CO.STARTERS Holiday Gift Guide
As the holiday season picks up, we want to shine a light on the entrepreneurs who have put in the work. We are featuring 20 businesses that completed the CO.STARTERS program through theCO. As you shop for family and friends, consider supporting the starters who are building something real in our community.
theCO and Ford Philanthropy Announce Winners for ScaleUp Kitchen Program
As ScaleUp Kitchen participants have completed the program, the Taste & Tell public event, and pitched their concepts to judges, 10 food entrepreneurs won prizes ranging from $10,000 to $1,500. The first place winner is GotDough Cookies & More located in Jackson, Tennessee.
2025 ScaleUp Kitchen Participants
Powered by the Ford Philanthropy and facilitated by theCO, ScaleUp Kitchen is a business development program aimed at supporting food entrepreneurs. ScaleUp Kitchen’s programming will help entrepreneurs improve kitchen and business operations, increase profitability, and maximize sales.
Starter Stories: Music, Collaboration, Belonging with Alice Hardin
Teaching music came to Alice when she was at home with her two children, who were 1 and 6 at the time. “I was just looking for a way to get out of the house and meet other families with kids my age,” she said. “And I have always had a background in nannying. I have a background in singer-songwriting. I just kind of married the two as far as classes go.”