iBi - August 2011

There are few greater decisions than the sale of a family-owned business. Where do you begin?

The Peoria area is unique in many ways, among them its wealth of distinctive, family-owned businesses.

Most small businesses agree they need a business plan, but the process of creating it can seem overwhelming.

What makes people leave the safety of a cushy job to try to fan the spark of an idea into the fire of a successful business?

The Sharpe family has been helping area residents with their taxes for over half a century.

One program that highlights the importance of small, family-owned businesses within a community is the Illinois River Road.

Don and Debbie Welch have their hands full in the latest twist in their professional careers.

Teamwork, faith and family came together to turn a staff of three into one of the largest independent retirement plan record-keepers in the nation. 

Good genes run in the Rocke family…along with a rich history tied to a business first known as Rocke’s Cold Storage.

A hub for trendy women of all ages, Apricot Lane offers style as inimitable as the mother-daughter team who brought it to Peoria.

What began as a consulting firm has evolved into a company that provides cleaning services, janitorial supplies and more.

Only about a third of privately-held family businesses ever make it to the second generation.

Now in its fourth generation, the family-owned Abel Vault & Monument creates granite memorials of your loved ones.

The word “quality” doesn’t just apply to diamonds—it also illustrates a lifestyle centered around the value of putting family first.

AAA Certified Confidential Security Corp is the latest in a tradition of businesses run by the Simpson family.

Moving from one state to another to begin a new job with a company run by one’s father-in-law might appear daunting to some.

The inspiration for bringing the Senara experience to central Illinois came to the Kramers nearly 11 years ago on their fifth wedding anniversary.

Operated by the Blasek family since 1955, Peoria Flag & Decorating is one of the area’s mainstay family businesses.