Support for this program is provided by the Weldon F Osborne Foundation.

The Schillhahn-Huskey Foundation.

And viewers like you.

Thank you.

On today's show will feature two nonprofits with the focus of business development.

They both provide resources to support entrepreneurial growth in the scenic city.

We're stronger together, Chattanooga.

So stay tuned to learn more.

Welcome to Chattanooga.

Stronger together.

I'm Barbara Mortar.

With us today is the one Jordan co-CEO of launch Chattanooga.

This organization is committed to empowering entrepreneurs at every stage of their business journey.

We're thrilled to have Jordan with us today.

So welcome.

Thank you.

Love having you on the show.

Thanks for having me.

And I want to learn more about launch.

You are just an interesting nonprofit.

Yes, we have a lot of fun over there and make a lot of impact.

So launch is, as you said, a nonprofit organization that helps people to start businesses, who just may have an ide and don't know where to start.

And so we help people who are underrepresented in entrepreneurship.

It started in 2011, right off the heels of a recession over in Alton Park area.

There was a 30% unemployment rate in that area.

And at the time, coach Laure Jennings, who with the bet?

Yes.

With that he is a staple in this community.

But he was over the best at the time.

And so he was friends with Halle Bolen, who is the co-founder.

And, I actually co-lead the organization with him.

We are both co-CEOs.

And so he contacted him because he was already in the process of teaching entrepreneurs ship classes, in another entity.

And so he reached out inviting him into the Bethlehem Center.

And coach, invited people from the neighborhood who had a business idea, who just didn't know how to start into the center.

And that's how launch began.

Yeah, it was such a success that people began reaching out from the community, from the school system.

And that's how launch start to spread throughout the community, making a larger impact.

So if somebody came in with an idea on a napkin, what's the first thing that you would do?

The first thing I would do i talk to them about their idea, and then I would, give them the application to apply for the class.

And then once the class started.

So we have a startup matrix entrepreneurship course.

It's a two week long program.

And as you said, you can just have an idea on a napkin, early stage, early startup, and you will go through the class and it teaches you all the foundational principles of starting a business.

So we will go through, first of all, validating your business idea to see if it was something that actually could work.

And then we will work from there to identify who your custome would be, marketing, messaging, all of those things that go along with getting our business structure properly.

So once they came through this ten week program and it's a viable, doable, we can help you with all this other stuff.

They're like, but I have no money.

Yes.

So you come in.

Where do you come in, then?

That's always the issue.

Yeah.

And so what they've been an early start is one thing we do is after the class, we, provide free business coaching and consultant.

And so we are able to connect the to access to funds and capital.

We are partnering with some of our local, other local organizations who provide different programs who are, earmarked for those entrepreneurs who are at the startup phase.

And so it has lower barriers, to getting that funding.

And we also help them come u with all kinds of creative ideas in order to, you know, be able to get the capital to start those businesses.

And even if we can start it on the small level, we offer different program events, where we bring and invite the community in in order to support the businesses through markets and expos and festivals.

So from, from when you first started and everything.

I think you've either helped start or created over 600 businesses.

Yes.

We are over 600 businesses, started over 1000 entrepreneur who have been trained directly.

And that's local.

Local.

Yes.

Oh my gosh.

Yes.

And so this is helping them to take an idea that was here and actually put it on paper and then actually make it into something that works.

Yes, yes, a tangible business.

We believe we always sa that we believe entrepreneurship is not just for the elite, it's for anyone with a dream.

And so our whole purpose is t get people off of the sidelines and get them into the game.

Because many of them, like I said, they don't know where to start, they don't know how to start, and they don't hav the resources and the tools to, be able to go out on their own and make it happen.

And so that's where we stand in the gap.

We like to, I guess we can be what you call, giving people an opportunity to do more, be more and have more.

Oh, so we're the path to more.

That's tomorrow, the path to more.

We'll just see the little logo there.

Yes.

Everything.

Do you work with any of our high schools?

