Broad Ripple Magazine 2021

MARCH 2021

SPOTLIGHTING NORTHERN INDIANAPOLIS

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B I L L B E N N E R TA L K S C A R E E R, M A R C H M A D N E S S & T H E S TAT E OF SPORTS IN INDY

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B I L L B E N N E R TA L K S CAREER, MARCH M A D N E S S & T H E S TAT E OF SPORTS IN INDY

A

s Bill Benner reflects on a career of 40-plus years as an Indianapolis Star sports reporter and columnist, Butler University professor, communications and public relations director, and coorganizer for many major sporting events in the city - a career, by the way, that is in many ways as productive as it ever was, but more on that later - he remains extremely optimistic about the future of sports in the Hoosier state and Indianapolis in particular.

Such optimism has merit. After all, Indy is playing host to this year’s NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament and has been home to numerous NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Fours, the 1996 and 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials for swimming, and of course Super Bowl XLVI. “I was fortunate enough to be at the Star as Indianapolis evolved as a sports city, and was almost the primary person assigned to write about the formation of the Sports Corp, the building of major venues, the attraction of the NCAA and Pan Am Games, and so much stuff that has happened here in Indy,” says Benner, who served as co-chair of the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee’s media relations committee, as well as on organizing committees for numerous NCAA Final Fours. “The city has come through on all of it, and will continue to do so.”

Benner says. “They had a vision to turn Indianapolis into a sports capital and make the investment with the arena, and then the Hoosier Dome, and attract the NCAA and bring Final Four here. All that led up to the Super Bowl, and then we had five consecutive Big Ten basketball tournaments, Final Fours, and now, of course, March Madness.”

Benner, an Indy native, came up through the Center Grove school system, and learned fairly early on that writing, particularly of the reporting variety, came naturally. He wrote for the school paper and yearbook in the latter part of his high school years, and by the time college rolled around he had obtained an evening job as a score boy with the Star, where his father Charlie worked in the printing department, while studying journalism at the IU-Indianapolis Extension (now IUPUI).

“Score boys worked with the sports department and gave out scores when people would call in wanting to know Pacers or college football scores, or horse race results,” Benner explains.

Benner says Indy’s development as a major sports city can be traced back to the forethought and planning of several local leaders, around the time Benner himself was starting out as a sports reporter at the Indianapolis Star.

By the end of his freshman year Benner had developed a relationship with Cyrus “Cy” McBride, the Star’s executive sports editor, and expressed interest in whatever reporting position was available at the time. He was given a few small duties writing headlines and reporting game results and eventually took on an assignment in August of 1968 covering a Greenwood woman who had won the national table tennis championship.

Thus, he secured his first byline as a newspaper reporter.

“There was a vision that a few leaders had back in the ‘70s - Jim Morris and Ted Boehm and a host of others - going back to the building of Market Square Arena,”

“Cy edited that story and worked it over, but thought it was pretty good, and from then on I stayed in the sports department,” Benner says. “In the following years they

would let me go out and cover high school games, and I was hooked.”

Benner finished up his journalism degree at IU-Bloomington after a stint in the Army, and went on to work at the Star until 2001, writing as a full-time columnist beginning in 1990.

In the mid-1990s Art Levin, chairman of Butler University’s journalism department at the time, reached out to Benner about joining the faculty as an adjunct sports journalism professor. Benner developed a curriculum and taught at Butler from 1995 through 2004, drawing on his reporting knowledge and experience.

for the Indianapolis Business Journal, a position he would continue until 2013.

Around the same time, he also decided to explore a few different career avenues and became vice president of communications for the Indiana Sports Corporation, while working for Visit Indy in a sports capacity.

In 2001, Benner began as a sports columnist In August of 2013, he got a call regarding “I was lucky in that I had great students, several of whom have gone on to have great careers, and the teaching was a lot of fun,” he says. “It taught me how to be creative all over again.”

a job with Pacers Sports & Entertainment, eventually serving as both senior vice president for corporate, community and public relations, and also de facto executive director of the Pacers Foundation.

