People buzzed around the crowded room, inspecting merchandise, shaking hands and exchanging business cards. Only these vendors weren’t peddling products, they were pitching their dreams. 

The New Business Vendor Showcase marked the culmination of a four-week Start Up Business Success Program. Created through a partnership between the city of Gary and IUN, the course taught 49 students the ins and outs of starting a small business. 

“This is really our mission come to life,” Cynthia Roberts, dean of IUN’s School of Business and Economics, said. 

Tables filled with baked goods, custom clothing, balloons, dioramas and more filled the room.

Tequeya Spann said she drew upon her own life experiences when creating her business “Walking with a Purpose.” The nonprofit helps guide and support women who are in financial crisis. 

“I gained a whole lot from the class,” Spann said as she grinned and tapped the white binder that contained her business plan. 

Throughout the course, students heard from guest speakers who are experts on marketing, money management and audience segmentation. Each student walked away from the course with a certificate or completion and a refined business plan, however that is not all they will receive.

The start-up class is part of city’s larger small business grant program. Over the winter, Mayor Jerome Prince and the Gary Common Council approved using some of the American Rescue Plan Act funding the city was awarded to support small businesses and nonprofits. Ultimately 90 small businesses were awarded over $1.7 million and 30 nonprofits were awarded $487,637. Some of the students that participated in the start-up course will also receive funding for their small business. 

A review committee, which includes members of the city’s administration, the Common Council and IUN, will use information gathered during the vendor showcase as well as the student’s business plans to make evaluations over the next few weeks. 

Shanta Phillips, who has sold clothing for about a decade, said the grant funding would really help his business get off the ground. Named after Phillips’ two grandchildren, I’maniNova’s Children Clothing and Wigs specifically caters to kids under 12. Phillips started off selling custom T-shirts and clothes out of a tent, then he was able to save up enough for a truck, and in August he opened up a storefront at 5126 Broadway. 

Grant funding would allow Phillips to add more merchandise. 

“I was spending out of my own pocket and I went broke,” Phillips explained. 

Similarly, Jadi Brown said grant funding would help pay for necessary equipment. Her business, Flawless Treats and Catering, focuses on creating nutritious deserts and healthy meal prep. With more money, Brown could grow her offerings and, eventually open up a bakery with a commercial kitchen. 

Brown grew up watching her mother and grandmother bake all the time. When her father’s health issues forced him to change his diet, Brown was inspired to create a business that specializes in healthy meals. She sold her good at a few pop-ups in 2019, but the COVID pandemic derailed her burgeoning business. 

Hearing about the start-up class “turned everything around,” Brown said. While she was confident in her cooking and marketing skills, things like creating a business plan and establishing an LLC were all new concepts.

Ruhani Sharma, an IUN MBA student, was the class’s graduate assistant. She said one of the best parts of the course was watching the students befriend one another and exchange business cards. Roberts says she hopes the students will continue to reach out to each other and to IUN when they need assistance. 

“Start-up companies and small businesses are the center of economic development and growth,” IUN Chancellor Ken Iwama told the students. 

Another cohort of the start-up course will begin at the start of 2024. Roberts says she hopes the program can eventually become permanent.