Partnership to Provide ‘Nudge’ to Young Businesses

Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now

This audio file is brought to you by

0:00

0:00

Loading audio file, please wait.

Speed
1.00

• 0.25
• 0.50
• 0.75
• 1.00
• 1.25
• 1.50
• 1.75
• 2.00

The president of OneZone says a new partnership with the Indy Chamber will help "feed the business community" by offering microlending and other entrepreneurial resources to young companies throughout Hamilton County. Mo Merhoff says access to the Indy Chamber’s Business Ownership Initiative will support businesses ranging from restaurants to high-tech startups that don’t meet traditional lending standards.

As part of the partnership, the Indy Chamber will have office space at OneZone to provide counseling to business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. The microlending program provides loans of up to $50,000 to support small business growth as well. The organization says it provided nearly 5,000 hours of free business coaching and a combined 5,500 hours of classes and workshops for small businesses last year.

Indy Chamber Chief Executive Officer Michael Huber says, while the business coaching services have always been available at no charge to companies throughout the nine-county region, by increasing access "we’re going out and actively seeking small business owners to grow the Indy region."

The Indy Chamber announced a similar partnership last month with the Greater Greenwood Chamber.