Portraits of Nashville

It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Nashville.

Veronica Clark

The work I do isn’t just a job—it’s a calling. As an APEX Accelerator Counselor, I have the privilege of walking alongside small business owners, helping them navigate the world of government contracting and step into opportunities they may have once thought were out of reach. What I’m most proud of is being a part of someone’s breakthrough moment—watching their confidence grow, their vision expand, and their business take flight. Read more>>

Tyson Leslie

I’m a multi-instrumentalist live mercenary musician. I get called for various instruments for all kinds of gigs from main headliner bands and artists, to corporate events and weddings, to playing requests for drunk people in bars to going dueling piano shows all across the country. I’ve played with some of my biggest heroes alive, and I’m continuing to grow my network every year and as a result, I continue to get calls to work with some pretty amazing people. Read more>>

Josh Blanco

We put our hearts on our sleeves. We show up, not to impress you but to express ourselves. That comes at the risk of embarrassment which can lead to shame, depression so on and so fourth. Not so much a feeling of imposter syndrome but of genuine inadequacy. Read more>>

Georgia Edgeworth

I think any artist will tell you that there will be a lot of doubts along the way. I discovered that my greatest weakness in writing Country music could be used as a strength in the Pop Alternative Genre. I was told over and over again that my lyrics weren’t detailed enough in Country Music, and then I found out that the TV/film world wants universal lyrics with imagery and that’s what I do best ! It’s amazing how something you thought that you weren’t “enough” at can turn into a strength . Read more>>

Judy Rodman

With the birth of our child, I became very ill, requiring a 3-month hospital stay during which I sustained a serious vocal injury from an endotracheal tube. A couple of years later, we moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where I began working as a session singer with top background groups on indie and major label records. I had recovered most of my voice on my own but started lessons with Nashville’s beloved vocal coach Gerald Arthur and gained more voice than I’d ever had. I learned the value of professional vocal coaching. Read more>>

Lynn Echo

Can’t say much, but just know it’s going to have you glued to the TV with anticipation of each scene. It will be shown on several viewing platforms. I’m blessed and proud to be a black woman, who holds several positions, a mom, wife, job, entrepreneur and actress. I’ve faced many challenges that tried to effect me, like racism on the job, losing both parents, fighting to be seen and heard in the entertainment industry etc. Ohhh but God sees all and definitely knows all. With God’s love, support of my husband, family and close friends, I’ve been able to conquer and be a conqueror. Believe it or not, the BEST is YET to come. Stay tuned! Read more>>

Michael Cooper

I feel that our work is outstanding, with great attention to detail. We specialize in what is called “trompe l’oeil”, meaning “to fool the eye”. Whenever we can, I try and incorporate some elements that play with perspective, layering, depth. If anything, I believe that’s what we’re known for. Our murals are found in spaces that are interior, exterior, residential, commercial, basically anywhere! The more difficult and inaccessible, the better! We love a challenge. Decorative finishes, Venetian plasters, hand-painted graphics and signage – like I said, we can do it all. Read more>>

Ian Janco

At my mom’s suggestion, I applied to the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) in the UK. To my surprise, I got in, and my life’s trajectory shifted. Over three intense years, I earned a BA in Music, performing in several bands, doing countless solo gigs, working as a musical director for theater and dance, and releasing a single that received national radio play. With my network growing and my career gaining traction, I applied for a five-year visa and moved to London after graduation. Read more>>

Jennifer Curnutt

I am a freelance writer, content creator, and travel blogger who also manages social media accounts for companies in the travel industry. I specialize in finding and featuring unique destinations that combine adventure with luxury. I then write about those adventures and create itineraries that my audience can follow allowing them to explore the same places I’ve been without the hassle of hours of planning. Read more>>

Hannah Morse, RN

The aesthetics industry is incredibly competitive, and standing out in such a crowded space felt intimidating at first. I knew I wanted to create something different—something that didn’t resemble the typical whitewashed med spas. My goal was to craft an experience that made clients feel comfortable, confident, and deeply understood and respected. But I wasn’t entirely sure if this approach would work. Read more>>

