Business, Equity and Opportunities Podcast

IN 2023, 'PROJECT WILL' WAS THE PEOPLE CHOICE AWARD WINNER IN THE 'LOVE THY NEIGHBORHOOD AWARDS’.  WE CAUGHT UP WITH JEANNIE COLEMAN LAST WEEK AT THE OPEN HOUSE FOR THE PROJET'S NEW LOCATION ON CENTRAL AVENUE.      See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

FEBRUARY 16TH, IS 'NATIONAL INNOVATION DAY'. IT SEEMS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO LOOK AT THE WORK OF THIS YEAR'S WINNER OF THE CHAMPIONS OF DIVERSITY INNOVATION IN TECH AWARD. WE SPOKE WITH DENNIS TRINKLE IN 2023 AT TECH POINT WHEN 'MISSION 41K' WAS IN IT'S FIRST YEAR OF A SEVEN YEAR GOAL TO CREATE 41,000 NEW TECH JOBS BY 2030. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privac...

TODAY ON 'GETTING STARTED' WE INTRODUCE YOU TO FEBRUARY'S CERTIFIED XBE VENDOR OF THE MONTH. CITY WIDE PAVING IS A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS SERVICING CENTERAL INDIANA SINCE 1988. FYZAL OHAB IS THE OWNER.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

DENNIS BLAND IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE 'CENTER OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT'. HE'S ALSO THIS YEAR'S WINNER OF THE 'CHAMPIONS OF DIVERSITY 'DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. FREEDOM AWARD. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

CICELY OVERTON IS THE DIRECTOR OF NURSING AND CLINICAL PRACTICE AT ESKENAZI HEALTH. SHE IS DEDICATED TO RECURITMENT AND HELPING BUILD CAREERS.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

CASEY HARRISON SPECIALIZES IN HELPING BUSINESSES BUILD EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES.   WITH THE HELP OF A NEW DIGITAL WORKBOOK, SHE IS WORKING TO MAKE THOSE STRATEGIES MORE ACCESSIBLE.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

THE INDIANA SOCIETY OF CPA'S IS JOINING FORCES WITH THE 'NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK ACCOUNTANTS' TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAINING... AND TO HELP FILL TALENT SHORTAGES IN ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE.  COURTNEY KINCAID SHARES DETAILS. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

WALL STREET, SILICON VALLEY, AND THE HALLS OF GOVERNMENT ARE ALL STILL DIGESTING THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SHOCKWAVE THAT HIT LATE LAST MONTH: THE CLAIMS OF A COMPANY CALLED 'DEEPSEEK' AND WHETHER IT WILL TOPPLE EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT WE KNEW ABOUT THE PRICE OF A-I. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

'ACCESSING CAPITAL' IS SOMETIMES VERY BUSINESSS-SPECIFIC.  THE GROUP AT 'PIER SEVENTY VENTURES' SAYS IT BACKS IMPACT-DRIVEN INNOVATION FUNDING DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES WITH THE POTENTIAL TO SHAKE UP THE STATUS QUO IN HEALTHCARE. WE TALKED TO THE SHAUN HAWKINS, THE MANAGING PARTNER OF PIER 70, ABOUT HOW IT WORKS AND HOW IT CAN HELP INDIANA COMPANIES. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priv...

TODAY WE'RE 'GETTING STARTED' BY TAKING ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS YEAR'S WINNER OF THE 'CHAMPIONS OF DIVERSITY' 'BREAKING BARRIERS AWARD', TRAVIS BROWN. HE'S THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF 'MOJO UP MARKETING + MEDIA'. WE FIRST MET TRAVIS LAST YEAR, AS HE EARNED HONORS AS THE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS 'VENDOR OF THE MONTH'.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice...

REGINALD AND TRACEY JONES ARE THE OWNER/OPERATORS OF LOCAL McDONALD'S FRANCHISES. THEY ARE ALSO THIS YEAR'S WINNER OF THE 'WILLIAM G. MAYS EXCELLENCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP' AWARD. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

AN ISSUE PLAYING OUT IN THE STATE HOUSE RIGHT NOW IS WORTH WATCHING AS AN ENTREPRENEUR BECAUSE IT MAY SET SOME PRECEDENT ABOUT WHO CAN DECIDE FOR YOU WHERE AND HOW YOU ADVERTISE. THE GOVERNOR AND LOCAL MEDIA COMPANIES ARE AT ODDS OVER MEDICAID ADS. THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO BAN THEM, THE STATIONS WANT MORE ANSWERS. FULL DISCLOSURE, OUR PARENT COMPANY, CIRCLE CITY BROADCASTING IS DIRECTLY AFFECTED...

