ECD Announces Winners of Statewide Entrepreneurship Video Competition
Brooks Shaw & Son Old Country Store of Jackson Takes Top Prize
NASHVILLE — Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty today announced Brooks Shaw & Son Old Country Store of Jackson as the winner of the second annual statewide entrepreneurship video competition – “What Makes You an Entrepreneur?” Brooks Shaw & Son Old Country Store will receive a $500 cash prize in addition to a professional marketing package valued at $2,000 for the business.
“I’m honored to offer my congratulations to Brooks Shaw & Son Old Country Store and all of the other winners of the second annual ‘What Makes You an Entrepreneur’ video competition,” Commissioner Hagerty said. “Small businesses like these are the foundation that Tennessee was built on and continue to help grow our state’s economy.”
The second annual “What Makes You an Entrepreneur” video competition was hosted by ECD’s Business Enterprise Resource Office and the Tennessee Main Street Program in an effort to draw attention to the strong entrepreneurial spirit in Tennessee. Participants were asked to prepare a short video answering the question “What makes you an entrepreneur?” Finalists were selected from four business categories: Main Street/downtown; home-based; arts and entertainment; and innovation. The statewide winner was selected from the finalists of each category.
In addition to the overall statewide winner, Brooks Shaw & Son Old Country Store, the following winners were identified in their respective category:
Competition Finalists
|
Business Name |
Category Winner |
|
Betty P Taylor, Arize Independent Consultant Inc. |
Home-Based - Any business that is operated out of a home and that does not have a store-front, including Internet-based businesses |
|
Estrada Strategies |
Innovation - Any business that creates and/or develops new products, services or systems, including technology, marketing, social entrepreneurship and/or inventions. |
|
Phil's Dream Pit |
Arts & Entertainment - Any business related to the production or promotion of art, music, food or other entertainment business. |
|
JDD Enterprises, Inc. |
Main Street - Any business located in a traditional downtown area. |
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development will use the winning entries in a department-produced video and print piece intended to identify and promote innovative entrepreneurs in Tennessee communities and encourage others to join them as small business owners.
To learn more about the competition and this year’s winners, please visit the official website: http://tnopenforbusiness.org. Last year’s overall winner, Pennington Seed and Supply Co. is featured in a video on ECD’s YouTube site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoMKbI4rYoc.
About Business Enterprise Resource Office
The Business Enterprise Resource Office (BERO) works to expand economic opportunities for small, rural, minority and women-owned businesses in Tennessee by providing information on procurement opportunities, loan programs and management programs with Tennessee private industry and government entities. BERO is an office within the Department of Economic and Community Development.
About Tennessee Main Street
The Tennessee Main Street Program is a comprehensive revitalization program designed to promote the historic and economic redevelopment of traditional business districts throughout the state. The Tennessee Main Street Program provides communities with technical assistance and expertise that promotes economic growth through the context of historic preservation.
About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to create higher skilled, better paying jobs for all Tennesseans. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. To find out more, go to www.tn.gov/ecd or www.investtennessee.org.
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Contact: Valerie Somerville, ECD
Office: (615) 532-1925
E-mail: valerie.somerville@tn.gov