When the retail marketplace Painted Tree abruptly declared bankruptcy, 311 small businesses in Franklin, Tennessee were shut down and told to clear out their inventory, with no notice.

In the blink of an eye, they lost their point-of-sale system, their storefront, and their customer lists.

In this episode, Jena Potter shares how her team at Williamson, INC. stepped in and pulled together a two-day marketplace in just two weeks to help these displaced business owners liquidate inventory and reconnect with their customers.

But the real story is what came next: the crisis response became one of the chamber's biggest wins of the year.

We get into how a generous, nimble response turned into lasting results with new members, expanded community reach, earned media, and a first-of-its-kind partnership with a local content creator. Plus, what other chambers can take away when their own business community faces a crisis.

Resources Mentioned:

• About Williamson, INC. and Jena Potter

• Jessie Tigges's Instagram

• The Collective Boutiques's Website

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00:00 Introduction

01:42 What happened: the Painted Tree bankruptcy

04:55 Deciding to step in: free memberships and a marketplace

07:33 Inside the store: meeting displaced business owners

11:12 How to move quickly as a Chamber

12:54 Earned media and reaching new audiences

14:58 The marketplace run-of-show

19:33 Partnering with a local content creator

22:12 The results: sales, new members, and survey insights

25:27 What's next for the businesses

27:07 Advice for other Chambers

28:14 Fun closing question

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At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

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Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.