CONSCIENTIOUS LIFE those employees often get to know their regular customers , contributing to this belief . Small local businesses are the largest employer in the US and local business owners are less likely to leave the community they are investing in , also impacting your quality of life .
So how can you make an impact ? Lots of people want to buy local , shop local , and use local , but identifying local is a challenge . Convenience is also a factor when it comes to spending your dollars locally . If you could easily identify local businesses and find them faster , would you be more likely to use them ? Indiana Originals hopes so .
What started as a personal list of favorite entertainment spots , restaurants , professional services , and more has become Indiana Originals . Indiana Originals is a growing , statewide directory of locally owned and operated businesses headquartered in Indiana . Through an online search engine and an app , Indiana Originals is making it easier to identify Indiana-based businesses — those businesses that recirculate a far greater percentage of revenue locally compared to out-of-state businesses , or even locally-owned franchises . Every business listed on IndianaOriginals . com is Indiana owned , operated and headquartered in Indiana . You won ’ t find any franchises headquartered out of state or direct sales reps for businesses headquartered out of state . As a consumer , you can search the directory for free .
Love to cook ? Try a new sauce from Hot Heads Pepper Store out of Gas City . Thinking of a special way to remember a loved one ? Contact Poppy ’ s Petals in Jasper about a oneof-a-kind keepsake made out of dried flower petals . Want to support the largest organic farm in Indiana that is donating all their produce to food banks and service centers ? Look up Brandywine Creek Farms in Greenfield . For help with extreme dryness , psoriasis , eczema , or dermatitis , or if you need a product that is gluten-free and has recyclable packaging , try Happy Hands and Feet Balm by Shea Bodyworks out of Carmel . Need landscaping , tax help , t-shirts , or custom fortune cookies ? You can find those all on IndianaOriginals . com , too . ■
Mel McMahon Stone
Mel is the founder of Indiana Originals , a business on a mission to lead local living . A mom , wife , radio personality , and entrepreneur , Mel is committed to making sure Indiana Originals does everything it can to help locally owned , Indiana based businesses be prosperous and positively impact our communities . She is an honored member of the 2013 IBJ Forty under 40 class .
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