Last June, Benner stepped away from his role with Pacers Sports & Entertainment

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after seven years, and continues to serve on several boards, including Special Olympics Indiana, the Finish Line Youth Foundation, and the Pacers Foundation.

Nowadays, Benner tries to spend as much time as possible with his wife Sherry, their children Allison and Ashley, and two grandkids William and Emma.

“I love the mountains out west, and we have a place in the mountains in Colorado, but I’m still a Hoosier at heart,” he says.

As for Benner’s accolades, the list is lengthy - he was twice awarded Indiana Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (now the National Sports Media Association). In 2017, he received a Sagamore of the Wabash award from the governor, which is Indiana’s highest individual honor.

This spring Benner is slated for induction

into the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame, of which he was president from 1998 to 1999. The induction ceremony will be held during the Final Four here in Indianapolis.

“I’m so honored by it and elated,” he says of his Hall of Fame honors. “It was a total surprise to me. After I left the Star I continued to write for Indianapolis Business Journal, but I truly haven’t been a full-time basketball writer since I left the Star, so for them to reach back into the archives and honor me like this is a tremendous thrill.”

hosted a major event - a Final Four, the Super Bowl, the World Championships for gymnastics - Indianapolis has always raised the bar. I have no doubt that this will be the case when we host not only the Final Four, but all of March Madness.”

Benner feels Indy is more than ready to handle the logistics, crowds and fanfare of the upcoming NCAA March Madness - and he should know, having written about and helped organize so many of Indy’s major sports events.

“I don’t think there’s any other city that could do it,” he says. “Every time we’ve

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WELL SMOKED 3 1 7 BBQ IS OF F & RUN N I N G Writer / Jon Shoulders Photographer / Michael Durr

hen Josh Stoneking, coowner and operator of 317 BBQ, got wind that a commercial space in Broad Ripple, formerly occupied by BurgerFuel, was available last year, he recognized a chance to do something special.

“That was the end of that conversation, but then at the end of last May after COVID hit, BurgerFuel went out of business, and when Billy told me, I reminded him of when we talked about barbecue,” Stoneking says. “I ran a private chef business for the past four years and still loosely run it, and wanted something else to do. We thought it was a good idea, and so we put an investment group together.”

“We knew we could execute and do well in that space,” Stoneking says. “It was great timing 317 BBQ officially opened on December 5, to get that space, and we said why not.” and since then they’ve been churning out Texas-style fare like pork, brisket, smoked Toward the end of 2019, Stoneking had a conversation with Bill Ficca, another 317 BBQ sausage and more. The sides menu includes co-owner, who remarked that the BurgerFuel slow-cooked green beans, baked beans, deviled potato salad and buttermilk biscuits. spot would make for a perfect barbecue location. Stoneking is no stranger to the “In Texas, they focus on simple sides, and barbecue game, having spent a good deal of everybody’s got their version of beans or mac time in front of a smoker and even won a State and cheese, and that type of stuff,” Stoneking Fair barbecue championship. says. “The main attraction is always the meat

though. We don’t feel that we need to do anything bizarre or interesting to the meat, and we just want to keep it simple and make sure that it’s done right and done well. We spend a lot of time on our barbecue, making sure that each rack rib, each brisket, and each shoulder is as perfect as we can get it.”

Patrons have several sauces to choose from as well, including Sweet Heat, 317 Classic BBQ, Kim Bob’s Mustard, All-Purpose, and Vegan Sugar-Free.

Stoneking adds that several menu items are on their way to being customer favorites, particularly the brisket.

“People love the sides,” he adds. “I've heard people say it’s the best cornbread they’ve ever had, and they love our biscuits, chocolate chip

8 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / MARCH 2021 / BroadRippleMag.com

cookies and banana pudding. Our menu’s not huge, but we put a lot of effort into everything on it. We’re proud of the product.”

the midtown area.

