Maximum Business April/May 2014 Edition by Palladium-Item Media Group

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any successful companies thrive by targeting a niche — a steady, easily identifiable market for their product. Locating a niche can be challenging, but the businesses profiled in this issue of Maximum Business show it can be done. “You find these pockets, almost like a pocket of gold,” said Peggy Cenova of Hagerstown, regional director for the Indiana Small Business Development Center in Muncie. The pocket might reach all over the nation and beyond, as in the case of Champion Traps and Targets. “Champion is uniquely positioned to produce things that there is a reliable, consistent market for,” said Tim Emmenegger, general manager of the Richmond plant. Or it might be a local pocket that needs to be filled. East River Equine Hospital north of Richmond provides such a service. “The horse community is a small and close community, so if people have been pleased with your work, they are happy to share the word,” said veterinarian Lance Alexander. Read more on these and more local businesses in this edition of Maximum Business.

INDEX Page 3..... Successful Woman: T-shirt business fits area mother just right Page 4..... ‘Green’ spaces for learning Page 5.... If product meets a need, you’ve found a niche Page 9..... Are you making the most of your business strengths? Page 10..... Vet’s horse sense grows Richmond clinic Page 12..... Western styles draw customers for miles Page 14..... Champion Traps and Targets pigeonholes into strong market Page 16..... Healthy foods secure Hidden Pond Farm’s marketplace health Page 18..... Richmond Baking tastes sweet success with crusts, contracts Page 19..... Vandor inserts itself into lead of rental casket trend Page 21..... Calendar features local, regional events Page 22..... Photos of donations, honors

CENTER CITY

1st test: What do you do best? Aspiring entrepreneurs enter the Innovation Center weekly with a plethora of ideas for how they can make money in business. There are two things that I can always count on as being a part of every conversation. No. 1 is having to point out that there are not in fact grants available to start every kind of business under the sun like the late-night infomercials will lead you to believe. JASON No. 2 is having to WHITNEY work with my client to narrow the focus on their revenue stream from seven things down to one or maybe two things they can do well and become an expert in. Creating a value proposition — a short, two-sentence statement about what your business will do — is a key part to business planning. If an entrepreneur has a variety of things they think they can do well, it is nearly impossible to fit all of those things into their value proposition. Many times clients visit our office and are convinced that they in fact are capable of running a coffee shop, computer repair, oil change, street sweeping, cardboard sales and shoe repair business. That is all good and well, but as a consumer how can I decipher what you do? How can I believe that you do shoe repair better than anyone else? A great example of a focused plan is BlueBridge Digital, now based out of Indianapolis but originally from Marion, Ind. The founders at BlueBridge found they had created an application that was perfectly suited to display the information that visitors’ bureaus wanted to convey to their patrons. They focused on that very niche market and found huge success. BlueBridge founder and CEO Santiago Jaramillo then noticed that their app format could branch out into other niche markets. Mega churches were one market that needed a similar formatting, as well as college athletic departments. BlueBridge doesn't advertise that they can solve any business

Santiago Jaramillo, founder and CEO of BlueBridge Digital, accepts the 2013 TechPoint Young Professional of the Year Award at the Mira Awards. SUPPLIED

solution. They work in these specialty niche markets and have built a reputation of being able to solve problems in these spaces specifically, making them experts in their field. When thinking about starting a business yourself, take the time to consider: » What are all the things I think I do well?

» What are the things from that list I do the best? » What are the things I do the best that I can capitalize into revenue? Focus on doing those things and building your business from there. You can always add supplemental services down the road but you can eliminate a business start-up headache by focusing your efforts on doing one thing well. Jason Whitney is executive director of Center City Development Corp. in Richmond.

SUCCESSFUL WOMAN

T-shirt business fits area mother just right By Pam Tharp

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ichmond entrepreneur Ali Rivera had a wide array of business experiences before launching a line of organic clothing four years ago. Like many women, the seasons of her life have revolved around family needs, from accepting responsibilities in her father’s car dealership after the death of her brother to creating stay-at-home work she can do while her daughters are young. A graduate of Indiana University with degrees in fine arts and anthropology, she’s twice lived abroad and also in San Francisco, New Orleans, Charlotte, N.C., and Miami, Fla., where she worked for the Miami Herald and then in the hotel industry. A native of Eaton, Ohio, Rivera’s current online business, Shanie and Sallie, sells organic T-shirts she created for children. » How did you become involved in producing organic cotton T-shirts for children? Our daughter Sydney, who is now 6, has always had allergies and she was allergic to a lot of fabrics and some of the tags in clothing. I’d have to cut the tags out. Some things had the tags printed directly on the material and that was even worse. I’ve always been a hippie and conscious of the environment, so I thought organic clothing was a need to be filled. We’d never have moved in this direction without Syndey’s allergies. I figured if my kids were itching, others were too. I saw an opportunity and it really just clicked. It combined my focus on art and my desire for organic clothing.

Ali Rivera, left, talks with Shari Veach about selling her organic cotton T-shirts at Veach's Toy Station in Richmond. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

» How did you decide on the Tshirt designs? About the same time that I was considering the T-shirts, I came across pictures in a trunk my mom had drawn in the early 1950s, when she was 5 to 8 years old. I thought we could use these on the organic Tshirts. Those were the first year’s shirts. We’ve done barnyard animals

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and now it’s all about the sea — oceans, whales, flamingos. The fabric was the big issue. I couldn’t find any companies in this country making organic fabric. I wanted to do “Made in the USA.” It tugged at my heart that I couldn’t. I buy fabric from South China and now India. I love art and I have a studio downstairs, but I don’t do the screen

printing. It’s more laser-based now. The company that does the printing uses soft, water-based dyes. The hang tag is made of recycled paper. Pure bamboo is the softest fabric available. They cook it down. Some (processors) use a harsh chemical, so I had to look into the processing See SUCCESSFUL, Page 4

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LWC designs ‘green’ spaces for learning

