Opportunities for small businesses at The Market
Last spring, the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO) relocated its offices in downtown Warsaw to the former Giverny Fitness Studio at 207 S Buffalo Street. And since relocating, KEDCO has continued to build upon and evolve its entrepreneur-support services.
“The goal is to support and encourage entrepreneurship, spark new ideas and collaboration, and grow the local business community,” said KEDCO CEO Alan Tio. “With more space and new partnerships, from the first floor to the third, we’re able to provide emerging and existing business owners with more support and connection to resources.”
Located on the first floor, The Market is a pop-up retail shop and café featuring local vendors. It’s an ideal place to test drive a retail business in a low-risk environment, or expand by adding a downtown location, while offering the community another avenue to shop small in Kosciusko County.
Creighton’s Crazy Egg Café is one example of an established business expanding its presence to downtown Warsaw. Creighton’s is currently offering drip coffee, fresh baked goods, and branded merchandise at The Market. Learn more at www.kosciuskoedc.com/the-market.
A collaborative office space for entrepreneurs
KEDCO also offers coworking space for entrepreneurs in “The Workspace,” located on the second floor. The membership-based shared workspace includes both reserved or fixed-desk space and open desks at different monthly rates.
“The KEDCO coworking space is a wonderful location for our new Design Outreach office in Warsaw! The combination of elegant office space, multiple meeting rooms available to meet with business partners, and The Market on the first floor (with delicious coffee and cinnamon rolls), creates a very welcoming ambience and productive atmosphere. Also, the proximity to downtown restaurants makes it very amenable for lunch meetings, and the KEDCO staff are very friendly and supportive,” said Michael Cook, Research & Development Partnerships Director with Design Outreach.
Design Outreach (DO)is a nonprofit Christian research and product development organization with a vision to see low-income and marginalized communities transformed physically, economically, and spiritually through the development of life-sustaining, appropriate technology, and products. Learn more at dooutreach.org.
KEDCO still has memberships available in The Workspace! Interested applicants can complete the on-line application here: www.kosciuskoedc.com/the-workspace.
Business coaching and resources
Additionally, through a partnership with the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (NIIC), NIIC Entrepreneurship Coach Angie Harrison, is offering one-on-one business coaching weekly at no cost at the KEDCO Downtown Business Studio. Contact Angie directly at aharrison@niic.net to schedule an appointment.
“No one person knows everything about growing a business, so it’s important to have a team you can turn to for expertise, support, and encouragement,” said Harrison. It’s my privilege to serve as one of the people who Kosciusko County entrepreneurs can turn to for help at any stage of business development. At the NIIC, we’re ready to help you tackle things like planning, growth, marketing, and profitability.”
In the coming year, KEDCO will offer more in-house support to entrepreneurs. KEDCO was a recent grant recipient from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) for a pilot program focused on accelerating entrepreneurial activity throughout the state. Nick Ladig of Digs Advising recently joined the KEDCO team to help launch and lead an entrepreneur-support program.
“Nick will serve as a point of contact for local entrepreneurs at all stages of business, and he will help us establish and develop a strategy for the program, while connecting entrepreneurs to regional and statewide partners like Angie and The NIIC,” said Tio.
Ladig is a northeast Indiana native, and has a background in entrepreneurship, hospitality, and sales. In 2017, Ladig founded HT2, a remote tasting room focused on Hotel Tango spirits, formerly located in Fort Wayne. Most recently, he served as chief commercial officer at Hotel Tango Distillery, and later sold HT2 to the company in 2020.
Want to start or grow your business in Kosciusko County? KEDCO is here to help. Contact KEDCO at info@kosciuskoedc.com or 574-306-4119. Stay up with events and happenings by connecting with KEDCO via Facebook, Linkedin and Instagram @kosciuskoedc.
