192 articles · free to read

Advice from people who have done it

Ten years of writing about starting and running a business in the Upper Cumberland. Written by the coaches who do this work, for the people doing it.

49 articlesStarting OutDeciding whether you have a business, and what to do first.
63 articlesGrowth & OperationsRunning the thing once it exists — people, process, premises.
14 articlesMoney & FundingCash flow, pricing, lending, and where capital comes from.
41 articlesMarketing & WebGetting found, and what people see when they find you.
22 articlesLocal StoriesBusinesses and people from around the Upper Cumberland.

lady working on laptop at modern kitchen table

Growth & OperationsJuly 27, 20267 min read

Hiring Your First Employee: How to Know You’re Really Ready

You started your business to be your own boss. So why does it feel like you now work for the busiest, most demanding person you know — yourself? If you’re reading this at 10 p.m. with a stack of invoices on one side and a to-do list you haven’t touched on the other, you already…

Tiffany Anton

Laptop displaying a stock market candlestick chart on its screen in a trading setup

Local StoriesJune 24, 20264 min read

Pricing Without Apologizing: How To Raise Rates and Keep Your Customers

Why We Apologize in the First Place Underpricing usually isn’t a math problem. It’s a confidence problem. When you’re the one doing the work, it’s hard to separate your worth from your rate. A “no” can feel personal. So you pad the conversation with disclaimers — “I know it’s a little high,” “I can probably…

Tiffany Anton

Person using a laptop with stock market charts on screen while reviewing printed graphs on a white desk

Growth & OperationsMay 25, 20269 min read

How To Know If Your Side Hustle Could Be A Real Business

A side hustle becomes a real business when eight things are in place: consistent income across multiple months, a separate business account, a one-sentence offer with a specific price, a conversation with a tax professional, a way for strangers to find and buy from you, a registered business entity, at least one sale to someone…

Tiffany Anton

Phone screen displays ChatGPT prompt 'What can I help with?' on a desk, with a blurred gear icon in the background at left.

Starting OutApril 23, 20266 min read

The 10 AI Prompts Every Entrepreneur Should Have Saved

You didn’t start a business to stare at a blank screen. But here you are — 10 p.m., trying to write a follow-up email, update your website copy, or prep for tomorrow’s pitch. Sound familiar? AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude aren’t just for big tech companies. They’re built for exactly this moment — the…

Tiffany Anton

Money & FundingMarch 28, 20264 min read

Insurance and Risk: Protecting Yourself Before Something Goes Wrong

Why risk matters in business April has been about protecting what you’re building. We’ve talked about choosing the right business structure, understanding licenses and paperwork, and thinking realistically about protecting your ideas. The final piece of that foundation is something most entrepreneurs would prefer not to think about at all. Risk. Entrepreneurs are naturally optimistic…

Luke Ramey

Starting OutMarch 23, 20265 min read

What Is The Biz Foundry’s Online Start Up Program?

What Is The Biz Foundry’s Online Start Up Program? Starting a business is exciting until the questions start stacking up. Is the idea actually good? Who is it for? How do you talk about it? What do you sell first? What do you charge? What matters right now, and what can wait? That early stage…

Tiffany Anton

Marketing & WebMarch 21, 20264 min read

Protecting Your Idea Without Becoming Paranoid

Why entrepreneurs worry about idea theft At some point in almost every startup conversation, someone leans forward and lowers their voice. “I have an idea,” they say, “but I’m worried someone might steal it.” It usually comes right after they’ve described the concept in extremely vague terms. Something like, “It’s kind of like an app……

Luke Ramey

Money & FundingMarch 14, 20264 min read

The Fear of Paperwork: Licenses, Permits, and What Actually Matters

Why paperwork feels so intimidating If March was about building the identity of your business, April is about protecting and stabilizing what you’re building. Last week we talked about choosing the right business structure. Once that decision is made, many new entrepreneurs immediately run into another obstacle that feels just as intimidating: paperwork. For some…

Luke Ramey

gavel and hammer, building and scale with homes on it.

Growth & OperationsMarch 10, 20264 min read

How to Choose the Right Business Structure in Tennessee

Why business structure matters March was about planting the seeds of your business. Branding. Messaging. Talking to customers. Figuring out if the idea actually works. April is where we start protecting what you’re building, and one of the first steps in that process is choosing the right business structure. Now I know the moment someone…

Luke Ramey

Growth & OperationsFebruary 27, 20263 min read

Competitors Are Teachers: Learning From the Market You Enter

At some point in this journey, a new entrepreneur will proudly say to me, “No one else is doing this.” They usually expect applause. Instead, I give them the blank stare of a man who has seen too many businesses die from a total lack of competition. If nobody is doing what you are doing,…

Luke Ramey

Growth & OperationsFebruary 20, 20263 min read

Finding Your Early Adopters in a Small-Town Market

Customer discovery is not just about talking to people. It is about talking to the right people. Because not everyone is ready for your idea. Some people will need five years and 14 friends convincing them before they even consider trying something new. Those are not your first customers. Your first customers are the people…

Luke Ramey

Growth & OperationsFebruary 13, 20264 min read

How to Interview Your Target Market (and What to Ask)

