INDIANAPOLIS (WOWO) – Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is offering small business owners resources to plan for the future and keep jobs in the state through a new webinar series.

The initiative, called Keep Indiana, was launched in May. The first free, one-hour virtual webinar is scheduled for Nov. 2 in partnership with the Indiana Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

The session will cover three business succession strategies: family office, employee ownership and entrepreneurship through acquisition. Organizers say the goal is to help business owners evaluate options for transitioning their companies while protecting jobs and preserving their businesses’ future in Indiana.

More than half of Indiana business owners are age 55 or older, representing more than $200 billion in annual revenue, according to a report from the Indiana University Business Research Center commissioned by the state’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Companies owned by Hoosiers age 55 and older support more than 900,000 jobs, according to the announcement. Rural counties may face greater challenges because of concentrations of aging business owners and fewer resources to help transition businesses to new ownership.

Braun said helping owners plan their next steps is important to keeping businesses, jobs and economic activity in Indiana.

The webinar is free. Business owners can register online.