The Spark Podcast: Nashville

What happens when the company you built runs fine without you?
Elise Mitchell started a PR firm at her kitchen table in Fayetteville, Arkansas, grew it 500% in five years with clients like Walmart and Tyson Foods, and sold it to Dentsu. She tells Mark Scrivner the founder story most people skip: the workaholism that came with growth, the intervention that changed how she led, and the hard question of who she was once she stepped away. For creatives, founders, and agency leaders, it’s an honest look at building something big without losing yourself. Topics include mindset during change, scaling with limited talent, founder burnout, selling an agency, identity after the exit, and looking through the turn.

Episode Highlights
00:00 – The founder story that starts after the sale
06:04 – Moving to Fayetteville and choosing “bitter or better”
14:36 – What 500% growth cost: workaholism and perfectionism
20:43 – The intervention that changed how Elise led
31:12 – “I think I’m bored”: the road to selling to Dentsu
36:10 – Who are you when you’re no longer the CEO?
40:27 – Two questions that revealed her next chapter
44:46 – Big Mike and the lesson of looking through the turn

Learn More & Connect:
Show Notes + Resources: https://snapshot.agency/the-spark

Connect with Elise Mitchell: LinkedIn | Website
Get Elise's Book, Leading Through the Turn

Connect with Mark Scrivner: LinkedIn | Website
Our Sponsor - Snapshot

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What does it take to build something that lasts nearly a century?
Manuel Delgado is the owner and master luthier of Delgado Guitars, the family business his grandfather and great-uncle founded in Mexico in 1928. He still builds every instrument by hand in East Nashville.

In this episode of The Spark, Manuel joins host Mark Scrivner to share how he went from East LA to East Nashville and why his grandfather’s advice to “take your time, because we’re in a hurry” still guides every decision. He also explains how a serve-first mindset led to restoring history at The Hermitage and building custom guitars for Nashville SC and Arrow McLaren.
For creatives, founders, and business owners, it’s a lesson in building with patience and purpose.
Topics include family business legacy, craftsmanship and quality, standing out in a crowded market, customer-centered product design, purpose-driven entrepreneurship, and community leadership in Nashville’s creative scene.

Learn More & Connect
Show Notes + Resources: https://snapshot.agency/the-spark

Connect With Manuel Delgado: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuel-a-delgado-7765b48/ | https://delgadoguitars.com/

Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/

Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/

#TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #Luthier #HandmadeGuitars #FamilyBusiness #NashvilleCreatives #CreativeEntrepreneur

What happens to creative work when anyone can generate something “good enough” in seconds? Mark Scrivner sits down with Wes Webb, art director at Nashville's Locomotion Creative. By day, Wes builds brands for some of the region’s biggest names. By night he makes salvaged wood sculpture, ambient music, DJ sets, and homemade software. Wes explains why DJing is really just design, and how a quote from Louis Kahn shaped his whole creative practice. He also covers why Locomotion lets clients work directly with the people doing the work, and how he uses AI to augment ideas instead of replacing them. This conversation is for creatives, marketers, agency leaders, and young designers navigating a fast-changing industry. Topics include creative process, agency culture, client collaboration, AI in design, mentorship and Nashville’s creative community.

Learn More & Connect
Follow The Spark: https://snapshot.agency/the-spark
Connect with Wes Webb: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wes-webb-7731598a/ | https://loco.design | https://iamweswebb.com
Email Wes: wes@loco.design
Listen to Wes on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5CaHtlHWsf55Kq8VHXImc9
Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner
Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency

#TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #NashvilleCreatives #ArtDirection #AIinDesign #CreativeProcess #AgencyLife

What happens when a global creative director trades 200-person agencies for a team of seven and starts making more work than ever? Alex Goulart, Founder and Executive Creative Director of Fire Kite, spent two decades creating campaigns for Gillette, Nissan, Honda, and Qatar Airways across Europe and the US before launching his own agency in Franklin, Tennessee. He joins Mark Scrivner to share the Ben Franklin story behind Fire Kite, why strategy has to come before audacity, and how a small team became the most awarded agency at the local Addys. Topics include creative agency growth, brand platform strategy, cause marketing, Nashville's creative scene, new business development, and creative collaboration.

