NCVC Launches Second Cohort of Small Business Accelerator Program
“Music City Chart Climbers” Helps Nashville Businesses Tap Into the Hospitality Industry; Program Presented by Amazon.
NASHVILLE – The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp’s second cohort for Music City Chart Climbers presented by Amazon includes 15 small businesses from a variety of sectors, including retail, food and beverage, and service providers, who are learning how to better connect to opportunities in the hospitality industry.
“The success of the first year of Music City Chart Climbers showed the tremendous potential of more deeply engaging small cultural businesses in our community to connect with the hospitality industry and enhance visitors’ experiences,” said Marcus Whitney, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Founding Partner of Jumpstart Health Investors (JHI). “These neighborhood ‘hidden gems’ add depth and help us more authentically market Nashville’s cultural assets to visitors. We are grateful to have Amazon’s continued partnership with Music City Chart Climbers.”
Music City Chart Climbers offers complimentary NCVC membership, education and networking opportunities during the eight-month program to small, minority-owned hospitality-focused businesses. Through August 2026 they will attend monthly four-hour sessions on hospitality, sales, marketing, PR/social media, HR, finance, and entrepreneurship. Graduates will receive a monetary gift to invest in their business, along with one free year of NCVC membership and a reduced-price membership for a second year.
“Music City Chart Climbers helps local businesses better understand our industry, engage more fully, and tap into the many opportunities created by meetings, conventions and leisure travel,” said Deana Ivey, President and CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “Our visitors, clients and members have already experienced firsthand the goods and services from first-year participants, from locally made products to catering services and a range of offerings that showcase the creativity and quality of Nashville’s small businesses.”
This year’s cohort includes the following small businesses:
- Melody Pinkard, Store and Snore
- Jonathan and Chris Oye, Oye Coffee Co.
- Cicely Wilson, SOCIALsitters 615
- Jason Eskridge, Music City Sandwich Company
- Damien Horne, Disco Bros
- Jessica McMillan and Simone Gonzalez, TNT Goods
- Camilo Patino, Sausfries LLC
- Leia Avery, Just Play Entertainment
- ChiQuita Kirby-Green, Sweet Ruby’s
- Tyrone Coleman and Karen Briscoe, Groovy Print Strokes
- Kimberly Adams and Paige Jack, Immersive Events
- Valencia Wicker, The Vibrance Agency
- Harmony Hensley, Barney’s Sweet Shop
- Gary Whitlow, The G2 Experience
- Quinta Martin, Quinta Martin Consulting
“Amazon is proud to sponsor Music City Chart Climbers, reinforcing our commitment to Nashville’s economic growth,” said Courtney Ross, Senior Manager of Community Engagement for Amazon. “The hospitality industry is essential to Nashville’s success, and this program will create meaningful pathways for local businesses to take part in and benefit from this thriving sector.”
The hospitality industry is one of Nashville’s largest economic drivers, supporting 73,500 jobs and generating $11.2 billion in direct visitor spending. Tourism also delivers $1.16 billion in tax revenue each year to support critical public services, including education, roads and public safety. On average, visitors spend $30.7 million a day in Nashville, saving each local household $3,678 annually in taxes.
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media @VisitMusicCity.
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