Patrick Donaldson has always been an entrepreneur at heart, going back to when he took up shop selling candy to his classmates in sixth grade. After taking the LAUNCH business classes, which Patrick says was vital to his path, he began Allasso, Inc., selling fashion accessories, including shoes and handbags.
Patrick says, “Allasso in Greek means change. I wanted to bring something to Chattanooga that was different from any other business, where the people employed and the store owner was personable and involved in the community.”
Patrick credits LAUNCH with giving him the confidence to know he could grow his business and that the classes opened his eyes to a lot of blind spots he may have missed. Now ready to go main stream with Allasso, Inc., he is set on bringing jobs and opportunity to the city.
Long before Charmane Goins was introduced to LAUNCH and the Bethlehem Center, he experienced the entrepreneurial itch. However, a 15 year prison sentence loomed over his desires to open a restaurant.
But as Charmane says, “In my 15 year sentence God did a lot of things in my life. I had a dream and a vision of being an entrepreneur and owning my own business. So I prepared myself, and when I got out, I was able to connect with some great people and great programs – The Bethlehem Center and Mr. Lurone Jennings; and Launch and Mr. Hal Bowling.”
Today, Charmane is the owner and general manager of the Bistro at the Beth – a health conscious soul-food eatery located inside the Bethlehem Center. LAUNCH worked alongside Charmane as he developed his business plan in the Business Entrepreneurship Academy and put his business ideas into action.
