How to start a business in Chattanooga
There are practical steps every entrepreneur needs to take. But you don’t have to do it alone — these are some local organizations to help you get started
By Mary Helen Montgomery & William Newlin
It’s Chattanooga Entrepreneur Week — a weeklong summit featuring more than 30 events for entrepreneurs and small business owners at any stage. (Learn more about the event and see the schedule here.)
Chattamatters spoke with event organizers and others working to support entrepreneurship, who say that Chattanooga a city primed to foster commercial growth. We’ve compiled a list of essential local resources for anyone who wants to start a business in Chattanooga.
“Chattanooga is really a fantastic place to be a business owner because … we have so many great collaborating partners,” said Executive Director of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center Lynn Chesnutt. “The resources are vast.”
Chattanooga has a strong network of organizations dedicated to helping companies get started and stay in business. They offer free or affordable assistance, for everything from creating a business plan, to legal help, to payroll and taxes. Here are a few you should check out, whether you are just getting started or you’re an established business looking for a little support.
Many of these organizations are members of the Business Resource Collective, the collaboration of partners hosting Chattanooga Entrepreneur Week.
The City of Chattanooga
The City of Chattanooga’s Office of Economic Development offers resources for startups and entrepreneurs, as well as established businesses. The Office of Economic Development is a good place to get information about funding, including grants, loans, and incentives like PILOTs and TIFs. And it’s a good place to learn about licensing and training opportunities. Contact the Office of Economic Development at ECDAdmin@chattanooga.gov.
The Company Lab (CO.LAB)
Co.Lab helps early-stage startups, particularly in the sustainable mobility industry, grow. Entrepreneurs in any industry can connect one-on-one with local attorneys, accountants, realtors, and other professionals in free office hours at Co.Lab. Co.Lab also offers wayfinding consultations and information about financing, to business owners of all kinds. Their 12-week accelerator program is designed for sustainable mobility startups (i.e. companies focused on the movement of people, goods, energy, and data). Contact Co.Lab at info@colab.is.
The Enterprise Center
The Enterprise Center offers a number of support services for small businesses and entrepreneurs, including a free event and meeting space in downtown Chattanooga, an online Resiliency Checklist to help owners prepare for unexpected challenges, and digital skills training that can help entrepreneurs in different industries use technology with ease. (Note: Chattamatters is a program of The Enterprise Center.)
INCubator
The INCubator, run by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, is located in the Hamilton County Business Development Center on the North Shore. The 127,000 square-foot space offers affordable space to businesses just getting started. The INCubator works with new companies through a 3-year program, where they can access shared administrative services, manufacturing and office space, trainings, and on-site counseling from TSBDC.
LAUNCH Chattanooga
LAUNCH offers several programs, including their flagship 10-week entrepreneurship course, a startup simulator in eight high schools, and a kitchen incubator (KIC), which provides both business support and physical cooking space that aims to “remove barriers faced by many entrepreneurs of color” in the food industry, per the KIC website.
Operation Hope
One-on-one sessions with coaches and group classes are Operation Hope’s core services for new and existing small businesses. Aside from helping entrepreneurs navigate obstacles like a low credit score or offering owners supply chain advice, coaches also assist in making community connections, such as finding the right bank.
Proof
Proof is a Chattanooga hub for workshops and advice on starting food and beverage companies, including consumer packaged goods. The organization provides industry education and mentorship through online programs, workshops, and one-on-one coaching. Visit their website or email info@proofincubator.com for more information about their programming.
SCORE Chattanooga
SCORE pairs aspiring entrepreneurs with a mentor and hosts frequent small business workshops online. Dozens of articles addressing every aspect of business ownership — finances, business plans, marketing, etc. — are also available on SCORE’s website.
Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC)
Hosted by Chattanooga State, UTC and the chamber, TSBDC’s no-cost support extends throughout the life of a small business (defined as any organization with fewer than 500 employees), from drafting business plans to providing legal advice to improving accounting practices. The TSBDC served more than 900 clients last year, Executive Director Lynn Chesnutt told us.
TSBDC offers assistance on everything from branding, to funding, to legal help. Plus, check out these helpful checklists for new and established businesses. Request free, confidential business advice here.
The Urban League
The Urban League’s Center for Economic & Black Business Success offers support for African American and other minority-owned businesses. The NextLevel Business Accelerator Program is an 8-month program for businesses that have been operating for two or more years and are ready for growth. Plus, their Minority Business Directory allows users to search for local companies by industry. Contact Lya Kimbrough at lkimbrough@ulchatt.net.
More on local entrepreneurship
Check out our companion piece, which offers more more startup tips and highlights a local small business owner who tapped into TSBDC to get her physical therapy practice off the ground.