Episode Highlights

00:00 - Alex shows off a replica of Ben Franklin's kite 10:28 - Why Alex left big agencies to start Fire Kite 14:01 - The Ben Franklin story behind the Fire Kite name 19:42 - The alien abduction insurance ad in The Wall Street Journal 23:34 - King Tut, charity: water, and a love ballad to the penny 30:20 - Why Nashville's creative energy feels raw and unformulaic 34:27 - Instinct Sessions and the power of small beginnings 40:30 - A goal to end human trafficking in Nashville in our lifetime

Learn More & Connect Show Notes + Resources:

Vaulted: Because Gold Campaign
charity: water: Penny Ballad
Flower Crown
https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Alex Goulart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandergoulart/ | https://www.firekite.co Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #CreativeAgency #BrandStrategy #AgencyOwner #NashvilleCreatives #AdvertisingCreative

As AI-generated content floods every feed, what actually cuts through? Rob Erickson, founder and CEO of Massive Mission, joins Mark Scrivner to share how he turned a severance package into a video production company trusted by major agencies and global brands. Rob explains why he believes authenticity will win the AI era, how his team uses AI to move faster without replacing people, and why a company mission rooted in giving back still guides his work. The conversation covers live event video production, agency partnerships, creativity in regulated industries, AI workflows, referral-driven growth, and his new paranormal podcast, The Weird Side.

Episode Highlights

• 00:00 – Welcome to The Spark with Rob Erickson
• 02:12 – From aspiring engineer to hooked on video production
• 05:33 – The severance offer that launched Massive Mission
• 10:44 – The story behind the name Massive Mission
• 13:38 – Why authentic storytelling will outlast AI slop
• 19:32 – Growing through referrals and honest sales conversations
• 24:41 – Rob's AI mandate: faster work, no replaced people
• 30:04 – Inside The Weird Side, Rob's paranormal podcast

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Rob Erickson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberickson77 | https://www.massivemission.com Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency

Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency

Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #VideoProduction #LiveEventProduction #CorporateVideo #AIinMarketing #NashvilleCreatives

What does it really take to build an agency from a hare-brained idea into a company that helped bring Amazon and MLS to Nashville?

For episode 52, host Mark Scrivner, founder and CEO of Snapshot, steps into the guest seat while Snapshot President Josh Moquin takes the mic.

Mark traces his path from restaurant operations to advertising, launching Snapshot on a $50,000 line of credit, surviving COVID with $40,000 in the bank and payroll due, and learning the discipline to niche down. It's an honest look at the pivots, near misses, and relationships behind a founder's journey. Topics include career pivots, bootstrapping, agency growth, crisis leadership, niche strategy, and the power of an abundance mindset.

Episode Highlights 00:00 - Intro: Josh Moquin takes the host chair as Mark Scrivner steps into the guest seat 02:26 - From Houston's and J. Alexander's to running an ad agency 09:36 - Launching Snapshot with video resumes and a $50,000 line of credit 13:05 - Why founders who won't pivot go down with the Titanic 20:49 - Surviving COVID with $40K in the bank and payroll due next week 26:04 - Learning to say no and niching into industrial and behavioral health 31:40 - The story behind launching MasterMined and The Spark 45:43 - What Mark usually leaves out of the Snapshot story

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency Connect with Josh Moquin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-moquin/ | https://snapshot.agency

Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health

Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #FounderStory #AgencyGrowth #Bootstrapping #NashvilleBusiness #AgencyOwner

What does it take to spend three decades building one brand from the inside out?

Eric Jackson has the answer.

He started working at Tractor Supply at 16, worked his way through an agency detour at GS&F, and just three days before this recording, was promoted to VP of Marketing for Tractor Supply and PetSense.

