E-vents: PodCamp Nashville - THIS SATURDAY, March 6th @ Cadillac Ranch
There will be several FREE sessions on the topic of Social Media Marketing, E-Mail Marketing, SEO, WordPress, and MORE at PodCamp Nashville this Saturday!
PodCamp is a gathering of technology, digital marketing, and generally “in the know” people in Nashville. PodCamp is taking place Saturday, March 6th at Cadillac Ranch, downtown Nashville, from 8am to 4pm. More information can be found via the link below.
http://www.podcampnashville.org/pcn10/
Everyone is welcome to attend, so bring a friend, neighbor, or business associate…anyone who has been asking you, “so what’s all this social networking stuff you’re always talking about?” They will thank you!
by Ben Garrison on 3/3/2010 in Community, Digital Media, Technology
Mark Montgomery takes EIR role at Claritas
Local entrepreneur Mark Montgomery has taken an Entrepreneur-in-residence position with Claritas Capital.
Mark Montgomery from Nashville Entrepreneur Center on Vimeo.
by ecadmin on 3/1/2010 in
Can entrepreneurs be cultivated?
Are entrepreneurs nurtured or natural?
Vivek Wadhwa of TechCrunch has data to support the fact that entrepreneurship can be taught: read more here.
by JoeK on 2/28/2010 in
Cool Clubs: The Original Nashville Entrepreneur Meetup Group
In this weeks community groups and local events post, we’re featuring The Original Nashville Entrepreneur Meetup Group. According to their site, “This terrific free gathering features a great venue, professional networking, and a menu of short presentations at every meeting. We sometimes provide a professionally facilitated networking time and a significant results-oriented mentality.”
The group has almost 500 members, with meetings held monthly, if not more frequently. Read more about the group, and watch for upcoming meetings on their website: http://www.meetup.com/nashvilleentrepreneurs/.
by Ben Garrison on 1/13/2010 in Community, People
Nashville Entrepreneur Center Announces Board of Directors
Today, the recently formed Nashville Entrepreneur Center (NEC) announced its chairman and board of directors. Clayton McWhorter of Clayton Associates, LLC will chair the organization.
“Nashville was built by entrepreneurs, and our city’s creative culture continues to appeal to individuals willing to innovate and take risks,” said McWhorter. “I’m looking forward to working with my fellow entrepreneurs to create an infrastructure that will fully unlock our city’s potential.”
The board of directors is comprised of entrepreneurs from a variety of industry sectors, including health care, information technology, digital media, logistics and manufacturing. The board also includes representatives from area universities, government, entrepreneurship organizations, service providers and funding organizations.
“The diversity of this board will help ensure the NEC’s success,” said Tod Fetherling, president of the Nashville Technology Council. “It speaks volumes that there is a communitywide effort to support this endeavor.”
“The region’s high level of entrepreneurship is one of our key economic strengths – and one of Nashville’s best-kept secrets,” said Ralph Schulz, president and CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. “With the NEC board in place, we can work to complement and amplify the existing entrepreneurial efforts in the community, creating an even stronger environment in which entrepreneurs can grow and prosper.”
The creation of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center is a result of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Partnership 2010 Entrepreneurship Task Force, which was formed in late 2007 to identify opportunities to strengthen Middle Tennessee’s entrepreneurial community.
The 75-member task force met for nine months under the co-chairmanship of Robert A. Frist, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of HealthStream, Inc. and Michael D. Shmerling, chairman of Choice Food Group, Inc. and XMi Holdings, Inc. The task force identified priority recommendations, including the creation of an entrepreneur resource center tailored for fundable, scalable, high-growth ventures.
“Support of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center across the city has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Shmerling. “It’s exciting to see the community come together to move our city forward.”
“A healthy regional economy begins with a strong entrepreneurial culture,” said Frist. “I believe the Nashville Entrepreneur Center will have a long-term, positive impact on Middle Tennessee.”
The Nashville Entrepreneur Center, launched in September 2009, is a standalone 501(c)(3) organization. The Chamber and the Nashville Technology Council have positioned the NEC for short- and long-term success. Funding for the initial operating budget is near completion and the board and chairman have been named. This month, the board will begin to screen executive director candidates, finalize strategic planning for 2010 and begin operations.
