Ashanti Was Eating Nachos and Pitching Her Bakery
She had maybe two minutes between investor rotations. Enough time to refuel, check her notes, and get ready to explain why Ashantii’s Bakery was going to have ten locations across North America. Toronto. New York. Florida. She had the markets mapped. Her target customer: urban, diverse, 25 to 40, household income around $60,000. Her signature item: Puff Puff (think beignets or Munchkins for those who speak Dunkin’).
This was the third annual Shark Tank at Johnson Alternative Learning Center, a school on 2nd Avenue in Nashville.
About 130 students a year attend — kids dealing with adverse circumstances that brought them here. Most stay around six months.
Before the event, Dr. Brewer took us on a tour. Podcast studio — fully built out, student-led, student-directed, on Spotify and YouTube. Music equipment on the stage in what used to be the gymnasium.
“We are the only alternative center that has a full-on podcast studio,” she said.
Then, almost as an aside: students produced a documentary last year. It’s nominated for an Emmy.
She handed us scorecards and fake checks — up to $50,000 each. About six community members from organizations including PENCIL and UpRise Nashville were there as investors. The format: walk table to table, ask questions, decide how much to invest.
“You have unlimited funds,” she told us.
Then we went downstairs to the cafeteria.
When we walked in, “Money” by Pink Floyd was playing.
Other students were eating lunch while the contestants stood by their display boards.
Kevin came in planning to pitch Planet Fitness because he just started at Johnson and wanted to participate. I asked what his business was. He thought for a second.
What he actually wanted was an outdoor gym with childcare where parents could bring their kids. A gym designed for families — equipment, group classes, competitions to keep members coming back. He knew his competitors—he was going up against Eduardo’s GoHard Fitness concept two tables over.
He didn’t have a name yet. We worked on that together.
By the next rotation he was pitching Kev Krunch. Location strategy. Target customer.
I was his first investor. I wrote him a check for $50,000.
Fake money. Real pitch.
Next up, Austan built SwiftMove inspired by the time he and his mom moved houses.
Their stuff got delayed. They had no idea where it was or when it would show up. SwiftMove solves that — tech-enabled tracking so you know where your things are during a move. Austan’s detailed pitch covered everything from environmental impact to box truck leasing versus owning. He came in second.
Eight students presented that morning. Businesses ranged from fitness to food to moving services. Sport coats over school uniforms. Slides. Revenue projections. Answers — sometimes uncertain ones, but thoughtful answers.
At the end, Ashanti held up a stack of checks from multiple investors and grinned like someone who already knew how this was going to go.
She was right. Ashanti received the most investment and won a real $50 gift card.
I heard about the Shark Tank because Dr. Brewer emailed the EC looking for volunteer Sharks. It took 75 minutes. As Dr. Brewer said after: “They loved the experience of talking to you.”
There are more opportunities like this. PENCIL connects Nashville’s business community to Metro schools — and right now they have an urgent ask.
Every Metro school needs volunteer test proctors by law. Testing runs April 13 through early May. On April 2nd, PENCIL is hosting a Proctor Party — virtual and in-person sessions every hour from 8am to 5pm. One hour. Get matched with a school.
One volunteer wins a round-trip Southwest Airlines ticket after testing season ends.
Sign up at pencil615.org. Questions? Contact Alayna Cate at acate@pencil615.org.
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