“The building itself was really the attraction - there aren’t a lot of places like this where there’s already a restaurant built out, and you 317 BBQ is open for dine-in, as well as have the garage space and the parking lot,” curbside pickup (18 parking spots are available), carry-out and delivery. The business Stoneking says. “It’s one of the few parking lots in the heart of Broad Ripple. Also, I do also offers catering for a minimum of 15 people. Visit the official website for additional believe there’s something special happening in Broad Ripple, and we’ve had some high-end details on catering and ordering for curbside apartments go in, and some cool businesses service. go in. I think what we’re going to start seeing is a shift in the Broad Ripple culture, with new “Dine-in has been slow to build, and the businesses and restaurants going in along with majority of our orders are still curbside and the great restaurants that have been here a long carry-out,” Stoneking says. “We anticipate time.” that changing soon. COVID has added some complexities, but we’re trying to adjust.”

Stoneking adds that the 317 BBQ team’s The owners attention to detail, as well as his own smoking methods, both help to make the menu items are excited distinct. to have launched the concept “I’ve been an executive chef for 17 years and amidst what have never owned and operated a barbecue they feel is a restaurant,” he says. “I do barbecue the only way I know how, which is carefully and slow. resurgence A lot of places use controlled smokers where of sorts for

they can set it up and forget about it while it’s cooking, with wood chips or pellets. I can always taste it in the barbecue when meat is smoked with pellets and chips, and things like that. We use local firewood like hickory and oak that is DNR-approved, and get a really clean smoke off of it.”

317 BBQ is located at 6320 Guilford Avenue in Indianapolis. For more info, including a menu and an ordering page for curbside service or carry-out, visit 317bbq.com. You can also call the restaurant at 317-744-0025.

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When Bryan Neale was looking to combine his career as an NFL referee with his other career in sales coaching, he was trying to find a clever way to blend the two. He made a list of nouns and adjectives describing a referee.

“When an official makes a call fans disagree with, typically the fans call them blind,” Neale says. “They also sometimes call us zebras because we wear black and white shirts. So, Blind Zebra was born in 2014.”

Blind Zebra is a sales coaching company focusing on two specific areas - business-to-business sales coaching, and client success programs.

“We train [clients] in our homegrown methodology,” Neale says. “First we teach on how to think. We give names and shared language to the way salespeople think. Things like, is our intention to sell or to be helpful? Do we view the world from a position of abundance or scarcity? There are 10 different areas we coach our clients to check in with, before they ever say or do anything with a potential customer.”

“Think, Say, Do” is Blind Zebra’s sales philosophy.

“Everything we teach falls into one of those three categories,” Neale says. “‘Think’ is about how we show up as people and salespeople.

It’s the ‘head, heart and soul’ of the person. This part of our content is what sets us apart from most traditional sales training programs.

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‘Say’ and ‘do’ are just what they sound like - sales process steps, phrasing and language, and actions to take.”

The second side of the business is the client success program.

“These days the client success role, which used to be under the heading of customer service, is taking on a much more important strategic role in most companies because the experience that customers expect these days is higher than it’s ever been,” Neale says.

“We noticed other sales coaching companies weren’t training for both sales and client success.”

Neale noticed inadequacies with sales training at other companies.

“They had great programs but they weren’t as great as they could be, because the person administering the program was a trainer and not a salesperson,” Neale says.

Pricing varies based on coaching frequency, length and delivery.

Changing the way they deliver programs has opened up their business to customers outside of the Indianapolis area.

Neale has been officiating for 33 years and is in his seventh year as an NFL referee. That part of his life is on full display in the Blind Zebra office.

“With us offering virtual services, we have opened up our client base to the whole United States,” Neale says.

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LO CA L N ATUR E NEARBY SP OT S AN D TIPS FOR YOUR OU TDOOR FIX

Writer & Photographer / Daniel Woody

A

s winter draws to a close and the weather warms for spring, many of us will be eager to get back outdoors.

Some of us get outside all the time regardless of the weather, but no matter which camp you’re in, we could all benefit from knowing where the best local spots are for a quick dip into nature.

Luckily for Broad Ripple residents, there are a wide range of public parks nearby.

