Author: jmuir

This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So, here we go with our 219th installment visiting with Matt Vick, owner of Smoky Mountain Cattle Company which raises fullblood Japanese wagyu in Maryville and sells wagyu beef direct to consumers via our online store.

Why did you choose this business? This is our way of giving back and showing our love. In my family, if you wanted to show someone you loved them, you fed them. Whether that was at my grandmothers for Sunday lunch or my great grandmother bringing a pound cake over any time she visited or my grandfather providing an annual 4th of July BBQ for the community. Now nobody wants me cooking for them, but one thing that I can do is provide the uncooked food. By running a farm, we get to provide a food source and work to improve and protect the environment we all know and love.

How did you get started? The short answer is that I grew up on a cattle farm in Alabama that raised black angus. I went on to study finance in college at Wofford College and spent the early part of my career as an entrepreneur in the insurance industry. In 2019, I had the opportunity to change professions and ended up going back to my roots. Being a farmer I am able to combine my passions for the environment, being a business owner and supporting my community.

What is your background? It took years. The first set of skills I received was animal husbandry as a youth growing up on a family cattle farm. I learned how to feed cattle, how to identify sick animals, how to assist in laboring, etc. I also learned agriculture operations: how to check cattle indexes, harvest hay, haul animals, seed fields, etc. My next set of skills came in college when I studied finance. Here I learned how to read, interpret, manage and project business finances. Lastly my most recent set of skills that I use came from running my own insurance business. I learned the in’s and out’s of being a business owner.

Who is your biggest fan or mentor? That would be my business partner and father-in-law, Coll Thomson. Out of college, Coll hired me as an insurance salesman and the training began. It really has not stopped since. A few years after being hired, we started another insurance business together and now Smoky Mountain Cattle Co. Throughout the years he has offered insights, training, experience and most importantly encouragement to be confident in my decision making.

Describe your customers. Our customers are local individuals that share a passion for locally sourced food, high-quality food and protecting our environment and agricultural community.

What are three things you wish you knew when starting out?

1. I wish that I knew more about business to consumer marketing. I spent the early part of my career in business to business marketing. I am learning that reaching the consumer can be very different.

2. I wish I knew graphic design better. There are so many ideas that we have as a business, but lack the capability to quickly create needed documents. And being able to have a designer quickly and inexpensively create them can be difficult.

3. I wish that I knew more about financial instruments that could be used in the agriculture industry

What do you enjoy most about your business? There are lots of things I enjoy. First is that I love educating the community on wagyu, agriculture and sustainability. I love providing a local and sustainable food source to the community. I love being a steward of the land. I love being around animals.

Click to view the online version of the Blount Partnership weekly newsletter for January 13, 2025.

Michelle Bishop, certified master life coach, author, and Maryville resident, is thrilled to announce a special evening of inspiration, community, and hope: the Bishop Table Gala: “Shining a Light on Hope: Choose You First.” The event will be held on Friday, January 31, 2025, at the beautiful White Star event venue in Maryville, Tennessee. All proceeds from the evening will directly benefit New Hope Children’s Advocacy Center.

• Event Details:
  •  When: Friday, January 31, 2025, 6:30 PM
    • Early VIP entry at 6:00 PM
  • Where: White Star, Maryville, TN, 133 W Broadway Ave, Maryville, TN 37801
• Tickets:
  • $50 per person, includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, one drink ticket, live music, and access to vendors. Additional drinks will be available at a cash bar.
  • $75 VIP tickets include early entry, VIP fast access lanes for all food/drinks, VIP area with pool, poker and craps
• – Attire:  Business Casual to Formal

Guests will enjoy a memorable evening featuring music, delicious cuisine, and unique local vendors, along with a brief presentation by New Hope Children’s Advocacy Center, shedding light on their vital work supporting children and families in the community.

The event will also celebrate the launch of Michelle Bishop’s new book, “Choose You First,” a compelling memoir of Michelle’s life overcoming childhood trauma, domestic violence, illness and the death of her husband. This debut book empowers readers to prioritize their well-being and embrace their authentic selves. Copies of the book will be available for purchase, with proceeds further benefiting New Hope.

“This event is a dream come true,” said Bishop. “I’ve always been passionate about supporting our community, and the work New Hope does is nothing short of life-changing. Partnering this cause with the launch of my book feels like the perfect way to give back and inspire others to prioritize their mental and emotional health.”

Ashley Fontenot, CEO of New Hope Children’s Advocacy Center, shared her enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are so grateful to Michelle for using her platform to support New Hope. Her story is one of resilience and hope, values that align perfectly with our mission to help children and families heal from trauma. This gala promises to be a meaningful event for our community, and we’re honored to be a part of it.”

Tickets and Donations:
Tickets for the Bishop Table Gala are $50 per person and can be purchased here.. Can’t attend but want to support New Hope? Donations are welcome through the New Hope website or directly at the event.

Join us on January 31st as we celebrate community, shine a light on hope, and embrace the empowering message of “Choose You First.”

About Michelle Bishop:
Michelle Bishop is a survivor of adversity—overcoming a toxic upbringing, domestic violence, the loss of her soulmate, COVID-19, body image struggles, and breast cancer. Now, she’s dedicated to inspiring others to thrive beyond survival. Michelle is a life coach and has earned her master-certified life coach certificate by the Certified Life Coach Institute. She is a blogger, writer, speaker, author and social media motivator, empowering others to transform their struggles into strength.

About New Hope Children’s Advocacy Center:
New Hope Children’s Advocacy Center is a vital resource in Blount County. It provides a safe, supportive space for children who have experienced abuse or trauma. Through counseling, advocacy, and outreach, New Hope is dedicated to helping children and families heal while striving to end abuse in our community. Learn more at blountkids.org.

Click to view the online version of the Blount Partnership weekly newsletter for January 6, 2025.

Click to view the online version of the Blount Partnership weekly newsletter for December 9, 2024.

Click to view the online version of the Blount Partnership weekly newsletter for December 2, 2024.

More than 50 Blount County small businesses elected to participate in the 15th annual Small Business Saturday on November 30 to support independent businesses. Each is offering special deals to kick off the holiday shopping season.

Small Business Saturday is set aside to highlight the importance of shopping local as $68 of every $100 spent by consumers stays in the community as compared to less than half that when shopping online.

Additionally, the Blount County Chamber of Commerce is launching a new “shop small” program which is a series of two separate shopping passports that encourage consumers to visit local establishments while earning the reward of prize incentives. 

Each visit to a participating retailer qualifies as an entry to win a gift certificate from a local business worth at least $25. Simply sign up at blountchamber.com/passport and get your passport sent directly to your phone – it’s the ticket to the very best of Blount County shopping and fabulous prizes.

A complete listing of participating Small Business Saturday participants and deals are located at www.blountchamber.com/sbs

Moreover, the Downtown Maryville Alliance is hosting the Downtown Maryville Christmas from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on November 30. The Holiday Market, presented by J. Danforth Mercantile, features over 150 local artisan booths filled with unique gifts perfect for everyone on your list. Bring the whole family while you shop and keep an eye out for candy canes on our “Candy Cane Lane” of free children’s activities along Broadway Avenue!

The festivities continue from 4-6 p.m. with the City of Maryville’s Christmas tree lighting. Vendors and Candy Cane Lane activities will continue with even more fun, including Touch-a-Truck, free cookies, and hot chocolate. End the evening as we light up the Christmas tree in the heart of downtown and mark the official start of the holiday season.