Inside the Music Business Playbook - Kent Earls

He Survived 4 IEDs. Now He’s Helping Save Veterans Through Songwriting

Donate: https://creativets.networkforgood.com/projects/93343-creativets-donation-page Marine veteran Richard Casper was blown up four times while serving in Iraq. After surviving multiple IED blasts, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and the death of his close friend Luke, Richard came home carrying the weight of war, grief, survivor’s guilt, and memories most people will never understand. In this episode of The Stephan Hogan Podcast, Richard Casper shares his story of surviving combat, struggling with post-traumatic stress, discovering healing through art and music, and building CreatiVets - a nonprofit helping veterans tell their stories through songwriting, visual art, and creative expression. Richard opens up about what it was like serving in Iraq, being hit by IED explosions, losing fellow Marines, coming home changed, and realizing that music and art could help veterans process trauma in a way traditional conversation often cannot. Through CreatiVets, Richard and his team have helped veterans across the country turn their war stories, grief, PTSD, and pain into songs and artwork that give them language for what they have carried in silence. This conversation covers veteran suicide, male mental health, PTSD, faith, trauma, music therapy, songwriting, nonprofit leadership, CreatiVets, the healing power of art, and Richard’s mission to save lives by helping veterans feel seen, heard, and understood. If you care about veterans, mental health, suicide prevention, music, art, faith, or stories of people turning pain into purpose, this episode is for you. Countrypolitan: [https://shorturl.at/JtN6r](https://shorturl.at/JtN6r) Studio Bank: [https://www.studiobank.com/](https://www.studiobank.com/) Water: [https://stagewater.com/](https://stagewater.com/) Clothing: [https://www.simonsaysnashville.com/](https://www.simonsaysnashville.com/) Connect with The Stephan Hogan Podcast: [https://www.tiktok.com/@stephanhogan](https://www.tiktok.com/@stephanhogan) [https://www.instagram.com/stephanhogan](https://www.instagram.com/stephanhogan) [https://www.facebook.com/stephanhogan](https://www.facebook.com/stephanhogan) Email: [contact@mavericksmediaco.com](mailto:contact@mavericksmediaco.com) Filmed in Nashville, TN Produced: Stephan Hogan Mavericks Media Co. Production Topics covered: Richard Casper interview Marine veteran blown up 4 times IED blast survivor Iraq War veteran story PTSD and veteran suicide CreatiVets nonprofit Healing veterans through music Songwriting for veterans Art therapy for PTSD Veteran mental health Male suicide awareness Surviving war trauma Faith, purpose, and healing Turning trauma into purpose Music and art for veterans

Dierks Bentley’s Tour Manager Built a Water Brand to Save Music

Chris Thacker is the co-founder and CEO of Stage Water, a canned water brand built for the live music community. He is also a longtime tour manager for Dierks Bentley and has spent decades behind the scenes of the music industry leading teams, solving problems, and keeping major tours moving. In this episode of The Stephan Hogan Podcast, Chris Thacker shares how Stage Water launched, how the company became the official water of CMA Fest, and what most people do not understand about starting a beverage brand. We talk about the real business behind canned water, beverage distribution, co-packing, funding a startup, raising capital, giving equity to investors, building a brand with purpose, and why Stage Water gives back to the creative community. Chris also breaks down what he learned from years on the road with Dierks Bentley, how leadership changes when you are responsible for people, and why building something meaningful requires patience, risk, humility, and belief. This conversation is for entrepreneurs, founders, music industry professionals, artists, managers, creators, and anyone trying to build a business that actually stands for something. Watch more episodes of The Stephan Hogan Podcast for conversations on business, leadership, creativity, faith, ambition, failure, music, and the human stories behind success.verage Brand, Watch This https://www.countrypolitannashville.com https://www.studiobank.com/ https://stagewater.com/ https://www.simonsaysnashville.com/ Connect with The Stephan Hogan Podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephanhogan https://www.instagram.com/stephanhogan https://www.facebook.com/stephanhogan Email: contact@mavericksmediaco.com Filmed in Nashville, TN Produced: Stephan Hogan Mavericks Media Co. Production

