When Julie Tennyson joined the Sprocket board six years ago, she stepped into what she describes as a “rustic boiler room” filled with 3D printers, a CNC router, and a handful of tables and chairs. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a movement brimming with potential. Today, as Julie wraps up her term on the board, Sprocket stands as a vibrant hub for entrepreneurship and innovation, a testament to the power of optimism, determination, and community.
We recently sat down with Julie on the podcast to reflect on her journey, the milestones she’s witnessed, and the indelible mark she’s left on Sprocket.
From Boiler Room Beginnings to Innovation Hub
In Sprocket’s early days, the focus was on children’s educational programs and supporting budding entrepreneurs. For Julie, this was deeply personal.
“I first got involved with Sprocket when it was doing a lot of children’s educational programs,” she said. “I have two kids…and I wanted them to learn about technology and be prepared for the workforce.” Julie saw Sprocket as a place where her children could gain hands-on experience with technology, an interest her son especially shared.
As the organization grew, so did its mission. “It was a big step to go from being in a boiler room to the beautiful space that we have now. It took a lot of optimism, determination, and connection to get there,” Julie reflected.
Core Values: Optimism and Community
One of Sprocket’s driving forces, according to Julie, has always been optimism. “You first have to believe that you can do something before you actually can do it,” she shared. “If you don’t believe you can do it, you’re never going to be able to do it.”
This belief system isn’t just about overcoming challenges—it’s about fostering connections and building a support system. “When you connect with people, then you connect with all the people in their network,” Julie explained. “Every single person increases that network that you have access to.”
This sense of connection is at the heart of Sprocket’s mission. Julie pointed to the weekly Coffee Hour as a perfect example: “It’s just such a random selection of people that will show up on any given Wednesday, and someone from almost every neighborhood in Paducah shows up on a regular basis.”
Solving Problems and Supporting Entrepreneurs
Julie has made a significant impact on Sprocket’s community through her legal expertise. Over the years, she has helped countless entrepreneurs navigate challenges, from forming LLCs to understanding contracts.
“It’s so important to have good, sound legal advice,” she said. “Maybe it’s that you need a trademark to protect your brand…or just the basics of how to form an LLC.” Julie also emphasized the importance of addressing challenges one step at a time. “Sometimes it’s just taking it back to this step, to this step, to this step, instead of seeing it as a whole.”
Looking Back and Moving Forward
Julie considers the transition from the boiler room to Sprocket’s current space a defining moment. “When we went from being in a small boiler room to this beautiful space, that’s like, ‘Oh, we’ve arrived,’” she said. But she knows the work isn’t finished.
“Our next frontier is really getting more capital in this area,” Julie noted. “We’re working to build our education systems so that companies can locate here, either start up here or move here, and have a location where they can employ kids that are ready for technology jobs and the jobs of the future.”
As Julie moves forward, she remains committed to expanding Sprocket’s reach. Now serving on the board of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, she’s working to connect Sprocket with resources across the state and beyond.
Listen to the full conversation with Julie Tennyson on our podcast to hear more about her journey, her insights, and her hopes for Sprocket’s future.
Julie, thank you for six incredible years of leadership and dedication. Your optimism and problem-solving mindset have helped shape Sprocket into the thriving community it is today!