| Name | Kevin |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Love |
| Home Address | 4168 Willard Dr. Chattanooga, TN 37416 United States |
| Organization Name | Chattanooga Business Elite |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | Oversees the ongoing operations of all divisions in the company. Manages and directs the company toward its primary goals and objectives. Oversees employment decisions at the executive level of the company. Leads a team of executives to consider major decisions including acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, or large-scale expansion. Promotes communication and cooperation among divisions to create a spirit of unity in the organization. Works with the board of directors and other executives to establish short-term objectives and long-range goals, and related plans and policies. Presents regular reports on the status of the company's operations to the board of directors and to company staff. Oversees the organization's financial structure, ensuring adequate and sound funding for the mission and goals of the company. Reviews the financial results of all operations, comparing them with the company's objectives and taking appropriate measures to correct unsatisfactory performance and results. Ensures the company's compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and standards. Negotiates with other companies regarding actions such as mergers, acquisitions, or joint ventures. Serves as the company representative to the board of directors, shareholders, employees, customers, the government, and the public. Performs other related duties to benefit the mission of the organization. |
| Organization Address | P.O. Box 11294 Chattanooga, Tn 37401 United States |
| Website | https://www.chattbusinesselite.com |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 9016794592 |
| Alternate Phone Number | |
| Email Address | connect@chattbusinesselite.com |
| Alternate Email Address | kevinlove207@gmail.com |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | Chattanooga Business Elite, CBE, embraces a community-centric philosophy. Our project, The Gathering Hub, streamlines with our overarching mission to ensure quality resources for Minority Small Business owners. The Gathering Hub will serve as a gathering spot for business resources while providing a multi-dimensional event space. Our project model will include a co-working space, networking opportunities, seminars, and workshops, as well as a celebratory space for entrepreneurial achievement. Access to resources in one place will lessen a fragmented approach and put emphasis on centrally-located efforts. Our gathering spot will be membership-based and include several perks ranging from entrepreneur spotlights to rental space for business events to an extensive minority directory. In addition to the library of resources that will be available via workshops and seminars, there will be space for podcast production. Small businesses will have networking opportunities through vendor markets and in-house celebrations for a new business’ opening day. Such a project is the manifestation of CBE serving as a liaison between Chattanooga resources and the success of small business owners within the community. |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | The Gathering Hub addresses a void in the community for small business owners and minority entrepreneurs. Providing education in business startup, finances, legal, marketing, community engagement, and accessibility. Chattanooga Business Elite believes the community could benefit from resources provided by familiar faces who have experience in helping small businesses scale their business model. Our current business classes and workshops encourage potential new and existing business owners to feel comfortable discussing their ideas and goals. We're looking to expand on those offerings with more access and a physical Gathering Spot. |
| Where would your project take place? | The Gathering Hub will be easily accessible and located in Midtown Chattanooga at the Eastgate Town Center. This location is part of Carta bus route as well as centrally located in the middle of town. |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 775000 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | No |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | |
| If funded, when would your project start? | June 1, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | This project will take 18 - 24 month to complete. Our goal will be to have staffing, inventory, programming, and partnerships in tact before the project completion date. |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | This project will take a hands-on, grassroots approach to measure milestones helping minority business owners start, maintain, and grow viable businesses. Some of those milestones include but are not limited to creating new business owners, Business retention, Workshop participation, Surveying, Newsletter open rate, Events participation, measuring economic impact, and attending all business-related programming. |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | Regardless of leadership position, our team approach regarding accountability, is that we are all responsible for all facets of our program. Accountability is a part of our organizational structure. As a part of day-to-day operation, there will be staff on-site to handle their specified tasks. Regular team-wide meetings would commit to the following: Provide continual training in subject areas to increase knowledge Task accountability using dashboard software Communicate openly and explain changes to encourage transparency Provide and encourage feedback Team building exercises to ensure strong project morale The use of tools such as social media and scheduled team reports will increase visibility and communication. Quarterly stewardship reports will show our efficiency and promote knowledge-sharing. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | Our project’s success would have a substantial impact on the community. From a profitability standpoint, the hub’s location would bring economic vitality and visibility back to the Eastgate Loop. Beyond the Eastgate area, more small business owners would assist in the overall economic impact on the city. The success of this project would mean more confident small business owners. Ultimately our presence as a trusted organization with set resources would encourage partnership and collaboration. This project would be sharing valuable information with the entire community with the hope of encouraging upward mobility. This project would serve as a business resource within the community that creates a comfortable space to ask for assistance. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | Community events A marketing campaign featuring testimonials from local entrepreneurs Identify what motivates the community. Focus on telling the truth, even when it isn't what the community wants to hear. Make sure the community understands their contribution to a project. Reaffirm goals and communicate progress throughout execution. Remain consistent. Hire Senior Management. Track and measure progress. |
| Name | Shay Mccowan |
| Contact Information | chattelite12@gmail.com |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | Our goal is to build a sustainable project that positively impacts the small business community. Our membership process will be simple and affordable. Membership features include Curated programming, free parking, workspace, wifi, keynote conversations access to meeting spaces, and free enrollment to business workshops/classes social experiences, networking opportunities, and more. Individual membership for coworking access to The Gathering Hub membership fees for individuals will be $50/monthly or $500/annually. Small Business owners' membership fees will be $150/monthly or $1,500 annually. Partnerships- Public & Private Sectors: We strive to continue our partnership with Launch Chattanooga, Colab, Urban League, City of Chattanooga, The Enterprise Center, and TSBDC. We plan to Connect with the Neighborhood Association, City Councilperson, Brainerd/ Midtown Chamber, and our neighbors. Intention to go after additional grants and or funding/ Membership fees We'll continue to seek funding opportunities locally, regionally, and nationally. We'll look to hire a grant writer to assist with ensuring we attract opportunities that benefit our business model and community. Our membership fees should allow this project to continue programming for many years to come. We intend to seek business Certification Programs that will allow the small business owners to feel confident about that business and operations. It will serve as a sense of accomplishment to individuals who have given up on starting a business or career change. During the 2020-2021 fiscal year we've accumulated 26,000 emails from the community, hosted 5 business workshops, partnered with Chattanooga Tourism to provide a live entertainment musical series, partnered with the City of Chattanooga to host a Juneteenth celebration, host our Annual Award Show which has been viewed near 10,000 times on of youtube page, celebrated black educators, celebrated grand openings for new black-owned businesses, all while addressing negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency. |