Peer to peer: Catalyst program helps area entrepreneurs thrive

This article originally appeared in the Nashville Ledger on Friday, Nov. 2, 2012.

When building a business from scratch, no one will ever love and care for that business that way you do.

But while you are nurturing growth, you can also become an island, working as CEO, head of sales and director of marketing — all at the same time. And growth can stall if you don’t have the right people helping you.

“I am so busy planning events for other people I can’t finish anything for myself,” says Angela Proffitt, a local wedding and event planner in her 10th year of business. She has a few unfinished projects she would like to complete, and there have even been opportunities she has had to pass on due to her current workload.

Other business owners are going through the same thing as Proffitt, and a local program she recently joined aims to bring her together with other business owners for support and guidance.

Last year the Nashville chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and the Nashville Entrepreneur Center announced the launch of Catalyst, a mentorship program geared toward helping local entrepreneurs grow their companies past $1 million in annual sales.

Catalyst Program Presented By EO Nashville and the Entrepreneur Center Embarks on Second Class

Majority of first year Catalyst participants see increased revenue, business growth

Building off a highly successful inaugural year, the Nashville EO and the Nashville EC announced today the kickoff of their second Catalyst program, geared towards helping local entrepreneurs grow their companies past the key benchmark of $1 million in annual sales.

To qualify you must be the founder, co-founder, owner or controlling shareholder of a local company grossing between $250,000 and $999,999 in annual revenue. The program will again cost $2,500, which includes participation in the 12 biweekly classes and up to one year of experience sharing and mentorship for a total of 18 months.

This year’s class will include 25 members, up from 20 last year.

“We’re increasing the class size this year to meet growing interest in the program. Our initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we wanted to give more businesses the opportunity to be involved,” said Andy Bailey, EO Nashville chapter president and entrepreneur coach at Petra. “We recently surveyed our current Catalyst members and asked them if their participation in Catalyst was worth the investment, and if they would recommend the program to others. One hundred percent of the survey takers, which represented 80 percent of the class, said that the program was worth their investment and they’d recommend it. More importantly, a majority of Catalyst participants have seen increased revenues since starting Catalyst.”

One such success story is Bethany Newman, co-owner and president of ST8MNT, Inc., a brand design studio offering print, Web and interactive services. Since starting Catalyst, Newman’s monthly average revenue has increased 54 percent. She has also hired two new full-time employees.

“Catalyst has helped me clarify my business model, streamline my operations and hire great team members,” Newman said. “It offers such a learning and sharing environment. You gain so much knowledge from the leaders, teachers and your peers.

EC President and CEO Michael Burcham will again lead the 12 biweekly classes that kick off the program. EO members will also be invited to attend and participate.

‘Catalyst’ Business Accelerator Accepts 20 Entrepreneurs into Inaugural Class

The EO Nashville chapter and the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC) announced yesterday the local business owners who will partake in the inaugural ‘Catalyst’ class, a program designed to help entrepreneurs grow their companies past the key benchmark of $1 million in annual sales.

The EO/EC organized 18-month Catalyst program began yesterday.

The first Catalyst class consists of 20 members. Members are founders, co-founders, owners and controlling shareholders of local companies. Catalyst companies employ a total of 88 individuals, with average annual gross revenues of $386,000.

The class includes:

• Evan Austill, Co-Founder and COO, PatientCredit, Inc.
• Jeff Bradford, President and CEO, the Bradford Group
• Blake Chaffin, Owner and General Manager/President, Nashville Event Lighting
• Frank Drummond, Founder and CEO, mimijumi
• Diane Durand, Managing Director, Alphachimp Studio, Inc.
• Trevor Emerson, President, Local Search Masters
• David Frederiksen, CEO, PatientCredit, Inc.
• Brad Hill, Owner, Local Search Masters
• Alicia Jones, President, West End Interiors, LLC
• Boris Jordanov, Owner, Valuant Technologies
• Jake Jorgovan, Co-Founder and President, Rabbit Hole Creative, LLC
• Joe Kustelski, Co-Founder and CTO, Rockhouse Partners
• Brian Law, President, Global Technology Advisory Group
• Scott Mele, President, SolarTek Energy of Nashville, Inc.
• Bethany Newman, Co-Owner and President, ST8MNT, Inc.
• Kate O’Neill, Founder and CEO, [meta]marketer, Inc.
• William Paddock, Founder and Managing Director, WAP Sustainability
• Christopher Redhage, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President, ProviderTrust
• Amy Tanksley, Founder and Owner, Uncle Classic Barbershop
• Lisa York, Founder and Chief Manager, puka, LLC

With industries ranging from energy and manufacturing, to marketing and design, this first Catalyst class will bring a wide range of experiences and interests to the table. At the same time it’s a distinctly Nashville group, with the health care, technology and entertainment industries well represented.

The program offers three distinct benefits: education, experience sharing and mentorship.

• Education: The program will kickoff with 12 biweekly classes taught by EO Nashville member Michael Burcham, president and CEO of the EC.
• Experience Sharing: At the conclusion of the classes, Catalyst participants will be broken into smaller peer-to-peer forum groups. The groups will meet monthly for 12 months.
• Mentorship: Catalyst members will also engage in one-on-one mentorship with an EO Nashville member.