Entrepreneur's Corner I

Have you dreamed of starting your own business? Do you have an innovative idea that you just have to bring to the marketplace? Do you see a way to create a new application of technology that would disrupt the marketplace as Uber did to traditional cab companies?

Dreams are an integral part of the American experience, the American fabric of who we are as a country, a state and our local Hendricks County communities. According to the latest reports from the Gallup polling organization, which tracks numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau, 400,000 new businesses start while 470,000 die in any given year. And while there is a common perception of the role of innovation in the American economy, the U.S. now ranks 12th among developed nations in terms of new business startups. The Gallup report is available online at www.gallup.com/businessjournal/ 180431/ american-entrepreneurship- deadalive.aspx.

So all of the above information gives rise to a question: Is there a way to foster more success in new startup businesses? Is there a way to create greater success?

Earlier this year, I accepted the challenge of starting and being the president of The Central Indiana Innovation Hub here in Hendricks County.

To me, it was a daunting task to be involved from a development standpoint in creating a safe space where everyone from a high school student to a retiree could develop, market and find funding for that new idea that could just change the marketplace. And the hub, set up as a non-profit entity, would provide expertise and education to help foster these ideas to fruition with what we would hope would be a smaller failure rate.

As an executive in community and economic development for 30-years in Indiana and an entrepreneur for more than 40, my passion has always been to provide support for those dreamers who just want to take their idea to that next step.

With the cooperation of the Hendricks County Flyer and in recognition of our goal to bring more new

business startups to Hendricks County, we are launching this monthly column to educate our community on what is involved in a startup and getting many of the readers to the next step.

We will touch on important topics each month like ‘In new business ideas, there is no judgement,’ ‘How to create the proper package to obtain funding,’ ‘Are there funding resources available for business startups?’ and much more.

What would you like to see in a column like this? Send your ideas via email to cinda@kelleyandassociate. com. We look forward to sharing with you each month.

Harvey Firestone, founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, once said, “Capital isn’t that important in business. Experience isn’t that important. You can get both of these things. What is important is ideas.”