Public invited to learn about Gary’s newest businesses, organizations
The public is invited to learn about the products and services of more than 20 Gary-based start-up businesses from 6-8 p.m., Friday, March 22. The vendor showcase will take place in the John W. Anderson Library/Conference Center, located on the Indiana University Northwest campus.
Featured businesses are participating in the StartUp Business Success program: an intense, four-week certificate program led by the IU Northwest School of Business and Economics, in collaboration with the City of Gary.
Through the program, the entrepreneurs learn critical business skills such as marketing, financial management, customer segmentation and business plan development to assist them in building their businesses and seeing success.
“The purpose of the program is to support local entrepreneurs in their pursuit of establishing and leading a successful business,” said Jana Szoztek, Director of the IU Northwest Business Assessment Center and lead for the StartUP Business Success program. “This is part of a larger strategy and commitment by the campus to help drive innovation and entrepreneurship throughout Northwest Indiana.”
Attendees can experience businesses focused in the following sectors:
- Party supplies: custom apparel; balloon artistry; custom party items; trinkets
- Government procurement
- Visual arts: photography; videography; digital asset management
- Employment: recruitment
- Health and social services: home care for elderly/disabled;, group home for troubled children; mastectomy supplies
- Food services: food vendors; cocoa prep business
- Education: STEM education for youth/adults; tutoring
Following the StartUp Business Success program, select entrepreneurs may receive grant funding, dispersed by the City of Gary, from the American Rescue Plan Act fund.
This is the second round of entrepreneurs to complete the StartUp Business Success program. During fall 2023, more than 40 budding entrepreneurs with start-up visions ranging from restaurants and caterers, clothing stores, cleaning companies, life coaches, trucking companies and more took part in program.
For more information about the StartUp Business Success program, or the vendor showcase, please contact Jana Szostek at (219) 980-6910 or jaszoste@iun.edu.