Editor’s note: For her column this month, Amy Holthouse of the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce chose to focus on a Richmond business that has created a successful niche. A mainstay of the Richmond business community since 1946, LWC Incorporated (formerly R.W. Clinton and Associates) has been recognized AMY throughout Indiana as HOLTHOUSE a leading architectural and engineering firm in the area of primary and secondary education. The firm also has an office in Dayton, Ohio, that serves healthcare, higher education, civic and non-profit clients. Combined, LWC has a total staff of 32 design professionals. LWC has a roster of school clients that spans as far west as Terre Haute, and north of Merrillville. The staff is noted for creating school facilities that are aesthetically pleas-

Successful Continued from Page 3

method and make sure it was certified organic. » How difficult is it to launch an online business? There were two years of planning and research before we started. I had to give the manufacturer measurements of the shirts, just like a seamstress. A size 2T in the U.S. is much larger than in Europe, and the length of the sleeves is different too. I also had to learn customs laws since we were importing. Europe is much more into organics than the U.S. Quality is my thing. When you pull on the shirt, the design shouldn’t crack. It will fade, but that makes it look more vintage. Friends said if we wanted to make money, we should get our shirts into Walmart, but that’s not what this is about. It’s a different kind of art work. Our focus is organic fab-

ing, functional in design and built to meet each client’s particular budget. Over the past 10 years, the office has provided architectural and engineering services for building programs in school districts in Ohio, most notably Dayton ($625 million) and Huber Heights ($165 million). Many of the firm’s clients request buildings that are “green” or LEED certified, containing sustainable design elements. LWC was employing these principles before it became part of the nationwide trend. It is part of the firm’s philosophy and approach to each building design. Recycled and environmentally friendly materials and products are standard in every design. LWC has 10 LEED certified school

ric and art. Besides online, the T-shirts are now available locally at Veach’s Toy Station and the Earlham College book store. We’re so excited to have them available here. » You’ve held many different jobs. Which ones had the most impact on your life? My first paying job was as a lifeguard at the Eaton pool. I loved the fact that I was getting paid and getting a suntan and there were boys there. I remember the feeling I had when I got my first paycheck. My very first job was washing cars at my dad’s dealership in Eaton, Ohio. I started helping at 10 or 11 years old. Dad got his first franchise at age 35. He came from nothing and earned everything he had. I learned a sense of responsibility from him. If you want certain things, you have to do something to get them. I ran Dale Carter Ford in Eaton for 10 years after my brother’s death. Car dealerships were a very male-dominated business. I had to know everything, from the

LWC INCORPORATED » Address: 4440 Garwood Place » Phone: (765) 966-3546 » Website: www.lwcinspires.com

buildings in its portfolio and has also completed LEED certified projects in the Dayton area for Girl Scouts and the Aullwood Audubon Center. The Richmond office has seven LEED accredited professionals on staff. We live in a world that is impacted daily by the rapid advancements of technology. Students will need the skill sets to master these changes in order to be prepared to compete effectively in the international marketplace. LWC understands that

body shop to the payroll. I learned a lot in the (2009) takeover. We lost Chrysler overnight. We got a FedEx message and 40 years was down the drain. This was going to be our livelihood. I never wanted to be in that position again. We decided franchising wasn’t for us. » Are there plans for yet another new venture? For now, this is fun. When I think about success, it’s so different than it was 10 years ago. Right now, flexibility is important to me. I have time to do things with my girls or be in Cincinnati with Dad. I do eBay and resell things. I still clean offices on weekends. I have a metallurgy forge and make jewelry. My husband, Rafael, works at Color Box and designs boxes for them. We’ve got a lot invested and I pray a lot. We’re frugal right now, but I know things will get better. I wouldn’t change this for the world. I want to be successful in being a mom too. I’d be very angry if I had to look back some day and regret how I spent this time.

school facilities must be designed with the flexibility to adapt to future improvements and enhancements. All of LWC’s school clients fund projects with taxpayer dollars. The firm is sensitive to the additional scrutiny of facilities that are funded by public dollars. The citizens in each school corporation want assurance that their dollars are spent in a sensible and prudent manner. The staff of LWC works with superintendents and boards of education to ensure that those community expectations are met. As the firm looks to the future, it is a goal to expand its Indiana client base beyond primary and secondary education. That transition has begun as LWC now counts Earlham College, Ivy Tech, Reid Hospital, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the City of Richmond, and Cope Environmental Center in its growing list of valued clients and community partners. Amy Holthouse is president and chief executive officer of the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce.

Some of the Shanie and Sallie T-shirts sold at Veach's Toy Station in Richmond. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

NICHE MARKETING

If product meets a need,

YOU’VE FOUND A NICHE www.pal-item.com § Maximum Business §Palladium-Item Media Group, APRIL/MAY 2014

Area companies succeed with specialization By Louise Ronald

any successful companies thrive by targeting a niche — a steady, easily identifiable market — and providing the product or expertise that market demands. Identifying a niche can be challenging, but the businesses profiled in this issue of Maximum Business show it can be done. “You find these pockets, almost like a pocket of gold,” said Peggy Cenova of Hagerstown, regional director for the Indiana Small Business Development Center in Muncie. The pocket might reach all over the nation and beyond, as in the case of Champion Traps and Targets. Champion’s Richmond plant manufactures clay targets for recreational shooting. Or it might be a local pocket that needs to be filled. East River Equine Hospital north of See NICHE, Page 6

Peggy Cenova, regional director of the Indiana Small Business Development Center, offered Square Donuts of Richmond as one example of a company that has created a niche by differentiating its product. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE

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Scott Underwood meets with Jessica Clark during the 2013 Wayne County Business Plan Competition. Underwood, a business adviser with the Indiana Small Business Development Center, has an office hosted by Ivy Tech Community College in Richmond. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE

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fermented foods — with their business, Hidden Pond Farm. The rural Centerville business sells its products as far away as Indianapolis and Cincinnati, as well as at local farmers markets. These example are just a few of the many area businesses that have been successful in finding their own niche. Cenova warns that it’s not always easy. “I think everybody looks for that perfect niche,” she said, “and not everybody finds it.” For people who might be considering starting a business, the ISBDC has tools to help identify a possible niche. “It’s important to find a niche that’s big enough to fund what you want to do,” Cenova said. To find its niche, a business doesn’t necessarily have to be unique, just different. Cenova gives the example of Square Donuts in Richmond. “They have found a way to differentiate themselves,” she said. “Sometimes that’s what a niche is.” “A niche can be redesigning a certain product that’s on the market and making it better,” said Valerie Shaffer, president of the Economic

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Richmond provides such a service. Tim Scales, senior lecturer and director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Education at Indiana University East, draws a distinction between a niche product and a niche market. Broadly speaking, Champion targets would be examples of niche products, whereas East River Equine Hospital serves a niche market. But it isn’t that simple. Champion’s success relies on having customers for its goods — a niche market. “Champion is uniquely positioned to produce things that there is a reliable, consistent market for,” said Tim Emmenegger, general manager of the Richmond plant. And East River Equine Hospital is finding its market growing as its reputation spreads. “The horse community is a small and close community, so if people have been pleased with your work, they are happy to share the word,” said veterinarian

Lance Alexander. The hospital recently took care of a patient that came all the way from Kentucky. The Rodeo Shop north of Eaton, Ohio, is an example of a retail store that sells specialized gear to people with a specific interest. Not only has it become a regional desination for rodeo enthusiasts, the store has reached out to another group requiring similar gear — police departments with mounted patrols. Again, niche products for niche markets. Sometimes identifying a niche can require long-range vision. Richmond Baking saw its industry changing in the 1960s and set itself up as a contract manufacturer — a strategy that has paid off for the company. For the past few years, Vandor Corp. in Richmond has been positioning itself for a similar industrywide trend, creating a variety of cremation products as funeral practices change across the country. And Andy and Beverly McDowell of rural Centerville are taking advantage of two trends — interest in locally grown foods and interest in

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NICHE MARKETING aspiring business owner be able to put in the time and effort needed to turn dreams into reality. Scott Underwood, who works with the ISBDC in Richmond, encourages people considering starting a business to think hard about potential customers and their needs. “You have to spend time thinking more about your customers than your product,” he said. Otherwise, too much effort will go into convincing customers that they need the product. Instead, design a product to meet a need that already exists and that customers value. “Because you can’t be all things to all people, it’s important that you find the people that can make you the most money,” said Underwood. A successful business has products or expertise that its customers value and are willing to pay for. Jonathan Ferris, director of the Wayne County Purdue University Extension office, said changing customer tastes have created a unique opportunity — a potential niche — for Peggy Cenova, regional director of the Indiana Small Business Development Center, talks with Nolan Hannah at the Innovation Center during a session of the Small area farmers. See NICHE, Page 8

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Development Corporation of Wayne County. The key, she said, is flexibility. “The need for the product can change,” Shaffer said. “The market can change. It’s continually evolving.” “Vandor’s niche is everything,” said president Gerald Davis. Even so, the company always is on the lookout for new product ideas. “We look for new niches,” he said. “We’re always looking for something new.” “Vandor is a great example” of a successful niche business, said Shaffer. “I think smaller communities ... are always working with people with great ideas,” Shaffer said. Niches provide a “unique opportunity for entrepreneurs.” Scales works with his entrepreneurship students to hone their ideas. “I encourage people to find things that they’re passionate about,” he said. “There are so many different things you can find a niche in. You have to find things that you truly enjoy, that match your skill set.” Only then, said Scales, will the

NICHE MARKETING

Niche Continued from Page 7

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A segment of the population is willing to pay premium prices for food and meat products that are locally grown, hormone-free, grassfed or the like. “Part of that may or may not be based on good science,” Ferris admitted, but the point is that some customers are willing to pay more for the designation. “Farmers realize there’s a market,” he said. Scales said the current emphasis on niche markets and products is in some ways a return to how things used to be. He gives the example of mom and pop stores. “They sold things in that neighborhood,” said Scales — a niche market. Blacksmiths created what can be thought of as a niche product. “I think niches have always been there,” he said. “In all honesty, I think we lost them and we’re just getting back to them.” But Scales echoed Shaffer’s warning that success requires awareness of changes. “You have to understand that change is going to create opportunities.” Change also creates new needs. Eric Eastman and business partner George Knecht learned about such a need and filled it with Green Filing, a company that provides electronic court filing services for attorneys in Utah. The high-tech business has employees spread all over the country, but Eastman works in Richmond. Eastman said his company’s success isn’t “really a template that can be duplicated.” “We had a very closely defined market,” he said. “We knew who was

Eric Eastman, co-founder of Green Filing, left, shares a laugh with fellow high-tech entrepreneurs in the lobby of the Uptown Innovation Center. Eastman said he and his business partner fell into the Green Filing niche by chance, but that chance came after a lot of preparation. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE

who. ... If you’re trying to sell almost any other kind of product, you have thousands of people who could be your customer.” Green Filing, on the other hand, had no trouble compiling a list of all the attorneys in Utah, complete with addresses and phone numbers. Even so, Eastman admits, “It was kind of a case of chance favors the well-prepared.” Both he and Knecht worked for years in the field before starting Green Filing. They served on a standards committee for electronic court filing. They had their personal finances in order and were fortunate enough to have spouses with health insurance. When the Utah opportunity came along, they were in a position to pursue it. Eastman recommends being ac-

tive and fully engaged in whatever you do. That way, you are more likely to hear about opportunities and recognize them when they arise. “Be-

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NICHE MARKETING

Are you making the most of your business strengths? Try these tips “Now Discover Your Strengths” by Clifton Oswald and Marcus Buckingham. Or for a shortcut, take the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment. These tools will help you get MIKE SAVORY clarity on what you do best so you can make the most of it. » Get feedback. Self-assessment is important — but it can only take you so far. You need to get other perspectives on your business. For a cleareyed view of your business, nothing beats finding out what your clients see as your strengths and weaknesses . Use a simple survey to solicit honest feedback. Limit your survey to five questions and make them specific and open-ended (“Describe our com-

pany’s top 3 strengths”). To increase your chances of getting participation, offer clients a gift card for their feedback. No matter how awesome you are, people like getting free stuff and are more likely to take the time to respond when there’s something in it for them. It’s a win-win. » Work your stuff. Now that you have a better understanding of your assets, start capitalizing on them. If you do something better than anyone else in your industry, make sure more people find out about it. Showcase it on your LinkedIn profile through the language on your description and in the services your company provides. Ask those happy customers to provide testimonials for your website that reflect the advantages of working with you and how it helped them.

