- This month on The Spark our theme is "Empowering Innovation and Community".

We'll learn about an organization empowering innovation and entrepreneurship in Memphis, a collaboration of national foundations and civic leaders dedicated to revitalizing public spaces in ways that benefit community, and a company specializing in home and business security systems with a heart for innovation and supporting nonprofits.

We'll also share a special moment from our Spark Awards 2024.

- From Higginbotham's founding in 1948, our insurance agency has been built on the values of customer service, leading with integrity, and supporting our community.

We believe in promoting the positives, encouraging engagement, and leading by example to power the good.

Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services is honored to be the presenting sponsor of The Spark.

- (male announcer) Additional funding for The Spark is provided by United Way of the Mid-South, EcOp, the Memphis Zoo, My Town Movers, My Town Roofing, and by First Tee Tennessee Memphis.

- Have you ever been excited by a new idea?

Inspired by watching someone lead by example?

When we talk about creating change, we start by sharing the stories of everyday heroes who are making a difference in their own way so we can learn and do the same.

I'm Jeremy Park and this is The Spark.

They're an organization empowering innovation and entrepreneurship here in Memphis.

We're here with the president and CEO of Epicenter Memphis, Anthony Young.

And let's start out, before we dive into the programs, give us an overview of Epicenter Memphis.

- Yeah, first of all, thanks for having me, Jeremy.

So Epicenter Memphis is the innovation and tech hub of the region.

So essentially our role is to help spur inclusive innovation and also to ensure that tech-based entrepreneurs have the resources that they need to build, grow, and scale right here in the Memphis region.

At one point our focus was entrepreneurship in a broad manner, but we've now realized that our highest and best use is to really focus in on innovative companies that are typically tech adjacent to help spur an inclusive innovative economy.

- You have programs designed for specific innovations and industries.

You also connect to capital and customers.

So go ahead and dive into how the magic happens.

- Yeah, so we've got programs that really serve two buckets, right?

And our goal is to meet entrepreneurs where they are.

So in bucket one, that's our specialized, kind of flagship programming.

So one of those is our ZeroTo510 program, which focuses on medical device innovation.

We recently had a demo day a couple months ago, probably the best demo day that we've had, had over 200 people attend to see the latest and greatest in medical innovation.

In 2024, we rolled out a logistics opportunity challenge, which really dove into what are some of the issues and challenges facing the logistics industry.

We had innovators from across the country, about 72, apply for this program.

We selected 15, and I'm happy to share that about four of those companies now have pilot opportunities here in the Memphis area.

And so while that's kinda our flagship programming, our one to many, our classroom style programming, we focus on the Cs as you mentioned, right?

So our capital readiness program, which is funded by the NBDA, that program aims to ensure that entrepreneurs who come through that program are ready to raise capital, right?

They have both the chops and the knowledge to pursue venture capital.

We then get into a customer readiness accelerator, which really assists entrepreneurs in the idea of getting that first contract, that first sale, how to build a sales team, right?

And then I think overall, what Epicenter's role is to be the fourth C, right?

So if entrepreneurs need capital, they need customers, they need a community, Epicenter's role is to connect them to those things.

And it all starts with our Kaufman Fast Track program.

So if you have an idea, early stage, I'd encourage you to get involved in Kaufman Fast Track.

- Talk about the ripple impact in the community at large for your work.

- Yes, I can go a couple ways with that.

So one, let's talk about entrepreneurship in Memphis.

One of the core elements entrepreneurship is the grit and the grind, right?

And so there's no better place than Memphis to grit and grind for entrepreneurship.

So I know they say if you could make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.

I'd say that you could make it in Memphis, you can make it anywhere, right?

And so I think communities tend to thrive when residents have the notion that they could impact the future.

And so entrepreneurship is a fantastic way to do that.

Entrepreneurship at its core is identifying a problem and innovating a solution for that problem.

And so our work aims to solve for that.

The final thing I'll say about how it impacts the community and the economy, let's take our ZeroTo510 program, right?

So the medical device industry accounts for about $4.1 billion to our local economy, about 5.5% of the GDP.

So we're putting programming around to support industry, and the industry supports the economy.

- Talk about Innovate Xcelerate.

- Innovate Xcelerate, the program that we just rolled out, it is aimed to intentionally go out and seek, support innovative entrepreneurs.

And the idea is to build a diverse pipeline of technologists or just to go down into communities, into neighborhoods to find innovators to solve problems.

And we're excited about this.

It's a two-year program made possible by Mass Mutual.

We just had a design thinking workshop.

Tons of innovators came by and got the idea that, look, innovation and entrepreneurship starts with solving a problem first.

We're gonna roll into a Hackathon supported by Code Crew, which will lead to pitch competitions, and at the end, some winners will get up to $25,000.