In this conversation, Eric traces that full arc: how "Life Out Here" grew from a small regional tagline into a national brand identity, what he actually looks for in agency partners, why curiosity beats talent when hiring, and how giving back became part of the company's DNA. This episode covers brand building, leadership transitions, agency relationships, hiring philosophy, and community impact, all from someone who has lived the brand he now markets.

Episode Highlights 00:00 – Episode intro and welcome to The Spark 01:56 – Eric's start at Tractor Supply at 16, working alongside his grandfather 06:09 – The detour into advertising and landing at GS&F 10:15 – The Henry Ford quote that still guides how he operates 12:03 – Rebuilding Del's Feed and Farm Supply from the ground up 15:21 – How the tagline evolved from "stuff you need out here" to "Life Out Here" 33:43 – The one trait Eric looks for above all else when hiring 35:45 – His advice to agencies: take small bites before the big swing 45:18 – Inside the Country Mile award and the culture it protects

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Eric Jackson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-jackson-5230077/ | https://www.tractorsupply.com/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #BrandStrategy #AgencyPartnerships #MarketingLeadership #TractorSupply

What does it actually take to build a PR agency from a card table to an industry landmark — and then do it all over again with your own kid? Mark McNeely spent 45 years answering that question. A former newspaper reporter who covered a corrupt governor and got tired of laughing at bad press releases, McNeely bootstrapped McNeely & Associates on $11,000 and a home equity loan, grew it into McNeely, Pigott & Fox — one of the largest independent PR firms in the Southeast — and then walked away to build McNeely Brockman PR with his daughter, Kelly. In this episode, he shares the campaigns he's proudest of, the crises that nearly broke him, and the mentors who shaped how he leads. Founders, agency owners, and marketers will walk away with hard-won lessons on credibility, succession, and building something that outlasts you — covering agency growth, crisis management, family business, mentorship, client trust, and legacy planning.

Episode Highlights

• 00:00 – Mark opens with the philosophy that's guided his entire career: honesty isn't the best policy; it's the only one
• 09:59 – The bad press release that planted the seed for starting his own firm
• 24:18 – Bootstrapping McNeely & Associates on $11,000 and a home equity loan in year one
• 26:22 – The Nashville landmarks his firm helped shape, from Bridgestone Arena to Nissan Stadium
• 36:29 – The seven-year campaign to get wine into Tennessee grocery stores — his proudest professional win
• 40:31 – Why he chose his daughter, Kelly, as his partner in launching McNeely Brockman PR
• 53:14 – The three rules he gives every young PR professional he mentors
• 55:18 – Leading through crisis: 9/11, the 2008 recession, and a half-million-dollar theft

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Mark McNeely: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mcneely-1002a15/ | https://www.mcneelybrockmanpr.com/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health

Snapshot Health | Behavioral Health Marketing Built for Growth and Impact

Snapshot Health is a strategic growth and marketing partner for behavioral health organizations nationwide. We help treatment centers, mental health providers, and recovery programs grow responsibly by aligning brand, digital strategy, and patient acquisition with clinical integrity and long-term outcomes. Our team specializes in performance-driven marketing for behavioral health, including SEO, paid media, branding, marketing strategy, website development, and admissions enablement. We focus on attracting the right patients, improving conversion, and building scalable systems that support sustainable growth. Snapshot Health brings deep expertise in compliance, ethics, and trust-based marketing. We partner closely with executive teams to drive predictable admissions growth while protecting reputation, mission, and quality of care.

Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #PublicRelations #NashvilleBusiness #FamilyBusiness #AgencyLeadership

What actually keeps an agency team together for over a decade? Mark Scrivner sits down with Kindra Svendsen, VP of Agency Services at Speak, to unpack the leadership philosophy and culture-building strategy behind one of Nashville's most established creative agencies. Kindra shares her journey from brand marketer to agency leader, why "shiny ball syndrome" derails good strategy, and how storytelling drives every piece of client work at Speak.