Each one offers its own unique perks, but there are a few I go back to again and again. I’ll share with you which parks are my favorites, what activities I enjoy doing most at each, and any other relevant info you’ll need to optimize your time spent outside, and not waste it on the commute.

1 . M A R OT T PA R K & N AT U R E PR E SE RV E Favorite Activities: Hiking and Hammocking Marott Park’s 102 acres of forest are probably familiar to anyone who frequents the Monon Trail or Park Tudor School.

Otherwise, it’s an easy park to miss.

It’s also a park that offers some unique geography. Sitting just north of where the White River weaves through Broad Ripple, the park has three unique areas, each separated by bodies of water and each requiring a different point of access.

The most popular area of the park is the northern section, with primary access off of College Avenue across from Park Tudor.

Williams Creek runs through the center of this section, and it’s a great place to hang a hammock, or bring your dogs and kids 12 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / MARCH 2021 / BroadRippleMag.com

to splash around in the creek on warmer days. You can also access this section along 75th Street, and along the Monon Trail.

Avenue, or underneath the College Avenue bridge that runs over the White River. This section is where I’d go for some solitude.

northeast. The most direct hiking route between these parks is about a four-mile round trip, and offers great views along the riverbank.

The southeastern section of the park sees moderate traffic, but it’s only accessible via three spots along the Monon Trail, which runs along its eastern edge. Williams Creek runs along the western edge of this section. This portion of the park is also great for hiking and hammocking.

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The last section of the park is in the southwest corner, located just east of College Avenue between the White River and 71st Street. This section isn’t very big, but it sees the least amount of traffic due to its obscure access points. You can access it along 71st Street, in the neighborhood east of College

Favorite Activities: Hiking Holliday Park, located at Spring Mill Road and 64th Street, has something for the whole family. There’s a Nature Center, a playground, wildflower gardens, ruins, and hiking trails throughout. I go here mainly to hike with my dog. The eastern edge of the park butts up against the White River, and if you continue hiking underneath the Meridian Street bridge, you’ll link up with the Blickman Educational Trail, which will connect you with the southwestern section of Marott Park to the

Favorite Activity: Kayaking Fall Creek Parkway Trail and Greenway is likely best known for its biking path.

The path follows the creek from Fort Harrison State Park all the way down to Meridian Street. However, not many people know that you can actually kayak certain portions of the creek as well. In particular, there is a five-mile section of the creek that I

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find perfect for a quick evening paddle.

There is a boat ramp and parking area on the north end of Fall Creek Parkway that works best for your put-in point, just west of Interstate 465. Then, five miles down the creek, you’ll find another boat ramp and parking area where you can take out, near the intersection of Fall Creek Parkway, Allisonville Road and Binford Boulevard. Be sure to heed the signs for the dam downstream, and don’t go beyond the boat ramp.

This five-mile section of the creek will take about two to four hours to complete, depending on how fast you paddle and how high or low the water level is. If you plan to paddle solo and don’t have anyone to help ferry your kayak back to your put-in point, I’d recommend putting in at the southern boat ramp and paddling upstream until you’re tired, and then turning around to float back to your put-in point. Paddling upstream can be challenging if the creek is flowing fast, but it’s typically very slow-paced near the

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southern boat ramp, due to the dam just downstream.

4. E AGLE C R E E K PAR K Favorite Activities: Hiking, Kayaking and Photography OK, so Eagle Creek Park isn’t exactly local to the Broad Ripple area. It’s all the way over on the west side of the city. However, it’s an easy 20- to 30-minute drive across Kessler Boulevard and 56th Street to the front gate.

As the city’s largest park, it consists of 1,400 acres of water and 3,900 acres of forest, allowing visitors to enjoy fishing, boating, hiking, birding, cycling and much more.

There is an entrance fee of $5 per vehicle, but I opt for the $50 annual pass. I know I’ll get my money’s worth.

What I enjoy most at Eagle Creek is kayaking around the northern end of the reservoir and photographing the wildlife I see from the water. This is a great area for a relaxed morning paddle, especially during the spring and fall, when the sunrise coincides perfectly with the 8 a.m. opening of the park. When I’m not on the water, I enjoy the miles of hiking trails available.

