Hartford Business Journal

2 6 C T I N N O V A T O R S , 2 0 2 3 HGTV became the No. 1 cable network among wom- en and, depending on the metrics, the No. 3 network in the U.S., White said. "It was really exciting to go from something that was so small and not on the radar, to really being the envy of so many other networks," she said. "It was a thrill." White also ended up developing a passion for life- style programming, even within relatively narrow sub- ject areas. "It was endlessly fascinating to me to work in such a confined space, but always looking to invent and create," she said. Change of scenery White moved to Knoxville for HGTV in 2013, and made more than a professional change. She and her hus- band decided to live in a way they could not in New York City. ey bought a farm and started rescuing horses and donkeys. In 2018, aer a stint as head of content for Travel Channel, a sister network, White was named president of Food Network and Streaming Food Content for its parent company, Discovery Inc. She transferred back to New York. But while she was changing locations, she wanted to keep the same farm lifestyle, albeit within commuting distance of the city. "We had this very specific house-hunt wish list," White said. As a college student in 1996, White had interned in Connecticut for Martha Stewart Living. At the time, Stewart lived in Westport. "I really thought Westport was just such an idyllic, beautiful place to live," White said. A Realtor showed White and her husband places in Westport but also in New Canaan and Southport. She ended up buying her first Southport property in 2019. As White began mulling the idea of starting her own company, she connected with an old friend who also had relocated to Connecticut — Brent Montgomery, a TV producer and entertainment executive. She met with Montgomery to sound out whether But- ternut could use the infrastructure he was building at e Village, an entertainment-industry campus in Stamford. But when White laid out her vision for the new venture, Montgomery saw the opportunity. Butternut launched in June 2022 as a joint venture with Wheelhouse, the enter- tainment company that Montgomery started with late- night host Jimmy Kimmel. Montgomery, Wheelhouse's CEO, declined to disclose his firm's investment in Butternut. 'Do-it-yourself mentality' In addition to working out of the Wheelhouse, White has her office at the Butternut Farm in Southport, which she and her husband purchased in 2021, two years aer they moved to Connecticut. White's husband, who used to work in finance, now runs the farm's cut-flower business. White's production company employs five people in full-time roles, such as casting and production man- agement, she said. But staffing fluctuates — and can include freelancers — based on the number of shows in production. Revenue comes from networks and streaming services that commission lifestyle series from Butternut, said White, who envisions her startup becoming the indus- try's premier lifestyle media content company. Montgomery said new production companies face challenges. But, he said, "I just believed that she had the vision, the network, the capabilities and, really, the do-it- yourself mentality you need to start something." So far, White is proving him right. "She's come out of the gate and just had an incredible run," Montgomery said. "She's sold five or six series in a very short time, when many companies haven't been able to sell one or two." Butternut's upcoming productions include "Celebrity Family Cook Off," developed in partnership with actor Sofia Vergara, of "Modern Family" fame. White declined to name others, saying she preferred to let the subjects announce their shows. But she said Butternut has two home-related series in production and an international food series. "Our hope is that our slate at Butternut is really di- verse, that different shows speak to different people," said White, who also appreciates the resources she has found in Connecticut and the Wheelhouse, where she spends half her working time. "I feel like I've got the best of both worlds," she said. "I'm operating what is really a kind of focused boutique operation, but within this really resourceful, smartly run international company where I can tap into the best of the business." "Our hope is that our slate at Butternut is really diverse, that different shows speak to different people." – Courtney White Continued from previous page I In addition to working out of the Wheelhouse in Stamford, Courtney White has an office at the Butternut Farm in Southport, which she and her husband purchased in 2021.

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