March 28 - Business Weekly celebrates accomplishments of Forty Under 40 winners

FORT WAYNE — Two brothers born and raised in Fort Wayne said they want to make sure that Fort Wayne remains the place where people want to be.

Speakers Jes and Jake Ferris, co-owners of Studio 13 Tattoo, spoke to over 200 people at Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly's 20th annual Forty Under 40 Awards, this year sponsored by Howard Bailey Financial and held on Thursday.

The brothers, both Forty Under 40 alumni, recently announced they would create the Big Fort Fest as a replacement for the Three Rivers Festival, after the latter's board declared bankruptcy. They already have experience in festivals, having created Fort Wayne Tattoo Festival.

The Ferrises founded Studio 13, which now is in its third location at 416 Coliseum Blvd W., in 1999, making it the second oldest tattoo shop in Fort Wayne and one of the oldest in the state, Jake Ferris said. 

"Jes and I became young entrepreneurs," he said. "We just learned as we went. We didn't have a mentor, we didn't have guidance, we didn't have any of those things."

A few years after opening the shop, the duo started a streetwear boutique on South Calhoun Street that focused on hats, sneakers and T-shirts.

"It was something that was too cool for Fort Wayne at the time," Jake Ferris said. "...We continue to grow things just based on being excited."

Their next endeavor in 2017 was the Explorer Tattoo Conference, which is the world's largest educational event for tattoo artists. "We've had over 2,000 unique attendees," he said. "...In an industry that was kept secret for so long tattooers could only learn as much as they could learn at their own home shops."

The two then started Tattoo Fest in Fort Wayne, which is now in 15 cities across the city. The three-day event draws 200-plus artist at each location with about 3,000 attendees.

Now comes Big Fort Fest.

"Big Fort Fest is not something we were begging to do, but it is something we are going to do, and we are going to do very well," Jake Ferris said.

The three-day festival, to be held July 10-12 in downtown's Headwaters Park, will be a reason for people to stay in Fort Wayne, Jes Ferris said, but also will be an activity for others to visit the city. 

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They hope to make it the new summer tradition. They hope to continue to add days to the festival each year. Three Rivers Festival, founded in 1969, was a 9-day event. 

"We're looking at big, big acts that we can bring that will draw people downtown. Not just but young people but all people," he said. "Junk Food Alley is a thing of the past." There will still be funnel cakes and elephant ears, but the emphasis will be on local food trucks.

Other groups will continue to have events that once coincided with TRF, including the Fort Wayne Museum of Art's Chalk Walk; the Art in the Park event will now be heART in the Park for local artists by heART of the City in Freimann Square; and the 40-plus-year-old Lawton Park Flea Market will be part of the new festival. 

Jes Ferris said the two are the people to do it because of passion. "I'm not great at all of (my businesses), but I'm passionate about them," he said. "...Passion is enthusiasm that is contagious."

"People are drawn to your spark," he said. "And your excitement can actually guide a similar or even brighter flame."

When you truly care about something you're doing, you connect with people on a deeper level, he said.

He encouraged the attendees to embrace their passions.

"You're the people who are making waves in our economy," Jake Ferris said. "...You're a vital part of this city. And right here in Fort Wayne it's important for us to retain talent."

He called on the bosses in the audience to "keep your people here. Let's take care of them. Make sure we're fostering them and we're teaching them and we're continuing to make sure their needs are met and they want to stay right here in Fort Wayne, Indiana." 

Konrad LaPrade, president and CEO of Fort Wayne Newspapers announced Forty Under 40's platinum sponsor, Summit Financial Group; and gold sponsor, Three Rivers Federal Credit Union. Fort Wayne Newspapers publishes Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly, The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne Magazine as well as daily newspapers in Auburn, Kendallville and Angola and weeklies under its KPC Media division along with supporting several websites. FWN also prints over 40 newspapers that it doesn't own. "We have the circulation and the largest newsroom in the state of Indiana," LaPrade said.  

Those interested in volunteering for or getting information about Big Fort Fest can send email to hello@bigfortfest.com.