Your company’s differentiator is part of your brand — along with your visual branding and customer experience — so work it! Remember, the best thing about your business’ strengths is that they are unique to your company. They help you differentiate yourself from the competition. Think of them as your not-so-secret weapon. Use them to their full advantage by first understanding them and then watch your small business thrive.

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So, you’ve been in business for a year or two. You work hard, you’ve earned a great reputation and a loyal clientele. But are you working your assets to their full advantage? When you start to leverage your strengths, growing a successful business is so much easier — and more fun! Here are some ways to make the most of your strengths. » Identify your unique strengths. Start by thinking about what you do better — and with more ease — than anyone else, including your competitors. The aspects of your business that you are passionate about and enjoy are a powerful mix. They’re your sweet spot — what they call your competitive advantage. Need some help uncovering your company’s best qualities? Check out

Mike Savory is a product manager for Sage, with product strategy responsibility for Sage One in North America, part of Sage’s global cloud solution for start-ups and small businesses. Additionally, he is focused on market research, voice of the customer, and helping to coordinate development with other Sage One global platform teams.

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NICHE MARKETING

Dr. Lance Alexander prepares Chic’s Pepsi for her annual dental work with the help of veterinary technician Kim Lewis. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

VET’S

HORSE SENSE grows Richmond clinic By Ron Greeson

Dr. Lance Alexander files down the teeth of his horse Chic’s Pepsi at East River Equine Hospital north of Richmond. Horses need to have their teeth realigned every year. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

For Maximum Business

t’s a passion that has spanned many years. When that passion merged with an interest in science, the direction became clear. Today, Dr. Lance Alexander operates East River Equine Hospital in Richmond, applying his knowledge of science to his passion of caring for horses, resulting in a growing service and niche business right in his hometown. Located at 3251 Indiana 227 N., the business that began in 2008 is growing, with a new facility and some new treatments, new innovations. Alexander will soon open a new, state-of-the art surgery center, a new place to treat the horses clients bring from both near and far. He sees a key to East River Equine’s ongoing success. “The key for us, I believe, has been being able to form friendships, and build a clientele from

East River Equine Hospital is at 3251 Indiana 227 N. just north of Interstate 70. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

those friendships,” Alexander said recently when asked for reasons that East River has done so well. So well, in fact, that sometime soon he might need to add more staff to work with his four-legged clients, and the two-legged customers who employ the services of Alexander and his veterinary technician Kim Lewis. Years back, Lance Alexander was just a student at Richmond

NICHE MARKETING

Chic’s Pepsi checks out the table holding dental equipment as Dr. Lance Alexander prepares to take care of her teeth at East River Equine Hospital north of Richmond. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

Dr. Lance Alexander points out a problem with a horse’s knee at East River Equine Hospital north of Richmond. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM Veterinary technician Kim Lewis spends a little time with miniature donkey Milo, a patient at East River Equine Hospital. Milo was in the hospital to get a prosthesis to replace his damaged foot. He belongs to Judy Fudge of New Paris, Ohio. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

and close community, so if people have been pleased with your work, they are happy to share the word with someone else. That’s how the horse from down in Kentucky ended up at our facility,” Alexander added. In what might seem surprising, the equine doctor said that no colleges in the commonwealth of Kentucky have a graduate program of the type needed to do the work he does, a fact that seems surprising given the state’s reputation as a mecca for horse farms and horse racing. Among the features in the new surgery center at East River is a padded surgery room, to improve the safety for animals while they are being treated by Alexander. “We are doing work with joint therapies, helping animals with arthritic problems, a whole range of preventive treatments, plus dealing with health issues after they are manifested,” Alexander said. And the doctor is wanting to spread his knowledge of equine care with new vets in training, and will spend a weekend this spring doing exactly that. “... A group of 12 Purdue veterinary students will be spending two days here with me working with horses, and watching me care for my customers, and I am very excited about this first-time opportunity,” Alexander said. “Who knows, maybe one or more of the students that come here will end up working with me someday. If that happened, that would be great.” Among the recent and current work performed by Alexander here is a limb amputation on a miniature donkey. Prosthetic devices can now be used in surgical procedures. “My field is an expanding field, and it is very exciting,” the doctor said. “Many vets are becoming more specialized, working just with cows or horses, and doing more in-depth study more specifically to that animal. I think that is a direction that will become stronger in the years to come.” Whatever that outcome, Alexander is happy to be working with his equine customers, and to be doing it in the place he knows so well, this area of east-central Indiana and west-central Ohio. More information on the business can be found at eastriver equine.com.

