SOUTHPORT — During the pandemic, Courtney White, a former HGTV and Foods Network government, and her household acquired and moved to one particular of Connecticut’s oldest clean-slice flower farms.
But Butternut Farm in Southport is a lot more than a new addition to her family. It is also a person of the web-sites for White’s latest venture — a new woman-owned, life-style articles development company by the same identify, “Butternut.”
“We actually saw this as one thing that was motivated by the lifestyle of the farm and flowers,” stated White, Butternut’s founder. “That sensation that way of living information offers you of aspirational and beautiful and escapist is the very same sensation that we get, ourselves, when we’re operating on the flower farm.”
Butternut is centered in two spots: White’s household farm in Southport and The Village in Stamford. It is a joint venture with a media, internet marketing and financial commitment enterprise identified as Wheelhouse, which has its base at The Village. Together, the organizations will create initial content for all platforms with a range of topics, famous people and up and coming expertise.
Some do the job will also be executed at Wheelhouse’s New York and Los Angeles headquarters.
White is the previous basic supervisor of HGTV and former president of Foods Community. Though there, she noticed unique sides of the organizations and formulated what she required in the upcoming and with her profession.
“This notion of constructing this aspiration firm that would be one thing that was definitely empowering other creative women but also an fantastic associate that was really focused in a area of definitely growing prominence in phrases of property and foods,” White mentioned. “It’s really develop into a mainstream genre for viewers.”
White left Food Community on April 30 and released Butternut on May possibly 1. She introduced the partnership with Wheelhouse in early June.
“I seriously just needed to consider the leap and do what I normally had in the again of my intellect in developing this enterprise that did not exist, but I wish it experienced,” she reported.
White explained she is invigorated and energized to launch Butternut. She’s on the lookout forward to function with her pals and continuing her perform in the written content space she loves, whilst in a new job.
“It’s a thrilling chapter,” White reported. “I’ve been a corporate govt for most of my vocation, so to be on this entrepreneurial side as a enterprise operator — primarily a feminine business enterprise owner — I’ve been genuinely buoyed by all the support and encouragement as a result significantly in the neighborhood.”
She reported it has been an interesting several months considering the fact that its launch.
Aspect of that is the new partnership with Wheelhouse, a organization owned by Greenwich resident Brent Montgomery that includes investment decision and manufacturing.
White termed Wheelhouse “the most innovate and future-facing business that I experienced spoken to.”
“In terms of a lover, they are actually constructing their business for the foreseeable future of media,” she mentioned.
White explained Butternut hopes to be the premiere world wide lifestyle articles company.
“I assume a business as formidable as ours based in Connecticut is wonderful for the regional neighborhood,” she claimed.
White is no stranger to Connecticut. She at this time lives in Southport and frequents the Westport location. As a college student, she interned for Martha Stewart Dwelling although it was even now in Westport.
“I genuinely credit rating Westport to my awakening of my curiosity in the way of living room,” she stated.
She mentioned Butternut will film some content inside Connecticut and wherever authorities are positioned, although precise assignments and network partners have not been declared still.
“We’re in active enhancement and partnership discussions with the key life-style networks,” she mentioned.
She mentioned there is much more to come shortly with the community announcements.
“We want to produce the most productive, most beloved demonstrates that function residence and food stuff tales and are really way of life concentrated,” White claimed.
White explained a single of their mantras is “fresh bouquets on just about every desk.”
“We’re undertaking displays about residing at its greatest, in all senses of the term,” she claimed, “and being equipped to do that with a Connecticut hub just feels excellent and the proper area, at the suitable time.”
