Disrupt the Continuum

Launch Tennessee

Launch Tennessee’s new podcast, Disrupt the Continuum, tells the stories of entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem builders who challenge the status quo and carve their own paths. Listen in to find out how industry leaders got where they are today. These captivating stories of innovation will motivate you to make your next big move and show you what it really takes to build your business.

  • 20 minutes 54 seconds
    Winner of the 2020 Pitch Competition Shares Her Experience as an Entrepreneur

    Amber Hayes understands that technology can create solutions to common problems, it just requires a little creativity. Amber is the CEO of SecondKeys — a holistic property management platform that's reshaping the management and maintenance process — and the winner of the 36|86 Festival's 2020 Pitch Competition. In this episode, she describes the process of building her startup from the ground up, and she explains how she's navigating the challenge of working in real estate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    26 April 2021, 1:00 pm
  • 21 minutes 4 seconds
    A Look at New Opportunities in Investment Space with Republic Director

    Cheryl Campos knows that investing in startups can be a great strategy for building wealth, but until recently, most Americans couldn't participate. As Director of Growth and Partnerships at Republic, Cheryl is working to help startups scale with equity crowdfunding. In this episode, she explains how crowd investing creates new opportunities for traditionally underfunded groups and non-accredited investors. She also provides an overview of changes that will shape the future of venture capital.

    19 April 2021, 1:00 pm
  • 28 minutes 59 seconds
    Taking Advantage of Underserved Markets with 500 Startups

    Amit Bhatti, principal at San Francisco investment firm 500 Startups, recognizes that founders who come from less traditional markets often bring a unique level of hard work and determination. Amit invests in founders around the world and manages the fund's portfolio of more than 2,000 companies. In this episode, he explains how COVID-19 has changed the world of startups and fundraising, and he discusses some of the advantages those changes could provide for founders in the Southeast.

    12 April 2021, 1:00 pm
  • 33 minutes 32 seconds
    Capital Raising Opportunities in the Southeast with Mucker Capital

    Monique Villa doesn't just dispel myths that founders in the Southeast are handicapped by lack of resources, talent, or funding, she believes they can gain significant advantages growing their startups here. Monique is an investor at Mucker Capital and a co-founder of Build in SE, where she works to help startups in the region thrive and succeed. Monique shares her perspective on the current state of opportunity in the Southeast and offers practical advice to founders who just finished raising a seed round.

    5 April 2021, 1:00 pm
  • 28 minutes 1 second
    Building a Fashion Brand in the South with SAVAS Founder

    Savannah Yarborough loves helping people tap into their creativity and individualism. As the owner and creative director of SAVAS, Savannah works closely with her clients throughout the entire process of creating custom leather jackets. In this episode, Savannah shares the inspiration behind her business, and she describes some of the unique challenges and opportunities she's encountered while building an in-demand Nashville-based fashion brand.

    29 March 2021, 1:00 pm
  • 22 minutes 46 seconds
    Leading through a Crisis with Goo Goo Cluster's Operations VP

    Laurie Spradley believes transparency is an essential aspect of leadership. As the vice president of operations and brand development at Goo Goo Cluster, her family's business, she's put that belief into practice while helping her team navigate a major and sudden change in revenue due to COVID-19. In this episode, Laurie shares some of the strategies she's used to navigate the challenges of the pandemic, and she describes some of the new experiences and offerings Goo Goo is planning to roll out this year.

    22 March 2021, 1:00 pm
  • 35 minutes 40 seconds
    The Role Systemic Racism Plays in Nashville's Healthcare History, with Marcus Whitney

    Marcus Whitney wants people to understand that Nashville's healthcare system is rooted in systemic racism. He's an entrepreneur, author and member of LaunchTN's Board of Directors, and in the summer of 2020, he wrote an essay entitled "Calling Up to Nashville's Health Care Leaders" which addressed those problems and called upon leaders to make a change. In this episode, Marcus explains why he decided to write the piece and how he's working to address the current disparities by investing in Black founders.

    15 March 2021, 1:00 pm
  • 53 minutes 16 seconds
    Integrating Wellness and Inclusion with TRILUNA Co-Founders

    Ashley Brooke James and Elizabeth Moore, co-founders of TRILUNA Wellness, want to help people access a more holistic version of wellness — instead of focusing only on fitness and dieting. In this episode, recorded at LaunchTN's 36|86 Festival 2020, Ashley and Elizabeth join guest host Kevin Roddey of Pinnacle Financial Partners to explain how they're reinventing the corporate wellness space. They also offer insight into the process of building a business with diversity and inclusion at its foundation

    8 March 2021, 2:00 pm
  • 38 minutes 40 seconds
    Establishing Tennessee as a hub of entrepreneurship

    In this special season 3 finale of Disrupt the Continuum, host Clark Buckner and Launch Tennessee interim CEO Van Tucker provide a snapshot of what makes Tennessee the ideal place to start and grow a business. They revisit conversations with each of Launch Tennessee's network partners across the state, and Van explains what's next for her organization as they work to make Tennessee the most startup-friendly place in the nation.

    24 November 2020, 1:00 pm
  • 32 minutes 15 seconds
    Sumeet Chahal on connecting veterans to the entrepreneurial ecosystem

    Sumeet Chahal, Regional Executive Director for Bunker Labs' Central Region, wants to help veterans access the massive community and resources they may not realize they have. At Bunker Labs, veterans can build a business with help from a network of other military-connected individuals. Sumeet shares some exciting stories of entrepreneurs who are overcoming the unique challenges veteran business owners often face, and he explains why Tennessee is one of the best places to start a business.

    17 November 2020, 2:00 pm
  • 35 minutes 59 seconds
    Elevating the life sciences in Tennessee

    Abby Trotter, Executive Director of Life Science Tennessee, believes the state's best opportunities for growth and economic development reside in the life sciences. In this episode, Abby — along with Life Science Tennessee's Chairman of the Board Ted Townsend — share some of the exciting progress happening in the industry, in terms of both scientific advancements and job growth for Tennesseans. They also explain how partnering with LaunchTN has created new opportunities for growth.

    10 November 2020, 2:00 pm
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