A Rising Tide Lifts All Ships
By Joe Baur
Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Detroit need look no further than their respective small businesses ran by creative entrepreneurs to thank for signs of economic growth in their communities. Stephanie Sheldon, co-creator of The Indie Foundry and a Detroit native living in Cleveland, is a prime example of those trying to make a difference by touting the Rust Belt region’s plethora of creative small businesses.
“Imported From Detroit”
“I’m an architect by training, but after my firm closed down due to the economic downturn, I decided to start my own business,” explains Sheldon, who moved to Cleveland from the Motor City after graduate school in 2007. “I looked at what fueled me, the things I did in my spare time away from my desk and it turned out that I was very passionate about helping people tell their creative stories.”
Sheldon’s not alone.
“I honestly believe that the silver lining behind this economic downturn is that many creative thinkers have been set loose on the world to do what brings them joy!”
The Indie Foundry
Without hesitation, Sheldon set off to help the influx of creative thinkers by giving them legs in a shaky economy. Her solution was The Indie Foundry (IF), an organization Sheldon created with Carrie Nardini of I Made It! Market in Pittsburgh. IF will be hosting a “Rust Belt Series of Markets” in Detroit, Pittsburgh and Cleveland featuring the creations of small creative businesses “who want to see their businesses grow, flourish and possibly even take root in their Rust Belt communities,” explains Sheldon. “The Indie Foundry will offer online and in-person resources, networking, workshops, traveling marketplaces and the opportunity to learn from professionals who have expertise that speaks directly to what small business owners need.”
“A Rising Tide Lifts All Ships”
On Sat 6/9 from 10am to 4pm, IF will be hosting their inaugural event at Ohio City’s renovated Market Square Park. The event will be an opportunity for vendors to showcase their local and regional goods to the passersby of arguably Cleveland’s most creative neighborhood.
Explains Sheldon, “Our hope is to connect creatives to each other, to help small business owners and freelancers gain new skills, pick up a perk or two as a participant and to showcase what Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood has accomplished for new creative businesses.”
The concept behind the event is “A Rising Tide Lifts All Ships,” which Sheldon describes as a sentiment that “we’re all in this together.” “After many people have lost jobs, taken chances and changed their lives around, it feels as though we’ve all been through a collective battle, of sorts. I meet so many small business owners that are so passionate about what they do, and I want to help them grow, I want to hear and tell their stories, find people to connect them to and really support them.”
The Rust Belt Series is doing just that.
“At the very basic level, Carrie and I want to create a vibrant, collaborative community of creative professionals focused on lifting everyone up through partnerships, resource sharing and skill building. When we lift each other up we are lifting the whole and that is a beautiful feeling.”
Check out the Rust Belt Series Artisan Market & Networking Event on Sat 6/9 from 10am – 4pm in Ohio City’s newly renovated Market Square Park, located just across from the West Side Market. http://www.IndieFoundry.com.
Joe Baur is the creator/host of Mildly Relevant News and a freelance writer. When he isn’t writing for the show or MildlyRelevant.com, you can find him traversing the streets of Cleveland for a fried egg on just about anything.
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