The Spark Podcast: Nashville

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: 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