For information about becoming a founding member of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, contact Joe Kustelski at joe@entrepreneurcenter.com or 615-772-6196. The deadline to join the Founders’ Council is Sunday, Jan. 31.
The Nashville Entrepreneur Center, located initially at www.entrepreneurcenter.com, was formed by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Nashville Technology Council to connect early-stage entrepreneurs with the people, businesses and resources they need to succeed, and celebrate deals and entrepreneurial progress in Middle Tennessee.
Board of Directors
Chairman
R. Clayton McWhorter, Clayton Associates, LLC
Board
Jim Bradford, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management
Michael Burcham, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management
R. Michael Cain, Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC
Christopher Calton, Avondale Partners, LLC
Dr. Jeff Cornwall, Belmont University
Townes Duncan, Solidus Company
Darrell S. Freeman, Sr., Zycron, Inc.
Robert A. Frist, Jr., HealthStream, Inc.
Melvin N. Johnson, Tennessee State University
Jim Lackey, Passport Health Communications, Inc.
Robert A. McCabe, Jr., Pinnacle Financial Partners
Mark Montgomery, Serial Entrepreneur & Strategic Consultant
Christopher Rand, TriStar Technology Ventures
Ronald L. Samuels, Avenue Bank
Michael D. Shmerling, Choice Food Group, Inc. and XMi Holdings, Inc.
W. Lucas (Luke) Simons, Council ventures
Byron Smith, Mountain Group Capital
I.C. (Jack) Waddey, Jr., Waddey & Patterson, PC
Leigh Walton, Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC
Steve Wood, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
Ex Officio
Eric Cromwell, Tennessee Technology Development Corporation
J. Tod Fetherling, Nashville Technology Council
Alexia Poe, Mayor’s Office of Economic and Community Development
Ralph J. Schulz, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Caroline Young, Nashville Health Care Council
by ecadmin on 1/13/2010 in
Jack Waddey
I. C. (Jack) Waddey, Jr. is co-founder and senior attorney at Waddey & Patterson. He’s an entrepreneur, an IP expert and a former tobacco farmer (it was his first job!)
Jack serves on the board of directors for the Nashville Entrepreneur Center.
View Jack’s complete bio.
Find Jack on LinkedIn.
Jack’s also at the NEC fan page on Facebook.
Jack Waddey from Nashville Entrepreneur Center on Vimeo.
by ecadmin on 1/5/2010 in
Entrepreneurs = Recovery?
Compared to all prior recessions since the end of World War II, the 2007-2009 recession ranks worst
in terms of the number of jobs lost (over eight million), and second worst in the percentage decline
(6 percent). The key to economic recovery will come in the form of newly created jobs. But where will
these jobs come from?
by ecadmin on 12/22/2009 in
Cool Clubs: Social Media Club Nashville
Jessica Murray co-founded the Nashville Chapter of the Social Media Club in the Spring of 2009. Their first meeting was held in May 2009, and they typically have anywhere from 30-60 attendees, which varies on the topic of the event.
Jessica says they have several events coming up in 2010 and are planning to have them at the Marriott Courtyard in Franklin. Nice!
Check out the Social Media Club Nashville Facebook group for updates on events and general discussion on social media.
by Ben Garrison on 12/17/2009 in Community, People
WANTED: Your Nominations For The Leading Disruptors & Innovators In 2010.
We’re helping spread the word on a Venture Nashville project, and encourage your participation. Venture Nashville is identifying the people that will strongly influence the course of innovation, invention, entrepreneurship and discovery in the State of Tennessee in the year just ahead. They’re looking for nominees whose efforts, no matter where they’re based in the state, could help improve the statewide innovation ecosystem, whether through new business models, product development, scientific research, legislation, or other avenues.
Click here for more details, or go directly to the short survey.
Thank you!
by Ben Garrison on 12/11/2009 in Community, People
Jason Moon Wilkins of NextBigNashville
The founder of NextBigNashville and several other musically-driven businesses discusses his path, and introduces the novel (and cool) concept of “relationship capital.”
Jason Moon Wilkins from Nashville Entrepreneur Center on Vimeo.
Connect with Jason on LinkedIn here.
by ecadmin on 12/7/2009 in