Isis Swink

It has definitely not been a smooth road. Just living life is full of ups and downs and ebbs and flows. So many lessons have had to be learned that created the strong woman I am today. Staying true to myself in a world where people are in a society imposed box was always my biggest struggle. I never felt that my life fit into a box. When I was younger I tried, but I just could not do it. I was meant to stand out and shine. As I got older, it got more difficult to hide, especially when I had kids. I never wanted them to hide or feel less than who they really were. To really do that successfully I had to stand in my own power, to not only talk to them about this but to be an example as well. Read more>>

Quanasha Starks

As time passed, I found my stride. I became exceptionally skilled at delivering instruction and building lasting relationships with my students. For me, it was always a welcome challenge to discover new ways to make the material engaging and hands-on. Teaching in public schools, I didn’t have the luxury of hand-picking my students. Each class was filled with learners of varying abilities, experiences, and backgrounds. This diversity pushed me to adapt the curriculum and instructional resources to meet my students’ unique needs. Read more>>

Morelia Cuevas

I’m a little bit country and a whole lot of rock n roll. From every step I taken has brought “Sparkle & Shine” in my life. I come from a family of Rhinestone dreams . I have been the field trip all my life thru school having such the roots I come from . Being the granddaughter of Nudie the Rodeo Tailor to the stars and daughter of Manuel But I continued to make my own path from fashion and entertainment. Read more>>

Britt Clark

That woman was my best friend in the whole world and ten years later no one has taken that spot. For a long long time, she was the only one who believed in me. She bought me my first guitar from a garage sale back in my hometown and put down the money for a few lessons. She sat up with me one night picking out songs for my school’s talent show in eighth grade. No one pushed me harder to make this happen for me. Music was our dream, together. If I don’t chase this thing for myself, I am 1000% doing it for her. Read more>>

Mary Spencer Veazey

Writing a book has been an extreme challenge. I was living out a lot of what I was writing in real time and it was hard and vulnerable talking about what was going on at the time. While I was writing, I was navigating a family member’s cancer diagnosis, had someone repeatedly try to break into my home resulting in the inability to sleep through the night for almost a year, and difficulties in the job I was in. Read more>>

C.J. Benoit

So I went and found stuff that I did like. Blues, Country, Bluegrass (I would go to Danny Kimball’s New Years Day jam with my dad when I was older), Cajun/Zydeco, old RnB, Folk, Jazz (especially New Orleans Traditional aka Dixieland and Swing) and Southern/Blues Rock were always big with me. While my peers were big on Green Day, Blink-182, Dr. Dre, etc I was listening to Jimmy Buffett (with Fingers Taylor, my biggest influence on Harmonica), Muddy Waters, Dr. John, Little Feat, Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Louis Armstrong, Waylon Jennings, Buckwheat Zydeco . . . I know the old Rock and Roll saying was never trust anyone over 30, but god-DAMN they got some good record collections! Read more>>

Sarah Gibson

From a young age, I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit—it’s simply in my DNA. My very first business venture? Sock dolls. Yes, that’s right – sock dolls. At just nine years old, I discovered a love for sewing and began crafting small animal-like dolls from clean, brand-new socks. With a little creativity and a lot of determination, I started selling them to the neighborhood kids for $15 each, even taking custom orders. Looking back, that small endeavor was just the beginning of a lifelong passion for creating, building, and turning ideas into reality. Read more>>

DARKROSE

My name is DARKROSE & I’m an artist from Nashville Tennessee. I started going to the studio around the age of 15. I knew I wanted to make music but the purpose was mostly to vent. I feel at the time I had so much on my mind I just needed to release. Music was a source for my release. I fell in love with the art of creating songs . I’d like to specify by songs in general it didn’t have to be a rap . I’ve made love, r&b, Indie folk , country, punk rock, alternative rock you name it. I got to where I am by being delusional and in some ways you have to. Read more>>

