π βοΈ A sucker for friendship
FROM OUR SPONSORS
What's Nashville Entrepreneur Week?
Sam Butler, Founder of NEW:Β NEW was born pretty organically from a need my friend and fellow entrepreneur Nick Potts and I often found ourselves discussing: we were both constantly seeking ways to connect with, learn from, and establish professional relationships with other entrepreneurs in Nashville. Almost four years later, we now have some of the best operators, investors, and entrepreneurs in Nashville as a part of the board and planning committee. We continue to serve that original purpose -- creating ways for entrepreneurs to connect -- as NEW has since evolved and grown. We want youΒ to be a part of it this year. Read our full story here.
Click the banner at the top to learn more, and don't forget to mark your calendars for Nashville Entrepreneur Week, May 11th-13th, 2020.
These past few weeks have been really tough for all of us. I've been on our StartupNash slack just asking everyone how they are each day. It's really a confusing time to be an entrepreneur right now. I think I can help though. If you have an idea that you'd like to share, feel free to jump on our StartupNash Slack channel. I'll try to pick a dedicated time for us all to get together and pitch some amateur ideas. Maybe a virtual pitch competition could replace our lunch meetups.Β
Want to be a part of StartupNash? It's open to anyone who owns a business or who is interested in entrepreneurship, or who just has a idea they want to share in Nashville. It can be a tech startup or a brick and mortar, big giant business or single person agency. Everyone is welcome. Join here.
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My name is Byron Stithem, I have a sake brewery in Nashville called Proper Sake. It doesn't make any sense but we're rolling into our 4th year and somehow still in business...
Recent Achievement:Β
I recently received an award for being a top founder/entrepreneur from my alma mater which was wild because I'm still paying off my student loans.
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The licensing and permitting structure around the creation of alcoholic beverages is an absolute nightmare. Some continuity between categories, states, and otherwise would be an absolute game changer.
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It's a bit of a non-sequitur, but I think being a parent teaches a lot of the fundamentals around starting a business. Working while deprived of sanity, energy and time really forces you to allocate what remaining resources you have into the most effective buckets. It also helps to create a natural priority set with which to apply to scenarios both personally and professionally.
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For me, mindfulness is one of the most elusive skills to capture effectively and distribute across all aspects of life. To be able to apply clear, non-discursive attention to your mind's processes seems to be the most effective technique to problem solving and decision making. When done well it helps manage your sanity and happiness, but it is a muscle that requires constant training. I'm not always great at this...
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*Byron didn't have an immediate answer for this question, but I've followed up with him to not only answer this, but also to see how we as a community can restaurants like his during this time. Byron submitted this letter before the pandemic really hit Nashville so I'd like to update you all with a follow-up to this letter. Keep an eye out for this next week.Β
π‘ Want to help support establishments like Proper SakeΒ during this time? Here's a site that could help:Β
https://rallyforrestaurants.com/
I found it on the Visit Music City website that provides lots of resources for the COVID-19 epidemic. Please check it out if you are looking for jobs or ways you can help support your entrepreneurial neighbors.
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I'm a sucker for friendship. Any opportunity to make a new friend, especially one with similar interests is an opportunity to grow your network, industry allies and general happiness. Most importantly, solid friendships will be the safety net you need most when/if things get messy in your business
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Byron is a multi-discipline culinary professional with an eclectic collection of experience. His career has been built around an understanding of culinary science with time spent at establishments like Dinner Lab, Husk Nashville, and The Clover Club to name a few. Β In 2016, he undertook the unique challenge of starting an American SakΓ© brewery in Nashville where he counts many local and global luminaries as investors and satisfied sakΓ© drinkers.
Contact him:Β
proper_sake_co on instagram
byron@propersake.co
www.propersake.co
Being a kind neighbor is never cancelled.
Nashville Entrepreneur Week is Nashvilleβs only FREE event dedicated to bring entrepreneurs of all kinds together for a week of education, collaboration and connection. Whether you dream of starting your own business or youβve already built a successful company, NEW exists for you.
Click here to learn more about Nashville Entrepreneur Week, May 11th-13th, 2020.Β
LaunchLetter is for founders who want to share words of encouragement with other founders and CEOs. If you have meaningful experiences to share, please click the button :)Β
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Can't get enough?Β
1. Check out the relaunchedΒ Southern/alpha. If you've been looking for a place to learn more about what other local founders/entrepreneurs are doing to launch and grow their businesses, this is the place to find it.Β
2. Our local Slack,Β StartupNash, is at 181Β members!Β Please joinΒ in if you are in the Nashville area and want to pitch a startup idea, or share a weekly win with our supportive community.Β
3. We just launched a free mentor matching service for the StartupNash Slack community.Β I've gotten a lot of interest in people seeing professional mentorship, and lots of people who want to give back.Β You can participate here.Β It doesn't matter how long you've been reading these emails, if you are interested, I'd love to have you. I promise this will roll out soon!Β
LaunchLetter is a weekday newsletter from Southern/alpha, a website that featuresΒ collections of stories and resources for underestimated startupΒ communities.Β
LaunchLetter isΒ forΒ founders getting started on an idea or business. OurΒ goalΒ is to share the perspective, habits and positive messages ofΒ more experiencedΒ founders and CEOs.Β WeΒ hopeΒ you find it relatable and delightful as you getΒ focused for the day on your own goals. To the stars!
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