About

An in-person, hands-on experience designed for early-stage founders, small business owners, and regional innovators to translate their ideas into resilient ventures using the principles of Rural Frontier Entrepreneurship.

Course Details

• Format: Live, in-person at the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma, TN
• Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
• Time: 8 a.m. until noon (CT)
• Instructors: Shelley Sarmiento and Dr. Payson Johnston
• Cost: Free, but preregistration is required
• Snacks: Light snacks will be provided by the UTSI Cafeteria.

To Register

Please contact:

Meghan Morris

Outreach Coordinator

Email: mmorris@utsi.edu

Phone: 931-393-7213

Deadline

The deadline to register is Monday, September 7, 2026.

Course Description

This boot camp introduces the core frameworks of Rural Frontier Entrepreneurship, making business modernization, digital integration, and pre-seed strategies accessible and immediately useful for rural founders. Participants will learn how to leverage local community assets, generational trust, and traditional economic strengths while blending them with modern technological efficiencies and scalable growth models.

Key Learning Objectives & Highlights:

Participants will explore the fundamental components of rural venture creation and learn how to apply these concepts to improve enterprise performance. You will learn how to:

• Master Ecosystem Navigation: Explain the purpose and benefits of leveraging local relational networks and community trust structures.
• Integrate Modern Technologies: Implement frontier tech, automation, and digital tools into traditional business models without disrupting established value.
• Interpret Strategic Requirements: Analyze market gaps, venture scalability, and sustainable growth practices tailored to non-urban markets.
• Apply Practical Funding Strategies: Execute pre-seed funding preparation and pitch fundamentals through hands-on exercises.

About the Instructors

Shelley Sarmiento is a seasoned retail executive and co-founder of White House Black Market. Beyond her corporate success, she launched an innovative traveling fashion retail concept, shared her expertise as an instructor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and managed The Nest spirit shop at the University of Tennessee Southern. Drawing on this extensive commercial background, she now co-founded the NOVA Entrepreneur Center, where she champions Rural Frontier Entrepreneurship across Southern Middle Tennessee. Dr. Payson Johnston is an accomplished technology entrepreneur and educator. Following a robust corporate career at Cisco, he founded and successfully scaled the Silicon Valley fintech enterprise Crowdz. He currently teaches at Vanderbilt University. Bringing his global business experience and innovation expertise to the region, he serves as a co-founder of the NOVA Entrepreneur Center, dedicated to driving economic advancement and rural