Anderson Center
Startup Coaches
The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation offers targeted, high-impact coaching to all entrepreneurs across UT’s campus. Our Startup Coach program (formerly the Entrepreneur-in-Residence, or EIR, program) features a team of industry experts to offer tailored guidance that precisely addresses each startup’s unique challenges. Startup Coaches interact with students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners, offering strategic advising, introductions and accountability.
Each Startup Coach has a proven track record of entrepreneurial success and a commitment to passing on their knowledge to future generations of entrepreneurs. Whether you just came up with your million-dollar idea, you need help thinking through your business development strategies or you want to make sure you’re ready to take your product to market, our team of Startup Coaches can help!
Sign up for your free one-on-one coaching session using the button below or email ACEI@utk.edu for more information.
Anderson Center
Meet The Coaches
Melissa Centers
Adjunct Lecturer, Startup Coach
Dennis P. Dougherty
Adjunct Lecturer, Startup Coach
Esteban Hernandez
Startup Coach
Mark Huber
Adjunct Faculty, Startup Coach
Jake Livesay
Adjunct Faculty, Startup Coach
Chris McAdoo
Startup Coach
Wesley Pitts
Startup Coach
Zac Slabaugh
Startup Coach
Patrick Slain
Startup Coach
Jared Smith
Startup Coach
Dan VanHoozer
Startup Coach
Chuck West
Startup Coach
Lia Winter
Startup Coach
Andria Yates
Startup Coach
David Youngblood
Startup Coach
Anderson Center
Startup Testimonials
Javonte’ Harding
N.R.M.L. Apparel
“I got involved with the Anderson Center through the Thornton Athletic Center, where I was approached to participate in SEC Start Up. They’ve been incredibly helpful in guiding me through the process, from creating my first-ever elevator pitch to providing valuable resources for producing my pitch video.”
Alexis Schnittka
Athlete Meditations
“The Anderson Center has helped me in so many ways. I think most importantly is the support that I’ve gotten from the people around me, like the Startup Coaches that I have meetings with, and the financial support [from the Graves Business Plan Competition]. All of it has helped me grow my business in ways that I had never imagined.”