(JOHNSON CITY, TENN.) The Chamber of Commerce, serving Johnson City, Jonesborough and Washington County, held its biannual CO.STARTERS pitch competition last night at Summit Leadership. This event serves as the graduation from the Chamber’s 10-week CO.STARTERS entrepreneur development course. The course’s 12 aspiring and current small business owners presented their business ideas to a panel of judges, and three were awards the prize of business seed money.
The prize money was awarded to:
First Place: Made on Elk (Ashlee Springer)
Prize: $2000
A
female-owned pottery and art studio located at 526
E Elk Ave. in Elizabethton, Made on Elk offers pottery classes and workshops
for beginners and experienced artists alike. This downtown Elizabethton
business aims to provide a space for people to play, learn and grow in creative
and artistic ways.
Second Place: Blu Beez - The Label (Kendra Fain)
Prize: $1500
“Your local drip dealer,” Blu Beez is a custom and altered clothing business focused on using reusable, thrifted and sustainable clothing materials to make new and creative outfit pieces. This female-owned-and-operated business takes a customer’s style and the owner’s creative vision to produce a “dope” combination.
Third Place: Royal Red Stew (Helen Okpokowuruk)
Prize: $1000
A product of Comfort Foods, Royal Red Stew is a gourmet sauce
inspired by an African recipe. It is made with all-natural ingredients and
contains no MSG, no added sugars, no preservatives and is vegan and gluten-free
and comes ready-to-eat. Sold in Food City and online, Comfort Foods is bringing
Royal Red Stew to customers looking to expand their taste buds to foods of
different ethnic backgrounds.
Fourth Place: Recovery Taxi (Marah “Naomi” Campbell)
Prize: $500
A new non-profit, Recovery Taxi provides clean and reliable rides to work, stores and treatment centers for recovering addicts. Owner Marah “Naomi” Campbell is a former addict who knows the importance of having a non-tempting and safe-for-addicts ride environment. Campbell is using her business to fight for the life of “the next addict” until everyone has someone in their corner.
The class also saw entrepreneurs with energetic ideas for a
barber shop, mobile DJ, tiny home community and more.
The Chamber’s CO.STARTERS course, part of a national program, allows local entrepreneurs to enter into a facilitator-led, collaborative process that focuses on fine-tuning business ideas through marketing, financial, sales, legal and other strategies. The goal of the class is to help attendees uncover flaws
in their concepts and find more viable models, as well as understand how to
start, build and scale their businesses.
“We are proud of all the participants who dedicated themselves to this program and presented such compelling business ideas,” said Bob Cantler, Chamber President/CEO. “The diversity of these business ideas reflects the current entrepreneurial spirit in our community, and the Chamber looks forward to supporting them and helping them become crucial pieces of our local economy.”
The Chamber’s CO.STARTERS class supported by the help of Baker Donelson, First Bank & Trust, Sync Space and Blackburn, Childers & Steagall.
Applications for the Fall CO.STARTERS cohort will open in August, and more information can be found at johnsoncitytnchamber.com/co-starters.
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About the Chamber
The Chamber of Commerce, serving Johnson City, Jonesborouge and Washington County, is a 501-C6 organized to promote business, enhance economic and community development, and serve as a catalyst for improving the overall quality of life in the community and region. It is also supported by the Chamber Foundation, a 501-C3 dedicated to promoting education, leadership and business development programs. Through strategic programming, advocation and resources, we position our members to achieve their greatest business and community potential. For more information, visit www.johnsoncitytnchamber.com.