The Lost Art of Reinventing Yourself - Ben Montague

At some point, the dream changes. Ben Montague started as a musician chasing songs, shows, and the artist life. Then he found himself driving through the night after gigs, windows down just to stay awake, so he could open his guitar shop the next morning. That was the crossroads. Today, Ben owns Carter Vintage Guitars and Norman’s Rare Guitars. But the real story is not about guitars. It is about being able to shift gears and follow a new dream.  In this episode, Ben opens up about music, business, private equity, family pressure, acquiring Carter Vintage and Norman’s Rare Guitars, and the emotional cost of building something meaningful. This one is for musicians, creatives, founders, business owners, guitar lovers, and anyone who knows they may be standing at a turning point.  Connect with The Stephan Hogan Podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephanhogan https://www.instagram.com/stephanhogan https://www.facebook.com/stephanhogan Email: contact@mavericksmediaco.com Filmed in Nashville, TN Produced: Stephan Hogan Mavericks Media Co. Production

When the Dream Becomes a Business

https://www.gofundme.com/f/stephanhoganpodcast Stephan sits down with Mitchell Tenpenny for a real conversation about fatherhood, grief, losing a parent, anger, therapy, phones, social media, AI, fake validation, human connection, and why live music still matters in a world full of content. Mitchell Tenpenny is known for songs like Drunk Me, Truth About You, At the End of a Bar, and his latest chapter as an artist, husband, and soon-to-be father. Mitchell Tenpenny is a multi-platinum country artist, songwriter, and performer with one of the most recognizable voices in modern country music. But this conversation goes far beyond the songs. Mitchell Tenpenny opens up about becoming a father, losing his dad, trying to be present, and the strange weight that comes with chasing something you love. He talks honestly about anxiety, performing live, protecting his voice, and the mental side of walking on stage when thousands of people are expecting you to deliver. Stephan Hogan and Mitchell Tenpenny also talk about what happens when the dream starts working. The number one songs, the pressure to keep going, the expectations, the business, and the moment the thing you love can start to feel like something you have to keep alive. At the center of the conversation is a question a lot of people eventually face: What do you do when the thing you love starts to feel heavy? Toward the end, Mitchell Tenpenny dives deeper into songwriting, Nashville, country music, why some writers get caught trying to impress other writers, and why the best songs are usually the ones that feel honest, simple, and human. Subscribe to The Stephan Hogan Podcast for more conversations with artists, songwriters, music executives, entrepreneurs, and creative leaders shaping the future of music, business, and culture. Connect with The Stephan Hogan Podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephanhogan https://www.instagram.com/stephanhogan https://www.facebook.com/stephanhogan Email: contact@mavericksmediaco.com Filmed in Nashville, TN Produced: Stephan Hogan Mavericks Media Co. Production

Inside the Music Business Playbook - Kent Earls

Kent Earls is one of the music executives behind the scenes helping shape the songs, songwriters, artists, and careers people are talking about in Nashville. In this episode of The Stephan Hogan Podcast, Kent Earls sits down with Stephan to talk about the business behind the hits, from his time as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville to becoming partner at Verse 2 Music, the publishing company built with Kane Brown in partnership with Sony Music Publishing. We talk about Ella Langley, Joybeth Taylor, Verse 2 Music, Kane Brown, Sony Music Publishing Nashville, Nashville music publishing, songwriter development, artist development, creative partnerships, and how leverage is really built in the music business. But this conversation is bigger than country music. Kent shares what artists, songwriters, creatives, entrepreneurs, executives, and decision makers need to understand about trusting your gut, owning your value, choosing the right partners, building relationships, and creating long-term leverage before the deal ever happens. This is an inside look at how high-level music executives think, how publishing companies bet on talent, and how careers are built behind the scenes in Nashville. Topics covered: Kent Earls, Ella Langley, Joybeth Taylor, Verse 2 Music, Kane Brown, Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville, Nashville music business, music publishing, songwriter development, artist development, music executive, country music, creative entrepreneurship, business leverage, strategic partnerships, trusting your gut, and building value. Subscribe to The Stephan Hogan Podcast for more conversations with artists, songwriters, music executives, entrepreneurs, and creative leaders shaping the future of music, business, and culture. Connect with The Stephan Hogan Podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephanhogan https://www.instagram.com/stephanhogan https://www.facebook.com/stephanhogan Email: contact@mavericksmediaco.com Filmed in Nashville, TN Produced: Stephan Hogan Mavericks Media Co. Production