“Help Me Help You” (HMHU), Tusculum College’s successful business program for small business owners and entrepreneurs held its first session of its spring semester course on Thursday, January 19, at the Brotherton Boardroom on the college’s main campus.
With a total of 12 participants and eight monitors, this 10-week course aims to achieve a mutual learning between students and small business owners that has the full support of the Tusculum College administration, the School of Business, the Center for Civic Advancement, the Bonner Leaders program, and the Office of Institutional Advancement. In addition, it has garnered the support of the Greene County Partnership, as well as the financial support of Atmos Energy Corporation and local business leaders Scott Niswonger and Tom Ferguson.
The overwhelming support the program has received in Greeneville in addition to its innovative concept of providing benefits for all stakeholders has helped HMHU excel in its first year of implementation and has attracted a diverse group of small businesses to its second offering, according to Luis Zamora, co-founder, director of global operations, and Tusculum College HMHU program coordinator.
Zamora said, “The reception and excitement that this course has generated both inside and outside the college has just been amazing. From participants, to students, to faculty and community members, everyone seems very happy and excited about what has occurred so far, as well as about our plans of expanding our operations in the future. But as of right now, our main focus are the 10 amazing businesses we are working with, for all of which we have incredible high hopes and expectations.”
Regarding the spring semester course, Zamora said he was very happy with the results of the first session.
“I have been privileged with the amazing quality of monitors we currently have, and I am also extremely excited after hearing about the great diverse, yet incredibly promising, businesses we will be working with throughout this spring semester. I would also like to give a special thanks to Eric and Lynette Price, owners of Creamy Cup and fall semester participants, for coming and sharing their experience with this new group of entrepreneurs.”
The list of businesses and participants of the course include Sam Gajardo, who operates an art gallery, custom canvas art, licensed tattoo and body piercing studio, Tintura Visual Concepts; Ann Gaut, owner of the 30-year established business Ann’s GreeneHaus; Lilly Gonzalez and Daniel Velez, owners of ASafeHarborHome and the thrift store Charity Treasures, which is a non-profit that is committed to stopping domestic violence in the eight upper northeast counties of Tennessee; Christopher Gose, owner of Heritage Trail Models, a start-up model supplier of historically accurate replicas to scale, serving the national hobby, collectable and museum industries;
Amanda Hope, owner of Grann’s Gourmet Apples, a three-time recipient of the Chef’s Choice and People’s Choice awards in both Greeneville and Morristown for her delicious variety of gourmet apples and confections such as gourmet pretzel rods, marshmallow sticks and cheesecake stuffed strawberries; Kimberly “Kritter” Malone and Kim Wilhoit, owners of Signs Plus, Inc., a local shop that creates and designs logos, artwork, and illuminated signs;
Danielle Wilhoit, owner of D’s Special Tees, a local shop focused on custom embroidery on various items such as hats, shirts, blankets, coats and more; William Onkst, partner at Azimuth Engineering, Inc., a consulting company for civil engineering design, utilities, site plans, drainage plans, permits, and other construction projects, as well as land surveying, construction staking and real estate sales;
Wanda Rahm, co-owner of Neighborhood Arts Cooperative (NACO), a start-up non-profit arts outreach that is looking to transform individual lives as well as revitalize downtown Greeneville, and Sam Riley, who is a realtor for Accurate Realty, Inc. and an active member in the community. In his position, he works to meet the needs of buyers and sellers of homes, vacant lands, as well as commercial and agricultural properties.
Applications for the 2012 fall semester course will be open on an ongoing basis, with higher priority given to those businesses that make early application. Registration and additional information are available by calling 423-636-7304 or by emailing lzamora@HMHU.org.
Participants in the spring semester Help Me Help You entrepreneurial course at Tusculum College began classes on Thursday, January 19. Pictured are the participants, former participants and HMHU student participants. Back row from left are: Jordan Ottinger, Lynette Price, Eric Price, Paul Bergvin, Andy Goellner and Luis Zamora. Middle row from left are Steven Hollingshead, Sam Riley, Wanda Rahm, Christopher Gose and Matthew McKeever. Front row are David Talley, Amanda Hope, Lilly Gonzalez, Daniel Velez, William Onkst, Danielle Wilhoit, Kritter Malone and Kim Wilhoit. Also participating, but not pictured are Sam Gajardo, Ann Gaut and Sam Underwood.