She's Bringing a Taste of France to Indiana | Quynh Nguyen, Q's Wine Bar

On today's show I sat down with Quynh Nguyen, owner and general manager of Q's Wine Bar, a modern self-pour wine bar in Carmel's Village of West Clay. Q's Wine Bar was designed to make wine approachable through curated 2, 4, and 6‑ounce pours using dispenser technology.

Nguyen shares her background as a competitive golfer who captained a boys high school team, earned the Evans Scholars caddie scholarship to Purdue, and became an engineer at Boston Scientific.

She explains how IU Kelley's evening MBA (hybrid format with core and elective courses, plus a capstone consulting project in Santiago, Chile) gave her the confidence and foundation to pursue entrepreneurship.

Inspired by dispenser-based wine bars in France, she secured a five‑year lease in Carmel, developed a detailed business plan, used Indiana Small Business Development Center guidance, obtained an SBA-backed loan, managed a year-long buildout, and balanced the venture with her full-time job.

She discusses staffing challenges, permits, food and wine sourcing, plans for wine-based cocktails in 2026, golf recommendations, and why supporting small businesses matters.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about: - Quynh Nguyen's Background as a Golfer and Evans Scholarship Recipient - How IU Kelley's Evening MBA Led Quynh to Entrepreneurship - The Inspiration Behind Q's Wine Bar

Thank you to our partners: Duke Homes Greek's Pizzeria

Check out these great clips from the show: 01:21 Guest Introduction: Quynh Nguyen, Q's Wine Bar 02:12 First Podcast and Origins 02:45 Trailblazing Golf Story 03:42 Evans Scholarship Path 04:42 Purdue Life and Evans House 06:44 Boston Scientific to Indy 08:23 Why an MBA 10:22 Kelly Evening MBA Format 12:54 MBA Classes and Chile Capstone 15:51 France Trip Sparks Wine Bar 17:39 Landing West Clay Lease 19:23 From Idea to Buildout 22:32 Financing and SBA Loans 24:31 MBA Help on Due Diligence 25:08 Business Plan Reality Check 25:32 Buildout Timeline and Rent 26:23 Balancing Job and Startup 27:26 Permits Milestones and Budget 28:28 Soft Opening Prep Checklist 29:06 Training and Team Culture 29:43 Designing the Wine Bar Vibe 30:44 First Real Customers and No TVs 32:28 Food and Wine Sourcing 34:47 Hardest Parts Hiring and Time 37:16 MBA Lessons and 2026 Plans 38:44 Wine Inspiration and Indiana Vibes 41:18 Golf Talk Indiana Courses 42:45 Support Small Business 44:00 Why Indiana Feels Like Home 45:06 Rapid Fire and Final Advice

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