Amber Hayes understands that technology can create solutions to common problems, it just requires a little creativity. Amber is the CEO of SecondKeys — a holistic property management platform that’s reshaping the management and maintenance proc

A Look at New Opportunities in Investment Space with Republic Director

Apr 19th, 2021 21m 4s

Cheryl Campos knows that investing in startups can be a great strategy for building wealth, but until recently, most Americans couldn’t participate. As Director of Growth and Partnerships at Republic, Cheryl is working to help startups scale wi

Taking Advantage of Underserved Markets with 500 Startups

Apr 12th, 2021 28m 59s

Amit Bhatti, principal at San Francisco investment firm 500 Startups, recognizes that founders who come from less traditional markets often bring a unique level of hard work and determination. Amit invests in founders around the world and manag

Capital Raising Opportunities in the Southeast with Mucker Capital

Apr 5th, 2021 33m 32s

Monique Villa doesn’t just dispel myths that founders in the Southeast are handicapped by lack of resources, talent, or funding, she believes they can gain significant advantages growing their startups here. Monique is an investor at Mucker Cap

Building a Fashion Brand in the South with SAVAS Founder

Mar 29th, 2021 28m 1s

Savannah Yarborough loves helping people tap into their creativity and individualism. As the owner and creative director of SAVAS, Savannah works closely with her clients throughout the entire process of creating custom leather jackets. In this

Leading through a Crisis with Goo Goo Cluster’s Operations VP

Mar 22nd, 2021 22m 46s

Laurie Spradley believes transparency is an essential aspect of leadership. As the vice president of operations and brand development at Goo Goo Cluster, her family’s business, she’s put that belief into practice while helping her team navigate

The Role Systemic Racism Plays in Nashville’s Healthcare History, with Marcus Whitney

Mar 15th, 2021 35m 40s

Marcus Whitney wants people to understand that Nashville’s healthcare system is rooted in systemic racism. He’s an entrepreneur, author and member of LaunchTN’s Board of Directors, and in the summer of 2020, he wrote an essay entitled “Calling

Integrating Wellness and Inclusion with TRILUNA Co-Founders

Mar 8th, 2021 53m 16s

Ashley Brooke James and Elizabeth Moore, co-founders of TRILUNA Wellness, want to help people access a more holistic version of wellness — instead of focusing only on fitness and dieting. In this episode, recorded at LaunchTN’s 36|86 Festival 2

Establishing Tennessee as a hub of entrepreneurship

Nov 24th, 2020 38m 40s

In this special season 3 finale of Disrupt the Continuum, host Clark Buckner and Launch Tennessee interim CEO Van Tucker provide a snapshot of what makes Tennessee the ideal place to start and grow a business. They revisit conversations with ea

Sumeet Chahal on connecting veterans to the entrepreneurial ecosystem

Nov 17th, 2020 32m 15s

Sumeet Chahal, Regional Executive Director for Bunker Labs’ Central Region, wants to help veterans access the massive community and resources they may not realize they have. At Bunker Labs, veterans can build a business with help from a network

Elevating the life sciences in Tennessee

Nov 10th, 2020 35m 59s

Abby Trotter, Executive Director of Life Science Tennessee, believes the state’s best opportunities for growth and economic development reside in the life sciences. In this episode, Abby — along with Life Science Tennessee’s Chairman of the Boa

Connecting entrepreneurs to an ecosystem of support

Nov 4th, 2020 33m 28s

Jim Biggs, executive director of the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, wants to help entrepreneurs connect with the resources they need to succeed. In this episode, Jim and KEC Board Chair Brandon Bruce share their insight into the factors that ma

Celebrating stories of entrepreneurship

Oct 27th, 2020 24m 59s

Ben Ferguson and Lisa Garner, cofounder and executive director of theCO, respectively, are proud that Jackson, Tennessee has become a regional hub for entrepreneurship and economic development. With theCO, they’re supporting rural entrepreneurs

Changing the narrative around rural entrepreneurship

Oct 20th, 2020 24m 9s

Heath Guinn, President and Executive Director of Sync Space, wants to prove that rural communities bring something special to the table when it comes to entrepreneurship. With Sync Space, he’s working to support startups and attract new compani

Fostering innovation in times of crisis

Oct 14th, 2020 27m 46s

Leslie Smith, Founding CEO of Epicenter Memphis and current national director for Gender Equality in Tech Cities, believes entrepreneurs are uniquely equipped to rise to the challenge in times of crisis. She’s worked hard to help build a collab

Turning energy innovation into economic growth

Oct 6th, 2020 23m 16s

Cortney Piper, Executive Director of Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council, sees Tennessee’s advanced energy industry as a powerful force for economic development and job creation. In this episode, Cortney shares her vision for helping ene

Supporting startups of all sizes

Sep 28th, 2020 26m 2s

Marcus Shaw, CEO of CO.LAB, wants people around the world to recognize Chattanooga’s appeal for growing successful companies. In this episode, Marcus explains how CO.LAB is helping startups of all sizes connect with the opportunities and resour

Stimulating entrepreneurship in rural Tennessee

Sep 22nd, 2020 26m 6s

Jeff Brown, cofounder, President and CEO of The Biz Foundry, believes rural communities have unique contributions to offer the startup world. He and The Biz Foundry Director of Outreach and Engagement Tiffany Anton discuss their efforts to supp

Nashville, A City Built on Entrepreneurship

Sep 15th, 2020 24m 24s

Jane Allen, CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, and Vice President for Inclusion and Community Relations Brynn Plummer, believe Nashville is a city that was built on entrepreneurship. They explain how the NEC is helping entrepreneurs navi

How LaunchTN’s Statewide Network Helps Build TN

Sep 8th, 2020 3m 48s

We’ve got your inside look at how LaunchTN’s statewide network and boots-on-the-ground startups are working to build Tennessee’s incredible entrepreneurial ecosystem. Leaders from across the state reveal why Tennessee continues to offer a compe

Week on the Hill: Connecting entrepreneurs with policymakers statewide

Mar 23rd, 2020 20m 30s

The 2020 Legislative Reception took place during the last week of February, at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville. It marked the beginning of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Week, an annual event giving entrepreneurs an

Alex West Steinman on advocating for spaces that work for women

Feb 4th, 2020 18m 28s

Alex West Steinman, CEO and cofounder of The Coven, illuminates the power of an inclusive and collaborative workspace. The Coven is a coworking space designed to give women, nonbinary, and trans professionals the resources they need to thrive —

Angela Proffitt on working smarter as an entrepreneur

Jan 21st, 2020 16m 27s

Angela Proffitt, an event and productivity consultant based in Nashville, shares her journey as an entrepreneur and unpacks some of the lessons she’s learned along the way. Angela dives into some of the productivity hacks and workflow strategie

How to disrupt traditional industries with innovative technology

Jan 6th, 2020 17m 34s

Bellhops has disrupted the moving industry to become the nation’s fastest-growing moving company. Founder and CEO Cam Doody shares why Tennessee was the right place to seek venture capital for Bellhops, and explains why the Southeast is emergin

Doug Speight on the Southeast’s diverse startup culture

Dec 9th, 2019 13m 31s

Doug Speight, founder and chief innovation officer at AnnexTech Partners, believes the Southeast’s underrepresented talent is one of its greatest resources. Doug dives into what makes the region’s startup culture unique, and why it’s one of the