We're really excited about that program, excited to bring innovation to communities.

- I know that there are many, and so you can't really pick one or two, but when you talk about companies that are exciting for 2025 and beyond, give us maybe one or two that put a smile on your face.

- Yeah, wow, so I would say ShipItPro by Wes Montague.

He is a native Memphian.

Wes is in the cargo supply chain space.

He got a really innovative company.

I'd say Lida Nut, who is a Patent2Product graduate.

Lida Nut has Nut Bio, so I would check that out.

As well as Erica Dillard, Alfred Milan with Pop Check and Express Wages.

- Talk about ways that we can learn more and get involved with Epicenter Memphis.

So where do we go to carry this conversation forward?

And especially for entrepreneurs who have an idea, who have a spark, where do they go to connect in with Epicenter Memphis?

- Yeah, if you got a spark, log on to epicentermemphis.org.

Check out our programming.

It's also a great way to donate.

It's also a good way to find out what other programs that we have going on.

We really believe that Memphis is becoming the epicenter of inclusive innovation, and that's a great way to get started.

- Well, Anthony Young, thank you for all you and your amazing team at Epicenter Memphis do to power the good.

Thank you for coming on the show.

- Thanks for having me.

[upbeat music] - It is a collaborative of national foundations and civic leaders dedicated to revitalizing public spaces for community good.

We're here with the co-convener with Reimagining the Civic Commons, George Abbott.

And let's start out, give us some background, give us an overview for Reimagining the Civic Commons.

- Well, thrilled to be here, Jeremy.

Thanks for having me, and really excited to get to talk to you about Reimagining the Civic Commons.

It's one of my favorite programs, and I think it's really important work for our community.

Essentially the idea is that, by reinvesting in public spaces, parks, libraries, trails, kind of the spaces that we all share, we can build a stronger community.

We can make spaces that invite more people to come out from different backgrounds.

You might meet someone that you may not otherwise come across in your work life or in your school life.

You might make some connections that can really make Memphis a better place, and a more friendly place, and a stronger community for all of us.

- Talk about how Memphis was invited to participate.

- Yeah, so this program has been ongoing since about 2016.

It was launched by four national foundations, Knight Foundation, JPB Foundation, Rockefeller, and Kresge Foundation.

And they put out a call across the whole country, inviting communities to be a part of this network.

Memphis raised its hand and we were selected.

Our application back then focused on a specific part of the riverfront, so the Cossitt Library, Fourth Bluff Park, River Garden, and some areas around there.

And I hope that everybody has been to the library, has seen those wonderful new parks and enjoyed them.

That was back in 2016, and since then, the collaborative has only grown.

- You've got different peer cities that are all helping each other.

Talk about that collaborative approach.

- Yeah, what makes this really unique is that there is real hard data and outcomes attached to the work.

Often public spaces can be a little, you can always find great stories.

Yu can find the mom who brought their kid and they had a great time, but the measure is, is this really making any difference?

And so there is a whole measurement framework around this work that measures the number of people that come, where they come from, ensuring that there's a diversity, measures around environmental sustainability and economic development as well.

And Memphis is one of, I think nine cities in the country.

Every city has a collaborative, we're all measuring the same metrics, and we come together periodically to share what we've done, to share the progress, to share what we've learned, and to take ideas and bring them back to our community.

- Give us a couple of examples, when you talk about ideas and things that have worked in other cities, that we've borrowed and kind of put our own Memphis spin on for here locally.

- Yeah, one of my favorite programs that we ran was called Sunset Kayak, and that was free kayak rentals out on the Mississippi River Harbor.

We put a DJ on a boat, on a pontoon boat in the middle of the river, and it was just an opportunity to come down, borrow a kayak and experience kayaking under the stars.

This is something that they had done in Akron, Ohio.

They had also done it in Philadelphia.

Nowhere else had actually put a DJ on a boat, to my knowledge.

So I think that was the Memphis spin.

We had him out there throwing beads off the boat and all sorts of stuff.

And it was really a fun time.

You had people that had never been out on the water before, got an opportunity to get in a kayak and experience it.

And so that was an amazing program, and funnily enough, actually where I met my wife.

- You mentioned the evolution and the growth.

Talk about some of the other organizations that are now involved locally and what puts a smile on your face when you look at how this is playing out to really benefit our community in the future.

- Yeah, so we started at the riverfront, and it was a collaboration between Memphis River Parks Partnership, the City of Memphis, and Memphis Public Libraries, with Cossitt Library involved and Downtown Memphis Commission.

As we moved onto kind of the next round of funding, we expanded the network across the city.

And Overton Park Conservancy joined, The Heights CDC joined, the City of Memphis Park System.

