The Spark: Nashville Creative Secrets

What does it actually take to keep a booming city from losing what made it special in the first place? On this episode of The Spark, host Mark Scrivner sits down with Stephanie Coleman, President & CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, for a candid look at leadership inside one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. Stephanie traces her path from federal policy work in D.C. to nea...

What happens when you accidentally build a marketing agency out of a side hustle, and then have to decide whether to bet everything on it? Ashley Robinson, founder and CEO of Green Cardigan Marketing, joins host Mark Scrivner to share how a criminal defense lawyer's side project turned into an agency serving 70 to 90 law firms a month. Ashley walks through her decision to niche exclusively into le...

What does it take for a two-person agency in Nashville to beat out well-known firms from Berlin and London for a global Sony account? Ken Byers, founder and CEO of Confidant, has lived that story, and he's spent nearly a decade since turning it into a repeatable model. In this episode of The Spark, Mark Scrivner sits down with Ken at Creative Assembly's East Nashville studio for a conversation tha...

What does it take to build a digital marketing agency from a $500 website to a million-dollar business, and then reinvent it for the AI era?  In this episode of The Spark, Mark Scrivner sits down with Michael Epps Utley, CEO of GoEpps, a Nashville-based digital marketing firm. Recorded at the Creative Assembly studio in East Nashville, Michael traces the origins of his business philosophy back to...

What separates great brands from forgettable ones? According to veteran marketer Bill Zinke, it starts with understanding what makes your business truly different, and having the discipline to communicate that clearly across every customer touchpoint. In this episode of The Spark, Bill shares lessons from a 35-year marketing career spanning global brands, franchise systems, private equity-backed c...

Few creatives have left a mark on Nashville quite like Chuck Creasy. From serving in Vietnam to studying under legendary artists, working alongside advertising icons, helping launch major brands, shaping Nashville's identity, and even playing a role in bringing the Predators to Music City, Chuck's story is packed with lessons on leadership, persistence, curiosity, and creative excellence. In this...

In this episode of The Spark, Mark Scrivner sits down with Robert Froedge, EVP and Executive Creative Director at Lewis Communications, to explore the mindset behind decades of award-winning creative leadership. From growing up in Nashville to leading teams across multiple offices, Robert shares how storytelling, craft, and curiosity have shaped his approach to branding, advertising, and creative...

What does the future look like for agencies navigating AI, shifting client expectations, and a rapidly changing economy? In this episode of The Spark, Mark Scrivner sits down with Agency Management Institute founder Drew McLellan to unpack the biggest findings from his latest agency research and why the next few years will fundamentally reshape the agency landscape. Drew shares what today's client...

In this episode of The Spark, Mark Scrivner sits down with communication expert, keynote speaker, and ADHD advocate Dave Delaney to unpack what great communication actually looks like inside growing organizations. From the early startup days at Emma and Griffin Technology to coaching leaders at some of the world's biggest companies, Dave shares hard-earned lessons about culture, collaboration, and...

In this episode of The Spark , Mark Scrivner sits down with entrepreneur and investor Mark Montgomery to unpack a career shaped by risk, reinvention, and hard-earned perspective. From quitting his job on the spot to build a competing business, to scaling Echo Music into a major player and eventually exiting, Mark shares the raw realities behind building something from nothing. But this conversatio...

From writing the jingles you can't get out of your head to scaling agencies nationwide, Tom Woodard has done it all. Now, he's on a mission to disrupt the creative status quo with The Ability Machine. In this episode, Mark Scrivner talks with Tom about his shift from building businesses to building a movement, creating a studio where neurodiversity and disability are the catalysts for better work....

In this episode of The Spark, Mark Scrivner sits down with digital music entrepreneur John Bolton to unpack a career built on identifying paradigm shifts before they become obvious. From pioneering early mobile music streaming to helping launch TikTok globally, John shares what it takes to build products and platforms that reshape industries. The conversation explores how AI is transforming work,...

In this episode of The Spark , Katie Stix—Partner and Design Director at Anderson Design Studio—shares her journey from unpaid intern to firm owner, offering a grounded look at what it takes to build a lasting career in design. She unpacks how creativity, persistence, and strong client relationships shape both her work and leadership style. Katie dives into the balance between honoring history and...

