The Childcare Resource and Referral Network is a statewide resource designed to provide free support for families looking for childcare, childcare providers looking for assistance, and employers trying to connect employees to childcare. The Network aids communities to help them address their childcare needs, as well.  Kristi Burkhart is Director for one of the five regional Network operators, and she talks on this podcast about all of the services provided through the program and how to access them.

Entrepreneurship in rural communities takes a little extra effort.  In this second podcast dealing with the connection between economic development and regional planning councils, we explore how the Southern Indiana Development Council partnered with economic development organizations to stimulate the redevelopment of an endangered Vaudeville theatre and energize entrepreneurship at the same time.  Greg Jones, Southern Indiana Development Commission, Chris Pfaff, Knox County Economic Development, Nicole Like, Pantheon Theatre, and Jeff Quyle, Radius Indiana, join Lee Lewellen on this podcast to tell the story.

In 2022, Indiana’s Small Business Development Centers helped secure over $110 million for Indiana small businesses and regularly meet individually with over 1,000 clients a month helping local businesses grow and thrive.  Andrew Carty is the IEDC Vice President for Small Business and he shares details about how the SBDC is evolving to meet local needs under IEDC’s leadership.

Forbes Magazine named Indiana as the #1 state for starting a business in 2023 and Indiana ranked #4 in the US for the survivability of its start-ups.  David Watkins, Senior VP for Entrepreneurship and Small Business talks on this podcast about IEDC’s efforts to support entrepreneurs including the new Connect IND website.

 

This podcast is sponsored by Duke Energy.

Hustle SBE is a unique cohort-based experience focused on female and minority entrepreneurs in the South Bend – Elkhart region.  Over the last four years, over 60 entrepreneurs have participated in this unique business bootcamp and have grown their businesses and their networks as a result of it.  Bethany Hartley, President and CEO of the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership share details about the program and insights about building the ‘entrepreneurial ecosystem.’

 

This podcast is sponsored by Duke Energy.

Workforce boards used to be focused on ‘displaced workers:’ getting folks who were out of the workforce, back into it.  But as workforce and talent have become drivers for economic development, Indiana’s workforce boards have become partners and innovators in addressing our talent needs.  Lisa Daugherty, Center of Workforce Innovations, Tony Waterson, Southern Indiana Works, and Edmond O’Neal with Northeast Indiana Works share details of the innovative ways they are working to address workforce challenges in their respective regions.

Sponsored by Duke Energy

Everywhere, if Andrea Richter Garry has anything to do with it.  In our fourth podcast with IEDC staff, Lee talks with the Senior Vice President for Global Strategy & Engagement, Andrea Richter-Garry, about Indiana’s unique strategy to engage foreign diplomats, business people, and entrepreneurs to bring Indiana to the world and the world to the Hoosier state.  Andrea talks about her background at the White House, the 2024 Indiana Global Economic Summit and why the 2022 Summit was a unique event in the world. She also shares how the IEDC is working to make sure that Indiana gets its fair share of federal dollars.

Across Indiana, there are 16 regional planning councils covering 83 of Indiana’s 92 counties.  Regional planning councils can help secure funding for critical projects that can make or break some economic development activities.  In this podcast, the first of two parts, Christy Householder from the Cass County EDC and Steven Ray with the North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council talk about how the two organizations have worked together to secure funding for Cass County.  This podcast is sponsored by Hoosier Energy.

On the northside of Kokomo you can see the flurry of construction activity as the community prepares to welcome the Stellantis and Samsung joint venture.  But as the community prepares to welcome a new business venture, it is also preparing to welcome a new social venture as it anticipates new neighbors from South Korea.  Lori Dukes and Misty Knisely with the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance talk about the wide range of activities underway to make Kokomo a welcoming city for the incoming Korean nationals.

This podcast is sponsored by Hoosier Energy.

In our third podcast with IEDC, Chris Lowery, Indiana’s Commissioner for Higher Education, and Tony Denhart, IEDC’s Executive VP for Workforce and Talent talk about the State’s efforts to attract talent, build Indiana’s talent pipeline and reveal members of the ‘Human Capital Club.’