So you have accepted the fact that you are not your customer. That is a solid first step. Now we are moving into the part where you talk to real humans and learn what they actually care about. This is called customer discovery. Not customer guessing. Not customer assuming. Real conversations with people who might…

Luke Ramey

Money & FundingFebruary 6, 20264 min read

Business Metrics Made Simple: The Numbers That Guide Better Decisions

The Numbers Every Business Owner Should Know Most business owners can remember the early days clearly. The first sale.The first invoice sent.The first time money came in and it felt like proof: this could actually work. As the business grows, though, things get louder. Expenses stack up. Marketing promises results. Opportunities pull you in different…

Tiffany Anton

Growth & OperationsFebruary 6, 20263 min read

If You’re Not Talking to Customers, You’re Just Guessing

There is a universal truth in entrepreneurship that nobody wants to hear. You are not your customer. You might think you are. You might feel spiritually connected to them. You might even believethat everyone in the world thinks exactly like you. But unless you are planning to buy everysingle product you make… we need a…

Luke Ramey

Starting OutJanuary 30, 20265 min read

Should You Quit Your Day Job?

Every new entrepreneur eventually asks the same question. It usually sounds like this:“So… when do I quit my job?” to which I respond “should you quit your day job?” And I get it. You want to go all in. You want to burn the ships. You want that dramatic movie moment where you toss your…

Luke Ramey

Growth & OperationsJanuary 23, 20264 min read

Is Your Business Model Profitable?

Business Models Explained: How to Know if Yours Can Make Money I love enthusiasm. I love when someone sits down with me at The Biz Foundry and starts explaining their business idea like it is the next big thing. The energy is contagious. But, right after the excitement fades and we both stop imagining you…

Luke Ramey

Growth & OperationsJanuary 16, 20264 min read

Validate Your Idea Without Spending a Dime.

The Real First Step: Validate Your Idea Before You Spend a Dime You have a business idea. Maybe it hit you in the shower. Maybe it came to you while you were stuck behind a tractor on Highway 70. Either way, the excitement kicks in fast. You start imagining logos, storefronts, viral TikToks, FOX Business…

Luke Ramey

Starting-a-business-in-the-upper-cumberland

Starting OutJanuary 9, 20263 min read

Why The Upper Cumberland Is A Great Place To Start A Business

Starting a business is terrifying. There is excitement. There is risk. There is the steady hum of an existential crisis asking if you really know what you are doing. I know the feeling well. But here in the Upper Cumberland, when you start a business, it comes with some very real advantages that make the…

Privy Clear

how to fix a struggling business the biz foundry

Growth & OperationsDecember 3, 20257 min read

Strengthen Your Business Foundation

Find Your Best Next Step with The Biz Foundry Answer a few quick questions and we’ll match you with the program or event that fits you best. Start Quiz Where are you in your business journey? Just have an idea or I’m pre-launch. I’ve launched within the last 2 years. I’ve been in business 2+…

Tiffany Anton

Starting OutNovember 20, 20255 min read

A Small Business Guide to Finding Affordable Coworking and Office Spaces

How to Find Affordable Office Space for Rent as a Small Business Owner If you’re a small business owner, you don’t need an office that impresses people on Instagram. You need a coworking space or office that helps you do better work and make more money. That means a space you can actually afford, that…

Tiffany Anton

Money & FundingOctober 27, 20252 min read

From Idea to Impact: What Makes a Great Startup Pitch

You’ve got a big idea. Now it’s time to get others to believe in it, too. That’s what a pitch is, your chance to share your dream in a way that makes people say, “I want in.” Think of your pitch like building a bridge. On one side is your idea. On the other side…

Kaylin Campbell

Growth & OperationsOctober 21, 20254 min read

Branding Tips for Local Startups: Lessons from SEO Expert Mordy Oberstein

As an SEO professional and member of The Biz Foundry community, I’m always on the lookout for insights that can help local entrepreneurs and small business owners take their ventures to the next level. That’s why I was so excited to recently sit down with Mordy Oberstein, the head of SEO brand at Wix, on…

Jeremy Rivera

Local StoriesOctober 20, 20252 min read

“My Big Idea” Brings Youth Entrepreneurship Education to Fentress County Schools

Fentress County, TN, The Biz Foundry’s youth division, My Big Idea, is inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs right here in Fentress County. The program has officially launched in Allardt Elementary, South Fentress Elementary, and York Institute, bringing hands-on business education directly into the classroom. Led by Jessica Hinton, Youth Entrepreneurship Director for The Biz…

Kaylin Campbell

Local StoriesOctober 20, 20252 min read

Crossville Hosts First Annual “My Big Idea” Fall Youth Entrepreneur Fair

Event celebrates creativity, business skills, and community spirit among local youth Crossville, TN, The Biz Foundry’s My Big Idea, in collaboration with Dirty Girl Nursery and other community partners, is thrilled to announce the first annual “My Big Idea” Fall Youth Entrepreneur Fair, coming to Crossville on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Dirty Girl Nursery.…

Kaylin Campbell

Showing 24 of 192. Browse the rest by category above — start with Starting Out.