“Start-up Day” just a little more than 48 hours away
We’re just two days away from the unveiling of the Knoxville region’s first ever “Start-up Day.”
More than 300 people had registered by late last week to attend the celebration of the region’s entrepreneurs as well as its culture this Thursday (November 21) at The Standard, 416 West Jackson Avenue. Festivities begin at 3 p.m. with short pitches from the entrepreneurs interspersed with entertainment from local singers and songwriters.
For those interested in attending, space is limited, so register now before it is too late.
Organizers are the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Tech 20/20 and Launch Tennessee. Pershing Yoakley & Associates, the power behind teknovation.biz, is a corporate sponsor.
Over the past two weeks, we have published profiles on eight companies scheduled to present. Here are the profiles of the remaining start-ups.
Style with Benefits – While purchases that donate to charity are on the rise, virtually none of these products is sourced in a way that causes social impact. That’s what Style With Benefits aims to change. By working with artisan groups that fund women’s education and provide fair wages in developing countries, they plan on sourcing quality products that create social change. In turn, each product sale also gives back to small/local non-profits domestically. The company also plans to create an online community that connects shoppers to the impact their purchases have, from the beginning of the supply chain to the end. The first product line will revolve around handbags and jewelry, but Style with Benefits plans on expanding into clothing in the near future. You can find out more about the company at www.stylewithbenefits.org.
Chelsea Padgham is a Senior in Quantitative Economics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). Originally from North Carolina, her family relocated to the mountains of East Tennessee where she attended high school. During her time as a UTK student, Padgham has received numerous honors, such as an undergraduate research grant and the Pearl & Edward Moore Memorial scholarship. She has worked in brand representation for both Sony and Microsoft, which has given her skills in the technological realm as well as in social media marketing.
Ferre Beau School Of Thought – Preston Farabow’s passion for beautiful ironwork far exceeds his ability to produce it, though it inspires him to continue to explore, to shape, to strive. This exploration led him to form The Ferre Beau School of Thought. This non-profit school was created for anyone who is at risk, groups or individuals, ranging from inner city youth and alcohol and drug treatment centers to suburban housewives and corporate America. At the school anyone can learn something about creative thinking while making art and furniture in metal. The school’s underlying philosophy is: “There is no risk, you see, because in metalwork, nothing is irreconcilable.”
Born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Farabow has called Tennessee home for nearly 20 years. He began preparing for a career in art at the School of Design at North Carolina State University before earning his Bachelor of Arts at UTK. Farabow bends metal for a living. He is a professional artist who also owns and operates Aespyre Metal Design at Ironwood Studios, a gallery and working studio in Knoxville. Recent commissions include the State of Tennessee, The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Tribe, RedBull, and numerous private collections.
Knoxville Music Warehouse – Knoxville Music Warehouse is the best way to follow Knoxville’s music scene. You can discover music from local bands, see what touring artists are coming in to town, and most importantly hear what these bands sound like. Every post about a band will have a sample of its music and links to explore more of its work, because after all, the music is and should be the main focus. Knoxville Music Warehouse houses all of the best incoming and outgoing music in Knoxville, and it is updated daily. It also has a live music calendar, Knoxville’s most comprehensive, informative, and easily navigated calendar of live shows.
Kent Oglesby has loved music his whole life. From the moment of his first rock concert (The Pretenders and The B-52’s) when he was five years old, he had a sense that it would be a big part of his life forever. When Oglesby was in high school, Napster hit the scene. Being able to use the internet to discover new music was a game changer, and it turned quickly from a hobby to an obsession. As Oglesby got older, his interest in local music began to grow as did his entrepreneurial spirit. His first taste of connecting musicians and helping promote them came in 2010 when he put together a Christmas album for charity featuring local bands. In April of 2013, he launched KnoxvilleMusicWarehouse.com.
Fiveworx – Fiveworx helps utilities increase participation in their energy efficiency programs while dramatically reducing their marketing costs, thereby delivering deeper and broader energy savings for every marketing dollar they spend. The company leverages its proprietary Efficiency Segmentation Profiles – or Fiveworx ESP™ – as well as leading behavior change principles and big data analytics to deliver a highly personalized, meaningful and relevant list of the energy efficiency actions each American should take to see a true difference in his utility bills and comfort.
Patrick Hunt is a digital product visionary with more than 15 years of experience in the Internet software industry, with a primary focus on digital strategy, product development and user experience. He was on the seven-member senior management team of a venture-backed start-up that had a successful IPO and most recently served as Vice President of The Shelton Group, the nation’s leading marketing communications firm focused exclusively on energy efficiency and sustainability.