We incorporated work in other libraries, in other community centers, an organization called Bloom, and some of the transportation advocacy groups too.

And so today we're in, I think, phase three of funding, and we're working in a number of public spaces, from the riverfront all the way out to Binghampton.

And what's exciting, I think, is just to think about the possibilities that can be made in those spaces.

And the more opportunities, kind of the more layers we put on top of these spaces, with events, and programs, and invitations to come to the spaces, the more that those types of things start to happen.

So it really is kind of a network effect, a multiplier effect.

The more people you have, the more connections you can make, and the stronger our community can become.

- Talk about how the community can help, how can we get involved with Reimagining the Civic Commons?

- I would say first of all, go to www.CivicCommons.us that's the website for the national collaborative.

There you can learn a little bit more about the work that's going on.

You can see a full list of the organizations that are participating, and then on each of those individual organization's websites and social media pages, you'll see more frequent updates about the work that's going on.

There's often opportunities to volunteer.

All of the events I mentioned relied on volunteers coming out, helping to check people in, helping to kind of run the event.

So look out for your chance to get involved and get out there, get outside, meet new people, and enjoy our great public spaces.

- Well, George Abbott, co-convener of Reimagining the Civic Commons, thank you for all you and your amazing team and collaborators do to power the good.

Thank you for coming on the show.

- I appreciate it, Jeremy, thank you.

[upbeat music] - The Spark Awards annually recognize and celebrate individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the community.

The 2024 Education Leadership Award went to Meah King.

[gentle music] - My career in education started at the age of 22.

I'd go all the way back to say it really started at the age of 13 when I was a preschool teacher at my church.

I really was mimicking my mom, who was a teacher at the time, and I went on to college and figured out that that was what I wanted to do.

And so at the age of 22, I returned to my alma mater, and began to teach there.

Through that, it's been a journey, but I've enjoyed it the whole way.

It's been excellent.

And Tennessee Career Academy is a school where we offer career education.

It's driven by the Tennessee curriculum, by the state of Tennessee.

But what we do, we have classified four pathways, according to our context here in Memphis.

We have four pathways of business communications, health and human services, advanced manufacturing, as well as engineering with the STEM concept.

And what we're doing is we are exposing our children early.

We realize that children learn survival skills by the age of seven.

And what we're trying to do is address economical disparity in our communities for all of our children who are not served as they should be, by exposing them early to the different opportunities that are here and accessible to them.

I always believe people deserve second, even third chances.

I've always been in love with the misfit, I would say.

Those who I believe are forgotten or who are X'ed out, who are marginalized for whatever reasons we may think, whether they're innate or whether they're true.

And we know by addressing economical disparity, we are producing economical mobility, and we are doing all that through education.

Well the Milken Education Award, that award was, it was a surprise award.

When they said my name and it was me, I was so overwhelmed, because I never thought about being awarded for what I knew was the right thing to do.

And that was going over and beyond to teach our children.

[gentle music] - They're a company specializing in home and business security systems, with a heart for serving our community and supporting nonprofits.

We're here with Torres, Jonathan Torres, but affectionately known as Torres, CEO of Frase Protection.

And let's start out, give us some background on the company and then we'll dive into community.

- Sure, well, thanks for having me.

It's always fun to come and hang out with you, Jeremy.

So, Frase Protection, we exist to help make Memphis a safer place to live, work, and play, essentially making sure that homes, neighborhoods, every space, from warehouses, to restaurants, and schools, public spaces, parks are all safer for us to be able to enjoy our city.

- Talk about the technology, talk about the security systems, and really kind of dive into the what in terms of how you do it.

- Sure, so we have security systems, cameras, and access control.

Those are the three main things that we focus on.

The first is the security systems, which obviously deter, they detect whenever someone enters the properties or certain spaces.

And they'll notify you, they'll notify police, they'll notify the authorities that need to be contacted so that they respond as quickly as possible.

Then we also have our camera systems, which are innovating very quickly, very rapidly, but they're able to be able to view your home, your business from wherever you are right there on your phone.

And then access control, being able to secure the things that matter the most with locks and systems that restrict or allow people to be able to access certain areas.

So those are the broad sweeps of the technology that we offer and that we work with people across Memphis.

- Talk about some of those innovations that really have transformed the industry, but also have your attention for what's coming next.

- So the things that have been been rapidly changing is actually the quality and the cost of cameras.

And it's just been incredible to see how quickly the technology is growing, and how they're able to save costs and be able to lower those prices, so that the consumer, the end consumer, isn't being hit with extraordinary bills to be able to get some cameras in their homes or their businesses.

And where we see it going is incredible with AI.

Some of the abilities of the AI to simply see someone, acknowledge what they're wearing, what they're doing, where they're located, and be able to address that, so that it then gives the monitoring station that we have time to review the footage and then address any needs as necessary.

