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The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development is launching a new program, the Restaurant Resilience Accelerator, today, April 4, in partnership with Proof Incubator. The 8-week program offers support for entrepreneurs in the food-service industry, from restaurants to food trucks to caterers.

“Our local restaurants and food service sector plays an important role in our economy, and this training program is designed to help grow and strengthen these businesses,” said Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation Executive Director, Winston Brooks.

The program provides the tools and resources to help entrepreneurs adjust to the ripple effects of today’s economic climate and other industry challenges, as well as customers’ changing needs and expectations.

The curriculum covers major business areas such as food costing, employee management, marketing, funding, and more. In addition to the program curriculum, participants will have access to experienced industry professionals from Proof Incubator’s network who will provide coaching from a wide range of business specializations.

“We’re very excited about this partnership with Retail Strategies and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development,” said Mike Robinson, CEO and co-founder of Proof Incubator. “The food and beverage culture in Tullahoma is rich in growth potential and we look forward to working side by side with these businesses to increase profitability, refine their operating models, and better connect with customers to make their plans for growth a reality.”

The TDEDC is partnering with Proof Incubator to provide concrete and easy-to-follow strategies to promote growth, create dynamic teams, better connect with customers, and achieve their goals, in order to help entrepreneurs combat rising food costs and changes in the labor force.

The access to resources, tools, and funding paths paired with access to industry expertise and connections, are key ingredients for shared success for the small business community.

Interested restaurant owners and operators can learn more about the program and submit an application at proofincubator.com/tullahoma. All accepted applicants will be able to participate for free. Applications must be submitted by April 18, 2023.

Proof partners with ecosystem stakeholders to cultivate diverse and dynamic food and beverage scenes in their communities and empower their entrepreneurs to build better businesses. Proof offers many programs ranging from Restaurant Accelerators to Consumer Goods programs, workshops, and webinars. To find out how you can collaborate with Proof to support businesses in your local business ecosystem, visit www.proofincubator.com/engage.