Upcoming Workshop: Finding Your Brand’s Signal – How to Be Known, Trusted, and Unforgettable

Date: Tuesday, June 17
 Time: 9:00 – 10:30 AM
 Location: Innovation Connector
 Presented by: Lindsay Hotmire, Identity Coach & Strategic Advisor
Reserve your spot HERE

Every brand tells a story—but not every story sticks.

Many businesses have the basics: a tagline, a mission statement, maybe even a compelling origin. But when that story fails to connect or leaves people unimpressed, the issue often runs deeper than messaging. It’s about the signal your brand is sending.

Join us at the Innovation Connector for an interactive workshop led by Lindsay Hotmire, an experienced identity coach and strategic advisor who helps businesses and professionals find clarity in times of transition. This session will challenge the way you think about brand building—and show you how to transform your story into something truly resonant.

What You’ll Gain from This Workshop:

  • A deeper understanding of how your brand’s story functions as a signal—and why that signal matters
  • A practical, four-step framework to help you identify and refine your unique brand narrative
  • Tools to evaluate how your message is perceived and align it more closely with your values and goals
  • Language strategies that are grounded in authenticity—not fleeting marketing trends

This is not a conventional branding session. It’s a fresh take on how your story shapes perception, builds trust, and sets the tone for how your business shows up in the world.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is ideal for:

  • Business owners who want to connect more meaningfully with their audience
  • Marketing professionals seeking more clarity and alignment in their messaging
  • Creative entrepreneurs and consultants ready to rethink their brand identity
  • Anyone who feels like their current story isn’t quite hitting the mark

Seats are limited. Reserve your spot today and begin the work of turning your brand’s story into a lasting signal. 

Innovation Connector Launches Two Signature Programs to Support the Greater Muncie Business Community

At the Innovation Connector, innovation isn’t just part of our name—it’s at the heart of everything we do. For more than two decades, we’ve remained committed to one guiding question:
“What creative solutions can we discover to make real and meaningful differences in our local and regional entrepreneurial ecosystem?”

By engaging with hundreds of local businesses and entrepreneurs each year, we stay attuned to current needs and identify critical gaps within the small business landscape. In response to these insights, we are excited to announce the launch of two new initiatives designed to serve and strengthen the business community in Muncie and East Central Indiana:

The AI Business Learning Connector

As a regional business development and support leader, the Innovation Connector is proud to introduce the AI Business Learning Connector. This innovative program merges artificial intelligence with personalized business coaching and consulting. This initiative is designed to equip business owners with the skills to integrate AI into their operations and drive measurable growth successfully.

A structured, five-part curriculum provides comprehensive and practical training in AI tools and strategies relevant to small and growing businesses. The AI Business Learning Connector offers three distinct engagement options:

  • Option 1: Group Training Sessions
    Ideal for those new to AI, these sessions introduce key concepts and practical applications in a collaborative setting.
  • Option 2: One-on-One Coaching
    Personalized consulting tailored specifically to your business, offering hands-on, focused support based on your unique needs and goals.
  • Option 3: Customized Team Training
    Tailored programs for your internal teams or departments, focusing on AI applications that enhance your company’s specific functions and priorities.

All program options are fee-based. For details or to determine the best option for your business, please contact Ted Baker at tbaker@innovationconnector.com or call 765-216-5955.

Muncie Regional Mentor Hub (MRMH)

Launching July 2025 – In partnership with the City of Muncie

Recognizing the need for accessible and structured mentorship, the Innovation Connector and the City of Muncie are launching the Muncie Regional Mentor Hub (MRMH). This initiative addresses a key service gap by connecting aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners with experienced mentors who can offer practical guidance, encouragement, and access to valuable networks.

The MRMH will also serve as a regional resource platform, linking Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs) across East Central Indiana. The hub will foster shared learning, program coordination, and cross-county mentor engagement by facilitating collaboration across county lines- a long-standing challenge in our region.

If you’re interested in becoming a mentor or mentee, please contact Natalie Smith at nsmith@innovationconnector.com or call 765-216-5900.

These programs reaffirm the Innovation Connector’s mission to empower entrepreneurs and accelerate business success throughout the region.

And one final note:
Mark your calendars for Business Showcase Week 2025, November 17–22, as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. This event promises to be the largest and most impactful celebration of entrepreneurship in the U.S.—perhaps even the world. Stay tuned for more information coming soon.