The conversation covers what it means to lead with trust, why niching down accelerates agency growth, and how AI is reshaping (and complicating) the marketing industry. Listeners will walk away with practical insight on leadership, client relationships, agency positioning, storytelling strategy, distributed team culture, and navigating AI adoption with clients who don't want it.

Episode Highlights 00:00 – Welcome to The Spark with guest Kindra Svendsen, VP of Agency Services at Speak 01:33 – Kindra's journey from brand marketer to agency leader 05:08 – The power of storytelling and finding your "why" 05:59 – Inside Speak's full-service model and specialized client verticals 13:57 – Stop the shiny ball syndrome: why CEOs derail their own marketing teams 18:54 – Empowering leadership: trust your people to grow 20:36 – What 12 years in Nashville has taught her about agency growth 26:36 – The future of Speak: AI, websites, and the next creative shift

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Kindra Svendsen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kindrasvendsen/ | https://www.madebyspeak.com/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #AgencyLeadership #MarketingStrategy #NashvilleCreative #BrandStorytelling

What happens when you build an agency around trust instead of surveillance? Mark Scrivner sits down with Josh Miller, President of 5by5, a Nashville marketing agency that recently transitioned to 100% employee ownership. Josh traces his path from a near-dropout physics major to web developer at Paramore to co-founder and now president of 5by5, sharing the leadership lessons he picked up along the way — including an unforgettable story about integrity from his former boss, Hannah. He digs into why trust, not more analytics, has been 5by5's real competitive edge, how the agency prepared its team to become owners, and how AI is already showing up in their margins. This conversation covers agency leadership, employee ownership (ESOP) transitions, team trust-building, AI adoption in marketing, acquisition integration, and redefining what growth metrics actually matter.

Episode Highlights 00:00 – Welcome to The Spark, intro to guest Josh Miller, president of 5by5 02:20 – Josh's winding path into advertising and the agency world 07:34 – The Hannah story: a lesson in integrity from a mentor 12:07 – How stepping back from meetings pushed Josh into leadership 19:24 – Trust as 5by5's "cheat code" for running the business 23:12 – Inside 5by5's transition to employee ownership (ESOP) 33:00 – How AI is showing up in agency efficiency and margins 42:06 – Josh's vision for fixing what's broken in agency life

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Josh Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshmiller7/ | https://5by5agency.com/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health

Snapshot Health | Behavioral Health Marketing Built for Growth and Impact

Snapshot Health is a strategic growth and marketing partner for behavioral health organizations nationwide. We help treatment centers, mental health providers, and recovery programs grow responsibly by aligning brand, digital strategy, and patient acquisition with clinical integrity and long-term outcomes. Our team specializes in performance-driven marketing for behavioral health, including SEO, paid media, branding, marketing strategy, website development, and admissions enablement. We focus on attracting the right patients, improving conversion, and building scalable systems that support sustainable growth. Snapshot Health brings deep expertise in compliance, ethics, and trust-based marketing. We partner closely with executive teams to drive predictable admissions growth while protecting reputation, mission, and quality of care.

Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/

#TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #AgencyLeadership #EmployeeOwnership #NashvilleAgency #TrustBasedLeadership

What does a 450-mile canoe trip have to do with becoming one of Nashville's most respected brand storytellers?

In this episode of the Spark, Nelson Eddy, former Managing Partner at FINN Partners and official historian for the Jack Daniel Distillery, joins Mark Scrivner to trace a 40-year career that took him from an English classroom to the boardrooms of two agency mergers, the launch of the Nashville Predators, and decades spent safeguarding one of the most storied brands in the world.

This conversation covers brand authenticity, mentorship, the discipline of "asking what else," navigating the Nearest Green story with care, and why respecting people is the real secret sauce behind long client relationships.