Yes we do.

We have an ordinance or a program called Launching Bright Ideas, and we work in several of the high schools.

Howard High School was the first one, back in the day in 1211, 2012.

And so we work in those high schools where we all go in with our curriculum and we'll have them, we'll teach them the basics and introduce them to entrepreneurship.

They form teams and they create their own business.

And then at the and it culminates in a pitch competition.

And so these teams, businesses come together, they create prototypes.

And they are so creative.

They create prototypes.

They do demonstrations.

And we have judges who judge the competition.

And then from that the winners receiv some kind of financial reward.

And they're able to use that to either push their business further and grow it, or they're able to put it towards their education.

Wow.

Yes.

That's amazing.

Yes.

We need to like in what, eight schools now or something like that.

Yes.

We well, throughout the year we've been in different schools.

And so right now we actually is taken on a life of its own.

Right now, we're getting a lot of partnerships through the schools with the kitchen incubator, which, that's the next thing I want to talk to you about.

That's awesome.

Yeah.

So we're really partnering with a lot of schools to bring them in as they are studying, business and marketing.

They're able to come in and see how these food trucks and these caterers are operating businesses in one of the schools.

Actually, has a they're looking to buy a food truck.

And so we've been working with them on how to run the business and how how it works.

In real life, real life, experiences.

So the and we're going to go head into the kitchen incubator because that's not just the food trucks.

You have expanded, a year or two ago and then added space for those who want to do, like Debbie's cookies or, gluten free or kabocha or kimchi or whatever.

But different things like that.

And then they have the kitchen where they can create all of this, and then they can do like a Northgate, little pop up stands.

Yes, to market and to sale and everything.

Now, do they come through a program to do that, or is that like a separate thing that they come through.

So we have different aspects of the organization.

So we do have a 16 week catalyst program and that is geared towards food based businesses.

So it's the foundation of our ten week program, but it's just expanded and is based on food.

And so they are able to, get their health permits.

We work with them through the Department of Agriculture, getting the permit there serve safe certifications, building out their product pricing.

And so they are able to go through the program to start those businesses.

Or we have some people who have already started the business.

They just need support, or they need a commissary to run their business from.

So we have different levels of which we can serve and support those entrepreneurs.

So we have the kitchen and then we have a bakery and then we have our CPG area, which is consumer packaged goods, and where we work with the Department of Agriculture to help them to make sure that they're within all the regulations.

And, these are people in the CPG area that have hopes of one day maybe being in a grocery store or, you know, selling their products in retail stores.

Wow.

That's amazing.

Yes, but but the kitchen incubator actually go started out of Covid, didn't it?

It did.

It was a pandemic baby.

Actually a pandemic baby.

So prio to Covid, in around 2018, 2019, we were seeing some fundin from a foundation here locally, to do some research on food incubators.

Around that time, about 20 to 25% of the businesses that were going through launch were food based businesses.

And the struggle was them finding a place to be able to operate from because they had to have a commissary.

And so we started, traveling with the funding that we received across the country, looking for best practices, trying to learn the business.

And, so we were take slow walk in it.

But then in 2020, when the pandemic happened, all of our food businesses lost their catering jobs.

And, you know, restaurants were shut down.

And, I mean, they had no income.

And so we were able to partner with some local organization to do a senior hunger project, where we were able to prepare a 100,000 meals during the pandemic, now 120,000.

But we were able to prepare those meals and then pay the caterers and food entrepreneurs to prepare those meals.

And then we partnere with people from the community to get those delivered to the people who needed it.

I know that you have, Food Truck Fridays.

Yeah.

So everybody out there is scary.

Or you could come and check ou all the different types of food.

But the cool thing that I like is you actually can replicate what you're doing here in Chattanooga, all over the United States.

And are actually doing that, aren't you?

Yes we are.

So we have a program called Start Spark and that is our national program.

And so we're able to go into other communities.

They reach out to us and share our model with them share our curriculum with them, and they're able to start other schools or entrepreneur or support organizations.

