On Wednesday, August 17th the Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance and the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce hosted the first annual WIRED Pitch Competition at the Hampton Inn in Spring Hill where the WIRED Mastermind group presented local entrepreneurs with $14,000 in funds to accelerate their business.
“The pitch competition experience was a perfect culmination to the year-long Mastermind journey. Our CEO’s demonstrated their servant leadership and each participant did a fantastic job presenting their business proposition and commitment to the community. We truly hope that this inspires others to be a positive influence in elevating our economy through the talents and means that they uniquely possess.” Rebecca Melton – Executive Director, Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce.
Ten businesses applied for the opportunity and three were invited to make their pitch in front of the 2022 WIRED Mastermind Group for a chance to receive $10,000 and future mentorship from the group. After three solid presentations and extensive deliberation, the group selected Josh Merrill, Founder and Owner of Legacy Coffee Co. as the recipient of the $10,000 check. In a surprise turn of events the group decided to contribute additional funds and awarded sisters Susan Martin and Laura Purtle $4,000 for their business, Old Stone Creamery. All ten applicants were connected to Amelia Bozeman, Director of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center which offers no-cost consulting and training for small businesses owners whether they are looking to start, fund, or grow a business.
“Legacy Coffee is in the heart of two amazing communities. Nestled between Spring Hill and Columbia in Neapolis, this amazing company is giving to both communities. Josh Merrill’s passion and love for coffee and the community is evident in every cup he creates. We are excited about the ideas he has to grow his business and look forward to continuing to partner with him in the future.” – Will Tenpenny, Edward Jones Financial Advisor
The 2022 WIRED Mastermind Group is comprised of: Seth Blanks, CEO at Highland Corporation; Todd Essig, VP of Business Development at Rae Products; Peter Goodwin, CEO at GrooveLife; Jack Maher, President at John Maher Builders; Hitesh Patel, Vice President at Halifax Hospitality; Lora Powell, CEO at Salon Blonde, Bob Taylor, Owner at Covenant Technology; Will Tenpenny, Financial Advisor Edward Jones; and Aaron Whitaker, Owner at Preventia. They have been meeting monthly over the past year to share experiences, foster growth, and learn from each other’s areas of expertise. Together they contributed $14,000 for the PITCH Competition and will provide additional mentorship and guided as needed.
“It is always exciting, and maybe a little nerve-racking, to launch a new program such as this. We are thrilled by the success of the inaugural Mastermind cohort and pitch competition, which provided an opportunity for local CEOs to develop new relationships, learn from each other, and partner together to provide real assistance to other up and coming entrepreneurs in the community. We also want to thank the Spring Hill Chamber for developing the original idea and allowing us to partner with them to implement the program county wide.” Wil Evans – President, Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance.
Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance Serving the cities of Columbia, Mount Pleasant and Spring Hill as the leading voice for business and industry in the community, Maury Alliance provides programs, networking opportunities, advocacy, and support for business professionals. Maury Alliance is focused on growing business and economic opportunities in Maury County by providing expertise, resources, support, and vision for new and existing businesses. For more information, visit www.mauryalliance.com.
Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce
The Spring Hill Chamber’s mission is to positively influence our business culture to create a better Spring Hill. The Chamber provides professional development, networking opportunities, and support services for local professionals interested in building relationships and growing their business.