wanting to embark on a path of business ownership.
“The vision and the challenge was to create something from scratch that would have an impact on our students and provide them a lot of skills to leave here and start their own enterprise,” said Bryant. “My boss at the time, Chancellor Bob Weichart, had the vision.
He wanted Ivy Tech students to be able to study entrepreneurship while they were enrolled, with the hopes that they would start something on their own upon completion.” In 2010, the team behind the creation of the program started with a white paper and in 2011 the first courses were offered at the Bloomington campus.
In August of 2014, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) approved the expansion of it to all 31 Ivy Tech campuses in the state. The addition of online classes three semesters ago helped to triple enrollment. The student pool boasts 60 percent female and 45 percent ethnic minority enrollment.
Currently, the program offers an 18-credit-hour Certificate in Entrepreneurship, designed for students with knowledge in other fields of study acquired either through postsecondary education, through industry or life experience, and a 31-credit hour Technical Certificate, which includes the entrepreneurship courses and adds an accounting, marketing, computer, communication and college success course. Entrepreneurship courses include Entrepreneurial Marketing and Market Research, Venture Growth and Development and Entrepreneurial Tax and Finance.
Business plan development is an integral component of the program and business plan writing software is utilized. The mission is simple: to provide practical solutions and teach students how to apply academia in real world situations. An essential part of what Bryant believes sets Ivy Tech apart from the pack.
“I think we have a lot of very good four year business programs and masters level programs like Indiana University, Ball State, Purdue, Notre Dame and various independent colleges,” he said. “What sets us apart is all of our faculty have owned and operated small businesses in some format so you have a lot of people that have a lot of experience to share and that is really vital to how rich the experience is going to be for the student.”
Another element of the experience is in teaching students how to maximize use of their immediate professional network by reaching out to others who may be able to assist them in their endeavors.
“We have a lot of students who want to start food trucks, so the first thing I tell them to do is to talk to someone who owns a food truck so that they can decide what they really want to do. That business owner can let them know the good, the bad, and the ugly,” said Bryant. “It will give you a good idea about what you really need to know before you step out there and spend your hard-earned money or something borrowed from a bank only to realize it’s not working in a year or two.”
In addition to the certificate program, Bloomington’s campus offers a peer-to-peer learning experience via a CEO roundtable, youth programs, and personalized business consulting available to area business owners. “If at least 10 of those people finish and go on to start a successful business, that’s what we’re after and if we talk 170 people out of a bad idea that was going to cost them lots of money and energy that’s a success story too,” said Bryant. “The statewide impact on a few small businesses, particularly those in rural communities, can help have a major impact on the entire state.”
In today’s corporate culture, “boss” has nearly become a dirty word. Google the term, and you find the characteristics of a boss to be one who “inspires fear,” “takes credit” and “uses people.” A leader, on the other hand, “inspires enthusiasm,” “gives credit” and “develops people.” “The derogatory terms used for a boss, however, just describe a bad business model,” said Doug Austron, an adjunct professor at Indiana University Kelly School of Business who teaches courses on leadership.
Instead, “boss” should apply to any person given that title by being hired or appointed to a position of authority, he said. He explained there are differences between a good boss and a bad boss. Every company needs a good boss who should focus on the mechanics of the operations and ensure plans and quality controls are in place. “That boss can also be a good leader,” said Austron. “But, a leader doesn’t depend on a title. This is someone who just gets the important things done.”
For Frank Davis, the owner of Circle City Rebar in Indianapolis, the primary difference between a boss and a leader lies in how you treat employees. “A leader inspires you to do something, but a boss makes you do something. Leaders delegate and trust their employees.”
Asked for clarification on the subject, he spent several minutes praising his employees for their initiative and “go-the-extra-mile” attitude. In summing up his thoughts he said, “If you value more about what you get out of people than the credit you receive yourself, then you are well on your way to being a leader.” “A profound distinction in good leadership is respect for human dignity,” added Austron. “Fundamentally it’s about viewing people as people and not objects.”
Fort Wayne businessman John Dortch, who owns the consulting firm The Preston Joan Group, added another level to the distinctions. “A boss deals from a position of authority, and many times separates himself from his staff. A leader instead walks along with the staff. He knows their strengths and weaknesses and has built a relationship of trust.” He added that a leader has to lead by example. This is advice start-up entrepreneur Tekisha Collins, who developed “Smoogy” cookie, has adopted. She said she wants people to see her example of determination. “No matter how many no’s I get,” said Collins, “I keep going. By showing others my hard work and determination, I want to motivate them in the direction I want to go.”
Collins admitted she may face a future problem in her leadership skills. She worries about giving up control and delegating tasks to others. “At some point, I know I have to trust others to handle some of the details to free me up to do what needs to be done.” This type of self-evaluation is also important in leadership, advised Davis. He said occasionally you have to reevaluate yourself as a leader versus a boss.
“It’s very easy to slide back into being a boss.” So, here’s a quick test in evaluating your leadership skills: Do employees dodge direct conversations with you about work and cower while passing you in the hallway? If yes, then you probably qualify as a bad boss. Do employees come to you unafraid with suggestions and ask for your opinions? If yes, congratulations! You pass the first level of leadership.
When I recently posted a Facebook status asking if anyone knew of any minorities with a successful startup, there was no surprise I quickly received responses from small business owners who definitively had considered their enterprises synonymous with that of the former.
Although it is common for most to use these two terms interchangeably, they have fundamental differences in both the ideology and the business model. According to Silicon Valley entrepreneur Steve Bank, a start-up is a “temporary organization designed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model.”
Most startups begin with an innovative idea and intend to rapidly take over the current market or create a new one. If a start-up is successful, it is likely to become a large company or corporation and receive additional funding from angel investors, venture capitalists, or through an IPO (Initial Public Offering).
Once this happens, a challenge for the founder of a startup is that he or she will begin to relinquish pieces of his or her company to shareholders and no longer has the same control as in the beginning stages. In contrast, according to the United States Small Business Administration, small businesses are “independently owned and operated and not dominant in its field.”
Small businesses are driven by profitability and stable long-term value and a desire to secure a place within the local market. Many entrepreneurs, who begin small businesses, fund their own ventures, rely on financial support from family and friends, or secure bank loans for continued funding since profitability may occur on a slower timeline. Dwight Clinton, CEO and founder of Clinton Investigations, a private investigative firm specializing in providing services for the legal and insurance industries, describes his experience as a small business owner.
“Owning your own business affords great freedom and license to create an entity based on a personal vision,” he states. Having a background as both a police officer and detective with an entire career spent in investigative work, he was able to hone knowledge and entrepreneurial leadership skills from previous work opportunities. Clinton describes working longer hours than when he was employed in corporate America and the daily pressure of being responsible for the financial well being of his employees and their families as some of the challenges to being a small business owner.
Another challenge, he states, is that “positive cash-flow is not automatic. You have to make it happen through diligence in everything you do, day in and day out.” Carolyn Mosby, president and CEO of Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council, whose primary mission is to promote and cultivate successful minority enterprises in several Midwest business communities adds, “People go into business everyday, but all are not and will not be sustainable.”
Fundamentally, a start-up can be seen as a way to test a model to become sustainable on a large scale, while a small business wishes to become sustainable on a small scale. “Having a sound business plan, researching your potential client base, and understanding what opportunities are out there to carve out a niche are very important,” she said.