So the AI is able to engage immediately and start to tell a person to leave the property before it ever gets to a person.

And then that person's able to review the technology or review the footage and be able to engage in whatever specific way they might need to.

So the AI helps speed up the processes and make sure that it's also lowering the risk of security guards.

A lot of times security guards have to engage with someone and there's sometimes an elevated risk, and so this alleviates that risk and reduces escalation of any kind of occurrences.

- Let's switch over and talk about your personal story, because we've known you for a long time serving in the community, working with nonprofits, leading nonprofits, and for you to switch from the community service as a nonprofit leader to then in the corporate side being a CEO, talk about that transition for you, but that parallel of still serving the community, that heart of service.

- Absolutely, so when I came into the nonprofit world over 20 years ago, that was the heartbeat of what I wanted to do was be able to give kids and give young people opportunities, and to be able to help them to kind of move past what were their perceived limitations, and to be able to experience a full life.

Well, that mission is still the same for me.

And so what we're doing as a business is, we recognize that most students, most young people, most kids aren't going towards life of crimes purely because it's just fun.

That a lot of time it is because of issues that may be going on, access to education, access to opportunities.

And so what we're trying to do is we are trying to be a company that helps prevent crime before it happens by engaging in literacy, education opportunities, job training.

We want to be a business that actually does our mission in a bunch of different ways, through obviously the business, but also investing in the lives of young people, investing in opportunities, and giving them all the potential that we hope that they can fulfill.

- You've always been a shepherd, mentoring and guiding others, and obviously for youth, just like we're talking about too, but talk about how that carries over into your team and their ability to then go out and serve in the community.

- Well, that's our biggest foundation right now is making sure that everyone that's here at Frase Protection has bought into that mission.

It sounds really good when it comes from the CEO, but it has to actually live and breathe in the people that are here.

And so we've been doing a lot of work, having lots of conversations, and really even challenging ourselves of why do we do what we do as workers and employees, and why are we here?

And so we've really been having some hard conversations, some great conversations, building trust to be able to walk into those spaces and say, hey, this is what we're about, this is why I'm here.

And so our employees get to build that culture themselves.

Then they're able to invest their time, invest their finances, and we, as a company, get to support that.

So we're finding ways to make sure that they know that their passions are just as important to be able to make Memphis a better place.

- Give us, I know it's hard to pick, but give us maybe one nonprofit or two that you've really enjoyed working with.

- So it really is hard.

I know it's almost impossible, but one of the best things that I think has been helpful for our team, for our employees to really catch this vision has actually been the work with a partner of Slingshot Memphis.

I know I think you recently spoke to Jared and their team, but their work actually helped inform our employees to understand how their impact actually changes the lives of Memphians.

So what we've been doing is simply picking partners from the Slingshot portfolio and working with them and investing in them.

And so Slingshot was able to help give us the information so I can take it back to employees and then move things forward.

- So wrap up with where we go to carry this conversation forward.

Where do we go to learn more and get connected with Frase Protection?

- So our website is fraseprotection.com, F-R-A-S-E protection.com.

Our phone number's 901-755-1800 and you can find us @FraseProtection901 on all social media.

- Well, Torres, thank you for all you and your amazing team do to power the good.

Thank you for coming on the show.

- Thank you.

[upbeat music] - As we saw in this month's episode, we're fortunate to have so many individuals and organizations here in the Mid-South that are focused on empowering innovation and community.

Epicenter Memphis is empowering innovation and entrepreneurship in Memphis by ensuring that founders of innovative businesses have what they need to develop, launch, and grow their ventures here in our region.

Epicenter and its partners connect entrepreneurs and their innovative ideas to programming, capital, customers, and talent in order to create a just, inclusive, and growing economy that benefits our community.

Reimagining the Civic Commons has connected Memphis to a collaborative, innovative network of leaders across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share ideas and best practices and change how we design, manage, and program urban spaces for the benefit of the community.

And companies like Frase Protection are leveraging technology and innovation to protect our homes and businesses, while giving back to support local nonprofits and our community.

Empowering innovation and community takes a team approach.

So where can you help power the good and become a spark?

To learn more about each of the guests, to watch past episodes, and to share your stories of others leading by example, visit wkno.org and click on the link for "The Spark".

We look forward to seeing you next month, and we hope that you'll continue joining with us to create a spark for the Mid-South.

- From Higginbotham's founding in 1948, our insurance agency has been built on the values of customer service, leading with integrity, and supporting our community.

We believe in promoting the positives, encouraging engagement, and leading by example, to power the good.

Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services is honored to be the presenting sponsor of The Spark.

[upbeat music] [acoustic guitar chords]