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From nursing to fragrances

Farragut woman launches new business

October 7, 2026 by Tammy Cheek

When Susan Brooks of Farragut decided to take a break from nursing, she got an epiphany that launched a new business.

Brooks, a registered nurse for 13 years, founded Raintree & Company, a fragrance-infused products company.

“So, anywhere that you would like something to smell good, anything that you’re doing that you want something to smell good, that’s basically what we do,” she said. “We make sure that the products we make have wonderful fragrances you can take anywhere you go.

Anyone can go online to raintreeandcompany.com to check out the products.

“I have a lot of things, right now, geared toward cleaning, like I’ve got my carpet deodorizer, glass and surface cleaner, detergents, hand soap, things like that,” Brooks said. “And every fragrance that I make, I make sure all my products are available in every single fragrance.

“Have you ever had a favorite scent that you liked, a candle you liked or a wax melt you like?” she asked. “When you have cleaned your house, what’s the one thing that we do? We melt a wax melt.”

So, “why can’t our cleaners smell like our favorite fragrances?” Brooks asked.

That observation dawned on her one day while cleaning her house.

Sharp skills, high steaks

October 7, 2026 by Tammy Cheek

Thirty-two East Tennessee Texas Roadhouse meat cutters honed their skills to showcase their cutting talents during a Quality Meat-Cutting Competition in Cool Sports, Home of the Icearium, 110 S. Watt Road, Tuesday morning, Sep. 22.

This year, the overall winner was Austin Brown of Greeneville; Best Filet, Jessie Kilgore of Hixon; Best Ribeye, Alex Leon of Pigeon Forge; and Best Sirloin, also Austin Brown.

“This is all of East Tennessee and one store in Virginia,” said Michelle Phelps, Texas Roadhouse marketing coach. “We have 14 stores represented.

“Our market stretches all the way from Bristol, Virginia, all the way to Hickson, Tennessee,” she said.

“Every market does its own qualifier,” Phelps explained. “So, the meat cutters who score the highest — or have the highest yield — will compete in our regionals, typically in January, in Houston, Texas.

And, “every cut-off competition that we have, there’s always a special event,” she said. “So, last night, we took them to Main Event. They had dinner; they got to play games, bowl, shoot pool, whatever they wanted to do.

business briefs

October 7, 2026 by

• Hunter Baddour, co-founder/president of Knoxville-based Spyre Sports Group, has been named to Silver Waves Media’s 2026 list of the “100 Most Influential/Powerful People in NIL,” recognizing leaders making a significant impact on the evolving landscape of NIL and college athletics. Badddour is a graduate of Webb School of Knoxville and University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

• UBankcshares Inc., the parent company of UBank and Heritage Community Bank in Knoxville and Greeneville, recently announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which UBank and Heritage Community will merge in a cash and stock transaction. The combined company will operate under the UBank name with Heritage Community Bank offices operating indefinitely as “Heritage Community Bank, a division of UBank.”