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High School who was interested in science, and very interested in caring for horses. At that point, Alexander was leaning toward becoming a medical doctor, but over time, becoming a veterinarian emerged to him as his chosen profession. This led to an undergraduate degree in zoology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, then graduate studies at one of the nation’s top graduate school for vets, Oregon State University. After completing his graduate school education on the West Coast, Alexander began applying his knowledge in the Spokane, Wash., area, and worked there for around a full decade. “Eventually, I became homesick for Indiana, so I came back and opened my business here, and things have gone well here ever since,” Alexander explained. So why the new and improved facility at the business site itself? “I sometimes go on site to treat animals that are sick or injured, but you never have the setting for the best environment and equipment possible if you have to take care of horses where they are,” he explained. Growing up in nearby Middleboro, Alexander likely never could have visualized the range of services for horses that he offers today. “We do everything from vaccinations to de-worming, reproductive services and animal husbandry, dentistry, surgeries of all kinds, and now a growing interest in specialty diets,” Alexander said when describing what his business can provide in the care of horses. “Interestingly enough, newer research has shown that the diets of horses may be just as important for their health as researchers have found in studying the health and well-being of human beings. So lower carbohydrates can help them, just like for people.” He said that advances in equine medicine are coming quickly, and said that the field is now doing what can be equated to stem cell products, but for horses instead of people. Alexander works with horses from all of Wayne County and throughout Preble County, but has recently served a draft horse from the Lexington, Ky., area. “The horse community is a small

NICHE MARKETING

WESTERN STYLES

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draw customers for miles

By Ron Greeson For Maximum Business

Stacy Yount, left, Eileen Byrd and Wendy Bradham price belts at the Rodeo Shop on U.S. 40 north of Eaton, Ohio. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

EATON, Ohio — The business is a fixture, a landmark on the north side of the east-west route of U.S. 40 just a few miles from the Indiana-Ohio state line. Like the products and services offered, The Rodeo Shop is an established business of over half a century now, begun by Joan Lutz and her husband Don back in 1959. Manager Kathy Hicks has been a face in The Rodeo Shop retail store for almost as long. She began in 1968. “Our customers are like family. I’ve seen parents and grandparents here all the time, bringing in children and grandchildren, just like they were brought here when they were very young,” Hicks said recently. “It is a wonderful thing, and we still put customer service, personal service, as a priority, just as it always had been.” She will go to great lengths, she says, to satisfy a customer. “I’ll go back and tear down the shelves to find that right pair of boots, if that’s what it takes,” Hicks commented about her personal commitment to Rodeo Shop customers. This personal attention is key, says Hicks, to the ongoing strength of the business, which is stronger than ever in 2014. At The Rodeo Shop, customers can buy Western clothes, including boots and jeans, and all the accessories. In addition, there are all the items needed to show and care for horses, be it on a farm, as a 4-H exhibitor, or in other horse shows. Hicks runs the Western wear division of The Rodeo Shop Western Wear and Trailer Sales Corporation, while Don Lutz is still in charge of the trailer sales division. In that part of the business, customers can buy all sizes and types of horse trailers for hauling and transporting. Services offered include installation and repair of hitches and trailers, along with any physical work needed for these types of vehicles. Nine employees work at The Rodeo Shop — five in the retail store, the Western wear division, and four in the trailer sales division. Many are long-term employees, like Hicks and Don Lutz.

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The Rodeo Shop on U.S. 40 north of Eaton, Ohio, has a huge selection of boots for men, women and children. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

The Rodeo Shop on U.S. 40 north of Eaton, Ohio. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

Some customers come directly to the business for trailer division work. Others are referred by businesses or word of mouth for specialty modifications, repairs or renovations for vehicles, or vehicle accessories. This niche business has, does and will continue to draw customers from a wide geographic region. “We have always had customers from mostly rural area, in any direction, north, south, east or west, people who know all that we can do and offer,” Hicks said of the varied and long-term appeal of the business. “The Rodeo Shop is a destination store. People don’t usually just drive by here and stop in,” Hicks explained. There have been some changes in the products and services offered over time. “The business used to stage horse shows and offer riding and grooming classes at our indoor arena facility for many, many years,” she commented, “but eventually, we discontinued all that.” The arena facility now houses trailers for sale. “We added the trailer sales sometime during the 1980s, and that has become a big part of our business,” Hicks added.

But that side of The Rodeo Shop has evolved as well. “In the beginning, the trailers were primarily two-horse trailers, but now there are some big units out there, vehicles that can hold and transport more horses than that number (two),” the longtime employee continued. And she says not all of the customers are farm, rural, or even horseknowledgeable people. “We can help them learn,” Hicks said. “I think we have more of that than ever now, people that want Western-style fashion boots and jeans.” And she says her clothing is not expensive, even in this specialty store. “We have reasonably priced clothes, well-made and durable items, and they’re not as expensive as some people may think,” she said. Hicks says both men and women buy and wear fashionable Western clothing now, and that’s a bit of a change from the store’s early days. “In the beginning, men wouldn’t buy and wear some of that type of clothing,” she explained. “That’s not true anymore.” A unique segment of this niche business is the work done, and sales

made, to law enforcement mounted patrols. The Rodeo Shop has worked with multiple public safety units for the needed accessories and services for officers to ride horses. “We are happy to help these people perform their needed duties,” Hicks commented. Another key to the business success, according to Hicks, is the location. “We’re in a good spot,” she said. “Not only are we right on a major highway (U.S. 40), but we are near the interstate (I-70) and several major north-south roads. It is easy for

Bits on display at The Rodeo Shop on U.S. 40 north of Eaton, Ohio. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

people to travel to see us.” The Rodeo Shop also displays its wares online to reach customers throughout the nation. Shoppers can view merchandise online at http://www.rodeoshop.ws/ and call (877) 922-1600 to learn more or place orders.

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NICHE MARKETING

Clay targets move down the line at Champion Target in Richmond. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM

CHAMPION PIGEONHOLES INTO STRONG MARKET By Ron Greeson

For Maximum Business

T .

im Emmenegger never expected to be in this position. The Centerville High School graduate spoke recently about his long service with one of the area’s most successful — and longest running — niche businesses. Champion Traps and Targets. His time with the Minnesota-

based company dates back to 1991, and he first came to be a simple employee in the plant, in what he expected to just be a short-term stint. He now runs the place. “I never expected to work here for very long, and now here it is 2014, I’m still here,” Emmenegger commented. “It’s been, and still is, a great place to work for me.” Not only is he here, but he con-

tinues to serve as the general manager of the Richmond plant on Industrial Parkway on Richmond’s east side. So what are the reasons for the consistent and continued success of the company in general, and the Richmond plant in particular? Simple, Emmenegger says. According to the plant manager, it is a solid business formula that, unlike many businesses in the 21st

century, has changed very little over time, and likely won’t in the near future. “We have very unique products. Here it is clay targets for recreational shooting, and Champion is uniquely positioned to produce things that there is a reliable, consistent market for,” Emmenegger explained. “The targets are a heavy, low-cost item, and we don’t face a lot of competition currently, either domestic or

