New Sponsor Takes The Forge to the Next Level

(Marion) When Alluvial Private Wealth opened its door a year ago, the founders wanted a name that would signify growth. Alluvial was chosen as a nod to mineral-rich alluvial soil from which fertile crops grow.  Now, in celebration of their first anniversary, Alluvial is investing in the Marion community with a $25,000 commitment to The Forge business classes and competition at Marion Technical College. The Forge offers education to help entrepreneurs and small businesses succeed. The competition will be known as the Alluvial Private Wealth Forge Competition. 

“When small businesses thrive, everyone in our community wins,” said Lars Olson, President of Alluvial. “We are excited to see The Forge expand and grow with additional resources.”

In the last five years, the business classes from Marion Tech and the “Shark Tank”-style competitions for seed money have sparked or grown a number of MarionMade! businesses. These including Ability Vending, Attaboys, A Taste of Memphis, the Explore-It-Torium Children’s Museum, Harding Harbor Seafood, Jordan Energy Alternative, Leading Ladies, Painless Fleet Maintenance, Presidential Cleaning Services, Sights Unseen Travel and the Sweada Mae Art Café. They have resulted in dozens of new jobs.

Lisa Bush, Assistant Vice President of Alluvial, said, “We believe in Marion. I grew up here and am raising my family here. I’m excited to invest in Marion’s future and the small businesses helping our community to thrive.”

Olson was a member of the Leadership Marion class of the Marion Area Chamber of Commerce that founded The Forge to help Marion spark more small businesses and help entrepreneurs be successful. Alluvial’s sponsorship of The Forge will enable Marion Tech to do additional promotion to recruit future entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to expand.

Past participants of the Forge and winners of the business competition are excited at this new step.

“That’s exciting! The Forge was really the starting point for us,” said Cindy Binns, founder of the Explore-It-Torium Children’s Museum and first winner of The Forge.

The free business classes from Marion Tech are open to anyone with an idea for a new business in Marion or an existing local business with 50 or fewer employees that is looking to grow.

“Alluvial’s sponsorship of the Forge will be an incredible partnership. It’s definitely a win for the Forge and those with a business idea ready to take the next step,” said Jessica Coleman, founder of Leading Ladies, now Legacy Mentoring Group, and winner of the 2019 Forge competition.

Another 2019 winner of the Forge agreed.

“The Forge has cultivated an explosion of entrepreneurship in Marion which continues to grow momentum years after inception,” said Jason Jordan, founder of Jordan Energy Alternatives and several other small businesses.

One 2018 winner of the Forge just opened her storefront next to another business sparked by The Forge, Attaboys. Sweada Mae Art Café would not be open without the Forge.

“The Forge program was instrumental in helping me build on an idea and turn it into a reality,” said Rachel McCall, owner of Sweada Mae. “The program lays out the building blocks of starting a new business and offers many opportunities for networking. This exciting new partnership between The Forge and Alluvial Private Wealth is great news for Marion County entrepreneurs! I look forward to seeing the continued progress and positive change in our community. I would encourage anyone with a business idea to sign up for The Forge.”

The 2021 winners echo McCall’s sentiment. Natalie Berger and her husband, Jeremy, signed up for The Forge together.

“I didn’t know anything about business before The Forge. I wanted to just attend and learn some basics, but then Jeremy came up with his amazing idea for the electric car charging stations a few days before the start date. I knew instantly that was the golden ticket and I wanted to be able to support his vision by soaking in all of the information I could. The Forge is the perfect beginner’s program for those who have been interested in entrepreneurship, whether you have your winning idea yet or not,” said Berger of GetWired Solutions.

“We are so grateful to Alluvial Private Wealth for believing in our community and our entrepreneurs,” said Mike Stuckey, Director of the Marion Technical College Foundation. “This is another way to plant seeds that should bear fruit in our community for generations.”

The next series of The Forge Business Classes sponsored by Alluvial Private Wealth will be held in the fall of 2022. The Alluvial Private Wealth Forge Competition will be held after the classes are complete. For more on Alluvial Private Wealth Management, go to www.alluvialprivatewealth.com. For more on The Forge, go to www.mtc.edu/the_forge/.