Entrepreneurship is the engine that drives Northwest Indiana's business community and the state for that matter.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration's office of advocacy, more than 500,000 businesses called Indiana home in 2022. They represent more than 1.2 million employees or 43.8% of Indiana's employees.

But sometimes small businesses aren't aware of services that will lead them to success. That's where the NWI BizHub comes in. It connects entrepreneurs with other organizations that can help them make a plan and implement it.

The site is dedicating to helping entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses in Lake, Porter, La Porte, Starke, Jasper, Pulaski and Newton counties.

This mission is very similar to our goal here at Northwest Indiana Business Magazine. We provide the latest business news with our readers, and provide resources and experts for thought leadership in the Region.

That's why we were excited when the NWI BizHub approached us about a partnership. We now are listed as a resource for businesses on the website. We are happy to share the ways businesses can use our print and digital media platforms to help start and grow their entrepreneurial dreams.

We also encourage users to become part of the conversation about the Northwest and North Central Indiana business community.

NWIBizHub.com is loaded with resources for business owners and startups. From profiles on organizations to blog posts with advice about how to start and grow businesses, the website is a portal for those wishing to be successful in the Region. It also has a calendar of events and a small business spotlight.

I had the honor of writing the latest blog post on the website. “How to build your brand awareness — with help from an editor” shares how to pitch stories that ring with interesting facts, quotes and sources. It gives advice about how to write press releases and suggest story ideas.

The NWI BizHub was launched in 2020 with the help of a Lilly Endowment grant. Organizations that joined forces to make the platform happen include the Legacy Foundation, Unity Foundation of La Porte County, Crown Point Community Foundation, Center for Workforce Innovations and the Small Business Development Center of NWI.

I look forward to a long partnership with NWI BizHub and hope that businesses find it an invaluable resource like we do!