Empowering Women: Downtown Wabash, Inc. Celebrates National Women’s Small Business Month

In October, we celebrate National Women’s Small Business Month and recognize the incredible achievements of women entrepreneurs. This month highlights the vital impact women have on their communities through small business ownership. The benefits of local small businesses extend beyond financial contributions; they inject revenue into communities, actively support local organizations, schools, and initiatives, and create numerous jobs that strengthen local economies.

In 1972, there were just over 400,000 women-owned businesses in the United States. Until 1988, women needed a male relative to co-sign when applying for business loans. That all changed with the passage of the Women’s Business Ownership Act, which improved access to capital and provided essential financial support for women-owned small businesses. Fast forward to 2019, when women-owned businesses made up 42% of all U.S. businesses, generating an impressive $1.9 trillion in revenue. Today, that number has skyrocketed to over 13 million women-owned businesses and continues to grow.

Did you know that the majority of businesses in Downtown Wabash are female-owned? Let’s take a moment to celebrate a few of the remarkable women who own and operate small businesses in our downtown district.

Borders & Beyond

Borders & Beyond is a women-owned custom frame shop on Canal Street in downtown Wabash. We opened in 2002 and bring a unique blend of craftsmanship and creativity, offering personalized framing for your cherished memorabilia. With a keen eye for detail and design, the shop provides a wide range of materials, finishes, and styles to suit any aesthetic, ensuring each piece is uniquely tailored to the customer’s vision. By supporting local artists and prioritizing customer collaboration, the women behind this business combine passion and expertise to create frames that protect and elevate precious memories.

Transform Consulting Group (TCG)

From a young age, Amanda Lopez knew she wanted to work with children. Growing up in a household where her parents fostered over 160 children for more than 30 years deeply influenced her perspective on life. Witnessing the child welfare and social service systems up close sparked her interest in understanding the challenges faced by struggling families and the providers who supported them.

Amanda took the leap in 2008 to move from a top practitioner in her space to launch Transform Consulting Group (TCG). She eventually established an office in her hometown of Wabash, Indiana in 2016, but TCG has since expanded to serve clients across more than 20 states, with a dedicated team of 19!

Today, TCG is one of the most sought-after national consulting firms for organizations aiming to transform their people, communities, and the lives of those they serve.

“We’re not your typical strategists, analysts, or consultants. Our team is driven by the same passion for transformation as our clients. We work tirelessly as an extension of their missions, providing the tools, systems, and actionable data needed to create meaningful impact. I had a vision when I started this business, and we’ve accomplished so much more!” – Amanda Lopez

Brooch Boutique

Brooch Boutique was started by a mother, Patty Lowe, and daughter, Abby Warpenburg as their dream in 2015. We are both IU graduates. I had just retired from teaching and Abby was a recent graduate in accounting.

Brooch began as a very small part of an already existing family-owned business, The Rochester Greenhouse. We were able to keep growing making our Rochester store larger and adding 1,300 square feet two years ago. We also added locations in Wabash and Warsaw. We started online when COVID-19 closed all our locations.

Our goal has always been to offer trendy clothes of all sizes at affordable prices. We have continued to grow always staying true to that goal for ourselves and our customers. We attribute our success to lots of hard work. We go to markets four times a year to bring the most trendy styles at the best prices.

Abby does all the marketing for all the stores, as well as all the modeling for two online lives a week, plus dropping new arrivals each day. Her knowledge and dedication of the business through social media is amazing. Abby lives in Rochester with her son, Chas. He is a junior at Caston H.S. They are very involved in drag racing as Chas races a junior dragster most weekends. She has a black lab and a Highland Cow named Ferguson. I live on a farm in southern Fulton Co. I love flowers, horses, and being with my family. We love running our business together and feel so blessed each day. We love Wabash. Our building is outstanding and the downtown is great. There is much for Wabash to be proud of. There are many unique businesses and wonderful restaurants. The Honeywell Center is fabulous. We are so thankful for our customers in Wabash and all the friends we have made.  We hope you will continue to support Brooch Boutique as well as all the other businesses in downtown Wabash. www.shopbrooch.com

Homespun Vibes

I chose to go into a vendor-run retail shop for the simple reason that I love to showcase others. It simply amazes me how creative people are and I feel it should be known. I have always been in business for myself in some capacity. Mainly cleaning and painting and then chose to take my creativity to the next level. By doing so I have met so many others who share my passion.  Doing this store has been a dream come true. And meeting all these wonderful people along the way has been amazing. I truly hope it continues for many years to come.

The Arc of Wabash County

The Arc of Wabash County is one of 600+ local chapters of the Arc nationwide that provides advocacy, employment, housing, transportation, and more for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Arc Wabash County is a nonprofit for good powered by skilled and talented women who make a positive impact on the lives of others every day. 79% of our staff are women and 27% have been employed at the Arc for more than 10 years. The Arc’s CFO Martha Guthrie has been with the Arc for 37 years. Career Coach Nanette Dubois has been with the Arc for 25 years, Direct Support Professional Tara Haupert for 25 years, Direct Support Professional Connie Pulley for 20 years, Administrative Assistant Kellie Minkler for 18 years, and Director of Employment Programs Mary Ogle for 17 years! Their longevity and commitment to their work brings stability and effectiveness to the Arc.

