By Kennady Alise Livers, intern, SOURCE River West Entrepreneurship Center; student, IU Kelley School of Business at IUPUI
At the end of October, IUPUI’s Office of Community Engagement partnered with SOURCE River West Entrepreneurship Center to bring PopUp Business School to Indianapolis. Indy has now become only the second location in the U.S. to host the two-week event designed to inspire, educate and motivate would-be entrepreneurs and small-business owners. IUPUI and SOURCE hosted the event to help small businesses in the area get started or grow and boost the local economy.
Over the 10 days of the program, the PopUp Business School team of Simon Paine, Liam Sibley and Jessica Collins shared tips and advice on everything from product decisions, marketing and online selling to web design and social media with the 105 participants. Local experts from Taft and Taxwright provided information on legal and tax issues in Indiana.
The second week included a public Market Day. Mayor Joe Hogsett and many community members came out to see — and buy — the products and services the participants had to offer. Market Day gave the new business owners exposure to future clients, and many made their first dollar during the PopUp Business School Market.
Among the great products introduced at the market were the Kangoo Jumps brought by SweattBoxx, stainless children’s dinnerware made by Ahimsa Home, jewelry, professional and personal services, health and beauty, food, and food services.
Thank you to all of our sponsors, co-hosts, and partners who helped with funding and advertising: PopUp Business School, IUPUI, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, the city of Indianapolis, the Kelley School of Business, Innovate Indiana, the Indiana Small Business Development Center, Taft, Indy Chamber’s Business Ownership Innovative, Forward Cities, Indy Black Chamber of Commerce, Pattern, Taxwright, Browning, Indianapolis Urban League and Centers of Wellness for Urban Women Inc.
We are so thankful to have had the opportunity to bring such an amazing program to Indianapolis, and we are already looking forward to bringing back the PopUp Business School next year.
This was an excellent investment for our Business and even personally connecting with so many resources while networking.
For years it has been a struggle balancing and putting things in order to help run an effective business. I’m very grateful that I took the time to attend the Popup Business School. It allowed me to better understand and to polish up areas in my business that I was lacking.
The energy in the room each day made me forget I I took three buses to get there each day. Was it worth the trip? Absolutely!!
Special THANKS to the entire team and sponsors for bringing something that was much needed for small businesses!