On the EDGE and the SBDC

Some of you may wonder what exactly I do most of the week, outside of going to school at IPFW.  One of the principle occupations of my time is the Northeast Indiana Small Business Development Center (NEISBDC), located in a little building called the IPFW Hobson Center at Hobson and Stellhorn Roads.  The NEISBDC is a nonprofit organization that is funded in part by the Small Business Administration.  It is an agency of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s SBDC network of nine regional centers located statewide whose mission is “to have a positive and measurable impact on the formation, growth, and sustainability of small businesses in Indiana and to develop a strong entrepreneurial community.”  The ISBDC mission is accomplished by offering one-on-one business counseling and a variety of resources free of charge, along with low-cost or no-cost workshops to help entrepreneurs with their business. The local center serves 10 counties in Northeast Indiana and is hosted by Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, receiving administrative support through the IPFW Division of Continuing Studies.

 As marketing coordinator for the center, I am responsible for marketing, public relations and communications for the Northeast Indiana SBDC.  Responsibilities include creating press releases, electronic newsletters, annual reports and success stories; maintaining a Facebook page; taking photographs and making videos of our clients; and special events coordination.  I also represent the center at local resource fairs and as a guest speaker when requested by area organizations.  As you can see, my position presents a lot of variety, on which I thrive!

I also work directly with NEISBDC clients on marketing strategies, plans and implementation. During the course of my interaction with small business owners, I often help them develop and design brochures, write sales letters, and do market and demographic research to assist them with writing their business plans.  I also conduct one-on-one training with clients from time to time, and am involved in award nominations for their businesses.

Various awards are available during the course of a year to recognize the success of local businesses – among them the Northeast Indiana Innovation Awards hosted by KPC Media Group here in Fort Wayne, as well as the Companies to Watch and EDGE Awards distributed by the Indiana SBDC network.  As part of our marketing and public relations strategies, the NEISBDC identifies and nominates area businesses for these awards, particularly businesses whose owners have worked with our center.

ABOUT ‘EDGE’
The most recent award nominations involving our center were for the 2011 EDGE Awards.  EDGE stands for Economic Development & Growth through Entrepreneurship, and the award recipients fall into two categories:  Emerging or Established businesses.  The recipients are all clients of the ISBDC network who have been chosen by the regional SBDC centers based on their business success.

This year, three clients of the NEISBDC were presented with 2011 EDGE Awards on February 9 at the Indiana State House in Indianapolis.  Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman was on hand to present the awards along with ISBDC State Director Jeff Heinzmann, and various state legislators showed up to congratulate the award recipients from their regions.  I had the pleasure of accompanying the Northeast Indiana EDGE Award recipients at the awards ceremony and am proud to have played a small role in helping them achieve their business success.

Blog author Mary Popovich (left) with 2011 EDGE Award recipients
Terry and Lori Berndt (center) and Marsha Wulpi (right),
all from Fort Wayne.

Marsha Wulpi, owner of JAM Impressions in Fort Wayne, won an EDGE Award in the Established Business category.  Her company specializes in direct-to-garment printing, embroidery, and promotional products, and I admire her for her determination and hard work in always looking for an opportunity to expand her clientele and grow her business while providing great customer service.  I also respect her for her extensive community involvement – she is very active as a volunteer with the Chambers of Commerce in Fort Wayne, Leo and Grabill, as well as with her church – and she and her husband Jim have raised a family of four boys to adulthood while running the business.

Terry and Lori Berndt received an EDGE Award in the Emerging Business category for their new company, The Olive Twist, which is located in Covington Plaza.  The new culinary boutique opened last fall to feature an olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting bar – quite a unique experience for Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Lori, who runs the store, is an amazing and talented lady who serves as a great role model for anyone wanting to start his or her own business.  She worked hard at completing all of the necessary “homework” to get her business up and running.  The result is a beautiful store that has become quite popular with all the local foodies.  I love to see the glow on Lori’s face when she talks about The Olive Twist – she is truly living the American dream!

I congratulate Marsha, Terry and Lori, on their business success, and look forward to continuing our relationship through the Northeast Indiana Small Business Development Center.