Welcome to IndianaOwned.com, where the heartbeat of Indiana businesses thrives, and local communities unite. At the core of this online community is the visionary founder, Mel McMahon. With a passion for community empowerment and an unwavering commitment to the entrepreneurial spirit of Indiana, Mel has been the driving force behind the inception and success of IndianaOwned.com.

Mel McMahon isn’t just a businesswoman; she’s a community advocate with a genuine desire to see Indiana thrive. Her commitment to the local economy goes beyond the digital realm, as she actively engages with businesses and community members to foster meaningful connections. Mel believes that when communities support their own, everyone flourishes, and IndianaOwned.com reflects this ethos.

Under Mel’s guidance, IndianaOwned.com has evolved into a dynamic and inclusive platform. From the initial stages of conceptualization to the platform’s growth and impact on the local economy, Mel has been at the forefront, steering the ship with determination and a deep understanding of the needs of both businesses and consumers.

Mel McMahon Stone is an entrepreneur, podcast host, radio and television contributor, and local business activist. In 2014, Mel co-founded Indiana Originals (now known as IndianaOwned.com), a promotions and branding company for Indiana-owned businesses. In 2020, she co-founded Indiana Gifts, an online gift shop featuring products made by Indiana companies now with a brick-and-mortar location on Main Street in Lebanon, IN.

A proud graduate of Indiana University, Mel earned a double major in Communications & Culture and Criminal Justice with a minor in Telecommunications before completing her Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management at Keller Graduate School of Management. She has continued to sharpen her leadership skills through programs with the Disney Institute, the Lilly School of Philanthropy, and other specialized trainings.

Mel balances her entrepreneurial ventures with community impact. She serves as the Executive Producer of the award-winning WIBC Radiothon for The Salvation Army, is a WISH Influencer for Make-A-Wish, an advocate for children in foster care, and an active board member and volunteer for numerous nonprofits. She has served on the Better Business Bureau’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee, contributed to the communications committee of the National Association of Women Business Owners, and supports her children’s elementary school Booster Club. She has previously served on boards for the Indiana Chapter of the TEARS Foundation, her high school alumnae association, and Hoodox, a documentary streaming service featuring Indiana filmmakers.

Her dedication has earned widespread recognition: IBJ’s Forty Under 40 (2013), NAWBO’s 2021 Emerging Entrepreneur Award, multi-year Indy’s Best and Brightest finalist, finalist for the Nextdoor 100, and a Women of Influence honoree by B105.7 and Radio One. She has also been recognized as a Junior Achievement Job Sparks Exhibitor and under her leadership, The WIBC Radiothon for The Salvation Army was the 2024 recipient of the Spectrum Award for Community Impact given by the Indiana Association of Broadcasters.

Mel’s broadcasting career began at just 19 when she started as a radio receptionist and quickly moved into on-air roles. Over the years, she has worked at RadioNow 93.1, B105.7, 1070 AM, 97.1 HANK FM, 93.1 WIBC, Radio Now 100.9, and Hi-99 in Terre Haute, as well as traffic reporting for Fox59 TV and hosting duties on Indy’s Music Channel. She remains a regular contributor to WISH-TV8 and Fox59, and hosts the “Local Matters with Mel McMahon” podcast while continuing her radio work as a personality on 97.1 HANK FM and B105.7.

Her heart for service was shaped after the loss of her infant daughter, Ella, to SIDS in 2008. Mel became an advocate for infant loss survivors, founding “An Evening for Ella and Friends,” an annual memorial event that ran for a decade alongside March of Dimes’ March for Babies. Since then, she has partnered with organizations including First Candle, Indiana Mother’s Milk Bank, Families First, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Coburn Place, Beyond Homeless, Worthmore Academy, the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, and many others.

One of her proudest accomplishments is the growth of the WIBC Radiothon for The Salvation Army. Under her leadership, the event has repeatedly broken fundraising records, growing from $146,000 in 2011 to over half a million dollars raised in just 36 hours at the 30th Anniversary Radiothon in 2024.

From the studio to the boardroom, Mel blends her passion for local business, broadcasting, and community service into every role she takes on.

Visit Mel’s LinkedIn Page.

Mel McMahon is an entrepreneur, on-air personality on 97.1 HANK FM and B105.7, podcast host, television contributor, and passionate local business advocate. She is the owner and founder of Indiana Owned (formerly Indiana Originals), a consulting and promotional platform dedicated to helping Indiana-based businesses grow, connect, and thrive in 2014 and Indiana Gifts, a thriving online and brick-and-mortar shop in Lebanon, IN in 2020.

Mel is the Executive Producer of the award-winning WIBC Radiothon for The Salvation Army, host of the Local Matters podcast, and a frequent contributor to WISH-TV8 and Fox59. She advises multiple nonprofit and business boards and actively supports her community through philanthropy and advocacy.

A graduate of Indiana University and Keller Graduate School of Management, Mel has been recognized as a 2013 IBJ Forty Under 40 honoree, 2021 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year by NAWBO, a multi-year Indy’s Best and Brightest finalist, a Nextdoor 100 finalist, and a Women of Influence honoree by Radio One.