Seminar shares Town process for business startups
Potential business owners and those looking to expand a business, and others interested in how to get a business started in Town of Farragut attended the Town’s first Business Start-Up Seminar, which took place in Farragut Community Center, Wednesday morning, Oct. 20.
Trevor Hobbs, assistant to the Town administrator, and other Town representatives talked attendees through the process, from codes to street signs, during the seminar.
“It does seem like a lot of rules,” said Maria Rayas, administrative assistant in Farragut Community Development. “We don’t expect everyone to have a professional submit plans for them.”
Hobbs said the Town is available to help people through the regulations, emphasizing they need to stay in communication with Town officials and provide accurate contact information so the Town can keep them aware.
“We’re in the process of doing a build-out, and (the seminar) answered a lot of my questions about the process; and since we’re new to the area, we were able to meet a lot of the community leaders we haven’t met before,” said Lisa Atkinson, co-owner/consultant of Zelvin Security in Renaissance | Farragut.
“I work for a mortgage firm,” said Ashley Quesenberry, loan officer with Movement Mortgage in Knoxville. “I came just to get more familiar with the process. A lot of my clients are moving into the area and are thinking of opening a business or relocating here from other places.
“It helps to know what is going on in the community,” she added.
“It’s good information,” Mountain Escapes Magazine owner Terry Patterson said about the seminar. “ … A lot of people are asking.”
“I work for Insurance Office of America,” C.J Stevens said. “I’m trying to build a book of businesses and ultimately get a brick-and-mortar business and be an employer.
“I am here to be more proactive in possibly putting a brick-and-mortar in the Farragut area,” she added.
As part of the seminar, attendees received a copy of the Town’s Business Development Guide, a pamphlet describing the Town’s processes and procedures, from submitting a business license to submitting building plans.
“The pamphlet is huge,” Stevens said. “Knowing the regulations, fees and application processes that is necessary.”
Additionally, a panel of real estate professionals – John Haney, agent with NAI Koella | RM Moore real estate firm; Bethany Marinac, Realtor with Exit Realty; and Darryl Whitehead, general manager of The Pinnacle at Turkey Creek – were on hand to provide advice and answer questions about finding real estate in Farragut. Cliff Caudill, a volunteer mentor with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), which is part of Small Business Administration, and Julie Blaylock, president/CEO of Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce, offered advice as well.