Babe of Wabash County

The first time I stepped into a Babe Store nearly 20 years ago, I was a stranger to its purpose. I quickly learned that families can earn Babe coupons by doing things that promote healthy child development. These coupons can help you purchase brand-new items for your family’s needs.

I am Katey Till, Founder and Executive Director of Babe of Wabash County.  My greatest calling to date has been being a stay-at-home mom. However, raising three beautiful little girls on a single income wasn’t easy.

That’s why I started Babe of Wabash County!  I understand firsthand the impact Babe had on my family, and I am driven to share this with others who may be facing similar challenges. 

At Babe, our mission is to foster a sense of community and provide educational, physical, and emotional resources and support for all families. We envision a county where every family, regardless of their circumstances, has access to the resources needed to cultivate a positive, caring, and healthy family culture. Most importantly, we believe that we can achieve these goals by developing authentic relationships with each family who walks through our doors. Babe is more than just a service provider; we are a community hub offering everything from a place to play on a Tuesday afternoon to helping families connect to essential life-sustaining resources.

It’s been an honor to be a part of building this organization! If you are curious about who we are and what we do, we invite you to come in for a tour and see how you can earn your Babe coupons!

Make It Your Own Studio

Make It Your Own Art Studio, located in downtown Wabash on Canal Street, has been in business for 23 years and is owned by Karen Eilts-Walter. The studio offers a wide variety of artistic outlets including pottery wheel lessons, hand-building clay workshops, art camps, and both pottery and canvas painting to name a few.  In addition to being open to the public during walk-in hours, customers can also set up private events such as birthday parties, family get-togethers and team-building sessions which take place at the studio. In more recent years, the studio has also worked with organizations to host events outside of the studio bringing supplies and running the event.  These events are especially rewarding for Eilts-Walter as she enjoys giving a space for others to create and especially to those who may not otherwise have that opportunity.  For many of these off-site events, she has worked with schools, churches and assisted living facilities and is happy she can give back to the community in that regard. Though she considers herself a “wannabe” artist, she had previously worked alongside her mother Jackie in ceramics and was inspired to contribute to the art and cultural scene in Wabash.   She looks forward to many more years of serving this community.

Myo Wellness

Myo Wellness is a private massage practice located in downtown Wabash, Indiana. Owned and operated by licensed massage therapist Mandy Meyer, Myo Wellness offers a range of therapeutic services designed to cater to individual needs, including Swedish, deep tissue, and prenatal massage. Mandy believes in the power of touch and its ability to promote healing, reduce stress, and enhance overall health. 

At Myo Wellness, each session is personalized, ensuring that clients receive tailored treatments that address their specific concerns. Mandy’s warm, compassionate approach fosters a sense of trust and comfort, allowing clients to fully relax and enjoy their experience.

In addition to in-office treatments, Mandy also provides on-site chair massage services for corporate events, wellness fairs, and private gatherings, making stress relief accessible wherever it’s needed.

Myo Wellness gives thanks to veterans, active duty military members, law enforcement personnel, firefighters, EMTs, and first responders with a 10% discount on all services. 

Mandy’s vision is to create a space where everyone feels valued and cared for, making wellness accessible and empowering for all.

Bellazo

Who would’ve thought that one of the coolest, retail hot spots in all of The Midwest exists right here in Wabash, Indiana!? To generalize, Bellao is home + gift + clothing boutique, but there is definitely nothing generic about any part of Darcy’s store.  Walking through the door, you will be greeted with an intoxicating aroma of the most grounding, luxurious scents of amber, patchouli and teak with a warm greeting from Darcy or one of her  friendly employees. Bellazo is known for their natural, high quality, and clean line of fragrances from soy candles and diffusers to laundry soaps and perfumes.  You will see shelves adorned with lines like Ambre Blends, Zum by Indigo Wild, Pura, Paddywax, Moodcast, and their newest and most popular fragrances by Bohemian Reves,  With every twist and turn throughout the store you will find walls of extremely rare crystals + gemstones, the newest trends of gold jewelry + vintage.turquoise, and unique gifts for humans and pets including cat sunglasses, journals, and snarky kitchenware.  Bellazo is also known for their local ware and fan favorite tee, “Indiana It’s Not That Bad” and other cool 1970’s vintage inspired Wabash + Indiana items along with consignment clothing and accessories to make Bellazo one of the most interesting and road trip worthy shops to visit!

HLC Studios

As an older woman in today’s competitive corporate world, it was increasingly difficult to keep up. Owning my own shop has given me the chance to slow down, embrace small business values, and contribute to keeping our money local while supporting Wabash’s growth. It’s a true blessing to give back to the community that welcomed and supported me through it all, while still enjoying life.

Reference:

U.S. Small Business Administration
https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/organization/observances/national-womens-small-business-month

National Day Calendar
https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/pop-culture-lifestyle/national-womens-small-business-month-october#:~:text=In%20October%2C%20National%20Women’s%20Small,of%20opportunities%20to%20get%20involved.