NICHE MARKETING

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foreign,” the longtime plant manager said. “The markets for our products are actually growing, and for customers of what we produce, there is a steady and reliable interest in buying and using what we make,” Emmenegger went on. About 30 people are employed at Richmond’s Champion plant, and that also has been a steady number for many years, regardless of general economic conditions, good or bad. The biggest use of the targets Champion produces here at Richmond is for recreational shooting — people who use the targets at home, not gun ranges or clubs, according to the top Champion official here. Major outdoor retailers like Gander Mountain, plus smaller outdoor retailers, sell the Champion targets, and he says it is a consistent marketplace, which he said is unusual in today’s business climate. “Our company is very fortunate to have such a stable marketplace,” he said. “They are unique products, in a unique field, and have long been very popular with our customers.” And the Richmond plant manager thinks employment at his plant still offers a lot, just as did to him many years ago. “Jobs here offer good pay and good benefits, and our number of employees has been steady for a long time,” Emmenegger stated. Champion Target is now owned by ATK Sporting Group, which purchased Champion, and operates 60 facilities in 22 states, Puerto Rico, and some internationally, and includes the Richmond plant. “We are currently operating 24 hours a day, for five days a week, we have had a slight downturn in business this winter due to the harsh winter weather,” he said. “I fully expect that we will return to 24 hours a day, and seven days a week, once the weather breaks.” The closest dealer for Champion products is the Frame’s Outdoor Sports Supply store just south of Liberty, and the nearest Gander Mountain location is in Huber Heights on the north side of Dayton, Ohio. Federal Premium Ammunition, the former owner of Champion, began in 1922 in Anoka, Minn., and ATK is a leading supplier of firearms, and produces accessories for hunting, shooting and outdoor markets.

A worker sorts clay targets at Champion Target in Richmond. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM

Clay targets move down the line at Champion Target in Richmond. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM

Champion Target has been in Richmond since 1991. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM

NICHE MARKETING

Healthy foods secure Hidden Pond Farm’s marketplace health By Ron Greeson

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For Maximum Business

CENTERVILLE, Ind. — Running a business in an uncharted field is nothing new for Andy and Beverly McDowell. Just as natural for the rural Centerville couple as helping others do the same. Andy and Beverly are the owners of Hidden Pond Farm, located just south of Centerville, and they produce, market and sell foods not commonly associated with farms in this part of the country — or even the world. Raw, fermented foods, that is. Now, as people over the standard retirement age of 65, the couple have operated this business for more than five years, and business is growing. “Fermentation actually greatly enhances the nutritive values in foods, and we sorely need their enhancements in our diet,” Beverly says of the specialty foods that Hidden Pond makes. And those foods produced by the couple are joined by others made by multiple other family members in affiliated micro-businesses. Among the foods listed on the company website are sauerkrauts, kombucha, beet kuass, kimchi and fermented ketchup and BBQ sauce. And how do these foods benefit people, according to the McDowells?

Carol Maupin of Richmond prepares KimChi for fermentation at Hidden Pond Farm in Centerville. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM

“Fermentation multiplies beneficial enzymes, even creating enzymes that weren’t there before,” comments Beverly. The couple’s interest in making their own sauerkraut is nothing new. “We have been making our own sauerkraut for over 25 years, so that is nothing new for us,” Andy said recently. “But we have expanded what we make since we started the business, and the interest in fermented foods is growing fast.” Beverly is more specific in how this food-making process is beneficial for people. “It (the fermentation process) increases the vitamin content, it creates large numbers of beneficial microbes, the kind that populate the gut and greatly aid digestion and even immune function, which is largely microbial,” she explains. The McDowells use the phrase “Foods That Heal” on their website, http://hiddenpondllc.com, in describing the foods they produce and sell across the Midwest. Andy says most of the business’ clients are farmers markets and natural food stores, both locally and regionally. A growing market, he says, is the specific product Kimchi, a hot spicy sauerkraut, which Andy says is attracting great interest within the Korean community in the Chicagoland area.

Products made at Hidden Pond Farm in Centerville. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM

NICHE MARKETING foods as well,” he went on. The couple has a specific goal for money generated by the Hidden Pond Farm. “We live off of our farm, but our home is an old farmhouse, which is 130 years old, and we need cash to buy the farm (34 acres) and build a new house,” Andy said. “The house must be either renovated or replaced, and we hope the business can generate the money needed to do one of those two things.” The couple likes to support the local economy. “We try to buy ingredients for our foods locally, if we can, and hire local people to work part-time with us,” he added. “We think it is sad that people are eating foods that we consider unhealthy, and encourage people to take responsibility for their own health,” Andy concluded. “We hope our family members do the same, but we wouldn’t try to insist that they do. Everyone must make their own decisions, and even the two of us haven’t always eaten in the most healthy way.” The couple has 14 grandchildren, and some family members are working in affiliated businesses. “Grandson Dan has sole ownership of the Tomato Ferment production (fermented ketchup and BBQ sauce),” she says. “Beverly’s brother has complete control and production of the herbal heart support, Hawthorn Berry Syrup.” Beverly likes to help others in business. “We are excited about providing avenues and opportunities for others, especially younger people, to become entrepreneurs.” Barbara Lapp of Greens Fork peels The microbusinesses have been daikon radishes at Hidden Pond Farm in spawned under the umbrella of HidCenterville. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM den Pond Farm.

