Empowering women entrepreneurs with insightful keynotes and dynamic speakers.

Ind. (Feb 10, 2025) — The Central Indiana Women’s Business Center (CIWBC), a program of the Indy Chamber, is thrilled to announce the keynote speaker and an exceptional lineup of speakers for the 2025 Women in Business Retreat presented by Hirons. This premier event will bring together women entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals for a day of inspiration, networking, and actionable insights.

Tammy Butler Robinson, CEO of Engaging Solutions, will be the keynote speaker, sharing her powerful journey of leadership, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. With a background spanning state government, urban planning, and business development, Robinson has built a legacy of breaking barriers and opening doors for women and underrepresented communities.

“The retreat is about empowering women with the resources, connections, and inspiration to build and grow their businesses,” said Melanie Raney, CIWBC board chair and Senior Manager of M&A and Business Development at AES Indiana. “Tammy Butler Robinson’s story embodies the perseverance and excellence that define women in business today.”

The event will also feature engaging sessions with an impressive slate of speakers, including:

“The CIWBC is committed to providing entrepreneurs and professionals with the tools and support they need to succeed,” said Stephanie James, Director of the CIWBC. “This retreat is an opportunity to learn from and connect with some of our community’s most accomplished leaders.”

The 2025 Women in Business Retreat will take place on April 24 at the Alexander Hotel in Indianapolis. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in thought-provoking discussions, gain valuable business insights, and expand their professional networks.

Tickets are available now here or at IndyChamber.com.

Ind. (Nov. 19, 2024) — The Indy Chamber is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the Jacqueline Troy Inspired Fund, a program dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs in Central Indiana. Named in memory of Jacqueline Troy, former director of the Central Indiana Women’s Business Center (CIWBC), the fund champions female entrepreneurs by providing essential resources, financial support, and networking opportunities to help grow their businesses.

“The Jacqueline Troy Inspired Fund embodies Jackie’s legacy of empowering women entrepreneurs to pursue their goals and make a positive impact on the community,” said Stephanie James, Director of CIWBC. “By honoring her memory, we continue her work of connecting women with the resources they need to succeed.”

Since its founding, the fund has provided critical support to female entrepreneurs, including 2024 awardee Sarah Kendrick, founder of RHEA Services. Recognized for her dedication to community impact, Sarah established her business to help families honor the legacies of their loved ones.

“The Jacqueline Troy Inspired Fund has been invaluable in allowing me to reach more families and grow my business. The support from CIWBC has been a game-changer,” Kendrick shared.

Winners of this prestigious award will be celebrated at the annual Women in Business Retreat in April 2025, where they’ll join a community of accomplished women leaders and innovators. In addition to complimentary attendance to the retreat and financial support, the Jacqueline Troy Inspired Fund provides winners with promotional marketing services to help amplify their mission and attract further community engagement. Each awardee is selected for their commitment to community and entrepreneurial spirit, embodying the values Jackie Troy championed.

“Through the Inspired Fund, we are not only honoring Jackie’s work but also creating a supportive network of women entrepreneurs who are transforming our community,” said Melanie Raney, CIWBC Council Chair and Senior Manager, M&A and Business Development at AES Indiana. “We invite all eligible women entrepreneurs to apply and join us in building a stronger, more inclusive business community.”

To learn more about the Jacqueline Troy Inspired Fund and submit a nomination, please visit Indy Chamber’s website.

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About the Indy Chamber

The Indy Chamber is honored to be named the 2021 ACCE Chamber of the Year for its hard work and dedication to the Indy Region. We serve as a voice of progress and improvement in the region, uniting business and community to maintain a strong economy and quality of life. Our advocacy efforts, networking events, economic development initiatives, and other member benefits position members, business leaders, and the community for success. Indy has what it takes to be a world-class region where innovation meets performance. The Indy Chamber is here to realize that potential to its fullest.

One of the most common issues a business owner will face is deciding when to expand and how to finance the expansion. Local entrepreneur Kelsey Rardon faced this very issue when she was evaluating the success of her business, Breathing Space Yoga + Meditation, which offers group and private yoga classes and well as meditation sessions.

