This season, we’re taking a deep dive into Tennessee’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. With Disrupt the Continuum, we bring you conversations about how, as a statewide community, we collaborate and provide the resources founders need to build, scale, and execute their businesses. This season, you’ll hear from leaders at each of the entrepreneur centers across the state,…

As the first cohort of our Virtual Entrepreneurship Program gets set for spring kickoff, meet Dr. Jeff Cornwall, inaugural director of Belmont’s Center for Entrepreneurship and author of the Entrepreneurial Mind curriculum. This year marks Jeff Cornwall’s sixteenth as Jack C. Massey Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship at Belmont University and as author of the Entrepreneurial…

Learning doesn’t need to be on someone else’s schedule. Build your Tennessee business on your own time with our new VEP101 + VEP102 courses. When you have a full-time job, it can be tough to find the right program to help guide you through the entrepreneurship journey — whether you’re starting your own business or…

36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival connects a community of innovators 36|86 Director Lindsey Cox takes us behind the scenes of LaunchTN’s upcoming festival to highlight what makes 36|86 vital for entrepreneurs of all stages and backgrounds. One of the most anticipated events for entrepreneurs across the Southeast is right around the corner. From Aug. 28–29, founders, innovators, and…

How a Chattanooga entrepreneur grew a startup from mobile soda fountain to mass production Pure Sodaworks co-founder Matt Rogers advises entrepreneurs to scale slowly for long-term growth. When Chattanooga entrepreneurs Matt and Tiffany Rogers founded Pure Sodaworks in 2011, they had no idea how far — or fast — their craft soda startup would take them in…

Why Dorm Room Fund invests in student entrepreneurs Entrepreneur and former Dorm Room Fund CEO Rei Wang talks VCs, collaborative creativity, and the need for diversity and community among startups. As the former CEO of First Round Capital’s Dorm Room Fund and founder of startup The Grand, Rei Wang knows the entrepreneurial ecosystem inside and out. Featured in Forbes’ 30…

How a Nashville entrepreneur turned personal heartbreak into a successful startup Taking on tasks for grieving families, Sunny Care Services founder Mollie Lacher focuses on community and the power of authenticity. Mollie Lacher is no stranger to grief. Her brother-in-law passed away unexpectedly during minimally invasive heart surgery, leaving behind a bereaved family and a…

Tennessee makes a fashion statement Nashville Fashion Alliance founder Van Tucker on the economic impact of our statewide couture culture. Fashion is big business in Tennessee. Statewide, the industry contributed nearly $27 billion to the economy. Middle Tennessee’s impact alone accounts for $6 billion and more than 16,000 jobs. The numbers have convinced former CEO…

Overcoming inequalities as an underestimated entrepreneur Stephanie Cummings, CEO of Please Assist Me, shares how access to startup resources accelerated her company’s success. You’re crushing it at work right now, impressing both your colleagues and clients with your dedication to the job. While your career may be headed for huge success, let’s face it, things…