STS Enterprise

What STS Enterprise does

STS Enterprise Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, founded in 2012 to deliver career readiness, leadership development, and workforce exposure programming to middle school, high school, and college students in the Memphis Metro Area. The organization operates a multi-program service portfolio rather than a technology platform, structured around its STS 4E Model framework (Soft Skills, Employability Skills, Career Skills, Mental Health Skills, and Life Skills). Core programs include STS Strive (a Saturday program for grades 8-12), STS Elite (a collegiate workforce-readiness program partnered with LeMoyne-Owen College), the Bridging the Gap Initiative (experiential company tours and mentorship), the Real Estate Aspiring Leaders (REAL) program, and Bringing Out the Leaders (BOTL), described as the Mid-South's largest collegiate networking event. The only digital touchpoint is the STS App, a white-label MinistryBrands mobile application, supplemented by a Squarespace-hosted website for program information and registration.

Programs are delivered free of charge to participants through institutional partnerships with schools (Freedom Prep Academy, IOTA Community Schools' Bluff City High School and Hillcrest High School, LeMoyne-Owen College) and corporate partners (KQ Communications, Transnetyx, Chase Bank, AAON, the Greater Memphis Chamber's Young Professionals Council). The revenue model is donation- and grant-driven, with funding sourced from individual contributions, corporate sponsorships (e.g., Roadshow BMW's 2023 test-drive fundraiser capped at $6,000), faith-based donors (Brown Missionary Baptist Church, Mid South Genesis CDC), and institutional grants including the Jackson Family Scholarship ($1,500 awards). The organization claims 12,000+ youth impacted since founding, a 100% high school graduation rate for participants, and over $5 million in cumulative graduate earned income — though the latter measures alumni outcomes, not organizational revenue.

Leadership consists of co-founders Alton Cryer (Executive Director) and Jeremy Calhoun (President), with a Board of Directors chaired by Mark Thompson (V2 Media) and vice-chaired by Mary 'MJ' McConner. Operational scope is bounded to the Memphis Metro Area with no disclosed plans for geographic expansion. No funding rounds, M&A activity, patents, regulatory actions, or third-party validations (e.g., audited financials, outcome studies) are present in the available data.

Name

STS Enterprise

Legal name

STS Enterprise Corporation

Website

https://stsenterprise.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

STS Enterprise Corporation is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2012, that delivers free career readiness, leadership development, and workforce exposure programming to middle school, high school, and college students in the Memphis Metro Area through school and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Leadership, Service Learning & Volunteer-to-Career Pathways (EDAMAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA)

Keywords

• Youth development services
• Career readiness programs
• Workforce development
• Leadership development programs
• College mentorship services

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: STS Enterprise operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization that generates revenue through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events. The organization hosts fundraisers such as the Roadshow BMW partnership where $25 was donated per test drive, and accepts contributions through its website and mail.
2. Scholarships and Grants: STS Enterprise receives scholarship funding from donors such as the Jackson Family Scholarship ($1,500 awards) and financial support from organizations like Brown Missionary Baptist Church and Mid South Genesis CDC ($1,000 donations).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

STS Enterprise Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides leadership development, career exploration, and workforce readiness services to middle school, high school, and college students in the Memphis Metro Area. It delivers these services through programs such as STS Strive (grades 8-12), STS Elite (collegiate), Bridging the Gap tours, Real Estate Aspiring Leaders (REAL), and the Bringing Out the Leaders (BOTL) networking event, all funded by donations, grants, and sponsorships and provided free to participants.

Product overview

STS Enterprise Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that operates as a multi-program service portfolio rather than a traditional technology product company. The organization provides career exploration, workforce readiness, and leadership development services through distinct programs including STS Strive (for grades 8-12), STS Elite (for college students), the Bridging the Gap Initiative (experiential career tours), Real Estate Aspiring Leaders (REAL) program, and Bringing Out the Leaders (BOTL) collegiate networking events. Additional services include mentorship, workshops, skill assessments, talent placement, and scholarship programs. The STS App serves as the primary digital touchpoint for accessing resources. The organization partners with local businesses and educational institutions to provide real-world exposure and experiential learning opportunities for Memphis youth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STS Strive: A program for grades 8-12 focused on leadership development and career exploration, meeting on Saturdays to help students develop skills and explore careers.
• STS Elite
• Bridging the Gap Initiative
• Real Estate Aspiring Leaders (REAL)
• Bringing Out the Leaders (BOTL)

