Indiana SBDC (Small Business Development Center)
About the Program Services
Research
Entrepreneurship Lifestyle
Does entrepreneurship play to your strengths and help you reach your personal goals? Work with an SBDC advisor to help determine if entrepreneurship is the right fit for you and your family.
Market Research
Understanding your market is critical to starting a business. We offer access to no-cost market research reports and can help you interpret the data.
Business Model
You have an idea but how does that become a marketable business? SBDC Advisors will help you develop a business model to help you answer questions like: Who are your customers? What is your value proposition? How will you make money?
Manage Growth
Financial Management
From financial projections to cash flow analysis, our SBDC advising experts can help to ensure your business is sound through every stage of growth.
Business Planning
Business planning doesn’t stop after launching your business. Work with an SBDC advisor to help update your business plan annually to strategically manage your business roadmap.
Capital Access
Capital is essential to growing your business. Our advisors can help you determine which funding source is right for you and connect you with our network of finance partners.
Talent Acquisition
Growing a business requires a team. The Indiana SBDC can help you develop human resource practices and maintain talent that allows you to work on your business, not just for it.
Be Prepared
Understand Your Options
From traditional debt financing to crowdfunding and venture capital, an SBDC advisor can help you weigh your financing options to determine what best meets your needs and goals.
Business Plan
Most financial partners require a business plan to review financing applications. Work with an SBDC advisor to develop a strong business plan and roadmap for your business.
Market Research
Help your application reviewer understand your market by providing the numbers to back it up. We offer access no-cost market research reports and can help you interpret the data.
Financial Projections
Where will your business finances be in 3 years or 5 years? SBDC Advisors can help you develop comprehensive financial projections to strengthen for finance application.
Funding
Seed/Angel Investors
Seed and angel investments are usually the first investment in a business. Your Indiana SBDC advisor can provide you with a list of potential investors and help you prepare your pitch.
Venture
Venture capital firms typically invest in early-stage businesses with a proven revenue model or a rapidly growing customer base. In partnership with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Elevate Ventures provides capital and support to early stage, high growth startups in Indiana. SBDC advisors can connect you with Elevate Ventures and other venture firms to seek investment.
Private Equity
Private equity firms invest in established businesses with profitable margins and stable cash flow. These are typically larger deals and can include acquisitions and restructuring.
SBIR/STTR
Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs are the largest source of early-stage technology financing in the U.S. Work with your SBDC advisor to determine if SBIR/STTR is right for your business and take advantage of Indiana’s matching program.
Types of Business Transitions
Third Party Sale
This type of sale brings in an unrelated third party to buy the business. A third party sale could occur through an unsolicited offer, negotiated deal, or a controlled auction. Your Indiana SBDC advisor can help you secure a business valuation to ensure your business is fetching a fair price.
Family Succession
Transitioning a business to a family member takes honest and regular communication, a long lead-time, and a clear succession plan. Work with your SBDC advisor early to develop a strategy to benefit you and your business.
Management Buyout
A Management Buyout (MBO) is where an employee(s) of the business’s management team purchases the assets and operations of the business they already manage from the owner. The Indiana SBDC can work with both the owner and the employee to help develop a transition plan and identify financing opportunities.
Employee Sale
An ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) is a specific way to share business ownership with employees that can provide tax benefits to the company, to sellers of stock to an ESOP and to employees. This type of transition typically takes place over a long period of time. SBDC advisors can help think through if an ESOP will be a good fit for your business and connect you with ESOP specialists in Indiana.
Explore Indiana Communities
You've learned about the program. Now explore Indiana communities to see what it's like to live and work in the places where your business could grow.
Explore:
- LookyLOO Reviews of Indiana Cities
- Neighborhood Guides
- Local Reviews
- Schools & Quality of Life
- Save Indiana Communities to Your Project Book