For small business owners in Middle Tennessee who are serious about growth.
The Free Small Business Community Middle Tennessee Has Been Waiting For.
Most business owners are figuring it out alone – in real time, at full cost. Ignite Tennessee was built to change that.
What Ignite Academy Is About
Learn
Real-world business education from entrepreneurs who've actually built something. No theory. No fluff. Lessons learned the hard way are shared so you don't have to.
Connect
Middle Tennessee's most driven small business owners in one room. Monthly live events, CEO interviews, and a community that pushes you forward.
Grow
Marketing, sales, operations, leadership, the complete toolkit for building a business that lasts. Taught by people who are still in the trenches.
Built on faith, earned by experience.
The community and resources I wish I had when I was starting out.
From Steve
My name is Steve Cory. Over the last 30+ years, I’ve built and sold multiple companies across a range of industries: retail, service, technology, and now digital marketing. I’ve had the wins. I’ve had the losses. I filed for bankruptcy, rebuilt from nothing, and came out the other side with the kind of clarity you can only earn the hard way.
Today, I run Cory Media Group, a digital marketing agency based in Shelbyville, Tennessee, focused on one thing: helping local businesses get found, get chosen, and grow in the age of AI search. We work with service businesses across Middle Tennessee every day, HVAC companies, contractors, attorneys, dentists, medical practices, and businesses with real roots in this community who deserve to be found by the customers already looking for them.
What I didn’t have during the hard years was a room full of people who got it. Fellow business owners who could speak honestly about the struggle, share what was actually working, and do it all with the right values at the center.
That’s exactly what Ignite is. It’s the free academy and community I wish had existed when I was starting, a place where Middle Tennessee business owners can grow together, sharpen each other, and honor God with the businesses we’ve been entrusted to build.
"Honor God with our businesses. Connect with fellow entrepreneurs. Leave better than we arrived."
Years of mistakes you don't have to make.
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Real talk. No theory. No fluff.
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Cost to attend. Forever.
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Monthly. Consistent. Always worth it.
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Real Lessons for Middle Tennessee Business Owners.
Watch Steve Cory break down the frameworks, mistakes, and strategies that help small business owners stop spinning and start growing, new videos every week.
Entrepreneurship & Community
What No One Tells Middle Tennessee Business Owners (And Why It's Costing You)
Working hard but feeling stuck? Steve Cory shares why he created Ignite Tennessee—a free community where Middle Tennessee business owners learn from each other’s wins and mistakes.
Leadership & Business Growth
Build a Better Business by Building a Better Leader | Ignite Tennessee
Stronger businesses begin with stronger leaders. Steve Cory introduces five essential areas of business growth—leadership, market, marketing, people, and systems—to help you build a business that serves your life.
Learn Faster. Grow Smarter. Skip the Guesswork.
Read the summary. Listen to the audio. Free with verified email.
In business, the most valuable currency isn't money.
In investing, there’s a concept called OPM — Other People’s Money.
In business, there’s something even more valuable: OPM — Other People’s Mistakes.
Learning from someone who’s already made the mistake can save you years of frustration and thousands of dollars. That’s the spirit Ignite was built on.
Ignite In Action
See the energy, collaboration, and inspiration that happen when entrepreneurs come together.
A Community of Entrepreneurs Learning Together
This is where ideas start turning into real opportunities. At Ignite events, entrepreneurs gather to learn practical strategies, gain insights from experienced leaders, and explore new possibilities for their businesses.
The room is filled with people who are done figuring it out alone.
Real Conversations. Real Connections.
Ignite is more than just presentations—it’s about meaningful conversations and building relationships with people who understand the entrepreneurial journey.
Founders, operators, and business owners connect, share what’s working, and hold each other accountable to building something bigger.
In business, the most valuable currency isn't money.
It's a free business community founded by Steve Cory for entrepreneurs and small business owners across Shelbyville and Middle Tennessee. It offers practical education, networking, and mentorship ,no fluff, just real experience.
Yes, completely free. You get access to monthly live events, a Facebook community, a free resource library and weekly YouTube content at no cost.
Marketing (including AI marketing and local SEO), sales, operations, and leadership taught by real entrepreneurs, not theorists.
Start by joining the free Ignite Tennessee Facebook Group. Event details, updates, and community discussions are shared there.
Steve Cory, a Shelbyville entrepreneur with 30+ years of business experience, founded it. It stands out for its faith-driven values and "no theory, real talk" approach.
Free Facebook Community
Stop figuring it out alone.
Join the Ignite Tennessee Facebook Group, where Middle Tennessee business owners connect, share what’s working, and keep the learning going all month long.