Be sure to take the hiking loop around the bird sanctuary, starting at the Ornithology Center. You’ll get great views of the reservoir, and - you guessed it - there is no shortage of birds. You may get lucky and see a bald eagle too.

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With spring almost here, I hope this gives you a better idea of where to go the next time you need a dose of nature on a time crunch. If this inspires you to get out to your local parks, be sure you have the gear you need to make your outing safe and fun. In Broad Ripple, we’re lucky to have our own local outdoor gear retailer, Rusted Moon Outfitters. They can hook you up with whatever you need for your local or not-solocal adventures.

Just remember that when you want to get outside but feel you don’t have the time, it can be easy to overlook our local parks.

However, they really do offer a wide range of outdoor activities, and given how accessible they are, I hope we all take a little more time this year to appreciate them.

RUSTED MOON OUTFITTER S CELEBRATES 19 YEAR S IN BROAD RIPPLE Writer / Seth Johnson Photographer / Michael Durr

Rusted Moon Outfitters is much more than your average outdoor retailer.

“I’m really uncomfortable saying we have a sales staff because we don’t have a sales team - that’s not what we’re here to do,” says Ron Lewis, manager. “We’re here to help. We’re here to educate. We’re here to facilitate the outdoor lifestyle. I like to think that’s why we’re still here after 19 years.”

Founded in March of 2002, the Broad Ripple shop celebrates its 19th anniversary in 2021 as it continues to serve the outdoor needs of central Indiana. With more than 75 brands in stock, Rusted Moon carries all things outdoors, including camping gear, apparel, footwear and much more, with an expert staff on hand to answer questions.

After years of working at the nowdefunct sporting goods chain Galyan’s, Henry Miller founded

Rusted Moon Outfitters in 2002, choosing to make outdoor living the primary focus of his store.

“The dream over the long haul was to bring something more intimate, personalized and focused towards what we do - hiking, skiing, paddling and the outdoor life,” Lewis says Early on, the business certainly benefited from its location on the Monon Trail.

“In the early days, I think just having our sign in the front of the store pointed towards the Monon was how half of our first customers found their way in the door,” Lewis says. “Social media, phones and all of that have really changed life a lot, and that wasn’t a big part of our early growth like you could guess it is now.”

Like most small businesses, the Rusted Moon staff closed the shop’s doors at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, before eventually figuring out a way to safely resume business.

“When we were allowed to come back in, we stopped and said, ‘Not only do we need to exist as a business, we need to offer our customer base and our community what we can do to help them through these weird times,’” Lewis says. “When we weren’t allowed to or chose not to have people inside the building, we were helping a lot of people from out front.”

Throughout the pandemic, Lewis says the business has focused on helping people “stay healthy, be outside and enjoy themselves in a safe and responsible manner.”

“Make no mistake, we acknowledge how lucky we are,” he says. “I don’t want to say how this has played out has been beneficial to us. It’s not like we flourished, but we existed. We’re lucky that we’re in a segment of society and business that people use as a release.”

Heading into the spring, Rusted Moon will continue serving central Indiana’s outdoor needs,

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as patrons begin to get outside yet again with warmer weather on the horizon.

“We’re moving right back into life on the water,” Lewis says.

“Kayaking and all things paddling are what we’re charging ahead into right now. If the people reading this are interested in doing that, they should act sooner rather than later because I do predict product flow issues.”

“With warmer weather coming, people who aren’t so fond of the cold weather are going to be able to get out and do some family camping, or even just hiking,” adds Shiron Miller, co-owner.

“We’re making sure that we have everything available that you would need for that, whether it’s tents, sleeping bags, daypacks or backpacks.”

Rusted Moon Outfitters is located at 6410 Cornell Avenue in Indianapolis. You can reach them via phone at 317-2534453, or visit their website at RustedMoonIndy.com.

Congratulations

WE ARE OPE N.

