Business, Equity and Opportunities Podcast

DR. SHAWN SMITH IS SUPERINTENDENT OF LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS.

LIKE MANY OTHER LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS, LAWRENCE HAS FOUND THAT USING LOCAL BUILDING CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS CAN BE GOOD BUSINESS AND BRING MORE REWARDS WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.

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WE DROP IN ON A LOCAL RETAILER FINDING SUCCESS IN THE GROWING COMMUNITY OF BUSINESSES THAT CALL 'THE STUTZ' HOME.  

THE ICONIC 7-BUILDING FACTORY COMPLEX IS THE FORMER HOME OF THE STUTZ MOTOR COMPANY.

THE COMPLEX HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES BUILD ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY. 

THE GROUNDED PLANTED & FLORAL COMPANY IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. 

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SHANNON WILLIAMS IS THE CEO & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF 'THE MIND TRUST'. SHE'S ALSO THIS YEAR'S WINNER OF THE 'CHAMPIONS OF DIVERSITY ROSA PARKS TRAILBLAZER' AWARD FOR HER EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP IN PROMOTING DIVERSITY.  

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ACCORDING TO THE SBA'S 2024 SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE: SMALL BUSINESSES (THOSE WITH FEWER THAN 500 EMPLOYEES) ACCOUNT FOR 99.4 PERCENT OF INDIANA BUSINESSES. 

THE RETAIL SECTOR PROVIDES FOR ABOUT 40% OF EMPLOYEE PAYROLL. 

WE DROP IN ON ONE OF THOSE RETAILERS MAKING IT WORK DOWNTOWN. 

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JAMES JONES, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE SHAWN, OPENED 'HIS PLACE EATERY' TO REDEFINE SOUL FOOD, LEVERAGING HIS CULINARY TRAINING AND CLOSE ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

THEY ARE NOW GROWING THEIR BUSINESS AND SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCE TO HELP OTHERS FIND SUCCESS.  

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COURTNEY KINCAID HAS TIMELY INFORMATION TO SHARE TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS SUCCEED. 

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LAST WEEK ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, MORE THAN 1,000 LOCAL BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS GATHERED TO CELEBRATE THE 2025 CHAMPONS OF DIVERSITY.

THE EVENT IS NOW IN ITS 18TH YEAR. IT'S A NIGHT WHEN MOVERS, SHAKERS AND STAKEHOLDERS GATHER TO HONOR PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADVOCATE FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN BUSINESS AND IN OUR COMMUNITY. 

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WE CAUGHT UP WITH LAMONT HATCHER, CEO, OF APEX INFINITE SOLUTIONS LAST FRIDAY AT THE CHAMPIONS OF DIVERSITY AWARDS. 

HE IS IN THE BUSINESS OF CREATING SECURITY AND IT SOLUTIONS TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS AND THAT HARD FOUGHT FOR 'ACCESS TO CAPITAL'

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WE'RE 'GETTING STARTED' WITH SOME OF THE STRONG REACTION FORMING OVER THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW D-E-I MOVES.

I MENTIONED THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS A MOMENT AGO; GOVERNOR MKIKE BRAUN ISSUED SIMILAR ONES AT THE STATE LEVEL AS SOON AS HE TOOK OFFICE EARLIER IN THE MONTH.

NEWS 8'S MELEA VANOSTRAND TALKED TO LEADING LAWMAKERS LINING UP TO TALK TO BRAUN ABOUT THE DECISION.

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FRIDAY NIGHT WE WERE PROUD BE A PART OF THE '2025 CHAMPIONS OF DIVERSITY AWARDS'. THE EVENING CELEBRATES OUTSTANDING PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN OUR COMMUNITIES. 

BEGINNING NEXT WEEK WE WILL BE INTRODUCING YOU TO SOME OF THE HONOREES. 

TODAY, WE TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK BACK AT LAST YEAR'S WINNER OF THE 'DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JUNIOR FREEDOM AWARD.'  

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