As the owner of Breathing Space, Rardon manages the careful balance of steady financial growth and respect for the mission of the business: making yoga accessible and affordable to everyone who walks through her door. She accomplishes this through a pay-as-you-can pricing strategy. While it took some time to fine-tune, she’s found the best structure is to offer traditional membership packages while also providing an affordable drop-in rate. Pay-what-you-can is cash only and card charges are a flat $17. With this process, yoga classes become more like yoga communities because there’s no judgement on who’s a member or a first timer.

Kelsey has always listened to the needs of her customers. As more classes began filling up, she saw the need for a bigger space. Due to the lack of collateral that yoga studios have, traditional banks loans were difficult to attain. After submitting her business plan and application for a Business Ownership Initiative (BOI) small business loan, her dreams of expanding became a reality. Kelsey stated it was a “really incredible testament to this being exactly what I should be doing. Not just teaching yoga – but running a business.” The BOI loan supported her studio expansion and also allowed her to further her mission of accessibility within yoga through including plus sizes in her new retail space.

To other entrepreneurs, Kelsey says “you’ll find a way to make it happen if you’re passionate about it and if it’s meant to be. If it’s meant to happen and you’re doing what your purpose is, there’s no way you can fail or doubt yourself.” Kelsey is happy she took the jump to become a business owner, and she’s even happier that it was within the Indy area. To her, Indy is just big enough and just small enough that it has created an incredible community. She loves supporting local vendors and promoting them within her studio. To her, Indy is all about helping each other grow.

To learn more about Breathing Space Yoga + Medition, visit their website.

To learn more about BOI’s small business loan program, visit www.indychamber.com/lending.

Urban Contessa flower and gift boutique isn’t your typical roses and daisies. They arrange the highest quality flowers in original, organic styles.  What makes Urban Contessa even more unique? It is owned and operated by a mother and daughter, Asia and Olivia. In our interview, Asia explained how their arrangements are different every single day. “It’s kind of like a recipe – you think ‘What am I in the mood for today?’” Whatever their secret ingredient is, it’s definitely working.

Urban Contessa is a full-service florist, offering bouquets and arrangements for weddings, events, corporate workshops, and their retail space. But that is not what the business looked like at its inception in August 2017. Asia and Olivia have always let their customers dictate the direction of their business. Originally, Urban Contessa began out of their living room on Mass Ave. The mother and daughter chose unique flowers and varieties that stuck out from your typical grocery store bouquet. Then, they dropped off their creations to different clients around the city. As buzz grew about their business, so did bigger requests, such as weddings and events. Asia and Olivia knew they needed to find a new workshop (and gain back some living room space), so they found a space to work out (though it wasn’t open to the public).

Luckily, they weren’t in it alone. Asia and Olivia sought help from the Indy Chamber’s Business Ownership Initiative (BOI) for both one-on-one business coaching and small business lending in order to take Urban Contessa to new heights. Neil Metzger was able to ideate growth strategies, assist in the search for a retail location, and ensure Urban Contessa had the necessary financing to be successful. Not only did he help build their business; he helped build their trust.

That is what made applying for a small business loan from BOI services so easy. Asia and Olivia had already formed a tight relationship with Neil, and he made the application process a breeze. He knew what the business needed, looked into all the numbers, and did his own outside research. He not only became an expert on the Urban Contessa business, but an expert on the industry.

Urban Contessa utilized the business loan for start-up costs, inventory, and build out. When asked about the results they’ve seen, Asia and Olivia felt it was the best thing they could have done for their business. Being downtown had always been important to them. It’s where their family lives, works, and goes to school. Getting a retail location in Salesforce Tower was able to further open them up to the downtown community. A storefront also provided a place for them to take meetings and entertain while also adding legitimacy and credibility to their floral business.

To other entrepreneurs, Asia and Olivia recommend you know what your strengths and weaknesses are. If you have strengths, use them to your full advantage. For your weaknesses, hire that area of your business out to someone else that can do it better. Above all, Indy is a great place to live and do work because of its size and affordability. In the past two years it has become even accessible, walkable, and busier – which is a great thing for retail.

Looking for holiday arrangements and gifts? Stop by Urban Contessa or visit their website www.urbancontessaindy.com. 

Learn more about BOI’s free one-on-one business coaching and small business loans up to $50,000 at Indychamber.com/entrepreneurship.