Take a moment to recognize local businesses
Our lives are busy. We are pulled in many different directions by our family, work, school and health. Hopefully, we save some time to pursue art, music, wellness and some leisure. With all the pulls on our time, we don’t often take a moment to recognize the wonderful things going on around us. I am grateful to the readers of Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly who are business leaders and customers of local businesses themselves who took time away from their busy schedules to vote for the Best Businesses in our region. Experts say leaders inspire others and by that measure, our readers are truly Northwest Indiana Business leaders as they inspire me with their dedication to our area.
As you read our cover story about the best businesses from around the region, I encourage you to consider the businesses you interact with regularly. How would your life be different if they weren’t around? Consider taking a moment to recognize them yourself. Pay them a compliment during a meeting. Comment about them on social media. Write a positive review online or send them an email letting them know you value the job they do for you and your company. You never know when a positive comment will make a big difference to a local business.
We Hoosiers are a humble bunch. Other parts of the country value self-promotion where we value humility and self-deprecating humor. Humility is a good thing, but too much humility hurts us as we try to encourage new business growth and attract new businesses to the region. We have a strong business climate and some amazing businesses that deserve a pat on the back. Often, we focus our attention on the negative things or the things that have changed, which are important as there is always room for improvement. However, we should also invest time in reinforcing and encouraging the positive things in our lives. We should all be proud of our region and do a little more bragging #NWIproud!
To get you started we have several articles in this issue that talk about good things happening in Northwest Indiana. Jerry Davich talks with local manufacturers who describe how expansion has helped Northwest Indiana businesses grow. Carrie Steinweg profiles local companies who are taking the lead in environmental responsibility. Lesley Bailey details Northwest Indiana’s host of resources for entrepreneurs as they start and grow their businesses in our region. Bob Moulesong explores several communities, and the impact small business has on their economy and quality-of-life. Julia Perla Huisman talks with business owners and marketing professionals about how to maximize their marketing investments.
But wait that’s not all–if you keep reading deeper in the issue you will learn about people making a difference in Gary, navigating local waterways, things to do and see, a local CEO, making the most of an intern and choosing civility. I hope you enjoy this issue and please contact us with comments or suggestions.
