Q&A WITH KELLY SPARKS, CEO of Indiana Small Business Expo
Kelly Sparks is passionate about networking and networking – she has built a business through intentional relationship building and now helps other business owners do the same.
The Indiana Small Business Expo is both an event and community – through this platform business owners have the opportunity to learn, meet like-minded people and grow their businesses.
Kelly Sparks refers to herself as an entrepreneur who wears many hats. Having seen her dad who was a contractor and having only an eighth-grade education she saw that manual labor was as hard as running a business, so she understands both roles. “I have a calling to help small businesses thrive and not just survive.” she says. Her story begins with an initial dream of being an attorney and unfortunately having to put that dream on the back burner. Her youngest son was born with heart defects and had to have several surgeries over the years. As a single mother raising her two sons she recognized the need for additional income and as a paralegal decided to leverage her relationships with all the attorneys she worked for and the relationships she had built over the years with the clients of the attorneys as well.
She pursued a real estate license and as she started looking for clients realized she needed a sphere of influence. “That’s when I decided to create my little networking group and to be honest with you at the time, I couldn’t afford available networking groups” she recalls as she further shares her journey to entrepreneurship.
“I got on the phone and reached out to some local businesses with the idea that we could support each other through client referrals and shared resources that’s how the networking and the entrepreneurial dream or itch began. The response was encouraging, and the group quickly expanded. Even through the challenges of COVID-19, we stayed connected virtually and later met safely in outdoor spaces. As I grew more involved, my passion for helping small businesses flourished. The turning point came when several members of my group were on the verge of closing their doors or filing for bankruptcy. That broke my heart determined to help, I leveraged my background in advocacy and my network to seek out ways to support them. Using my paralegal background I said let me see what I can do, I used the sphere of influence that I had as a realtor as well. I certainly had plenty of attorneys that I knew that I could call for advice and get the answers I was looking for, I wanted to know, how to help and serve the business, and the people of my group.”
That’s when one of her connections, Cathy Padgett, who had founded the Indiana Small Business Expo in 2008, suggested that she take over the Expo and revitalize it. After prayer and consideration, Kelly took a leap of faith and acquired the business, transforming it into a comprehensive platform to address the unique needs of small business owners. Her focus was to be different and emphasizes, “I wanted to make sure that whatever I created, wouldn’t compete with other networking groups because I wanted us all to come together to support the entrepreneur.”
“The Expo now fills crucial gaps, providing speaking opportunities, marketing packages, and networking resources tailored to various budgets. What started as a small group has grown into a statewide network, with monthly meetings drawing attendees from across Indiana. Our annual Indiana Small Business Expo Trade Show Conference has expanded year after year, underscoring the success and impact of this entrepreneurial journey. We grew out of several venues last year it was in Hamilton County the largest venue, and we ran out of space. This year there will be more elbow room at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. This journey into entrepreneurship began as a necessity but has evolved into a mission to empower and uplift small business owners across the state.”
This journey into entrepreneurship began as a necessity but has evolved into a mission to empower and uplift small business owners across the state.
The first expo was held in 2021, with two shows being held that year. Kelly recalls her hesitance to initially call the event an expo and so she named the first event the “Best Pitch Exhibit Event”—a unique take, distinct from the Indiana Small Business Expo.
She came across Precious Williams, a New York-based attorney and renowned “Killer Pitch Master” who coaches entrepreneurs for platforms like Shark Tank, while promoting the event on LinkedIn. Intrigued, I reached out to her, and after hearing my story, she felt a connection. To her surprise, Precious offered to come as the keynote speaker pro bono because she felt a connection to the story. “She flew in from New York, determined to “show up and show out” for Hoosiers, and her presence generated a ripple effect, catching media attention right as we emerged from COVID. Since then, the media has taken a strong interest in our events, eager to follow what we’re doing each year. This unexpected, inspiring experience truly marked the beginning of our Expo journey.”
Kelly hopes to continue to inspire and motivate small business owners who she believes and can prove are the backbone of the economy. “Our goal is always to encourage small business owners to know the importance of supporting one another. The large chain businesses aren’t going to show up to our events. That’s not who’s going to support us; our real support comes from the networking groups, all the other entrepreneurs.” For the 2025 Expo she has included anyone from a small to medium-sized business with up to 500 employees. “We hope attendees will make new connections and hear insights from incredible speakers. We have two keynote speakers who will take the main stage to kick off the show. They are going to learn from that. We have eight workshops, filled with information to help their business grow, and strategies to pivot, and they’ll make hundreds of new connections and leads for the new year.”
Our goal is always to encourage small business owners to know the importance of supporting one another.
Small businesses often face challenges when it comes to capital and securing funding. Kelly shared that in addition to two or three traditional banks to assist with bank loans, which can often feel intimidating, One of the featured organizations is Bankable, a major organization based in Anderson, Indiana, dedicated to helping small businesses secure funding.
The Expo is also a community that fosters valuable connections. Kelly hosts monthly events where members can come and network but also learn something new to apply in their businesses. With different topics, speakers or hosted at different venues, these events throughout the year help members to refer each other. “That is our goal to teach each other how to help one another find clients and educate, on things that businesses should be doing or could be doing better. That’s my different approach from the other networking groups,” Kelly says.
Kelly has built a reputation as a great connector. When speaking to her success in this area, she mentioned authenticity and following a process of planting a seed by introducing yourself, following up and leading with service before pitching yourself. She emphasizes the importance of nurturing relationships over time and staying in contact to find synergies and to help others along the way.
When asked about 3 keys to successful networking Kelly shared:
- If you are in a room of people if you get an opportunity to speak, even if that microphone shakes and you’re nervous and you feel inadequate, do it anyways. Because that makes you the expert in the room, in your field. “Every day I tell my members I’ve done interviews on stage, and the microphone still shakes. I’m still nervous but I do it anyway it’s just a leap of faith.”
- If you get an opportunity to teach a workshop or have that floor for 30 minutes, which our memberships offer, do it, don’t hesitate.
- Tell your story. Don’t be hesitant to tell your story. “I didn’t tell my story at first. I was a bit embarrassed, to be honest. Precious Williams taught me, to tell my story. Always be authentic when sharing your story do not be afraid to share who you are or where you come from.”
Always be authentic when sharing your story do not be afraid to share who you are or where you come from.
Kelly offered advice for entrepreneurs looking to survive in an often competitive environment. Citing self-belief as the foundation to making it in entrepreneurship, she said, “We’re all just regular people and honestly, I tell my members all the time I didn’t know much about business. I had to learn to be brave if I saw someone who looked like they knew what they were doing, I would be bold and reach out to them and ask for advice or ask for a meeting.”
She continued, “Be brave, bold, and consistent, do follow-ups, or maybe make an old-fashioned spreadsheet and put the dates of when you’ve called or when you met the person, maybe give them a little gift. Relationships are about continued support systems. It’s not just taking, it’s also giving, giving your time and or some advice, it’s a friendship.”
WHERE: Harvest Pavillion – Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center (1202 East 38th Street Indianapolis, IN 46205)
WHEN: Tuesday, November 12th, 1 PM – 7 PM
TICKETS: $25 ONLY. Don’t miss out – Register Now!
