When Communities Unlimited (CU) first connected with Tennessee Entrepreneur Lamus Rush III, he had recently opened a Memphis storefront for his gourmet popcorn business, Crave4 Gourmet Popcorn. CU’s Area Director Marnell Love from the Entrepreneurship Team helped him establish a budget, bookkeeping system, and accounting records — essential tools that would later support his business growth.

Lamus continued working with CU’s Entrepreneurship Team and is now collaborating with Senior Management Consultant Rhett Douglas to scale operations and seize new opportunities. One of the biggest milestones in his expansion? A contract with the Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals.

“They purchased it from one of my stores downtown, and that’s how I got connected with them.”

Despite the exciting opportunity, Lamus initially hesitated to negotiate terms — a challenge many small business owners face when stepping into larger contracts. With Rhett’s assistance, CU helped him secure the deal just in time for the 2024 baseball season. Rhett also provided staffing advice to ensure Crave4 could meet the increased production demand.

Beyond baseball, Crave4 Gourmet Popcorn has expanded into numerous gas stations and chain stores across the region, including Exxon, BP, and Amoco. “We’ve picked up a lot of gas stations — Exxon, BP, Amoco—and another chain of stores has reached out,” Lamus said. “They’re about 60 miles away but have 17 locations stretching from Memphis to the Kentucky state line. Every month, more gas stations are calling. We recently added four stores in Oxford, Mississippi, one in Tupelo, and another in a different part of the state.”

Lamus needed a new popcorn popper but hesitated after a previous loan denial. Additionally, his bookkeeping system wasn’t fully developed, making it difficult for potential investors to assess his business.

To address this, Rhett worked with him to track costs accurately, set up financial statements, and prepare investor-ready documentation. Several times during financial reviews, Rhett had to adjust figures because manufacturing costs weren’t being tracked precisely. While Lamus had a solid product and strong sales, the lack of financial tracking was holding him back.

Lamus has also found an investor to help fund a larger facility and automation equipment. “My goal is to scale production and automate,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll be moving into a larger building soon, allowing us to increase production, invest in automation, and make more popcorn at a faster pace.”

Lamus credits Rhett and the CU team for their ongoing guidance.

“I feel much more organized now, especially in QuickBooks. He’s given me great advice, and everyone I’ve interacted with at Communities Unlimited has been helpful.”

While Crave4 has seen growth, there’s still work to do. Rhett is continuing to work with Lamus to finalize financial statements and develop projections for future expansion. With a stadium contract, a growing retail footprint, and plans for a new production facility, Crave4 Gourmet Popcorn is popping off in Memphis.