JOHN CREAMER

Creamer Elson & O’Brien REALTORS since 1986

Celebrating 35 years as a REALTOR Helping friends and family find their first home, next home or their dream home since 1986!

WE ARE SAFE .

WE ARE CARI N G FOR PATIENTS .

During the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have delayed seeking care. Eskenazi Health is open and here for you.

Your health and safety remain our top priority. We’ve taken a number of precautions to ensure your well-being while at our facilities.

Please don’t delay seeking care, even if you have concerns because your insurance may have recently changed. We have financial counselors available to help. In-person or e-visit appointments can be requested online at EskenaziHealth.edu or by calling 317.880.7666.

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JAZZ K ITC HE N

Newly Renovated

JAZZING THE PLACE UP JAZZ KITCHEN UNDERGOES NEW RENOVATIONS Writer / Seth Johnson Photographer / Michael Durr

After being forced to close his doors for months due to the coronavirus pandemic, Jazz Kitchen Owner David Allee decided to make the most of the downtime by renovating his historic Broad Ripple club.

“Two months in, we saw this was going to get extended out a little further,” Allee says. “The last renovation we did was darn near 20 years ago, so it was kind of time. We’ve had a lot of people coming through. The bathrooms got a lot of use. It was time to get it done.”

The historic Jazz Kitchen first opened its doors in 1994 and has been serving up tunes and delicious New Orleans-meets-Midwest cuisine ever since. Located on North College Avenue in Broad Ripple, the venue is currently operating at 25% capacity with shows on three nights out of the week.

Like much of the entertainment industry, the Jazz Kitchen was forced to close its doors in mid-March, before eventually reopening on November 9. During that span of eight months, Allee and company remained busy as they made improvements on the muchloved live music pillar.

“We did a little more than put new paint up,” Allee says. “We opened up some walls and just made the space more open in general. We upgraded the ventilation systems. We upgraded the bathrooms. A lot of that was in response to the current COVID situation. I think all of it kind of blends together. It’s definitely a long-term play, but also deals with the new world we’ll be living in.”

In terms of the bathrooms, Allee says his crew installed new wall tiling from floor to ceiling.

“They’d seen some good use through the years, so they definitely needed some love,” Allee says of the bathrooms. “We probably wouldn’t have done tile all the way up the walls. With COVID we just want people feeling comfortable that we’ve got good, cleanable surfaces, and if we wash it every day, it’s not going to deteriorate like a paint or something would.”

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Dr. Duke Tumatoe

As for improved ventilation, the Jazz Kitchen went that extra mile as well.

“We have UVC lights in the ventilation systems to help kill viruses and bacteria,” Allee says. “There were some things that we probably went a little further on than we maybe would’ve normally done.”

As concert attendees enter the Jazz Kitchen, they will be greeted by a new vestibule, which was added to ensure comfort while awaiting entry.

“Sometimes on second shows, we’d notice we’d have a line outside going down the block,” Allee says. “While that looks great for advertising, it’s not real comfortable, especially on a cold or rainy

day, so we put a big, long bench in there.”

Allee says music lovers have been excited to make their way back out to the storied Broad Ripple staple.

“I think by and large, people are eager to get out, but I’ve also gotten a lot of compliments,” he says. “They feel like this is a place they can come, be safe, and not feel like they’re in danger of catching something - so I guess we’re just going to keep on scrubbing.”

The Jazz Kitchen is located at 5377 North College Avenue in Indianapolis. You can reach them via phone at 317-253-4900, or visit their website at TheJazzKitchen.com.

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HMIA000125

SMITH FAMILY REALTY 317-690-2524 smithfamilyrealtyindy.com

SMITH FAMILY REALTY create our own brand and have control of the marketing and business decisions.

Mother-Daughter Duo Paula & Melissa Smith

“Melissa joining in 2018 made starting my own business an easy decision as we were able to work flawlessly together even while she maintained another career at the beginning,” Paula adds.

Writer / Renee Larr Photography Provided

this is not the case for one local motherdaughter duo.