Episode Highlights

01:03 – Mark introduces Nelson Eddy and his background at FINN Partners and Jack Daniel's 02:09 – The 450-mile canoe trip that landed Nelson his first agency job 09:34 – What stayed consistent — and what changed — through two agency mergers 17:06 – Building the Nashville Predators brand from a hockey stick T-shirt to a saber-tooth tiger 26:04 – Becoming Jack Daniel's official historian after 20 years of research 33:16 – Telling the story of Nearest Green, and why patience mattered 47:16 – Nashville's hidden lore, from Sulphur Dell to stone box graves 53:49 – Nelson's closing lesson: respect is the foundation of everything

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/

Connect With Nelson Eddy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nelson-eddy-55860515/

Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health

Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health

Snapshot Health | Behavioral Health Marketing Built for Growth and Impact

Snapshot Health is a strategic growth and marketing partner for behavioral health organizations nationwide. We help treatment centers, mental health providers, and recovery programs grow responsibly by aligning brand, digital strategy, and patient acquisition with clinical integrity and long-term outcomes. Our team specializes in performance-driven marketing for behavioral health, including SEO, paid media, branding, marketing strategy, website development, and admissions enablement. We focus on attracting the right patients, improving conversion, and building scalable systems that support sustainable growth. Snapshot Health brings deep expertise in compliance, ethics, and trust-based marketing. We partner closely with executive teams to drive predictable admissions growth while protecting reputation, mission, and quality of care.

Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/

#TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #BrandStorytelling #NashvilleCreative #AgencyLife #AdvertisingHistory

What if the "finish line" you've been running toward as a founder doesn't feel as good as you thought it would? Shannon Litton, CEO of 3LS Professional Services and founder of the Nashville change agency 5by5, joins Mark Scrivner to unpack her path from accidental agency hire to building a Best-Place-to-Work culture and ultimately taking her team from 30% to 100% employee ownership. This conversation is packed with real talk for founders, marketers, and agency leaders on culture-building, communication, and the mechanics of employee ownership. Listeners will walk away understanding how respect-driven leadership, disciplined sales systems, and a clear long-term vision can build both a thriving agency and life-changing outcomes for a team. Topics covered include: agency culture, employee ownership (ESOP), leadership communication, sales systems, mission-driven business, and legacy planning.

Episode Highlights 01:33 – Introduction: Shannon Litton, CEO of 3LS Professional Services and founder of 5x5 04:30 – The accidental path into agency life and becoming an EVP at 23 07:01 – Starting over with 5 kids: building 5x5 smarter the second time 17:01 – The secret to Best Place to Work: respect, trust, and the Five Dysfunctions of a Team 21:16 – The lunch conversation that introduced Shannon to employee ownership 26:27 – Surprising the team with 30% ownership on a Disney World trip 29:27 – Going from 30% to 100% employee-owned through 3LS 39:05 – Shannon's mission: helping more business owners consider ESOPs

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Shannon Litton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slitton/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health

Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health

Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/

#TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #EmployeeOwnership #ESOP #AgencyLeadership #NashvilleBusiness

What actually makes a brand memorable — the process behind it, or the personality inside it? Michael Hutzel, co-founder and creative director of FoxFuel Creative, joins Mark Scrivner to make the case for personality-first branding over checklist-driven process, and to talk through how AI tools like Midjourney have reshaped his creative workflow. Michael also opens up about the mentor who gave him the confidence to start his own shop, and what running a three-founder agency for over a decade has taught him about staying friends while building a business. This episode covers brand voice, AI in the creative process, agency co-founder dynamics, mentorship, presentation skills, and client relationships.

Episode Highlights

• 02:10 – Michael's path from Western Kentucky University's graphic design program into Nashville agency life, and the GS&F mentor who changed his trajectory
• 12:09 – His core advice for young creatives: know what you love, what you're good at, and what you suck at
• 17:16 – Why treating branding like a flowchart kills personality and produces sameness
• 21:33 – Brand personality case studies: Dollar Shave Club, GoDaddy, and Nike
• 30:25 – Why AI is triggering the same fear response designers once had about social media
• 36:14 – How Midjourney took a project from a beach-chair voice memo to a finished pre-vis in one hour
• 41:29 – The "finders, minders, grinders" framework keeping FoxFuel's three co-founders in their lanes
• 46:10 – Michael's legacy goal for FoxFuel: "do great work with people you love"

