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,…

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…

Leveraging the collaboration of communities for statewide success Board member Tom Ballard weighs in on how to support Tennessee entrepreneurs, and how technology is connecting them to needed resources Tennessee may have earned its “Volunteer State” nickname in the early 19th century, but listening to Tom Ballard describe our state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, it’s clear the title has…

How LaunchTN is leading the state’s entrepreneurs to success New CEO Margaret Dolan talks capital, 36|86, and the benefits of doing business in Tennessee She’s only been LaunchTN’s president and CEO for six months, but already Margaret Dolan has traversed the entire state, meeting with local business leaders and entrepreneurs eager to turn Tennessee into the most startup-friendly…

When it comes to successful startups, Tennessee is quickly becoming one of the country’s most popular points of convergence — particularly in the tech sector. Part of that is due to the work we’re doing at LaunchTN. We’re dedicated to helping high-growth-potential businesses across the state navigate what is often a complicated entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our vision…