The first step in the process of planning your business is asking yourself if your business idea is a good one. Your business idea must be one of two things: something people already want but can’t get or something you can convince them they want. Many new entrepreneurs fall in love with a concept before
READ MORENews and Blog
Client Profile: D&C Freight
Neal Clack’s retirement was in full swing when his son, Joe Dischner, pitched him a business idea – launching a freight trucking business. The idea made sense. Trucking ran in the family after all, and Neal hauled explosives for a time on one of his early assignments in the Marines. “I may be stating the
READ MORE
6 Questions, 9 Weeks: Your Plan To Start A Small Business in Tennessee
The excitement of turning your big idea into a new business can quickly become overwhelming. With everything on your plate, you may find yourself stuck in get-it-done mode at the expense of planning. If that sounds familiar, it may be time to hit pause and make a plan. Read on to see what we think
READ MORE
Client Profile: Bristol Skateway
The opening of Bristol Skateway in September 2018 was the realization of a long-held dream for the Bristol community and neighboring cities as much as for its owner-operators Gary Easmunt and partner Debbie Williams. Easmunt and Williams first learned of the property in 2016, a neglected rink that operated for four decades before it closed
READ MORE
Client Profile: Alliance Mechanical Solutions
It was a sink-or-swim moment for Alliance Mechanical Solutions (AMS) – a massive contract to construct new ships ended abruptly in early 2017 and with it jobs for most of AMS’ 200 employees. “We had concentrated our business heavily with one client and quadrupled our staff for the project. While we survived, it became clear
READ MORE
More Than A Lender: Clients Turn To Pathway Lending To Start, Grow And Succeed In Business
Pathway Lending does more than make loans. Growing and running a successful business – one that creates wealth and jobs for the surrounding community – takes more than financing; it takes know-how. That’s why we offer our clients educational and financial resources alike and place equal emphasis on delivering both. In 2018, 61 percent of
READ MORE
Client Profile: Olympus Rentals
When it comes to real estate, Devan McClish has done it all since starting in the industry nine years ago – flipping, new construction, property management, general contractor, apartments and small retail. Recently, he’s added affordable housing to the mix. The creativity and challenge involved in making affordable housing projects work – and the
READ MORE
Pathway Lending’s Multi-Family Housing Loans seek to stop the Affordable Housing Crisis in Tennessee
Families paying more than 30% of their household income on rent are considered cost-burdened. By design, affordable housing stays below that threshold by structuring financing deals to involve (typically) a mortgage, tax credits, and two or three other sources of capital. Without subsidies it’s virtually impossible for developers to build homes that are affordable to
READ MORE
The Economic Opportunity of Energy Efficiency
Growing numbers of businesses across the United States are investing in energy efficiency. These efforts mean more than just energy savings – they can generate economic opportunity as well. A recent study from the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) shows the potential large-scale impact investments in energy efficiency can have on a
READ MORE
10 Skills Improv Can Teach Entrepreneurs
1-Be Confident: Improv teaches us that confidence is extremely important. Having confidence in what you say and how it’s delivered leads the audience to the right reaction. The same goes for being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs have to believe in themselves. They have to be confident in who they are, where they’re going and how they’re
READ MORE