How does a company thrive in a slow-moving economy?\u00a0 A company\u2019s heart and soul must reside in business development, according to Robert A. Farnsworth, President and CEO of PlayCore, a recreation and play products company headquartered in Chattanooga.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt PlayCore, we create a culture of entrepreneurial spirit.\u00a0 It is everyone\u2019s job to look for ideas,\u201d said Farnsworth, whose presentation kicked off the fifteenth annual Clarence E. Harris Entrepreneurial Forum for The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga\u2019s College of Business.<\/p>\n
[slickr-flickr tag=”EntrepreneurialForum2010″ orientation=”landscape” size=”medium” type=”slideshow”]<\/div>\n
For example, Farnsworth described a conversation he had with a representative from American Trails.\u00a0 When the national, nonprofit organization began a conversation with Farnsworth, he asked what the biggest problem was with trails in the US.\u00a0 The answer:\u00a0 kids don\u2019t use them.\u00a0 Farnsworth said that tiny tip led to PlayCore\u2019s upcoming launch, PlayTrails, a way of integrating playgrounds with trails.<\/p>\n
A business must act entrepreneurially, Farnsworth said.\u00a0 He spoke boldly of introducing new business models, distribution models and creating a financial environment that includes ways to incentivize growth.<\/p>\n
Farnsworth\u2019s resume holds a variety of experience.\u00a0 Before joining PlayCore, he said he was \u201clucky to be part of a startup business in retail, a large family business that sold dinnerware and large corporations that included GOLDTOE socks and Arrow shirts.\u201d<\/p>\n
More than 400 UTC students attended the breakfast, including Megan Hallar.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m hoping to network with the speakers and the students,\u201d Hallar said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s cool to meet other students.\u201d\u00a0 Jordan Tippit hoped he could \u201cgrab something from the speaker that sticks with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Farnsworth encouraged students to seek employment in companies with entrepreneurship experience.\u00a0 He strongly urged them to find a mentor, saying he heard his mentor\u2019s words early in his career and they\u2019ve stuck with him.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t manage the business, own the business,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
One of the entrepreneurship majors in the audience, Demario Anderson, a senior from Clarksville, said he\u2019s got a lot of entrepreneurial ideas he\u2019d like to explore.\u00a0 He wants to pursue the Master\u2019s of Business Administration degree at UTC.\u00a0 Anderson is looking ahead to a bright future with plans not only for himself, but for the community where he will live.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to create a community center to give kids something to do,\u201d Anderson said.\u00a0 \u201cIt would provide educational and recreational activities, tutoring.\u00a0 It would have a technology room.\u00a0 It\u2019s something I feel strongly about,\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n
Following the breakfast, the Entrepreneurial Forum offered panel discussions on green entrepreneurship and growing an entrepreneurial business.\u00a0 Panelists included Jonathan Bragdon, Tricycle, Inc.; Jeff Cannon, Green Spaces; Clark Luckmann, Rock\/Creek Outfitters; Chuck Pruett, Greenlife Grocery; Kris Simmons, 6 STRONG MEDIA and John Sweet, Niedlov\u2019s Breadworks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
How does a company thrive in a slow-moving economy?\u00a0 A company\u2019s heart and soul must reside in business development, according to Robert A. Farnsworth, President and CEO of PlayCore, a recreation and play products company headquartered in Chattanooga.<\/p>\n
Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_slider":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_featurette":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70,12659,57],"tags":[7197,12762,7201,7200,7199,7196,7198],"class_list":{"0":"post-4114","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-academics","7":"category-events-entertainment","8":"category-college-of-business","9":"tag-clarence-e-harris-entrepreneurial-forum","10":"tag-college-of-business","11":"tag-demario-anderson","12":"tag-jordan-tippit","13":"tag-megan-hallar","14":"tag-playcore","15":"tag-robert-a-farnsworth","16":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nPlayCore CEO kicks off entrepreneurial forum | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How does a company thrive in a slow-moving economy?\u00a0 A company\u2019s heart and soul must reside in business development, according to Robert A. 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