TROY, Mich., Oct. 7, 2014 - START UP Season 2, a television docuseries highlighting the struggles and victories of entrepreneurs in 12 cities across the United States, returns to public television this month (check local listings). Sponsored by American Express, Chevrolet, Baker College, and North American Bancard, START UP provides an up close and personal look into today’s small business success stories. In each episode, creator and host Gary Bredow, director Raisa Churina and producer Jenny Feterovich continue to reveal the experiences of individuals who have taken ideas and nurtured them into established businesses in an uncertain economy.

The series has been distributed to more than 350 public television stations nationwide and is shown in over 92% of the country.

“START UP demystifies the process of starting and running a small business in today’s economic landscape,” says Bredow. “The merchants featured in our series embody the spirit of the American entrepreneur and we hope that they will inspire viewers who dream of taking a leap to start their own business.”

Each episode of START UP features a well-known business leader who provides insight into the triumphs and pitfalls of entrepreneurship. Among those featured in the second season of the series include Daymond John, CEO of FUBU and Shark Branding and TV Personality on ABC's Shark Tank; Slava Rubin, Founder and CEO of Indiegogo; Alexa von Tobel, Founder and CEO of LearnVest; and Julie Smolyansky, President and CEO of Lifeway Foods.

Among the entrepreneurs featured in the series is husband-and-wife team Lauren Patton and Matt Johnson, owners of http://www.ZaPow.com – an art gallery dedicated to showcasing the works of illustrators and pop artists. ZaPow, located in Asheville, North Carolina, has received national attention for being the only Southeast's illustration and pop culture art gallery and has emerged as a community gathering place – hosting vibrant and quirky events, themed shows, and serving as a place for artists to discuss learning the business of art.

"After spending more than fifteen years as an art director, illustrator and graphic designer then being laid-off gave me time to reflect on what I wanted to do most – open an art gallery," said Lauren Patton, CEO and creative director of ZaPow. "I have a lot contacts in the art community who all identified the lack of opportunity for illustration and pop culture artists to showcase their works down here. ZaPow was created to fill that niche. We opened our doors in 2011 and after ten months in business became profitable by following our business plan, being passionate about helping other artists, and focusing on artist development, creative promotions and art sales. My success as an entrepreneur is a combination of my professional and educational background, paired with being energetic and having sense of humor along the way," Patton added.

In its second season, START UP features small business owners in Atlanta, GA; Louisville, KY; Cedar Rapids, IO; Nashville, TN; Birmingham, AL; Asheville, NC; Edwardsville, IL; Somerset Center, MI; Iowa City, IO; Madison, WI; Minneapolis, MN; and St. Louis, MO. “It’s estimated that 85 percent of new businesses fail,” says Bredow. “From America's heartland to the deep south, we are seeing average Americans doing extraordinary things. We're excited to share their stories."

For more information about the television docuseries, please visit http://www.startup-usa.com, http://www.youtube.com/user/startupusa, and http://www.Facebook.com/StartUpTVShow.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at http://www.americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products and services: charge and credit cards, business credit cards, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, business travel, and corporate card.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.5 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at http://www.chevrolet.com.

About Baker College

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It is a nonprofit higher education institution, serving more than 35,000 students on 12 campuses and in three satellite locations. Baker grants certificate, associate, bachelor and masters degrees in business, health sciences, education, human services, and various technical fields, as well as a doctorate of business administration. As a career college, the Baker College system is pleased to report that 97 percent of its available graduates are employed. For more information about Baker College, please check out our website at http://www.baker.edu.

About North American Bancard

Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, North American Bancard is a multi-faceted payment solutions provider dedicated to providing the latest technology as well as the highest service levels to non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes with round-the-clock technical and customer service support. As a registered MSP/ISO since 1992, North American Bancard provides its clients with a full suite of products and services. North American Bancard processes more than $17 billion in electronic transactions annually for more than 250,000 merchants nationwide.

Launched by North American Bancard, PayAnywhere is powering a payments revolution with its enterprise-grade, "pay-as-you-go" mobile payments system and its PayAnywhere Storefront tablet with industry leading business intelligence features. PayAnywhere's mobile point of sale (POS) technology combines the industry's most comprehensive enterprise-grade features with live customer support.