What does it take to build brands that truly connect with consumers while still delivering measurable business results? In this episode of The Spark , host Mark Scrivner sits down with Tricia Nichols—founder of Wellbent Co and a seasoned marketing executive whose career spans brands like Gap, Estée Lauder, PepsiCo, and Belk. Tricia shares insights from both the agency and brand side, exploring how...

In this episode of The Spark, Mark Scrivner sits down with Trevor Emerson, Founder & CEO of LSM, to unpack what it really takes to build and scale an agency over two decades. From launching at a kitchen table with no experience to leading a nationally recognized franchise marketing firm, Trevor shares the hard lessons, pivotal relationships, and strategic pivots that shaped his journey. They dive...

In this episode of The Spark , actor, writer, producer, director, and voiceover artist D.B. Sweeney joins host Mark Scrivner for a wide-ranging conversation about building a lasting creative career with intention, humility, and grit. From his unlikely start at NYU to starring in landmark films like The Cutting Edge , Eight Men Out , and Lonesome Dove , Sweeney reflects on the moments that shaped b...

In this episode of The Spark , host Mark Scrivner sits down with Sam Davidson, CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, to explore what truly makes an entrepreneurial ecosystem thrive. From launching multiple ventures to leading one of the city's most impactful founder communities, Sam shares hard-earned lessons on resilience, generosity, and building businesses that matter. Sam reflects on his j...

In this episode of The Spark , host Mark Scrivner sits down with Mariko Hickerson, CEO of Huckleberry Branding, to explore her journey from journalism to entrepreneurship and how storytelling became the foundation of her agency's approach to branding and search marketing. Mariko shares how her early newsroom experience shaped her perspective on clarity, fairness, and extracting meaningful narrativ...

In this episode of The Spark , Mark Scrivner sits down with Vincent Phamvan, Founder of Vyten and a three-time CMO, to unpack how mobile apps and AI are reshaping what's possible for small and mid-sized businesses. Vincent shares his journey from enterprise tech and healthcare into building tools that level the playing field for founders, agencies, and service-based businesses. Together, they expl...

In this episode, JJ Rosen shares the unexpected journey that led him from a psychology major to founding Atiba, one of Nashville's most enduring technology companies. His story highlights the power of curiosity, adaptability, and empathy—qualities that shaped both the company's culture and its long-term success. JJ explains how Atiba grew from a one-person operation to a 100-person organization, w...

In this episode of The Spark , Eric Jackson—founder and CEO of Element 47—shares the journey that shaped his philosophy on leadership, culture, and service. From early lessons in print and web development to building a modern branding and marketing agency, Eric breaks down why self-awareness, communication, and clarity remain the core of every strong creative partnership. Across the conversation,...

In this episode of The Spark , Mark Scrivner sits down with Brandon Edwards—CEO of Unlock Health and former head of Revive Health—to explore what it takes to build and sustain excellence in healthcare marketing. Brandon shares how early lessons in leadership, the challenges of selling a successful agency, and the pursuit of authenticity continue to shape his vision for Unlock Health. Listeners wil...

In this episode of The Spark , Mark Scrivner sits down with Dale Addy—veteran designer, agency founder, and Belmont University professor—to talk about creativity, collaboration, and the bridge between professional design practice and education. Dale shares insights from three decades of creative leadership, reflecting on lessons learned at global agencies, the founding of DNA Creative with his wif...

In this episode of The Spark , hosts welcome Nashville power duo Liza and Jay Graves , the husband-and-wife team behind StyleBlueprint and Blueprint Inc. . From a small blog launched during the 2009 recession to a thriving digital media company with millions of readers, Liza shares how a simple mission to "keep Nashville, Nashville" turned into a platform that celebrates local businesses and regio...

In this inspiring episode of The Spark , host Mark Scrivner sits down with Falon Veit, Founder and CEO of EES Agency—a global experiential marketing and event production powerhouse. Falon shares her incredible journey from volunteering at CMA Fanfare to leading one of the industry's most respected firms, built entirely from grit, faith, and vision. They dive deep into her philosophy of "leading wi...