Small Business Week in Indiana was celebrated May 1 - 7.

The Small Business Administration, along with its co-host SCORE, has led all National Small Business Week efforts since 1963 and has been celebrating the week for nearly 60 years. In 2018, Governor Holcomb followed suit by issuing his own proclamation declaring April 30– May 6 as Small Business Week in Indiana. Both nationally and here in Indiana, the week strives to recognize the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners as well as highlight their impact on the U.S. economy.

Nancy Ryder, Indy Power Products

During our National Small Business Week road trip with the Indiana Small Business Development Center, IEDC was able to spend time with small business owner Nancy Ryder. She and her Indy Power Products team are the power behind exciting marketing projects throughout the automotive, racing, and aftermarket industries. Nancy and her husband, Jim, have developed a strong company combining her experience with his knowledge in the performance auto industry.

 

Nancy and Jim both spent several years working in the performance automotive industry, with their last 15 years focused on the professional racing industry. Jim's background is in mechanical engineering, primarily in design and development of automotive performance parts and systems. Nancy has a background which started in operations, then joining the race team evolved into marketing organization and activation. Jim and Nancy both worked for a professional race team (in NASCAR) until 2017, when they relocated to Indiana.

 

Here, they were enlisted to help integrate quality/operational protocol, and roll-out new branding, for a local company that had been acquired by a larger Australian-based motorsports supplier. “Jim was a direct hire, and I was hired on a contract basis through my consulting business,” said Nancy. “That contract ended in early 2020, in parallel with the onset of COVID. At that point, with the landscape of various things on-hold and changing at the same time, we found ourselves with time to think about what to do next with our careers.”

About the Company

Indy Power Products grew out of a consulting/contract business that Nancy had started in 2017. “Jim and I discussed an opportunity in the automotive aftermarket industry centered around a new engine that was being released by Ford (the 7.3L Godzilla, gas engine), that we felt could be a good opportunity to create an aftermarket product line around,” she explained. “The concept would combine both our skills - Jim to design and develop parts, and I would handle logistics and brand awareness. With that, I made a primary pivot in the company focus, and started Indy Power Products. Jim joined the company, and we started working together.”

Indy Power Products 

The company designs, develops and sells automotive engine components to the automotive aftermarket.  Its flagship products center around the Ford 7.3L Godzilla (gas) engine. Car builders love this new Ford engine but have struggled to actually fit the engine (as it comes) into various vehicles engine compartments.  One of Indy Power Products’ most popular items is a turnkey oil conversion kit that results in "re-sizing" the overall engine package, allowing it to fit into a variety of vehicles. In addition to this kit, it sells a full line of Front Accessory Drive options, and accessories, for this engine. 

“We're proud to say we have been first to market with this platform of parts, for this engine,” said Nancy. “This keeps us very busy, as we not only continue to grow into other product lines, but also incorporate improvements to the existing product line as it expands.”

Company Goal + Mission

Indy Power Products aims to offer aftermarket products to vehicle builders looking for high quality parts for their top-end builds. With the aftermarket industry being very competitive, the company helps to build a reliable brand that everyone can feel good about, and will only sell products they would buy themselves.

Indy Power Products collaborates with the best, performance focused resources in the industry to produce its products, many of which are other small businesses right here in Indiana. Because we've had experience working with the best, we can identify the resources that best match our needs and standards.  We won't settle for "less" and have a commitment to keep the best quality intact as we develop and offer products. 

Indiana Proud

“We are truly thrilled to be living and growing our business in Indiana,” said Nancy. “We have learned that Indiana is an ideal place for our small business - we appreciate being in a state that values, encourages, and supports their small business community. The support from the local Small Business Development Center has helped us stay productive, and the industry resources we need for our specific product development is unmatched - not to mention our brand is a great fit with the local motorsports culture. On a personal note, living in the Midwest, in the state of Indiana, is great - we love it!”