2008 Rising Star Award

Tennessee Small Business Development Centers (TSBDC) bestows 2008 Rising Star Award to Denise Reed and her company The Concierge Level, LLC; which later became the trademark The Concierge Office Suites. The Concierge Office Suites is Chattanooga’s premier full-service office business center, since 1995. President, Denise Reed, first came to the TSBDC in June of 2006 for a business review. The Concierge Level was purchased in October of the same year.

The Concierge Office Suites offers a unique combination of full-service support for private office rental clients and virtual offices for businesses that need professional positioning, a prestigious downtown street address with access to all kinds of a la carte business services.

In less than a year and a half Reed exceeded her five-year projections. Her client base doubled in less than one year and a half, while monthly sales increased by 30%. The biggest challenge when purchasing the business was start-up funding. According to her TSBDC counselor, Reed was able to use creative financing to overcome many obstacles that would have stopped most entrepreneurs. She had worked in the business since 1999. Her experience was endorsed by angel investors and owner financing.

The TSBDC has given Reed a shoulder to lean on with consulting for her business bookkeeping, accounting advice and great training opportunities. She is also plans to utilize the services of the TBDC in the future to establish pricing structures for new services. “If every new business would start with the TSBDC, they would be a step ahead,” Reed says.