Last March, Ben Hamm stood before the crowd and judges at the Business Builder Launch Night and presented the dream he and his wife Emily had: a coffeehouse in downtown New Castle. The Hamms won the competition and used the funds to purchase a point-of-sale system. This system is a key component of their business, The Press Coffee Co., which opened in October of 2022 at 225 S. 14th Street in New Castle.
Henry County Creates is an initiative of New Castle Main Street, New Castle Henry County Economic Development Corporation, and East Central Indiana SBDC. This is the fourth year for the Business Builders workshop series, which culminates in Launch Night.
The 2023 Launch Night will happen at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14, at the Hoosier Gym. Entrepreneurs who attended the workshops will share their ideas at a “trade show” style event and a select number will present their concepts to a panel of judges. Potential investors are encouraged to attend and learn more about opportunities to invest in local endeavors.
One key takeaway from Business Builders that Ben Hamm uses daily at The Press is thinking through the numbers side of owning and operating a business. “I learned how to get into the mindset of putting numbers to things to keep the business going.”
Winning Business Builders allowed the Hamms to accomplish their mission of cultivating community while also remaining stable financially. The Press Coffee Co. has become a popular meeting spot featuring responsibly sourced coffee, a variety of tea options, and fruit smoothies. The shop also has a selection of food items from local vendors, along with coffee beans and gift items.
Ben shares this advice for this year’s Business Builders participants: “Put a lot of margin in your ideas. Even when things are going well, you can forget about certain expenses. Find ways to plan, and don’t let the unexpected bumps discourage you.”
For more information about Henry County Creates, visit www.growinhenry.com/hc-creates.