Rod Blanchford of Centerville draws kombucha tea for fermenting in a controlled environment at Hidden Pond Farm. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM

Kombucha tea is fermented in a controlled environment at Hidden Pond Farm in Centerville. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM

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“We really are generating business for this product from the markets and stores (in Chicago) up there. It is really a growth area for the business,” Andy explained. The major Midwestern cities that the business ships products to on a regular basis include not only Chicago, but also Cincinnati, Dayton and Indianapolis. And locally, the couples sees, and hears, considerable interest. “I think the resurgent interest in good health generally, and the recognition that many of us are not eating a healthy diet, is driving this interest,” Andy added. “The processing of foods today removes some of their health benefits, so the raw, fermented foods are more natural and good for you, and many people like the taste of the

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NICHE MARKETING

Richmond Baking tastes sweet success with crusts, contracts www.pal-item.com § Maximum Business §Palladium-Item Media Group, APRIL/MAY 2014

By Louise Ronald

xcept for butternut cookies at Christmastime, Richmond Baking no longer manufactures under its own label. But the company’s 130 employees in Indiana are busy making cookies, crackers and crusts for cheesecakes.

Daniel Potter looks at some formula getting ready for the mixer at Richmond Baking. As culinary innovation artist, Potter is part of the research and development team for the company. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE

Richmond Baking is in the business of creating products for others. “We really have two main niches,” said president Bill Quigg. The first is making graham cracker crusts for cheesecakes. “Pretty much if you’ve eaten a cheesecake in a restaurant, from a grocery store or even from a cheesecake mix, you’ve had one of our products,” Quigg said. Quigg described the crusts as one niche, but that’s a bit misleading. Richmond Baking uses 250 different formulas for the crumbs that go into the crusts, such as sugar-free, extra chocolate or specific granulation size. The finished products are sold under a variety of labels. Quigg estimates that Richmond Baking has about 80 percent of the national market share for the crusts. When the crumbs are in production, the Richmond facility puts out a 40,000-pound truckload every shift, two shifts a day. “That’s a lot of crumbs, isn’t it?” he said. Richmond Baking’s success, Quigg said, lies in its ability to customize the product. The company’s research and development team creates samples for customer approval, then determines how to produce the crumbs quickly and efficiently in order to save costs. That responsiveness is key to what Quigg calls Richmond Baking’s second niche — contract manufacturing.

Employees work the line at Richmond Baking. The company makes products on a contract basis. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE

Cookies roll off the line at Richmond Baking. PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE

As in the case of the first niche, contract manufacturing involves a lot of different products for a lot of different customers — many of them well-known cookies and crackers from well-known companies. Large food distributors are less and less involved in the baking business. “As their bakeries become older and less flexible, they turn to people like us,” Quigg explained. “They can focus on what they do best, which is marketing. We can focus on what we do best, which is manufacturing.” Richmond Baking has been making one product for Proctor & Gamble since 1989 that alone represents a higher volume than all the cheesecake crusts. But the name of the product is confidential. That’s how contract manufacturing works. Quigg said the company started doing this kind of contract in the late 1960s and that it “has really been a growth engine for us. … It’s become more significant because there are fewer competitors.”

Richmond Baking PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE

NICHE MARKETING

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A rental casket insert production line at Vandor Corp. in Richmond. SUPPLIED

Vandor inserts itself into lead of rental casket trend

1994 graduate of Earlham College in Richmond, cremation is the choice in he funeral industry in America is more than 43 percent of deaths in the United States. That percentage has changing. The funeral products division been growing steadily since the 1960s of Vandor in Richmond is responding. and is expected to skyrocket in the “The bulk of sales we’re doing are next 10 to 20 years. This has created a niche for Vannew products that did not exist two to dor, which manufactures a variety of 12 years ago,” said Vandor President cremation products under its StarGerald Davis. mark brand. “It’s because cremation numbers One of those products is inserts have risen so high,” said Becky Bishop, customer service manager for the for rental caskets, sometimes called “ceremonial caskets.” company. Of the roughly 1.1 million cremaAccording to Barbara Kemmis, tions in a year, Davis estimates that 6 executive director of the Cremation to 8 percent will use a rental casket. Association of North America and a By Louise Ronald

When a family chooses cremation but still wants to have a funeral with an open casket, rental caskets make that possible. The wood or metal case looks like any other casket, but one end opens and folds down to hold an insert that contains the body. After the funeral, the insert can be removed for cremation or burial. “This allows you to have a traditional funeral along with cremation,” said Bishop. Kemmis agreed. Rental caskets allow families “to have that service and that opportunity for people to say goodbye to their loved one,” she said. Davis reassures those who might

have difficulty with the idea of renting a casket. “Everything that comes into direct contact with the body is replaced with every use,” he said. “There’s no evidence of prior use.” Vandor also manufactures Starmark rental caskets, but it is the inserts that have really taken off for the company. “We are the largest producer of rental inserts in the nation,” said Davis. “It’s a big part of our business and growing.” He attributes the company’s success to the fact that Starmark makes inserts that fit not only its own .

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NICHE MARKETING

Cremation products being manufactured at Vandor Corp. in Richmond. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

Vandor Continued from Page 19

caskets, but other manufacturers’ as well. The company also has found ways to reduce the shipping size of the inserts, which reduces costs and makes the units easier to store. The inserts basically are boxes made of recycled cardboard lined with fabric. Renting a casket costs $1,200 to $1,500 as opposed to $3,000 or more for an oak casket. “There are fewer and fewer caskets being sold every year,” said Davis. He expects funeral homes to encourage use of rental caskets as cremation continues to grow in popularity. “We do think that will be a long-term trend,” he said. Starmark itself is adding more options to its rental casket line, offering a range of price points.

