Tennessee Small Business Development Centers - State Lead Center

Ward's Custom Meat Processing LLC has long been a trusted provider of custom meat processing services for families and farmers in and around Madisonville, Tennessee.

Owner Ronald Ward built his experience over many years working on and off with the previous operation before leasing the facility in 2018 and continuing the business under its new name.

In 2025, an opportunity emerged to purchase the property, a critical step for the family-run business. But after encountering challenges in identifying financing for the purchase, the Ward family worked closely with TSBDC Cleveland consultant Walt Bowman.

Walt was able to connect them with a local bank, help them prepare loan applications and supporting documentation, provide guidance on entity establishment, and more!

Looking ahead, Ronald and his wife Linda are focused on expanding the business while maintaining the quality reputation they have worked to establish, with the goal of ensuring the next generation of their family can continue serving local families and farmers.

Reflecting on the experience, Ronald Ward shared, “We could not have purchased this place without the help of Walt. The assistance we received allowed us to realize our dream of securing this business for the family.”

We're honored to have played a part in making that dream a reality. Congratulations to the Ward family and team! 🙌

U.S. Small Business Administration has officially launched the Freedom 250 Small Business Pledge. Small business owners who sign the pledge will receive an official certificate from the SBA recognizing their commitment to American free enterprise, their local communities, and the entrepreneurial spirit that has defined this country since 1776.

Learn more: https://www.sba.gov/freedom250

We're not here to push you to use AI (or to push you away from it), but if you're curious about how to use it well, we've got a new blog post that lays out a practical framework for using AI as an assistant while keeping your judgment at the center.

Read the full post: https://tsbdc.org/ai-for-small-business-start-small-stay-practical-review-everything/

Written by David Wells (Small Business Specialist with Tennessee Small Business Development Center at SWTCC).

AI for Small Business: Start Small, Stay Practical, Review Everything - Tennessee Small Business Development Center AI for Small Business: Start Small, Stay Practical, Review Everything Business Growth, Start-ups When I taught my first Introduction to AI workshop last year, I asked, “Who is using AI?” Almost no one raised their hand. Three months later, in an AI marketing workshop, nearly everyone raised thei...