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:

• Brandi Davis Handy, President of AES Indiana
• Jessica Gendron, President & CEO of The Center for Leadership Excellence
• Vicki Hall, Senior Financial Advisor at C.H. Douglas & Gray Wealth Management
• Latha Ramchand Chancellor of IU Indy
• Courtney Roberts, President of the Ivy Tech Foundation
•  Dr. Tanuja Singh, President of University of Indianapolis
• Bette Smith, Owner of Destra Consulting Group

“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.

Finding funding can be a daunting process for many entrepreneurs, whether they are just starting up or looking to grow. It can be tough to get a bank loan or convince an investor to get on board when a company is small or new. This is where microloans come in.

What Is A Microloan?

Microloans are typically offered to businesses with smaller start-up capital needs (usually less than $50,000). Unlike traditional bank business loans, funding is typically distributed by designated community-based non-profit intermediary lenders such as Business Ownership Initiative (BOI), a business unit of the Indy Chamber. In addition to providing small business financing, BOI and many of these designated lenders also provide technical assistance to their clients to help them along the way.

Qualifying For A Microloan

Generally speaking, it’s easier to qualify for a microloan than for a traditional business loan. BOI microloans are geared toward helping new and small businesses, so the requirements are more flexible. As with traditional loans, the specific eligibility requirements differ from lender to lender – the business you’re in, your track record, the amount of the loan you need, how old your business is, and other factors may all affect your eligibility with a given lender.

At BOI, our staff will work with you to learn about you and your goals and take that information into consideration when evaluating your loan application. That’s one of the biggest differences between microlending and traditional lending – it’s about your character as a business person, not just your credit score.

Applying For A BOI Microloan

Interested in applying for a BOI microloan? Our 4 step process makes it easy:
1. Set up an appointment with a business coach to talk through your financial situation and help you get loan ready.
2. Complete a full loan application.
3. Submit an application to the loan committee.
4. If approved, meet in person for your loan closing.

So, Is A Microloan Right For My Business?

A microloan could be right for any kind of business, but the answer depends on your needs and circumstances. Microloans are often a good fit for sole proprietorships, businesses with few employees, women-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses and other businesses that have trouble getting access to traditional lending. They’re great if your business is very new and you don’t have a long credit history, can’t provide adequate collateral, or if you only need a small loan. Microloans are also helpful for building credit, helping prepare you for traditional lending down the road. If your business needs a small loan and you don’t have access to a traditional bank loan, a microloan might be the best choice for you.

If you’re considering seeking a microloan, ask yourself these questions:

• Is Traditional Lending An Option?
  If traditional lending isn’t a viable option, a microloan may be right for your business. Traditional lenders require a good credit score and a longer track record.
• How Will I Use The Funds?
  When deciding on funding, you’ll also need to consider how you’re going to use the money. Microloans are most commonly used for startup costs such as working capital and equipment; however, they cannot be used to refinance debt, purchase real estate, pay taxes or pay owner’s salary.
• How Much Money Do I Need?
  Finally, consider the size of loan you need and can handle. Traditional business loans tend to be substantial, often in the 6-figure range or higher. You may not need that much of a loan. You may not want that much of a loan – large debts mean large interest payments that can make it tough to keep your head above water. Taking on too large of a loan can also hurt your credit score.

Want to chat with a BOI business coach to evaluate your funding needs? Schedule a one-on-one meeting online at IndyChamber.com/Lending

Donald Mee Design, owned by Donald Mee and his wife Rebekah, specializes in creating custom commercial and residential furniture out of their Indianapolis studio. They focus on quality craftsmanship and heirloom one-of-a-kind pieces.

However, like many businesses in the “maker” industry, the studio started off as just one entrepreneur. Donald, an artist and furniture designer who graduated from the Herron School of Art and Design in 2001, has been passionately designing and building custom furniture for ten years. Over the years, Donald’s business gained momentum and was at a point where he needed to grow his staff. In 2013 Donald’s wife Rebekah quit her job as an IPS teacher to help Donald with the operations and management side of the business. The couple makes a great team: Donald loves the craft and working with clients, whereas Rebekah is great with numbers and business. Since Rebekah joined, the business has consistently doubled their sales every year. 

Struggling with how to keep up with the growing business, Donald and Rebekah came to Business Ownership Initiative for help determining their next growth strategy. The first step was to invest in machinery that would help shave thousands of hours off their work each year. Because traditional bank loans aren’t always favorable for small businesses, they were able to secure a BOI microloan to help purchase their new machinery. Now, equipped with more advanced machinery and several sub-contractors, the team is working on step two of their growth strategy with BOI.

“The process of working with BOI, I would say it’s kind of seamless and it’s familiar. They really pay attention to detail, pay attention to growth, and the direction that I want the business to grow in. They help us find the right path to get to that end goal” — Donald Mee

To learn more about BOI’s free one-on-one coaching, microlending, and other resources for entrepreneurs, visit Indychamber.com/entrepreneurship.

To learn more about Donald Mee Designs and to view their work, visit DonaldMeeDesign.com.

Faith, passion and purpose were the key ingredients for local entrepreneur Alyssa Norwalk’s new venture, Plenty Lifestyle, which opened June 2017 at 54^th and the Monon Trail.

Inspired by her mother’s retail career, Alyssa’s first experience with entrepreneurship was through co-ownership of Gingko, a boutique in Broad Ripple she ran with partners until 2008. After stepping away from Indianapolis and entrepreneurship for a number of years, Alyssa returned to Indianapolis as a recently divorced, single mother of four with a desire to add a meaningful challenge to her life.

Alyssa’s vision for Plenty initially started out as an online platform to buy local products, but the concept evolved into something that would engage all the senses: a brick-and-mortar lifestyle shop featuring 80% locally-sourced artisan products. From furniture and candles to jewelry and artwork, Plenty Lifestyle is a place “where people walk in feeling great, and walk out feeling even better.” Located just off the Monon Trail, a gathering point for all types of people, Alyssa was intentional about designing a shopping experience that is inclusive of all shoppers to make local products more approachable.

Through her past experience with retail, Alyssa knew it would not be an easy task to start a business on her own. However, she also knew there were resources available to help her through the process and alleviate some of the stress of managing things as a single mother and sole proprietor. Alyssa connected with a business coach through Business Ownership Initiative to help her get the business plan and financials squared away. With this organized base to start from, Alyssa felt confident managing the growth of her business.

As a business motivated by faith, purpose and passion, the growth of Plenty isn’t necessarily limited to cash flow. Alyssa’s goal for the store is to have a lasting community impact. The store is frequently kept open for events to benefit the featured artisans as well as local charities. In early February, Plenty hosted a fundraiser for ArtMix, where they raised over $1,000 for the local nonprofit which serves adults with mental disabilities. Alyssa says the public can expect to see more events that will help elevate these artisans and create awareness for local causes.

With support from Business Ownership Initiative and the larger entrepreneurial community, Alyssa quickly discovered that Indy has the right resources to help her pursue her passion.

Follow Plenty Lifestyle’s growth on social media, or visit their website at www.plentylifestyle.com

To schedule a meeting with a business coach, visit www.indychamber.com/coaching.