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Michael Hutzel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhutzel/ | https://www.foxfuelcreative.com/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #BrandStrategy #CreativeDirection #NashvilleAgency #AIinCreative

How does one person stay creatively engaged at the same agency for over 25 years? Mark Scrivner talks with Scott Brooks, Post-Production Supervisor at GS&F and President of AAF Nashville, about the evolution of interactive media, the mentors who shaped his career, and why he's chosen to stay close to the craft instead of climbing the executive ladder. This episode is for agency leaders, creatives, and marketers who want a real look at career longevity, mentorship, and community-building in the advertising world. You'll walk away with a fresh perspective on what keeps creative careers — and creative communities — thriving over the long haul.

Episode Highlights

01:58 – Mark introduces Scott Brooks, President of AAF Nashville and Post-Production Supervisor at GS&F

02:38 – Scott recounts joining GS&F in 1999 and co-founding its interactive division

07:36 – Scott traces the evolution of "interactive" through Flash, Web 2.0, and into video and animation

11:32 – Why Scott has stayed at GS&F for over 25 years — and his retirement plan to move to Greece

19:26 – Leading by action: Scott's philosophy on mentorship over management

23:02 – Rebuilding AAF Nashville's community post-COVID and bringing agency leaders together

47:50 – The Dada Almanac and "friendly anarchy" as a creative philosophy

51:57 – Syd Mead, the futurist behind Blade Runner's iconic designs

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/

Connect With Scott Brooks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-brooks-5376894/ | https://gsandf.com/ | sbrooks@gsandf.com

Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health

Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

The Dada Almanac – https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-dada-almanac-atlas-arkhive-1_richard-huelsenbeck/740432/item/38377506

The Official Batman Batbook – https://www.awesomebooks.com/book/9780907610977/the-official-batman-batbook/used

Raygun: The Story So Far (David Carson) – https://www.amazon.com/dp/1785651188

McElligot's Pool (Dr. Seuss) – https://www.abebooks.com/9780394800837/McElligots-Pool-Classic-Seuss-Dr-0394800834/plp

Syd Mead book – https://a.co/d/09r3jdzU

Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health

Snapshot Health | Behavioral Health Marketing Built for Growth and Impact

Snapshot Health is a strategic growth and marketing partner for behavioral health organizations nationwide. We help treatment centers, mental health providers, and recovery programs grow responsibly by aligning brand, digital strategy, and patient acquisition with clinical integrity and long-term outcomes. Our team specializes in performance-driven marketing for behavioral health, including SEO, paid media, branding, marketing strategy, website development, and admissions enablement. We focus on attracting the right patients, improving conversion, and building scalable systems that support sustainable growth. Snapshot Health brings deep expertise in compliance, ethics, and trust-based marketing. We partner closely with executive teams to drive predictable admissions growth while protecting reputation, mission, and quality of care.

#TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #AgencyLife #NashvilleCreative #Mentorship #AAFNashville

What does it actually take to rise from an entry-level hire to president of the agency you helped build?

On this episode of The Spark, host Mark Scrivner sits down with Josh Moquin — newly named President of Snapshot — for a conversation a decade in the making.

Josh walks through his unlikely path into the agency world (including how a beer after work and a notepad led him to Snapshot's door), the seats he's held on the way to the top, and the leadership lessons that shaped him along the way. The two dig into what it means to earn a title rather than simply receive one, how Snapshot landed career-defining projects like the Amazon HQ2 pitch and a Major League Soccer client, and what Josh is committed to protecting — and changing — as he steps into his new role.

Listeners will walk away with a clear-eyed look at what it takes to build real trust inside an organization, why titles mean nothing without the work behind them, and how to think about growth, culture, and impact whether you're leading a team of five or fifty.