Very similar to our own in their own communities to help, entrepreneurs and individuals who may be underrepresented and help them to turn their dreams into reality.

And we've done it 21 times.

Wow.

So we're all across the country, all across the country and they're actually doing it.

I mean, becoming successful too.

Yes, some have grown large than us, which is always great.

And that network is such a great network because we're able to talk and communicate, and we call it a huddle, and we're able to come together and discuss, you know, experiences that we're having trends and help each other find solutions.

do you have a really brief short success story?

Yes, I have many but the one that comes to mind right now is Terrence Lock, who owns Ship Express.

He, was actually one of our facilitators for our program as well.

Young, young man.

And he, is a caterer.

He has a food truck.

So he was able to purchase his own food truck, without it taken out a loan.

He was able to do that.

And since then, he has been able to branch out to a brick and mortar.

So he actually has opened up restaurant on the campus of UTC.

Oh my gosh.

So we're excited for him.

That's so cool.

Yes, that's so cool.

So thank you so much for coming in today and sharing your story, how launch got started and how the, the food insecurities that we have in our community.

And you guys or planting the seeds, it' going to help to nurture that.

Yes, I know, so thank you so much.

Thank you.

Up next, we'll have Angela Puffball, director of communications and marketing at the company lab.

So stay tuned.

We want to know how you serve your community.

Send us photos or videos of you or your family volunteering, and we may feature it on a future episode.

Email stronger@wtcitv.org or use the hashtag STRONGERWTCI on social media.

Welcome back.

We're joined by Angela Popham, director of communications and marketing at Co-Lab.

This organization supports entrepreneurs at every stage in their journey.

It's a pleasure to have you here with us today, Angela.

So, so excite to learn more about the Co-Lab.

So tell me, why does Co-Lab exist?

Well, you know, Barbara, to put it very briefly we're here to help entrepreneurs because having your own business, it's a really hard thing to do.

And there's a lot of different stages where entrepreneurs need to get their busines off the ground and help it grow, help it get bigger and get that customer base.

But we're here to help no matter what stage that entrepreneur may be in.

Okay.

So a stage could be anywhere from I've got an idea.

It's on a napkin to.

I'm up.

I'm producing.

But now I want to go national.

Yeah.

Any stage that people are looking for help in.

We're here to help.

Because no matter what stage you're in, it's hard work.

It takes a lot of drive.

And sometimes you kind of just do whatever you can and try to figure out what the next best step is.

But we're here to say this is what the next best step is.

Let us connect you to what you need and let us help you.

So when when a business comes in, let's say, let's say I have 100 employees and I'm locally based here in Chattanooga, but I know I have a niche in the market.

I just don't know how to market myself or to go after more funding and really, you know, take it to the next level.

Yeah.

How would you walk me through a process like that?

Yeah.

So if you have that idea on the back of a napkin, you say, I think this could be really great, bu I just don't know how to start.

We do have support in a few different ways.

So like you said, funding.

We offer microloans in ways for your friends and family to support you with some capital.

We also have programs.

So if you want to sit down and say, help me develop a strong business plan so I know that whatever I do next, I'm not going to be wasting my time and wasting my energy.

We have intensive bootcamps rules that you go ou and make a game plan with you, and if you just say, I could just really use some help with someone that's done this before, we can connect you with mentors and people that have those success stories already, and those mentors will sit down with you and say, here's what I did, here's the mistakes I made.

Here's how you can succee and not make those same mistakes that I made in the past.

Okay, so let's say going back to my example just previously, where, all right, I'm already in existence and I have 100 employees, but now I want to go national and I come to you and I'm like, how do I do that?

How do you bring players to the table that can collaborate with me, whether it's funding or ideas o and move me to the next level?

Yeah.

So we really specialize in those high growth tech businesses.

So say you are a business with 100 people, you're a tech startup and you say what we're doing is really special.

