theCO to host free workshops for food-based businesses in West Tennessee

THECO TO HOST 14 FREE WORKSHOPS FOR FOOD-BASED BUSINESSES THIS SUMMER

Jackson, Tenn. (June 10, 2025): This summer, theCO will host 14 free workshops for food-based businesses across West Tennessee as a part of the ScaleUp Kitchen program. These workshops will cover topics from sales and marketing to finance, operations, and profitability, with each session giving you practical tools to help you grow and strengthen your business. 

The workshops are open to any food-based business in West Tennessee, even if you are not a part of the ScaleUp Kitchen program. Whether you’re just getting started or ready to scale, these workshops are for you. All the workshops will take place during June and July and feature workshop hosts who are experts in their fields. 

“Food-based businesses in West Tennessee are full of talent and heart—but they don’t always have access to the tools, training, or support to turn their business into long-term success.” Lisa Tucker, facilitator of ScaleUp Kitchen, said. “These free workshops are about more than just business skills—they’re about creating stronger, smarter food businesses that can grow, hire, and thrive right here in our own communities.” 

The workshops feature 5 different categories of topics: sales, marketing, profitability, operations and finance. During the sales workshops, participants will build a sales plan that actually works. From getting started to scaling catering and events, these workshops help food-based businesses define their audience, set real goals, and pitch with confidence. Marketing workshops will help businesses learn how to create content that sells, build a multi-channel strategy, get media-ready, and boost visibility on Google and AI platforms. 

If your best-sellers are not profitable, it might be time to rethink pricing. These workshops on profitability teach food trucks to fine dining spots how to price for both taste and margins. The operations workshops will provide tools to improve daily operations, adopt smart tech, hire the right people, and build leadership that lets you step back and scale up. Workshops on finance will help you take control of your

money. Whether you’re just getting comfortable with a P&L or ready to forecast cash flow, these workshops simplify financial systems so you can grow confidently. 

The ScaleUp Kitchen program is focused on supporting food-based businesses to scale, prepare for regional procurement opportunities and enhance access to food in the growing region around BlueOval City. To register for the workshops and see full descriptions and dates of each, visit attheco.com/scaleup. 

Thank you to Ford Philanthropy for powering this program and helping to bring these workshops to the public for free. 

About theCO
theCO is a regional innovation hub focused on building a culture of opportunity. We are a pipeline to attract and retain our next generation of community leaders with three areas of focus: Entrepreneur Support, Community Development, and Emerging Technology. To learn more about theCO, visit attheco.com.

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