Innovation Connector: Our Premium Strategic Planning Services

At the Muncie Innovation Connector, we’re known for offering professional office spaces, training rooms, and workshops—but our support for entrepreneurs and business leaders goes far beyond that. We are a hub for innovation, strategy, and growth, dedicated to helping you and your business thrive year-round.

As we approach the midpoint of the year, now is the perfect time to pause and reflect:

  • Are you meeting the evolving needs of your customers?
  • What are your business’s weaknesses—and how can you turn them into strengths?
  • Are you making the most of today’s technology to operate more efficiently and competitively?

These questions are just the beginning—and we’re here to help you answer them.

Our Premium Strategic Planning Services are designed for business owners and organizational leaders who want to take their operations to the next level. Whether you’re an established business looking to reassess your direction or a startup preparing for growth, our experienced team members are ready to guide you through a proven planning process that results in actionable insights and measurable goals.

We know that business is never static. As your company grows, so must your strategy. Shifts in customer behavior, market trends, and technology demand agile thinking and thoughtful planning. That’s why we partner with you to understand where your business stands—and where it could go.

When you choose our Premium Strategic Planning Services, our dedicated Innovation Connector team will work closely with your leadership group. Together, you’ll examine key performance areas, identify opportunities for innovation, and create a clear, customized roadmap for the months ahead. Our approach is hands-on, collaborative, and practical—focused on helping you build a strategy that drives results.

At the Innovation Connector, we believe that strategic planning is not just a one-time event—it’s a mindset. And the best time to start thinking strategically about the rest of your year is right now.

Let us help you move forward with purpose, clarity, and confidence.

Ready to take the next step?
Contact us today at 765.216.5900 to learn more about our Premium Strategic Planning Services and how they can benefit your business. Want to see everything we offer? Explore our services page today!

Closed for Memorial Day

In observance of Memorial Day, the Innovation Connector team will be out of the office on Monday, May 26. While our staff will be unavailable, clients will continue to have full access to their offices and facilities as usual. We wish everyone a safe and meaningful holiday as we honor those who have served!

Bring Your Ideas to Life: “Pitch Like an Animator” Workshop

Intersessions brings to you a new interactive workshop designed to help professionals communicate bold ideas more effectively.

Workshop Details:
 Title: Pitch Like an Animator: Creative Tools for Communicating Big Ideas Clearly
 Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
 Time: 8:00 – 10:00 AM
 Presenter: Patrick Rieth, Creative Director at Devon House Creative

In this engaging, hands-on session, Patrick will explore how thinking like an animator can transform the way you pitch ideas. Attendees will learn how to simplify complexity, create emotional resonance, and deliver pitches that are both clear and compelling—without diluting their creative vision.

Whether you’re a marketer, entrepreneur, or leader responsible for communicating big ideas, this workshop will equip you with practical, easy-to-use tools to turn everyday conversations into creative wins.

Join us for this energizing workshop and gain new strategies to pitch with clarity, confidence, and creativity.

Reserve Your Spot for free today: https://www.intersection.is/intersessions 

Intersessions powered by Intersection held at the Innovation Connector are free interactive marketing sessions held six times annually with ongoing content and discussions.  Speakers dive into interesting and relevant marketing topics, tailored for professionals, entrepreneurs, and business owners who want to advance their marketing skill set. 

Innovation Connector Presents International Award to Delaware County Commissioners

At the May 5th, 2025, Delaware County Commissioners Meeting, a moment of international significance was shared with the local community. Ted Baker, Executive Director and CEO of the Innovation Connector, presented the Commissioners with a duplicate of the prestigious Soft Landings Designation of the Year award, recently received at the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA) Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA.

This recognition is not only a milestone for the Innovation Connector—it marks the organization’s first international award, a testament to the growing global reach and impact of Muncie and Delaware County’s business development efforts.

The Soft Landings Designation of the Year is awarded to only one organization among InBIA’s global network of certified Soft Landings locations. This honor celebrates the Innovation Connector’s outstanding support of foreign business entities as they seek to launch or expand operations in our region.

During the meeting, Baker expressed his gratitude to the Delaware County Commissioners, noting that their longstanding support was instrumental in achieving the Soft Landings designation to begin with. The duplicate trophy serves as a symbol of that partnership—a physical reminder that global success often starts with local collaboration.

As the Innovation Connector continues to attract and assist international businesses, this award highlights not only what has been accomplished but what is possible when community leaders and innovation ecosystems work hand-in-hand.