Celebrating Local Innovation: TVFCU’s Idea Leap Grant Chattanooga Pitch Competition Winners

In a city brimming with entrepreneurial spirit, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union’s (TVFCU) annual Idea Leap Grant program connects local business owners with funding to propel their businesses forward. This year, the competition reached new heights, recognizing outstanding businesses that exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit with creativity, resilience, and community involvement.

TVFCU’s journey with the Idea Leap Grant began after two successful years of connecting businesses with funding through its Idea Leap Loan program. The loan program was started to fill a void in the community for start-up and early-stage businesses. With loans between $2,500 and $50,000, TVFCU issued funding to businesses while many other financial institutions deemed these amounts too small or too risky. Two years into the loan program, proceeds from the loans were reinvested to create a grant program.

In its debut year, the Idea Leap Grant program awarded $52,500 to several deserving local businesses, with the Chattanooga School of Language taking home the top prize of $20,000. This grant provided the boost needed for these businesses to thrive, paving the way for future success stories.

As the program grew, so did its impact. By 2022, in celebration of its fifth anniversary, TVFCU awarded its largest grant to date—a $50,000 prize to Be Caffeinated, a Chattanooga-based drive-through coffee business. This milestone underscored the credit union’s commitment to fostering local innovation and supporting entrepreneurial dreams.

In 2023, TVFCU took another significant step by expanding the Idea Leap Grant program to include separate competitions in the Chattanooga, Ocoee, and Northwest Georgia regions. This expansion ensured that more local businesses could benefit from the program, amplifying its impact across the credit union’s 17-county service area. This year, TVFCU awarded $225,000 in grants to 15 businesses across the three regions.

Spotlight on Chattanooga’s 2024 Idea Leap Grant Winners

This year’s Chattanooga Idea Leap Grant Pitch Night brought together five innovative local businesses, each showcasing their unique visions in a 5-minute “Shark Tank”-style pitch to a panel of seven volunteer judges.

Southern Soul Yoga: This wellness haven offers a serene and inclusive place for yoga and Pilates enthusiasts to connect mind, body, and soul. Southern Soul Yoga plans to use the $30,000 grant award to build out a state-of-the-art fitness training facility at its St. Elmo location, which will enable the business to cut its training costs and increase revenue. For Jenna Wright, co-owner of Southern Soul Yoga, being a representative for the underrepresented has always been her inspiration. “I believe one of the fastest ways to evoke change is to have a business full of representation. Nearly 94% of yoga and Pilates studio owners and practitioners are Caucasian women. We are proud that over 50% of our staff identify as a minority. People will always choose us because they see themselves in us,” said Wright.

Renew Exterior Services: A veteran-owned business specializing in exterior home services, this company is dedicated to improving the aesthetic and functional quality of homes through exterior washing, gutter cleaning, and holiday lighting installation. The company initially started with the cleaning side and quickly evolved to include holiday lighting, which now generates 90% of the company’s profit. Brandon Beavers, owner of Renew Exterior Services, said that in 2023, the company installed over seven miles of holiday lights. The second place $15,000 Idea Leap Grant will allow Renew to pre-order additional holiday lighting ahead of this year’s busy season. According to Beavers, he projects that the materials he plans to purchase with the grant funds will generate roughly $125,000 of revenue. “TVFCU has helped me grow since day one. I have had coaching through the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC), and I have invested in courses in bookkeeping, systems, hiring, culture, and more. I do everything I can to learn more; I have grown from just myself to a team of seven in two years. We have a vision, and my team is clear on that vision,” said Beavers.

Creekside Flower Farm: Bringing beauty to the community, Creekside Flower Farm cultivates vibrant, locally grown flowers. Through on-farm experiences and education, they aim to cultivate affection for the land, encouraging visitors to build a relationship with their own plots of soil. “Chattanooga is a robust entrepreneurial hub thanks to the many small business owners who pour their lives into this place,” said Morgan Sharpe, owner and operator of Creekside Flower Farm. Currently, the farm provides locally grown cut flowers to florists from late March through mid-October. With the $10,000 Idea Leap Grant funds, Sharpe plans to expand electricity to the rear portion of her farmland, enabling Creekside to increase its capacity and produce flowers year-round.

Divine Purity Aurapothecary: This unique business blends the art of apothecary with holistic wellness, offering products that nurture both body and spirit. Divine Purity Aurapothecary specializes in handcrafting toxic-free body care and home fragrance products. Cassandra Tucker, owner of Divine Purity, says that what sets her business apart is her team’s commitment to using natural ingredients that are “good for you, without any harmful stuff.” Tucker goes on to say, “We genuinely care about making products that are safe for families, and being environmentally friendly is a big part of our mission. We make our products in small batches, making each one truly special.” Tucker plans to use the $10,000 Idea Leap Grant funds to assist in opening a small refill store at the front of her facility, which will enable customers to bring in packaging to refill with their favorite Divine Purity Aurapothecary products.

Humanitees Print & Design: A creative powerhouse, Humanitees specializes in custom print and design services that capture the essence of personal and business brands. Humanitees Print & Design offers screen printing, embroidery, direct-to-garment printing, vinyl apparel decoration, graphic and web design, brand creation, and cut-and-sew services. Antonio Hickman, owner and master printer, finds purpose in teaching and training the next generation of artists and printmakers. He hosts classes at his shop and enjoys fostering creativity in students and customers alike. “The biggest reward we get is seeing someone come in with an idea they have been sitting on for years and helping bring that to fruition in a tangible way. Our motto here is ‘From idea to reality,’ and being able to do that day in and day out brings us so much gratitude,” said Hickman. Humanitees Print & Design plans to use the $10,000 Idea Leap Grant funds to create a safer, more accommodating, and comfortable studio space for both kids and adults to enjoy classes and workshops. TVFCU’s Idea Leap Grant is more than just financial support for small and early-stage businesses—it’s a celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit that defines our community. By investing in local businesses, TVFCU helps to nurture the dreams of business owners, creating a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond the grant. For more information on Idea Leap, please visit tvfcu.com/business/idea-leap.