Reimagining Main Street

Josh and Meaghan Coward worked with the Illinois SBDC at Sauk Valley Community College who provided resources such as templates, market research, and funding options. "Being new to the business owner world, we had so many things to do, items on our lists to complete, and papers to turn in. Pam  was there to help navigate all of this and help draft our business plan...Not only did this plan have to be completed for loan purposes, but it was also nice to see our future projections on paper. We would have never been able to do this plan without her help, and we are thankful this resource is available to our community." whoopyouraxe.com

This year's Indiana SBDC Rural Small Business of the Year, Beneker Family Farms, was founded in 1884 and is a family-owned and operated farm that offers premium angus beef raised in the Whitewater Valley. Beneker Family Farms has fed families in Southern Indiana for 130 years. In 2016, Beneker Family Farms was recognized as a historic Indiana Homestead by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. When Jayme and her husband purchased the farm from his family in 2018, they began looking at ways to improve marketing and grow their market size. The Indiana SBDC has provided substantive guidance and resources to help facilitate conversations from local restaurants to purchase the meat directly and launching subscription boxes.

New rural businesses started

Starting is easy but continuing to grow and improve and survive requires reflection and self-evaluation. Don't be afraid to jump. Don't be afraid to switch lanes. Do not care what others think about you. Most importantly, don't be afraid to put in the work. -- Alex Benjamin, Emporia State University SBDC client and Owner, GoodMuscle

Angela Horn of Lenoxburg General Store shares the rich tradition of her small business in the rural community of Lenoxburg, KY.