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Southwest’s Entrepreneurship Day celebrates local businesses in Memphis

By Business and Legal Studies Staff

(L-R) Alfred Washington, CEO of Top Notch Security; Frank Briggs, program director of Gateway Learning Academy; NaShawn Branch, executive director of TSBDC; and Dr. Tarcia Gilliam-Parrish, founding partner of The Power of Engagement at the Spark the Dream Entrepreneurship Day Feb. 21.
(L-R) Alfred Washington, CEO of Top Notch Security; Frank
Briggs, program director of Gateway Learning Academy;
NaShawn Branch, executive director of TSBDC; and Dr. Tarcia
Gilliam-Parrish, founding partner of The Power of Engagement
at the Spark the Dream Entrepreneurship Day Feb. 21, 2023. 

Southwest's Business and Legal Studies and Tennessee Small Business and Development Center (TSBDC) welcomed nearly 100 students from Cordova High School, Memphis Business Academy, Mitchell High School, Martin Luther King Jr. College Preparatory High School, and Southwest students to Entrepreneurship Day held at the college's Farris Auditorium Feb. 21, 2023.

“The Business and Legal Studies Department of Southwest Tennessee Community College is a connector for local practitioners, local high schools, and Southwest students who share a passion for business and entrepreneurship,” said Professor of Business and Legal Studies Dr. Joan McGrory. “Entrepreneurship Day was inspirational and successful for connecting business-minded people with the resources and knowledge to grow their careers and businesses in our local community.”

After opening remarks by McGrory, Entrepreneurship Day began with an overview of free services for local businesses presented by the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) at Southwest Executive Director Dr. NaShawn Branch.

Session one introduced a team of 10 presenters from ABB, a multinational corporation and electrification products company based in Memphis, Tenn. They described their unique roles in the company’s global operations and then challenged the students in a dynamic question-and-answer session. Students learned about career opportunities at ABB and how education and job skills can create an opportunity for advancement in its growing industry.

Session two presented the Spark the Dream panel of entrepreneurs moderated by Branch in a modern gameshow host style that excited and engaged the audience. The board of local entrepreneurs included Alfred Washington, CEO of Top Notch Security, Mrs. Frank Briggs, program director of Gateway Learning Academy, and Dr. Tarcia Gilliam-Parrish, founding partner of The Power of Engagement, who shared their experiences of starting and growing successful businesses that benefit the Memphis community. They discussed how they are meeting marketplace needs, navigating the challenges and risks of business ownership and generational wealth-building. 

According to Branch, “Entrepreneurship Day was a significant and worthy endeavor offered by Southwest because it enabled students and other community members to critically think about the problems in their community and consider entrepreneurship as an economical solution to further their lives and the lives of their families. Southwest and the TSBDC proudly serve as a connectivity hub in our community.”