A Murfreesboro business is the recipient of a special award to receive a “Tech Makeover.”

Paris Love Productivity Institute, LLC will receive computer equipment and Internet, Voice and Cybersecurity services, as part of an award geared towards a total of 17 black-owned businesses in Tennessee.

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) on Monday announced the first round of Comcast RISE award recipients —over 700 businesses will receive consulting, media and creative production services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, or technology upgrades from Comcast Business, based on the specific needs. This includes 17 small businesses in Tennessee, from restaurants and salons to professional services and retail shops.

Monday, the next phase of Comcast RISE, the multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in October to help strengthen small businesses hard hit by COVID-19, opens up eligibility to include Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned, small businesses. They can apply at www.ComcastRISE.com.

The recipients in Tennessee include:

Company Name	City	RECIPIENT PILLAR
Black Business Boom	Antioch	MEDIA
Manna Sweets, LLC	Chattanooga	MEDIA
EJOVentures	Hendersonville	CREATIVE
Little Rascals Childcare Center	Hendersonville	TECH MAKEOVER
Insurefit RM	Knoxville	CREATIVE
Safe Entry, Inc.	Madison	CREATIVE
Downtown Candle Company	Memphis	CONSULTATION
Makeda's Cookies	Memphis	MEDIA
Alpha & Omega Nutrition Program Incorporated	Memphis	TECH MAKEOVER
KLHopkins Accounting Services	Memphis	TECH MAKEOVER
Damas Little Folks Childcare	Memphis	TECH MAKEOVER
Ten U In	Memphis	TECH MAKEOVER
Nickson General Contractors, Inc.	Memphis	TECH MAKEOVER
Paris Love Productivity Institute, LLC	Murfreesboro	TECH MAKEOVER
Pillars Development, LLC	Nashville	CREATIVE
Excel Cleaning Services	Nashville	CREATIVE
Music City Med Inc	Nashville	TECH MAKEOVER
Punches n' Bunches USA LLC	Nashville	TECH MAKEOVER

The first phase of Comcast RISE, which stands for “Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment,” focused on U.S. Black-owned, small businesses, those hit hardest by the pandemic according to a recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Comcast RISE brings together two of the company’s brands —Comcast Business and Effectv, both with expertise in the small business space — to empower business owners with the expertise and resources needed to navigate the economic effects of the pandemic. 

“We are thrilled to support Black-owned small businesses here in Tennessee through the Comcast RISE program,” said Jason Gumbs, Regional SVP at Comcast. “This program was created with the intention of helping small businesses impacted by the pandemic navigate this very challenging time.”

Comcast RISE consists of the following main components:

• A media and technology resources program: This pillar combines Effectv’s renowned media platform and marketing expertise, its award-winning creative agency, Mnemonic, and state-of-the-art technical support from Comcast Business to help small businesses foster and elevate growth. Recipients will receive help with their marketing, media campaigns and creation of 30-second commercials, as well as equipment and technology upgrades, including:
  • Consulting:Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research and creative teams to gain insights on how to grow your business. 
  • Media:A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period.
  • Creative Production:Turnkey :30 TV commercial production for their businesses.
  • Technology Makeovers:Computer equipment and Internet, Voice and Cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for tech makeover services.)

• Business resources to help with curated content: Comcast has launched the Comcast RISE destination complete with aggregated small business news, tips, insights and more on the X1 platform. The destination is designed to help businesses grow by empowering them through education, inspiration and entertainment. Just say “Comcast RISE” into the X1 voice remote.

• Grants:In early 2021, Comcast will be awarding grants of up to $10,000 each for U.S.-based small and diverse businesses that have been in operations for three to five years. 

Comcast RISE is part of a larger $100 million Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative that Comcast launched this summer. In June, Comcast NBCUniversal announced the development of a comprehensive, multiyear plan to allocate $75 million in cash and $25 million in media over the next three years to fight injustice and inequality against any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or ability. 

Visit www.ComcastRISE.com to apply,  for more information and the latest updates.