We really believe in using the strengths of Chattanooga to help that business reach its next level.

So in that tech space, we have some of the best companies in the world, all here in Chattanooga.

Whether it's UTC, EPB, there's so many different companies.

And the best part is they do want to help.

They're just looking for the right people to help.

So we'll help bridge that gap and make that connection.

So you have those bigger companies.

You have that opportunity for pilot or first customer.

And also just having again that mentor to help you out.

What what your geographic area your your reach.

Yeah.

So in terms of if a business has an idea on the back of a napkin, we help in ten counties here in the Tennessee Valley.

So we will help pretty much all around, whether it's Cleveland, Chattanooga, Athens, kind of in tha southeastern Tennessee sphere.

But if you are that high growth tech startup and you want to come to Chattanooga and build your business here, we'll take people from all over the world.

and I've always heard that Chattanooga is like the home for entrepreneurs.

Yeah, a lot of I mean, you look at Unum and how it started out in the late 1800s as Provident Lif and Accident Insurance Company.

You know, you look at the home base for Blue Cross Blue Shield and our larger, companies and everything, and all of those started with an idea.

Which could have been on the back of a napkin or like with Provident or Unum, that first insurance policy.

And how do I help these coal miners who break a leg or lose an arm or whatever and then raise them up.

So you're kind of doing that in the 21st century because because you're not all you're doing is facilitating and bringing those resources to the table that that particular client needs.

Yes.

All clients needs are totally different.

Absolutely.

Every entrepreneur journey is completely different.

And we like to think of ourselves as that bridge, that connector.

So if people come to us and they say, I need marketing help, we'll say, we'll hook you up with the best marketing team.

Or if they say we need a mentor, we'll find that mentor.

Or if they just say, I could just really use some help finding a workforce to develop, my company will say, great, well let's find you that workforce.

So what if somebody comes to you and they have an idea and a concept concept and you're really sitting dow and you're trying to figure out there's already there's already duplications of this, how do you how do you tell them how do you let them down gently.

That been there, done that.

It's a duplication.

Yeah.

Well that's the thing that I love about Co-Lab.

You know, we're not just here to be your cheerleader and say, great, whateve you want to do, you can do it.

We are here to lovingly poke holes and say, have you thought about this?

Have you thought about that?

Is this really a problem you're solving for customers?

Or is no one actually going to buy your product?

We're here to give that critical feedback and help you say, okay, I've identified obstacles, I know how to overcome them, and I feel confident moving forward that what I'm doing is going to be successful.

Cool.

Some of the programs I notice was master of entrepreneurship.

What is that?

So we don't actually have a master of entrepreneurship, but we do have a two da boot camp called Coast Starters.

Okay?

And that is a two day intensive boot camp to where we'll essentially lock around ten entrepreneurs in a room.

And they say, I have a business idea.

And we say, great let's bring that idea to life.

Well, you can also get feedback from not only the Colab team, but those other entrepreneur in the room who say, all right, fantastic, let's do it, and they'll give you that feedback lovingly poke holes and you'll have that support group as well while you're takin these exciting new steps.

Wow.

And how often do you how often do you cycle that around?

We usually do one every couple of months.

The location can change.

So sometimes these boot camps are here in Chattanooga, and sometimes they're in those ten rural counties that we help out in the Tennessee Valley area.

Cool.

And what's an accelerator?

So our accelerator is our sustainable mobility accelerator.

And essentially what that means is it's an intensive 12 week program where we sit down and we say w are going to give your business everything it needs to help grow, to help scale and to find those right partners that you're looking for.

So this is where we bring in companies from all over the worl in that high growth tech startup field, and we'll pair them with mentorship.

Some of the best mentors, including Eric Fuller, who used to own US express minus RTP, who heads Skype, Jim Ingram, of EPB.

We'll pair them with the best of the best.

We'll give them $20,00 of funding, with the potential for an extra $100,000 at the end of the 12 weeks.

