Mayor’s Luncheon focuses on small business growth

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Clarksville leaders met last week at Freedom Point to discuss entrepreneurship and small business development in the community.

At the Business Luncheon hosted by Mayor Joe Pitts, Ward 2 City Councilman Vondell Richmond led a group of participants in a discussion about building a more vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in Clarksville.

Pitts shared his interest in nurturing the community’s entrepreneurial spirit and making sure government is not creating regulatory barriers to a thriving small business environment.

“We have to commit to small business success, help businesses build the capacity in terms of workforce and know-how, and then facilitate the conversation to help businesses find the capital to grow and thrive,” Pitts said.

Richmond said he receives frequent questions and comments from constituents who are concerned about the business climate in Ward 2, especially in the commercial district along Fort Campbell Boulevard.

“While other parts of Clarksville are booming, we have too many vacant storefronts and overgrown parking lots in Ward 2,” Richmond said. “People are asking me, ‘What are we going to do about it.’”

Richmond sums up his approach as “Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges.”

“We have to empower people and create a better environment for business start-ups,” Richmond said. “Part of the equation is to look for successful models and programs and put them in place here.”

With that goal in mind, Richmond introduced speakers from Co.Starters and Young Entrepreneurial Students (Y.E.S).

Co.Starters is a Chattanooga-based organization that provides programs and tools to support entrepreneurial growth in communities. Y.E.S. is a Florida-based non-profit that focuses on developing entrepreneurial communities for students, ages 12-23, who live in low-income areas.

Richmond said he will meet Aug. 5 with Mayor Pitts to plan the next steps and build momentum for promoting entrepreneurship.

“The goal is to continue building on the luncheon,” Richmond said. “We’ll be working with both City and county to grow new entrepreneurs and to help and sustain start-ups who are already here.”

Citizens interested in learning more about efforts to build Clarksville’s entrepreneurial ecosystem are invited to complete a survey. It can be accessed online or on smartphones by texting the keyword business to 43506.