Entrepreneur Spotlight: Jennifer Holder
“Without the push of taking a class and the support of my classmates, I don’t know that I would have ever fully fleshed out the idea of The Chattery. Through the program, I met so many wonderful neighbors and others who all had wonderful ideas. These classes gave me the tools and resources to get started, and I’m extremely grateful for my experience through LAUNCH.”
Upon moving back to Chattanooga from Brooklyn, New York and a year abroad in New Zealand in 2012, LAUNCH entrepreneur Jennifer Holder found herself working at Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise and getting connected with one of her favorite nonprofits in town, Glass House Collective. As a nonprofit dedicated to bringing life back to Glass Street, this organization opened the doors to their flagship office to let us hold our first Business Entrepreneurship Academy classes in East Chattanooga. When Jennifer heard about the classes she signed up and the rest is history.
Initially, Jennifer intended to take the class to learn about starting another business, but she was inspired by the Brooklyn Brainery, a business that she was extremely grateful for while she lived in New York. She explains, “The inspiration for The Chattery came from the Brooklyn Brainery. Although I’m back in Chattanooga, the people who run it are just an email away and always willing to help. I continually learn from them!”
At LAUNCH, we have to admit that one of our favorite things about The Chattery is how they not only serve the Chattanooga community, but rely on it for their classes. “We pride ourselves in the fact that we are able to work with with various entrepreneurs to teach classes, as well as partner with businesses in and around the Chattanooga area to host classes. The Chattery has held classes all over town including back on Glass Street where I first began, and downtown in coffee shops, donut shops and art spaces.”
Why does she work so hard on The Chattery in addition to her full time job at CNE? Through The Chattery, Jennifer pursues her passion of making learning fun, affordable and accessible to all.
“OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO MAKE CHATTANOOGA A LEARNING COMMUNITY. WE WANT THERE TO BE A GREAT SELECTION OF CLASSES THROUGH US AND ADDITIONAL AVENUES IN CHATTANOOGA. MY PARENTS ARE BOTH PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS AND LEARNING HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT TO MY LIFE.”
So what impact did LAUNCH’s Business Entrepreneurship Academy have on her? Jennifer says “Without the push of taking a class and the support of my classmates, I don’t know that I would have ever fully fleshed out the idea of The Chattery. Through the program, I met so many wonderful neighbors and others who all had wonderful ideas. These classes gave me the tools and resources to get started, and I’m extremely grateful for my experience through LAUNCH.”