Episode Highlights 01:43 – Mark introduces Josh Moquin, newly named President of Snapshot 05:56 – Josh's origin story: how a notepad and a beer after work led him to Snapshot's door 09:24 – The account director role that changed how Josh saw the agency business 15:11 – Why the "no task beneath us" attitude defines Snapshot's culture 21:53 – The three-solutions leadership framework Josh still uses today 28:28 – What Josh is committed to protecting — and changing — as President 34:24 – Behind the scenes of Snapshot's push to bring Amazon HQ2 to Nashville 38:31 – Josh's vision for Snapshot's next chapter of growth

Learn More & Connect Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Josh Moquin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-moquin/ | https://snapshot.agency/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health

Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health

Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/

#TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #AgencyLeadership #NashvilleMarketing #CareerGrowth #AgencyCulture

What if the setback you didn't ask for turned into the best decision of your career? Kriste Goad, founder and Chief Firestarter of fuoco, shares the unfiltered story of building a healthcare B2B marketing agency — starting with getting let go and betting on herself instead of going back in-house. Kriste breaks down what 25 years in healthcare marketing taught her about relationships, business development, and brand clarity, plus the hard lessons behind scaling to Inc. 5000 recognition. This episode is for marketers, founders, and agency leaders who want a real look at growth, resilience, and how to use AI without losing the human judgment that makes the work valuable.

Episode Highlights 01:36 – Kriste traces her path into healthcare marketing back to her early days at Healthways 08:06 – The real story behind founding fuoco: "the only reason I started my own agency is I was fired" 10:44 – Where the name fuoco — Italian for "fire" — actually came from 12:04 – What years in business development taught her about swings, rejection, and relationships 22:39 – The most common mistake healthcare B2B brands make when telling their story 30:20 – Lessons from Inc. 5000 growth, including the over-hiring trap many agencies fall into 39:54 – Building the "fuoco operating system" and an AI org chart inside the agency 44:49 – Staying the "human in the loop" when clients bring AI-generated work back to the table

Learn More & ConnectShow Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Kriste Goad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristegoad/ | https://growwithfuoco.com/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #HealthcareMarketing #AgencyGrowth #BrandStrategy #WomenInBusiness

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 nearly 18 years and seven roles at the Chamber, then digs into the tension every high-growth city eventually faces: how to keep pace with affordability, housing, and infrastructure needs without losing the culture and creative identity that built the city's brand. She shares what she's learned about cross-sector leadership, why trust is the real bottleneck on collaboration, and what becoming the Chamber's first female CEO means to her and to the next generation of leaders behind her. Business owners, civic leaders, and anyone building something in a fast-growing city will walk away with a sharper read on how leadership, collaboration, and intentional growth planning actually work together, covering topics including cross-sector leadership, affordability and housing, Partnership 2030, chamber membership strategy, civic resilience, and Nashville's Super Bowl moment.

Episode Highlights

00:56 – Stephanie on leaving D.C. policy work to build her career in Nashville

06:09 – Nashville's boom years and the affordability tension shaping the region today

11:43 – The "secret sauce" behind successful cities: leadership across every sector

13:43 – Why collaboration can't move faster than trust

16:08 – Becoming the Chamber's first female President & CEO

22:01 – The bold goal to grow Chamber membership by 50%

31:46 – Stephanie's vision for what Nashville looks like in 2031

35:30 – Nashville's Super Bowl moment and its global spotlight

Learn More & ConnectShow Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Stephanie Coleman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-coleman-1956775/ | https://nashvillechamber.com/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #NashvilleLeadership #ChamberOfCommerce #CivicLeadership #EconomicDevelopment

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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 legal marketing, why she believes "riches are in the niches," and how she's built trust with a client base that's demanding, driven, and skeptical of marketing spend. The conversation covers agency positioning, letting go of control as a founder, building client trust through better questions, and where AI fits into her operations today.

For agency owners weighing specialization against staying general, this episode is a practical playbook: how to pick a lane, communicate it clearly, and build a team around it.