And we'll essentially say let's scope out your business, make sure that you are ahead of the competition and give you that opportunit to have pilot or first customer and partnerships with some of the bes of the best here in Chattanooga.

And the greatest part is, is that all of these big companies we work with are so excited to have these innovative startups come in and say, we're here to make your business better and to help you grow as well.

Wow.

That's amazing.

So you do the capital Accelerator, you have interns, connections, networking, mentorship and development programs.

Let's talk about some of the investment opportunities.

Sure, absolutely.

So one is that accelerator with the $20,000, we also have Kiva.

It is a micro loan program.

So essentially what that mean 0% interest, which is fantastic.

And it's where you say, I would like to set a goal of raising $15,000.

We will help you find that funding and also teach you marketing skill to help you market your business and get your friends and your family to say, oh, I'm very invested in what this person is doing, and I'd really like to donate and and fund their business.

So let's say, that's the startups in the family and everything like that.

Next level, we, we need to raise 5 million or 15 million or 20 million.

How can you help them with that?

We have a network of so many investors.

For starters we have an investor in residence at our office, J. Schafer.

He recommends he represents venture cell, and we just will find ways to get these startups in front of the right investor.

So a lot of times entrepreneurs will go to any and every investor possible, but that investor may have a niche that they like to focus in, or they may not be intereste in investing in your business.

But what we'll do is we'll say this investor is interested in the type of work you are doing.

Let's sit you down in front o them and start a conversation.

Wow.

That's amazing.

That's amazing, I love that.

So, let's do you have a success story?

Absolutely.

A little success stories, because then that really brings a picture together.

Yeah, absolutely.

So, you know, from that ide on the back of a napkin stage, one of our biggest success stories is actually Karim or he used to play fo the Titans and won a Super Bowl, but he decided to open his own gym.

And it's a special gym for athletes, for students, athletes who, want to take i to the next level and be a pro.

So he said, I'm going to create that opportunity in Chattanooga, but I need the money.

So we introduced him to Kiv and we typically give the Kiva applicants about three weeks to raise their money.

He raised all of his funding in less than a week, and now he's getting ready to buy the next building for his gym.

Wow.

Yeah.

And he's here in Chattanooga, and he's right here in Chattanooga.

That's amazing.

Yeah.

So some from the time that you guys open your door, to now ballpark, how many businesses have you helped get off the ground?

Oh my goodness.

At least over 500, if not more.

We've helped hundreds of businesses, hundreds of organizations, and we've raised roughly over $80 million of capita for startups across Chattanooga, across the Tennessee Valley.

That is absolutely amazing.

And see, I didn't I mean I've heard of Colab, bu I really didn't know how it set you apart from other nonprofits and everything like that.

So it's amazing to hear you talk about this from, you know, going from an idea and a concept to actually implementing it and then going to the next level and saying, okay, I've been in the business a couple of years.

I really need to branch out.

I'm getting customer from all over the United States.

You could actually help them g international, too, can't you?

Oh, absolutely.

It's really exciting to where we say no matter what stage you'r in, we really want to help you get to where you want to be.

And even if our accelerator is not a good fit, even if Co starters isn't a good fit, let us connect you to that right fit.

We're never going to turn someone away from us.

We're going to find some way to help them or connect them to someone who can get them to that place they want to be at.

Wow.

That's amazing.

Well, I do want to encourage our viewers to, review your website.

Yeah.

A lot of information out there and, content.

you if they have a great ide on a napkin that they would love to, to pursue and everything.

So.

Oh, Angela, thank you so much for coming in today.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Learned a lot Barbara.

And thank you for joining us.

We hope you've learned more about the incredible and inspiring work being done by our nonprofits.

So tell us what you think.

Email us at stronger@tv.org.

Or use the hashtag stronger on social media.

I'm Barbara Marde and from all of us here at WTC.

We'll see you next time.

Support for this program is provided by the Weldon F Osborne Foundation.

The Schillhahn-Huskey Foundation.

And viewers like you.

Thank you.