Making Free Business Expertise Accessible Across Grant County
In economic development, access matters. Access to capital. Access to data. Access to trusted guidance when the questions get hard—and they always do. In Grant County, a long-standing partnership between the Grant County Economic Growth Council and the East Central Indiana Small Business Development Center is ensuring that access to high-quality business consulting is not a privilege, but a community asset available to every entrepreneur.
A Local Doorway to Statewide Resources
For years, the Growth Council has hosted the Indiana Small Business Development Center in its offices at the Star Bank Building—bringing free, confidential business consulting directly into the heart of Grant County. This partnership removes barriers that often prevent small business owners from seeking help: travel distance, cost, or simply not knowing where to start.
The ISBDC is part of a statewide network that helps entrepreneurs launch, grow, and transition businesses by connecting them to expertise in finance, operations, marketing, workforce planning, and succession. By embedding those services locally, the Growth Council ensures that Grant County businesses—whether home-based startups or multi-generation employers—can tap into that network without leaving the county.
Meet the Navigator
At the center of this effort is Zina Bartle, Ecosystem Navigator with the East Central Indiana SBDC. Her role is less about handing out answers and more about asking the right questions—then connecting business owners to the tools, data, and specialists best suited to their situation.
On any given day, that might mean helping a business owner assess pricing, explore funding options, navigate sales tax compliance, plan for a first hire, or think through what succession looks like when it’s time to pass the business on to the next generation. The questions vary, but the goal is consistent: clarity, confidence, and forward momentum.
Many of the questions Grant County entrepreneurs bring to the table are the same ones echoed across Indiana—rising costs, workforce challenges, access to capital, and long-term sustainability—making this localized access to statewide expertise especially valuable.
A Schedule Update for 2026
Beginning in 2026, Zina’s weekly office hours in Grant County will shift from Thursdays to Tuesdays, while keeping the same time window: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
This change reflects evolving demand in our region and ensures continued availability for local businesses. Walk-ins are typically welcome between 10:00 a.m. and noon, though calling ahead to confirm availability is encouraged.
📍 Location: Star Bank Building, downtown Marion
📞 Phone: 765.249.0469
📅 Appointments: calendly.com/ZiBartle
Why This Partnership Matters
Economic development doesn’t happen in headlines—it happens in one-on-one conversations, in kitchen-table startups, in family businesses trying to adapt, and in entrepreneurs deciding whether to take the next step or walk away. By hosting the East Central Indiana SBDC locally, the Growth Council is investing in those moments.
This partnership reinforces a simple but powerful idea: when small businesses have access to the right guidance at the right time, communities grow stronger. In Grant County, that support is not only available—it’s local, free, and ongoing.
For business owners at any stage, the message is clear: you don’t have to figure it out alone.