By Ronald Weathersby
NASHVILLE, TN — Local and national business owners are invited to attend the National Urban League’s Small Business Matters Entrepreneurship Summit and be a part of a full day dedicated to workshops, networking, and valuable resources aimed at supporting small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs in launching, growing, and flourishing. The Summit takes place Saturday, August 1 at the Music City Center from 8 am until 5 pm.
“We are focused on assisting everyone. It’s the Small Business Matters Entrepreneurship Summit, and we are focused on a broader definition of the businesses we serve,” explained Stephanie DeVayne, NUL vice president.
When asked what size business is considered “small” by the NUL, Devine said, “So it [the size of the business] doesn’t have to be the typical government size, small business. To be honest, most of our businesses in our communities are small. That’s how they start and our goal of course is to evolve existing or start-up enterprises into multi-employer firms. So, we are open to any and all businesses that want to come. You could be a $2 million business, or you could be a startup that hasn’t started your business, and you will be welcomed at our summit.
“We have curated a diverse lineup of speakers who will lead engaging sessions filled with invaluable tips and insights that are essential for every entrepreneur on their journey to building a successful business.
We have companies coming that will talk to businesses. For example, I think we have First Horizon on-site and they will be able to talk to businesses about the type of banking products that they have available.”
DeVayne said the daylong event, “Starts with our networking breakfast at 8 o’clock. Our businesses have told us over the years that they want an opportunity to engage with each other and then we’ll have a fireside chat that is hosted by our breakfast sponsor, Bright Horizons.”
“We have three themes that we know are critical for business owners,” DeVayne continued. “One is money, how to get capital for your business. The second is management, how to better operate and run your business. What are the strategies that you need to make sure your business is sustainable? And then the third one is marketing, how to brand and promote and sell your business. And then within those three themes of money management and marketing, we bifurcated by the business stage. The reason we do this is not to stop people from going to any particular session, but because we’ve learned over the years that someone who’s starting up may not have the same needs or interest as someone who’s been in business for like seven years, right?”
Once the summit begins, there are nine sessions attendees can attend. DeVayne said that each track will have three concurrent sessions. “We have a startup track, which is zero to two years in business. We have a growth track, which is two to five years in business, and we have an accelerated track, which is five plus years.”
Attendees can take advantage of a free legal clinic staffed by three attorneys offering 15-minute consultations. There will also be assistance with trademarking. Wells Fargo, Delta Airlines and Honda will also provide sessions on management. In the afternoon Goldman Sachs and One Million Black Women will host Verizon which will present a pitch session. UPS will present a section on logo and branding and strategic marketing.
“After lunch and the afternoon sessions DeVayne said, “We’ll go back to the connection zone, and we’ll have one more hour to engage with one another. It’s a full day of what I call education, empowerment and engagement.
“We’re a conference within a conference we’re on Saturday, August 1st, but we are having a free and separate registration, so it is free to come to our conference,” explained DeVayne. All you have to do is register at our website. Our conference registration is separate from the NUL National Conference, it is free to come to our conference. All you have to do is register at our website.”
Small Business Matters Entrepreneurship Summit
Saturday, August 1, 2026 8:00am -5:00pm
MUSIC CITY CENTER
Level 3, Hall A
201 Rep. John Lewis Way S Nashville, TN 37203
This event is FREE, but advance registration is required.