Hard work and putting their clients first over the past 17 years is turning their real estate business into a new brand – their own brokerage firm. After spending their entire lives on the northeast side of Indianapolis and giving back to this wonderful community, this mother-daughter duo has started their own real estate company and are working together full time. Now, they are ready to add you to their real estate family!

Paula Smith has been a Realtor for the past 17 years to include being awarded the Angie’s List Super Service Award for the past 11 years as well as the 5 Star Real Estate Award. A few years ago, her daughter, Melissa Smith, joined her real estate group.

In 2020, they decided they were ready to venture out and create their own local real estate company, Smith Family Realty.

The mother-daughter bond can be strong but starting a business together can introduce a whole new fabulous dimension to their relationship. Although a business relationship can be challenging at times,

“I was already doing the majority of the work of a managing broker and now had my daughter working at my side,” Paula says. “I just didn’t have the credentials. So, I took the managing broker class and as a family, we decided it made the most sense for us to start our own company, where we could

“Previously, I was teaching and, at first, I loved it,” Melissa says. “With time, I decided I wanted to do something different.

Naturally, after some thought and many conversations, I took the summer of 2018 to get my real estate license. For a few years, I did both. Eventually, after teaching during the day and coming home in the evening to work my real estate job, I decided that I wanted to do real estate full time.”

Melissa believes her background in teaching carries over into her real estate career.

“Real estate doesn’t feel like work to me,” Melissa says. “I enjoy the whole process including teaching people about buying and selling a home. A lot of my friends are still buying their first home, so in a way, I am able to teach them about the process and show them beautiful homes at the same time. I love being a source of information and educating people. I have been training to do this job since the age of 12 and didn’t even realize it.”

Paula is proud of starting her woman-owned business. Smith Family Realty is a small, woman-owned business with homegrown, Central Indiana Realtors who will provide

20 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / MARCH 2021 / BroadRippleMag.com

personal, professional and authentic service throughout your home buying and/or selling experience that is easy, comfortable and ultimately enjoyable.

have joined our family for years to come.”

“I feel this is extremely important because I am showing my daughters and others in my life what can be accomplished,” Paula says.

“The fact that I began and am managing Smith Family Realty on my own is very important to me and exhibits setting a goal and going after it.”

“David recently started in the industry after previously working in the EMS field,” Paula says. “His primary area of focus is the southside of Indianapolis. Melissa and I have been working in the entire greater Indianapolis metropolitan area but hope to hone in our services to Marion, Hamilton, Hancock, Boone, and other northern surrounding counties.”

The company’s motto is “Personal Real Estate Service, from Start to Finish.”

“We want everyone we work with to become part of our Smith Family Realty family,” Paula says. “We’re not going to just stop communication once the deal is done.

We continue that relationship throughout all aspects of our clients’ lives. And we hope that those who work with us feel like they

The company also includes David Lehenbauer.

The mother and daughter are eager to continue working together as a team at Smith Family Realty for years to come.

“It’s been really fun working together,” Paula says. “We’re a really good team. We communicate with each other very well.

I think we’re willing to say things to each

other that sometimes co-workers would feel uncomfortable saying, we always have each other’s back and are willing to help out whenever and wherever needed.”

Melissa enjoys the team aspect of working with her mother, too.

“It’s really nice knowing you have someone who is always on your side,” she says.

“Mom knows I am always on her side and I know she’s on mine. It’s not always like that in all businesses. There can be a lot of competition. When working with my mother, we are certainly a dynamic duo and a force to be reckoned with.”

Paula, Melissa and David look forward to further deepening their roots in Central Indiana, getting to know more clients in the years to come and growing their business to be one of the most recognizable and reliable real estate brokerage firms in the area.

Mother-daughter duo Paula & Melissa Smith

PERSONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICE

From start to finish

We are a boutique, woman-owned family business with deep Indiana roots. Paula Smith and daughter Melissa Smith provide personal, professional service throughout your home buying and/or selling experience. Give us a call. See why our clients over the last 17 years feel like part of our family.

317-690-2524 / smithfamilyrealtyindy.com

21 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / MARCH 2021 / BroadRippleMag.com

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