Carmel SCORE mentor helps Lafayette’s Wildcat Creek Winery move from losses to $5,000/month
Since buying Wildcat Creek Winery in 2025, owner and winemaker Nyssa Craton has worked with Carmel SCORE mentor Richard Ellison on inventory, sales and marketing; the winery is now "making $5,000 per month" and Ellison says monthly sales have risen 20% compared with 2025.
Nyssa Craton purchased Lafayette-based Wildcat Creek Winery from founders Rick and Kathy Black in 2025 and became the operation’s sole winemaker and owner, according to a Reporter story published October 1, 2026.
Since taking ownership Craton has worked with SCORE Indianapolis mentor Richard Ellison of Carmel on strategies to increase revenue, improve margins, lower monthly debt service and expand distribution. Ellison recommended inventory management changes, outreach to local restaurants and wine bars, hiring an intern to free Craton for revenue-generating work, and new advertising including billboards and the winery’s first commercial.
BusinessIndy examines this development and its implications for Indiana businesses and communities using the linked sources.
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