The Volunteer Roadmap

Talent Not Incentives: How Nashville Built an $8 Billion Entertainment Industry

Most people think Tennessee's entertainment industry is just Nashville honky-tonks and country music. It's actually an $8 billion business keeping your taxes low. Bob Raines runs the Tennessee Entertainment Commission - the state agency that oversees film, TV, and music. The industry he manages generates $8 billion in economic activity across Tennessee, which brings over $400 million in tax revenue into the state every year. That money helps keep Tennessee a low-tax state.  Tennessee didn't throw massive incentive programs at entertainment companies. We built something better - a talent ecosystem that keeps growing on its own. In this episode, we discuss: * Why Bob would rather be a "second tier" market than #1 (and why it’s a smarter play long-term) * How Tennessee attracts more talent than states spending twice as much on incentives * Why an eight-year degree isn't needed to be successful in entertainment Entertainment in Tennessee isn't just Nashville's country music scene. It's jobs, tax revenue, and reasons for people to stay, all across the state. Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com [http://archabouttn.com]

How Lawrenceburg Turned 'Distressed' Into 'Endless Opportunity’

Ten years ago, Lawrence County was on Tennessee's distressed counties list. Today, they're one of the most exciting areas in the state. New investment coming in every month, 1,500 jobs added since 2020, and downtown is filled with restaurants, retailers, and Airbnbs. So… what changed? They started seeing their limitations as opportunities. Ryan Egly is the President & CEO of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce. Growing up he was told if he wanted to be successful, he'd have to leave Lawrenceburg. Instead of following that advice, he found a different solution. In this episode, we're discussing: * How quantifying work ethic (not just credentials) became their secret weapon for recruiting businesses * Why keeping everything under one roof lets a 50,000-person county compete with 100,000+ markets * How to build education partnerships that actually serve your local workforce needs You already have what you need. You just have to see it differently. Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com

From Variable Debt to Accelerated Development | Cleveland

Cleveland is thriving. New restaurants, full parking lots, major development happening everywhere. But six years ago, the city was operating with 65% variable debt - which meant they couldn't predict their budget, couldn't plan accurately, and couldn't attract the kind of investment they needed. The first thing Mayor Kevin Brooks did? The unsexy work. He got Cleveland's debt under control (from 65% variable to 97% fixed) and created the foundation for everything else. Kevin Brooks doesn't call himself a politician. He's a public servant who's been serving Cleveland since he was a college student giving downtown historical tours. In this episode, he shares: * Why getting your financial house in order has to come first * How fixing the debt allowed Cleveland to budget taxpayer money for real infrastructure improvements * How regional collaboration drives growth, even across party lines When you fix the foundation first, it makes everything else a little bit easier. Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com [http://archabouttn.com]

Turn Tourists into Repeat Visitors | Knoxville

If Knoxville only had football, they'd have 7 weekends of revenue per year. Instead, Visit Knoxville generated $2 billion in economic impact by building the infrastructure, bringing in events like the Bassmaster Classic and concerts at Neyland Stadium, and promoting the city's restaurants, arts scene, and outdoor spaces. In this episode, Kim Bumpas (President of Visit Knoxville) shares: * Why being a standalone organization is key to staying nimble * The infrastructure investments that turned Knoxville into a year-round destination * What keeps tourists (and customers) coming back after their first visit Your main attraction might get people in the door, but what you build around it can keep them coming back. Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com 00:00 - Why we're headed to Knoxville 02:33 - How Knoxville transformed from "college town" to premier destination 04:48 - The Sunsphere takeover: turning a 40-year-old icon into a revenue driver 06:43 - Creating the Visit Knoxville Film Office (and why focused ownership matters) 10:48 - Why being a standalone organization keeps you nimble 13:55 - The Bassmaster Classic: $35M in economic impact over 4 days 17:30 - How tourism creates infrastructure that serves locals year-round 22:41 - When Visit Knoxville and UT are partners 27:11 - Building community buy-in for events that cause inconvenience 29:36 - What's next: future plans and events coming to Knoxville 39:57 - Studio debrief

Growth Doesn’t Happen When You’re Comfortable

You don’t get better at sports by playing people you can already beat, and you don’t grow as a leader by staying in rooms where you’re always comfortable. Some of the most important turning points in my life came from being challenged by people who were smarter than me, realizing I still had blind spots, and hearing perspectives I didn’t expect. In fact, I spent most of my career telling people who worked for me that they didn’t need a college degree as long as they could sell. But my opinion changed once I went through Leadership Tennessee, and I ended up going back to college. In this episode, Dr. Alfred Degrafinreid of Leadership Tennessee and I explore: * How the whole state improves when leaders stop trying to be the smartest person in the room * Why Leadership Tennessee doesn’t actually teach leadership (because everyone who gets in already is one) * How traveling across the state exposes blind spots that don’t show up in boardrooms * What happens when growth gets concentrated in one place instead of spread across the state Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com [http://archabouttn.com]