Vandor President Gerald Davis with some of the cremation products manufactured under the Starmark label. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM

Workers in Vandor Corp.’s funeral products division sew linings for caskets and casket inserts. SUPPLIED

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» Ivy Tech Car Show, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. April 26, Ivy Tech Community College, 2357 Chester Blvd., Richmond. Free public admission. Proceeds support automotive scholarships. » Indiana Chamber of Commerce HR Conference and Expo, April 28-30, Indianapolis Marriot East. Topics include employee recruitment and management, pay trends and recent actions from the National Labor Relations Board. Information and registration: www.indanahrconf.com. » Business Counseling for the 50 and Over Entrepreneurs, individual sessions offered April 28 at the U.S. Small Business Administration, 8500 Keystone Crossing, Indianapolis. Free. Information: http://isbdc. ecenterdirect.com/conferences. » Read to Lead book discussion, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. April 30, Whitewater Hall community room, Indiana University East, 2325 Chester Blvd., Richmond. Darla Lane will facilitate discussion of “Begging for Change: The Dollars and Sense of Making Nonprofits Responsive, Efficient, and Rewarding for All” by Robert Egger. Free box lunch provided but registration necessary. Register at www.iue.edu/business/leadership/ programs/read-to-lead.php. » Winchester Area Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. April 30, St. Vincent Randolph Hospital meeting room, 473 Greenville Ave., Winchester. Cost $10. Information and reservations, winchesterareachamber.org. » Launch Your Own Business: A Sound and Proven Path, 9 a.m.-noon May 2, Ivy Tech Community College, 2357 Chester Blvd., Richmond. Offered by the Indiana Small Business Development Center. Cost: $25. Information: http://isbdc.ecenter direct.com/conferences. » Application deadline for Health Careers Camp for high school students, May 2. Camp will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. June 26. Job shadowing opportunities in nursing and allied health careers. The program is a collaborative effort of Reid Hospital, Indiana University East and Ivy Tech Community College. Students must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0. Registration packets available at www.reidhospital.org/ _data/files/2014%20Health%20

Monty Johnson shines up his 1966 Dodge Charger, that he bought new, for the 2013 Ivy Tech Community College Car Show. This year’s event is April 26. Proceeds from the show go toward scholarships for the automotive program. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE

Careers%20Camp%20Application %20Packet.pdf. » Advanced Excel course, 6-9 p.m. May 6, 8, 13 and 15, McDaniel Hall Room 1140, Ivy Tech Community College, 2357 Chester Blvd., Richmond. Information and enrollment: Ron Puckett, program manager, Ivy Tech Corporate College, (765) 9662656 ext. 4014 or rpuckett15@ ivytech.edu. » Prioritization (Urgent X Important Matrix, inter relationship diagraph), 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. May 8 at Indiana University East, 2325 Chester Blvd., Richmond. Presented by Fredricka Joyner as part of the Management Sampler Series of the Center for Leadership Development. Information and registration: www.iue.edu/business/leadership/ programs/management-samplerseries.php. » Taste of Italy Festival, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. May 10 in Richmond’s Historic Depot District. Food, live music, car and bike show and more. Information: (765) 966-3614. » Championing Change, 1-4 p.m. May 13, Whitewater Hall community room, Indiana University East, 2325 Chester Blvd., Richmond. Part of the

Center for Leadership Development’s Management Series. Guidelines and tools that will increase a manager’s ability to implement change. Cost: $75. Information and registration: www.iue.edu/business/ leadership/programs/managementseries.php. » National Bike to Work Day, May 16. Bike Richmond is promoting the event and encouraging participation. Information: jhellrung@ hotmail.com. » Developing Successful Marketing Strategies, 6-7:30 p.m. May 19, 4312 Hobson Road, Fort Wayne. Offered by the Indiana Small Business Development Center. Cost: $15. Information: http://isbdc.ecenter direct.com/conferences. » Electronic Drive Transportation Association conference, May 19-21, Indiana Convention Center, 100 S. Capitol Ave., Indianapolis. Information: www.edta2014.com. » Launch Your Own Business: A Sound and Proven Path, 9 a.m.-noon June 6, Ivy Tech Community College, 2357 Chester Blvd., Richmond. Presented by the ISBDC. Cost: $25. Information: http://isbdc. ecenterdirect.com/conferences.

Kelly McGill, a senior at Franklin County High School, participates in the 2013 Health Careers Camp at Reid Hospital. The event is organized by Reid, Ivy Tech Community College and Indiana University East. Deadline to apply for this year’s camp is May 2. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE

BUSINESS RECOGNITION

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Charitable gifts, networking, ribbon-cutting honored

Company officials cut the ribbon at Premier Toyota Nissan in Richmond on March 19. SUPPLIED

Jeff Jackson, from left, Bob Bever and Gary Saunders chat at the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce network night March 13 at First Merchants Bank in Richmond. SUPPLIED

Jeff Jenkins of West End Bank gives Mindy Reece of Habitat for Humanity a check for $332 in February. Each month, bank employees raise money for an area non-profit. SUPPLIED

Beth Newton of West End Bank presents Melinda Frech of Community Blood Center a check for $500 in March. Each month, bank employees raise money for an area non-profit. SUPPLIED

Randy Templin, general manager of Dot Foods in Cambridge City, presents a check for $50,000 to Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana as part of the company’s Neighbor-to-Neighbor program. SUPPLIED

West End Bank employees present a check for $3,000 to the Richmond Music Boosters on March 12 at the Richmond Community Schools board meeting. The donation was the result of the bank’s ongoing We R Savers program with Richmond schools. SUPPLIED

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962-4381

805 Sim Hodgin Pkwy.

TROPHIES, MEDALS, AWARDS, PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS, ENGRAVING, EMBROIDERY & GIFTS LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

1001 S. E STREET RICHMOND, INDIANA 47374

(765) 966-0757

PI-0000169642

1005 South “Q” St. Richmond (765)962-3577

Call the Pros!

SUPPLIED

business DIRECTORY

Hilling Moving & Storage

When it has to be sold…

www.pal-item.com § Maximum Business §Palladium-Item Media Group, APRIL/MAY 2014

The West End Bank Charitable Foundation is donating $50,000 over a three-year period to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County. SUPPLIED

Richmond Rotary Club president Dan Groth, left, presents the Paul Harris Fellow Award to Wayne Bank and Trust president/CEO Mark Soukup on April 2.

• Banners Vinyl Lettering & Decals • Corrugated & PVC Signs • Magnetic Signs • Vehicle Lettering • Interior & Exterior Signs Name Badges • Rubber Stamps 1001 South E Street • Richmond, IN

PH. 962-3636

Locallyy Owned & Operated p .

PI-0000169640

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