Brian Willsey
Brian Willsey is the Owner and CEO of Tinker House Events, a premier event venue located in Indianapolis. With a background in hospitality, finance, and real estate, Brian brings a hands-on, community-focused approach to small business leadership. As the Co-founder and Investor, he played a key role in launching Hotel Tango Distillery and later transformed Tinker House Events into a thriving space for weddings, corporate events, and nonprofit gatherings. Brian is also the Owner and CEO at PROVIDER Café and a Business Broker with Indiana Business Advisors.

 

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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [1:12] Brian Willsey shares his Indianapolis roots and family history in entrepreneurship
  • [3:45] Early career lessons from the service industry and how they shaped his business approach
  • [7:54] The origin story of Hotel Tango Distillery and Brian’s role in shaping its business model
  • [11:18] Launching Tinker House Events as an extension of the Hotel Tango Distillery vision
  • [13:35] Surviving the pandemic’s impact on the events business and rebuilding with resilience
  • [17:03] Brian’s new role as a business broker and why he’s passionate about helping small business owners’ exit transition
  • [28:57] Winning the 2023 Indiana Business Journal Forty Under 40 and what it means for Brian’s entrepreneurial journey
  • [34:15] How Brian advocates for small business health benefits through his work with the Indiana Chamber program

In this episode…

Running a small business often means wearing many hats, navigating uncertainty, and balancing passion with profitability. But how do entrepreneurs build sustainable ventures, create meaningful community impact, and eventually prepare for a successful exit, all while raising a family and keeping their sanity?

Brian Willsey, an experienced entrepreneur, offers grounded advice on navigating this complexity. Drawing from his background in hospitality, real estate, and event operations, Brian emphasizes the value of service-industry skills, relationship-building, and learning through failure. He encourages business owners to take stock of their experiences, understand the value of their businesses, and embrace partnerships when the time is right. Brian also shares how community involvement and mentorship have shaped his leadership approach and kept him anchored through times of uncertainty.

In this episode of Circle City Conversations, Alex Limontes interviews Brian Willsey, Owner and CEO of Tinker House Events, about building and evolving a purpose-driven business. Brian shares lessons from launching an event space, the value of entrepreneurial failure, and how he’s helping others exit their businesses successfully. He also explores family balance, community service, and Indy’s growing hospitality scene.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

  • “I’ve always been a ‘build the plane while you’re flying it’ kind of entrepreneur.”
  • “If I had to hear, ‘Oh, you guys are closed again,’ one more time.”
  • “Treat people better than they expect you to be treated, and overcome challenges as you come to them.”  
  • “I want to help small business owners bring their small business to the next phase of their life, whatever version that may be.”  
  • “If you don’t have help or a network or a little village, it’s a scary world out there by yourself.”

Action Steps:

  1. Lean into failure as a growth opportunity: Embracing mistakes helps entrepreneurs learn faster and make better decisions over time.
  2. Prioritize community and collaboration: Building partnerships can ease the burdens of entrepreneurship and lead to more sustainable success.
  3. Focus on experience over aesthetics: Delivering exceptional service creates lasting impressions and loyal customers, regardless of the venue’s design.
  4. Know the value of your business: Understanding your company’s worth is essential for planning an effective exit or succession strategy.
  5. Stay involved in local organizations: Engaging with associations and civic groups builds support networks and unlocks resources for small businesses.

Sponsor for this episode…

This episode is brought to you by Hurst Limontes LLC — a personal injury law firm based in Indiana.

Founded in 1981, Hurst Limontes LLC is one of the few firms whose practice focuses exclusively on victims of negligence and their families.

With more than 116 years of combined experience among our attorneys, you can trust us to handle your cases with valuable and extensive expertise. We have the knowledge to handle any case — from automobile accidents to construction site accidents, firearm discharge accidents, slips and falls, and more.

No matter how complex the case or how significant the injury is, we aim to make the process as stress-free as possible for clients.

Our attorneys have represented thousands of injured clients and obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts.

Have you or a family member been a personal injury victim in Indiana? Contact our dedicated team of personal injury lawyers at hurstlimontes.com or email alimontes@hurstlimontes.com.