The 2020 Legislative Reception took place during the last week of February, at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville. It marked the beginning of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Week, an annual event giving entrepreneurs and their supporters an opportunity to meet with Tennessee legislators and discuss issues most relevant to business growth. We were LIVE on-site to record this special episode of Disrupt the Continuum.

Alex West Steinman, CEO and cofounder of The Coven, illuminates the power of an inclusive and collaborative workspace. The Coven is a coworking space designed to give women, nonbinary, and trans professionals the resources they need to thrive — and Alex is excited to bring that magic to Nashville. She also tackles what entrepreneurs often get wrong about inclusivity, and shares her guidance for creating a company culture that works for everyone.

Angela Proffitt, an event and productivity consultant based in Nashville, shares her journey as an entrepreneur and unpacks some of the lessons she’s learned along the way. Angela dives into some of the productivity hacks and workflow strategies like scheduling weekly time to address specific tasks only, and lays out a roadmap of local resources and organizations where entrepreneurs can get plugged in and take their businesses to the next level.

Bellhops has disrupted the moving industry to become the nation’s fastest-growing moving company. Founder and CEO Cam Doody shares why Tennessee was the right place to seek venture capital for Bellhops, and explains why the Southeast is emerging as one of the most innovative ecosystems in the country.

Doug Speight, founder and chief innovation officer at AnnexTech Partners, believes the Southeast’s underrepresented talent is one of its greatest resources. Doug dives into what makes the region’s startup culture unique, and why it’s one of the most exciting places in the country to start a business.

Marcus Cobb, cofounder and CEO of Jammber, has built a team that’s rocketed Jammber to the cutting edge of the music industry. In this episode, Marcus shares the philosophy behind Jammber’s award-winning workplace, and explains how some of the most important lessons he’s learned as an entrepreneur have come from surviving mistakes made along the way.

Erica Grant and Lia Winter, rival pitch competition finalists at 36|86 Student Edition, discuss how they got their startups off the ground as students at UT Knoxville. In this episode, the innovators explain how they’re developing their products and building their businesses, and how organizations like LaunchTN can unlock doors and kickstart growth.

Kirsty Goodlett, Director of Ketner Group Communications’ Nashville office, sat down with us to unpack how to get your story out in a way that sticks. In this episode, Kirsty discusses the importance of staying relevant, highlights key resources businesses can use to boost visibility, and explains how to use customer data as a storytelling tool.

Founder Sarah Bellos sits with guest host Kevin Roddey of Pinnacle Financial Partners to discuss how her company Stony Creek Colors is bringing local and sustainable agriculture to revolutionize commercial fashion. In this episode, Bellos shares her experiences with the process of scaling her startup and how LaunchTN connected her with a vital network of resources to help her company grow.

In Season 2 of Disrupt the Continuum, you'll hear from innovators and thought leaders that make the entrepreneurial ecosystem here in Tennessee flourish. This season we'll explore Tennessee's unique, thriving communities and hear about the programs and people that make LaunchTN a vital resource. Subscribe now from wherever you get your podcasts for Season 2 of Disrupt the Continuum – a LaunchTN podcast powered by Pinnacle Financial Partners.