Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of Tennessee

Happy Small Business Saturday! The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Tennessee is proud to present the inaugural UT Holiday Gift Guide - a curated collection celebrating the innovative products and services of student-owned businesses. These students are leveraging their university education experience to enhance and expand their business ventures by applying the knowledge and skills they acquire in their academic programs. See the UT Holiday Gift Guide: tiny.utk.edu/gift-guide Please note that the links in this gift guide will redirect to external business websites. The University of Tennessee is not responsible for any aspects of engagement between business owners and consumers. The University of Tennessee and the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation are not responsible for any aspects of engagement between business owners and consumers, including but not limited to the products sold, fulfillment of orders, and processing of payments. All links featured in the gift guide connect consumers directly to websites that are not affiliated with the University of Tennessee. The University of Tennessee makes no express or implied warranties regarding the businesses, products, links and goods described herein. SPECIFICALLY, THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY LIABILITY ARISING UNDER OR FOR CLAIMS RELATING TO SUCH WARRANTIES.

Here's a glimpse into the exciting event, Real Good Gathering from last week. This inaugural event celebrated the Knoxville food community and supported Real Good Kitchen founded by Bailey Foster. The Anderson Center was proud to send a group of aspiring and current student food entrepreneurs to attend this event to get a taste of what it's like to pursue their passion for food and turn it into a business. Rachel Stewart, a junior management major and entrepreneurship minor and small bakery owner, was one of the students who attended the Real Good Gathering. She shared her experience with us below. "The Real Good Gathering was an incredible opportunity that allowed me to see how a successful entrepreneur like Bailey Foster can build such a strong community," shared Rachel Stewart. "The food was delicious and I loved meeting all of the chefs who utilized Real Good Kitchen to grow their businesses. Their stories inspired me to pursue my passion and continue to work hard to achieve my goals. This was such a unique experience and I felt so lucky to be a part of it."

We are so proud to be a part of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville to support all UT entrepreneurs! We love getting to develop an entrepreneurial culture where Volunteers are empowered to identify unmet needs and take bold action to create value through new ventures.

Thank you, Aaron Staples, for leading our lunch and learn about brewing up entrepreneurship. With extensive knowledge about the craft beverage industry, our students were able to discover industry trends, strategies, and tips on starting a craft beverage business!

Addison Yelton is bringing joy one unique pair of shoes at a time. Addison is a sophomore art major at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's University of Tennessee School of Art, a goalkeeper for the Lady Vol’s soccer team, and the founder of Rocky Top Customs. After channeling her love for art into a business, her company specializes in crafting unique, hand-painted custom shoes. Learn more about Rocky Top Customs and Addison's journey as a student entrepreneur: https://lnkd.in/eFiiT2sQ

Happy National Entrepreneurs’ Day! Today, we're celebrating the dreamers, doers, and risk-takers who follow their passion to make the world a better place! Here are a few of the many UT entrepreneurs who pursued their dreams, discovered technologies, innovated products, and created new services to help people every day!

What an amazing opportunity!! Join Let Her Speak tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. to talk about the hidden costs of running a business.

Get excited for our next Lunch & Learn: Brewing up Entrepreneurship on Nov. 21st from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Building Room 101A. Dr. Aaron Staples is an expert in decision-making across food and beverage supply chains. He's joining us to provide helpful insight and tips for starting a beverage business. Space is limited so be sure to register in advance: https://lnkd.in/e9RvBGvr

What an exciting week it's been so far! Monday started the week with our second Coffee Club meeting featuring our startup coach, Melissa Centers. Students could network with one another and engage in an open dialogue about various business topics. Tuesday featured Joe Seiber in our Meet the Founders series. He shared his entrepreneurial journey of starting Status Dough and allowed students to ask questions about his experience, lessons learned, and advice. Thank you, Melissa and Joe, for a wonderful week engaging with our students!

We are proud to present the inaugural UT Holiday Gift Guide - a curated collection celebrating the innovative products and services of student-owned businesses. We're currently seeking applications from current UT students who have channeled their educational experience into launching or growing a thriving business. Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your business to thousands of loyal Vols. Applications close this Friday, November 17th, so act fast! Apply now: tiny.utk.edu/gift-guide