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/ | [email protected]

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

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 companies, and entrepreneurial ventures. From creating emotional connections with customers to aligning sales and marketing teams, Bill breaks down the strategies that consistently drive growth and brand loyalty.

Whether you're a business owner, marketer, agency leader, or creative entrepreneur, this conversation offers practical insights on differentiation, leadership, customer research, franchise marketing, agency partnerships, and using data to make smarter decisions.

Episode Highlights

03:45 – How studying psychology laid the foundation for a career in marketing

12:18 – Why differentiation is the key to successful marketing

14:28 – Marketing as a growth engine, not a cost center

17:05 – The emotional connection that transformed Chem-Dry's brand strategy

22:05 – How consumer research unified more than 1,000 franchise locations

28:40 – What great agency-client partnerships have in common

57:10 – Why marketers need to spend more time analyzing performance data

Learn More & Connect

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

Connect With Bill Zinke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-zinke/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/bill-zinke-cmo-board-services/

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

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

#TheSparkPodcast #Marketing #BrandStrategy #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #cmo

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.

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 episode of The Spark, Chuck shares the moments that defined his career, the mentors who shaped him, and the principles that guided decades of award-winning work. Along the way, he reflects on the importance of work ethic, lifelong learning, giving back, and always asking one critical question: "Is it great?"

Highlights

15:19 – Chuck gets hired on the spot by legendary creative leader Eric Erickson after showing up with a portfolio in a department store shopping bag.

36:27 – The story behind the phrase "Nashville is Music and More" and how Nashville evolved beyond its musical roots.

44:52 – Chuck explains why curiosity remains one of the most important traits for any creative professional.

49:40 – Why great creatives should give back and use their talents to support meaningful causes.

56:35 – Chuck shares one of the proudest moments of his career: helping launch the Nashville Predators.

57:40 – The creation of the iconic "Got Hockey?" campaign that helped secure Nashville's NHL franchise.

59:10 – Lessons from decades of leadership, mentorship, and building great creative teams.

Listen: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/

Watch: https://youtu.be/-Ys2J-kDE4U

The Spark Podcast: Hear Stories from Nashville Creatives

Tune into the The Spark Podcast for inspiring conversations with creatives, entrepreneurs, and industry experts to fuel your creative journey.

Learn More & Connect

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

Connect With Chuck Creasy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-creasy-bb35b11/ | https://chuck-creasy.pixels.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.