Three Middle Tennessee Businesses Honored at Kickoff for National Small Business Week

NASHVILLE, April 23, 2024 – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Tennessee District Office today honored three Middle Tennessee Businesses for their commitment to excellence, entrepreneurship, and community engagement in the spirit of National Small Business Week. The celebration was hosted by the Tennessee Small Business Development Center in Nashville at the Avon Williams campus of Tennessee State University. National Small Business Week is April 28-May 4, 2024.

SBA’s National Small Business Week celebrates the passion and perseverance of small business owners who inevitably make up the heart of every community. They are the dreamers who dare to envision a better tomorrow, the innovators who bring fresh ideas to life, and the backbone of our economy. Their resilience shines as a beacon of hope, inspiring us all to pursue our ambitions with courage and determination.

The SBA Tennessee District Winners announced in Nashville include:

• Jacqueline Hayes, Crayons & Marketers, LLC – Tennessee District Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year (Nashville)  

• Naveen Sharma, Better Carabiner – Tennessee District Small Business Inventor of the Year (Murfreesboro)     

• Dean Wegner, Authentically American – Tennessee District Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year (Nashville)                

“SBA opens doors of opportunity for the doers, dreamers, and job creators like these honored today,” said SBA District Director David Glasgow. “They represent the restless, bold, and optimistic American spirit. When we invest in and support these innovators, our Main Streets thrive, our families have good-paying jobs, and the future of America’s next generation is unlimited.”

Governor Bill Lee also honored the State’s small businesses this week, proclaiming April 28-May 4, 2024 as Small Business Appreciation Week in Tennessee, saying “Small businesses are the backbone of Tennessee’s economy, comprising a significant portion of the State’s employment including nearly half of private sector workforce.”

Lee said in the proclamation that small business owners in Tennessee strengthen the State’s resilience against economic downturns and promotes sustainable economic development. The success of small businesses directly correlates with overall prosperity and well-being of local communities, creating job opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for residents, and foster a strong sense of community pride and engagement.

This year’s National Small Business Week’s theme, “Building on the Small Business Boom,” celebrates the surge in entrepreneurship and resilience of small businesses.

“Tennessee is a great place to do business in part because our entrepreneurs and small business owners have a passionate network of business development professionals available at 15 Small Business Development Centers across the State and a host of volunteer business mentors who donate their time and experience from the private sector through four SCORE chapters,” said Glasgow. “Tennessee businesses also benefit from a robust network of more than 115 private and nonprofit lenders who partner with SBA to ensure capital is available for start-up and expansion.”

Nashville-based Crayons & Marketers, LLC, celebrates its eleventh year in business this year. Owner Jacqueline Hayes said, “Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of working on meaningful projects with remarkable clients dedicated to making a positive impact on the world. As the company continues to grow, we look forward to creating more jobs and partnership opportunities with diverse suppliers to continue contributing to Tennessee’s economic growth. I am extremely honored and humbled by this recognition.”

“It all started one day in summer of 2020 during a thunder storm when one of the trees fell in our backyard,” is a great lead up to Murfreesboro-based inventor Naveen Sharma and his son’s inspiration to expand the usefulness of the basic carabiner making it a more flexible tool. “During the unprecedented year of 2020 we did not know what lies ahead,” said Sharma. “Not only did we all persevere during that challenging time, but we found growth. My son and I came up with an idea for a new product and launched it in the market.”

In 2017, Veteran Dean Wegner created Authentically American® to help bring manufacturing jobs back to America by selling premium, competitively priced, apparel that is 100 percent, “Made in USA, no exceptions.” His expertise in the apparel industry, coupled with his passion for America, provided all the incentive he needed to create a brand that aims to set the universally accepted standard for premium American made merchandise, while delivering a significant impact on US job creation and giving back to the community.

The SBA District Office for Tennessee will continue the celebration with Small Business Week events in Millington and Johnson City to announce the district’s Rural Small Business of the Year, and Small Business Person of the Year.

National Small Business Week is an annual celebration highlighting the contributions of small businesses to the economy and society. It serves as a platform to recognize the achievements of small business owners and entrepreneurs, as well as to provide support and resources to help them thrive. For more information about Small Business Week, please visit www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week.
  

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration: The U.S. Small Business Administration helps fuel the American dream of business ownership. Created by President Eisenhour in 1956, SBA is the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government. SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand, or recover. For more information on training and funding support available to help start and grow small businesses in Tennessee through the SBA and its resource partners, visit: www.sba.gov.