SETH MORALES IS THE CEO OF THE MORALES GROUP - A STAFFING AND TALENT-SOURCING AGENCY THAT SERVES AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES.   HE IS ALSO THIS YEAR'S WINNER OF THE 'CHAMPION OF DIVERSITY' EMERALD LEADERSHIP AWARD.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

TIME FOR MORE OF OUR SALUTE TO THE WINNERS OF THIS YEAR'S 'CHAMPIONS OF DIVERSITY AWARDS'.  ZACHARY MYERS IS THE OUTGOING US ATTORNEY FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA.  HE WON THE 'SOCIAL JUSTICE & EQUITY' AWARD. WE HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH HIM JUST PRIOR TO THE EVENT.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art1...

'SEAT AT THE TABLE' IS A POPULAR SERIES OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THE ASIAN AMERICAN ALLIANCE HOSTS EACH YEAR. LAST WEEK, DR. LATHA RAMCHAND, IU INDIANAPOLIS CHANCELLOR, WAS THE LEAD GUEST FOR 2025. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

DR. SHAWN SMITH IS SUPERINTENDENT OF LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS. LIKE MANY OTHER LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS, LAWRENCE HAS FOUND THAT USING LOCAL BUILDING CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS CAN BE GOOD BUSINESS AND BRING MORE REWARDS WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

WE DROP IN ON A LOCAL RETAILER FINDING SUCCESS IN THE GROWING COMMUNITY OF BUSINESSES THAT CALL 'THE STUTZ' HOME.   THE ICONIC 7-BUILDING FACTORY COMPLEX IS THE FORMER HOME OF THE STUTZ MOTOR COMPANY. THE COMPLEX HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES BUILD ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY.  THE GROUNDED PLANTED & FLORAL COMPANY IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/...

SHANNON WILLIAMS IS THE CEO & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF 'THE MIND TRUST'. SHE'S ALSO THIS YEAR'S WINNER OF THE 'CHAMPIONS OF DIVERSITY ROSA PARKS TRAILBLAZER' AWARD FOR HER EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP IN PROMOTING DIVERSITY.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

ACCORDING TO THE SBA'S 2024 SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE: SMALL BUSINESSES (THOSE WITH FEWER THAN 500 EMPLOYEES) ACCOUNT FOR 99.4 PERCENT OF INDIANA BUSINESSES.  THE RETAIL SECTOR PROVIDES FOR ABOUT 40% OF EMPLOYEE PAYROLL.  WE DROP IN ON ONE OF THOSE RETAILERS MAKING IT WORK DOWNTOWN.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priv...

JAMES JONES, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE SHAWN, OPENED 'HIS PLACE EATERY' TO REDEFINE SOUL FOOD, LEVERAGING HIS CULINARY TRAINING AND CLOSE ATTENTION TO DETAIL. THEY ARE NOW GROWING THEIR BUSINESS AND SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCE TO HELP OTHERS FIND SUCCESS.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

COURTNEY KINCAID HAS TIMELY INFORMATION TO SHARE TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS SUCCEED.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

LAST WEEK ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, MORE THAN 1,000 LOCAL BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS GATHERED TO CELEBRATE THE 2025 CHAMPONS OF DIVERSITY. THE EVENT IS NOW IN ITS 18TH YEAR. IT'S A NIGHT WHEN MOVERS, SHAKERS AND STAKEHOLDERS GATHER TO HONOR PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADVOCATE FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN BUSINESS AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.co...

WE CAUGHT UP WITH LAMONT HATCHER, CEO, OF APEX INFINITE SOLUTIONS LAST FRIDAY AT THE CHAMPIONS OF DIVERSITY AWARDS.  HE IS IN THE BUSINESS OF CREATING SECURITY AND IT SOLUTIONS TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS AND THAT HARD FOUGHT FOR 'ACCESS TO CAPITAL' See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

WE'RE 'GETTING STARTED' WITH SOME OF THE STRONG REACTION FORMING OVER THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW D-E-I MOVES. I MENTIONED THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS A MOMENT AGO; GOVERNOR MKIKE BRAUN ISSUED SIMILAR ONES AT THE STATE LEVEL AS SOON AS HE TOOK OFFICE EARLIER IN THE MONTH. NEWS 8'S MELEA VANOSTRAND TALKED TO LEADING LAWMAKERS LINING UP TO TALK TO BRAUN ABOUT THE DECISION. See Privacy Policy at https:...

FRIDAY NIGHT WE WERE PROUD BE A PART OF THE '2025 CHAMPIONS OF DIVERSITY AWARDS'. THE EVENING CELEBRATES OUTSTANDING PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN OUR COMMUNITIES.  BEGINNING NEXT WEEK WE WILL BE INTRODUCING YOU TO SOME OF THE HONOREES.  TODAY, WE TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK BACK AT LAST YEAR'S WINNER OF THE 'DR....