Products and services

• STS Strive Program A Saturday program for grades 8-12 that helps students develop leadership skills and explore careers through experiential learning and mentorship, serving middle school and high school students in the Memphis Metro Area.
• STS Elite Program A collegiate program focused on leadership and workforce readiness, preparing college students to be Day One Ready for the workforce through partnerships with companies for training and development, primarily serving students at LeMoyne-Owen College.
• Bridging the Gap Initiative An experiential learning initiative that connects high school students with career exploration tours and immersive experiences at local companies, pairing students with businesses aligned with their career interests.
• Real Estate Aspiring Leaders (REAL) An after-school career-focused program that introduces high school students to the real estate industry through immersive, hands-on experiences and expert-led sessions, combining literacy development with career exploration.
• Bringing Out the Leaders (BOTL) The Mid-South's largest collegiate networking event that intentionally connects college students with top industry professionals, young professionals, and community leaders directly on campus to bridge the gap between college and career.
• STS App A mobile application available on Google Play and Apple App Store that provides access to STS Enterprise programs and resources for students and parents.
• Jackson Family Scholarship A scholarship award of $1,500 to STS Elite collegiate students majoring in business or healthcare, recognizing academic excellence, community involvement, and a strong faith journey.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% high school graduation rate for program participants
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KQ CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2026KQ Communications, a Memphis-based marketing, communications, and public relations firm, partners with STS for the Bridging the Gap Initiative. Students participate in immersive industry experiences including a Memphis Grizzlies Game Day promotional campaign simulation. CEO Renee Malone (former STS Board Member) and her team provide hands-on professional experience for students interested in marketing, branding, media, and public relations careers. The partnership also included a college recruitment focus group with 50 high school students at Freedom Prep.
• AAON, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026AAON, Inc. hosted the first of 12 company experiences for Freedom Prep Academy students as part of the Spring 2026 Bridging the Gap Experiential Learning Series. Students toured the facility from start to finish, learning how operations function at every level.
• Chase BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2026Chase Bank partnered with STS to host a financial workshop at LeMoyne-Owen College, equipping students with practical tools for budgeting, credit management, and long-term financial planning. Jessica Mosley, Vice President and Community Manager at JPMorganChase, led the partnership.
• IOTA Community SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024IOTA Community Schools partnership expands the Real Estate Aspiring Leaders (REAL) program to 40 scholars from Bluff City High School and Hillcrest High School. The after-school program provides immersive, hands-on experiences in the real estate industry led by real estate professionals.
• TransnetyxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2024Transnetyx, a Memphis-based corporate company, hosts students for Day in the Life campus tours at their Cordova headquarters. CEO Bob Bean personally welcomes students and speaks about leadership. One Freedom Prep student addressed the Transnetyx global team during a Friday morning meeting. Transnetyx serves as an In-Kind, Experience, and Financial corporate partner.
• Greater Memphis Chamber's Young Professionals Council (YPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2024Partnership launched the Bridging the Gap Initiative connecting 100 professionals with teenagers and young adults across Memphis. YPC members serve as career coaches to students in STS programs. The partnership was announced via webinar featuring Mayor Paul Young and Memphis Chamber President/CEO Ted Townsend.
• Freedom Prep AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Freedom Prep Academy is a key school partner for STS programs including Bridging the Gap career exploration tours. Students from FPA participate in experiential learning visits to companies, with approximately 100 students in grades 9-12 taking part in Spring 2026 tours. Roderick Barber, Head of School, has highlighted the impact on student engagement.
• Loewenberg College of Nursing (LCON) at University of MemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2022Partnership with the nationally ranked nursing program supports student nurses through the STRONG RNs program providing financial support up to $9,000 per semester for eligible students. STS-Enterprise and LCON Strong RN partnership exposes and teaches nursing students effective leadership and professional development skills with wraparound support services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Year Up: National nonprofit providing workforce development and career readiness training for opportunity youth, with Fortune 500 employer partnerships and a college-to-career model directly comparable to STS Elite and Bridging the Gap.
• Braven: Nonprofit operating a career accelerator and peer-mentoring model for college students from underserved backgrounds — comparable to STS Elite's workforce readiness and leadership development focus.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit focused on college-to-career persistence for first-generation students through mentorship and career coaching — closely comparable to STS's collegiate (Elite) program and bridging-the-gap model.
• Per Scholas: Nonprofit workforce development provider offering tuition-free tech training and career placement for adults — comparable to STS's talent development and placement service offering, though tech-vertical focused.
• INROADS: Nonprofit focused on career pipeline development for diverse college students through corporate internships, mentorship, and leadership training — directly comparable to STS Elite and the Bringing Out the Leaders event.
• iMentor: Nonprofit pairing college students with mentors for postsecondary success and career exploration — most directly comparable to STS Elite's one-on-one and group mentorship model.
• Genesys Works: Nonprofit that provides career readiness training, professional mentorship, and corporate internships to high school students in multiple U.S. metros — directly comparable to STS Strive's experiential learning model.
• NPower: Nonprofit providing free technology workforce development and job placement for young adults from underserved communities — overlaps with STS Elite's day-one-workforce-readiness positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Junior Achievement: Large established nonprofit delivering K-12 career exploration, work readiness, and entrepreneurship education nationwide — overlaps with STS Strive and Bridging the Gap but at vastly greater scale and broader scope.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth-mentorship nonprofit pairing adult mentors with students — comparable to STS's mentorship service offering, though broader in mission (academic, behavioral) rather than career-specific.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/stsenterprise
• Facebookfacebook.com/STSEnterprise
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stsenterprise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about STS Enterprise