Episode Highlights 04:25 – Ashley shares how she became an "accidental agency owner," starting as a side hustle for a criminal defense lawyer in Atlanta 06:43 – The story behind the name Green Cardigan Marketing, inspired by golf and the Masters' green jacket 09:11 – The moment Ashley decided to go all-in on her agency in the early days of COVID 18:41 – Ashley makes the case for niching down: "riches are in the niches" 23:36 – Her go-to trust-building strategy: ask questions before you talk 25:56 – How Green Cardigan is using AI across operations and client work 33:43 – Ashley's proudest moments as a founder, centered on her team and client impact 39:25 – Closing advice for overwhelmed agency owners: narrow your focus

Learn More & Connect:

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Ashley Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyrobinsongcm/ | https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health

Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health

Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/

#TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #AgencyGrowth #NicheMarketing #LegalMarketing #AgencyOwner

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 that covers the full arc: from writing a sixth-grade term paper about working in advertising, to landing at Ogilvy & Mather, to going brand-side at Sony Electronics, to founding Confidant in 2016 and growing it into a creative velocity partner for global brands. Ken shares the lessons he learned from living on both sides of the agency-client relationship, what it really means to earn trust with major brands, how COVID forced a repositioning that made Confidant stronger, and where he sees AI fitting — and not fitting — into the creative process. Whether you're running an agency, building a brand, or navigating your own entrepreneurial inflection point, this episode is packed with hard-won perspective on what it takes to climb the next hill.

Episode Highlights 01:05 – Ken traces his journey from a sixth-grade term paper to Ogilvy & Mather 04:39 – The biggest cultural shift moving from agency life to Sony brand-side 14:08 – How a global Sony pitch launched Confidant and led to years of sleepless nights 20:04 – Why big brands are moving away from holding company agencies toward boutique specialists 25:51 – The origin of the name Confidant and the trust philosophy behind it 33:16 – Navigating COVID as an inflection point and how it reshaped Confidant's positioning 38:33 – Why "creative velocity" is now Confidant's positioning — and the insight that unlocked it 45:55 – How Ken approaches AI: research, operations, ideation, and production

Learn More & Connect: Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Ken Byers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenbyers/ | https://www.confidant.co/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #AgencyGrowth #BrandStrategy #CreativeLeadership #Entrepreneurship #NashvilleCreative #AIInMarketing

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 his father's systems-thinking approach and shares how that inheritance has shaped everything from how he builds products to how he evaluates partnerships.

Michael and Mark cover the real state of SEO in an AI-dominated search landscape, why "SEO is dead" is a fundamental misread of the market, the business case for human-in-the-loop AI, how to maximize content ROI through post-production strategy, and the one mindset shift that separates agencies that grow from those that stall. Whether you're building an agency, navigating AI adoption, or looking to sharpen your content strategy, this conversation delivers the kind of grounded, earned perspective that only comes from 14 years in the trenches.

Episode Highlights: 01:56 – Michael traces his journey from a creative writing degree to founding GoEpps 07:00 – The systems-thinking philosophy his father built — and why Michael has spent his life trying to replicate it 11:46 – GoEpps launches AEO: a dashboard for tracking AI search results across competitors 14:24 – "It's not gonna replace SEO, but it might replace Google" — Michael's take on the AI search landscape 21:56 – The $783 moment: how a single instinctual phone call closed GoEpps's first million-dollar year 26:15 – How resilience through recessions, a Nashville tornado, and a global pandemic shaped the business 29:07 – What great partnerships are actually built on: demonstrated behavior vs. delivered information 36:11 – Why the biggest missed opportunity in video isn't production — it's post-production strategy 44:37 – "The answer is go" — Michael's core advice for agency owners and entrepreneurs at any stage

Learn More & Connect:

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ Connect With Michael Epps Utley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-epps-utley/ | https://www.goepps.com/ Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/ #TheSparkPodcast #CreativeAssembly #DigitalMarketing #SEO #AgencyGrowth #AIMarketing #ContentStrategy #Entrepreneurship