Tina Parol

I’ve lived in Nashville for 13 years now and it’s my home. I always say I now have a home and a hometown. I’ve gratefully written songs for Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Sabrina Carpenter, Tenille Townes (The Canadian #1 “Jersey On The Wall (I’m Just Asking)”, and Lady A (The 3-week Billboard #1, RIAA Certified Platinum “Champagne Night”) and more. I also write my own artist songs that have been licensed in television shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Riverdale, Selling Sunset, and Love Is Blind. Brands like Target, Peloton, and Maybelline have used my music in their ads as well. I love what I do and am so grateful for it all! Read more>>

Alexis Taylor

During college, I took a trip to Nashville with one of my best friends, and everything about Music City made it clear – that was exactly where I needed to be. So, I packed my bags and made the move, determined to chase my dreams and make a career doing what I love. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of touring internationally through the United States, Scandinavia, parts of Mexico, and Canada, sharing my music with anyone who will listen! Read more>>

Sasha Smardak

I think the road for me was smooth but with about 20 potholes. Since I didn’t fully know what I was getting myself into and I kinda pushed through on a whim, I would say the obstacles, I encountered, only made me a better artist and made me learn a lot. Going into a major, that I knew nothing about, made me learn a bunch of new skills that helped me develop my process and a body of work with a direction. Read more>>

Dejah Barksdale

I faced a lot of struggles along the way. I was impatient and wanted my success to reach me overnight. I focused heavily on the numbers: the likes, the views, the follows. But the biggest struggle I faced was forgetting why I started in the first place. I would compare myself a lot to other creators in the same field. I had to focus less on the things I could not control, and hone in on what I could. I would write down my “why” in every journal and would plaster it on the wall, so no matter the mood I was in, I would always be reminded of what I’m here to do. Read more>>

Nabeel Husari

Driven by a desire to uphold higher professional standards, I decided to pursue IICRC certification – a goal my previous employer didn’t support. After achieving this certification, I chose to establish my own business rather than seek employment elsewhere. My vision was to create a company founded on respect and ethical practices, treating both clients and employees as I would want to be treated. Since launching on September 7, 2023, my company has become accredited by the Better Business Bureau and is an IICRC-certified firm. Personally, I hold seven of the 18 IICRC certifications and aspire to become an IICRC instructor in the future.” Read more>>

Mark Henes

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—pursuing a career in music and art rarely is. The biggest challenges have been staying true to my vision while navigating an industry that often favors trends over authenticity. Early on, I had to figure out how to develop my own sound and break through the noise in a competitive space. Read more>>

Alexis Donn

I started posting videos of my singing and playing mediocre guitar on Instagram, I recorded a few demos with some friends, and before I graduated from Notre Dame I sang a verse on a friend of mine’s EDM track. That one verse led me to receiving topline requests (a topline is the vocal that goes over an instrumental) from various DJs on Instagram, and I started writing, recording and sending my vocals to whoever would listen. I figured I could save money by collaborating with DJs because I wouldn’t have to pay for production, and I’d hopefully start getting some decent streams. Read more>>

Jen Lawson

Learning anything new always has struggles and bumps in the road, definitely a lot of trial and error but at the end of the day sales is sales and if you can be successful in sales with selling one product you can apply those skills to new product. Three key factors in sales in product knowledge, confidence, and gaining the trust of the customer. You have to show them how you can solve their problem and why it is valuable to them. Read more>>

John Gold

I think experiences where you are bent, even where you are broken, can be the building blocks to a new type of success. I was very ill for a very long time as a child. Going through that experience built a framework for looking at the world a different way. Along that way, I suffered many changes of plan and had to start over more times than I can count. Read more>>

Cathy

I take pride in delivering the best results for my clients. My goal is to help their businesses or brands succeed, and that brings me immense joy. I’m known for making things happen that others can’t—some even call me a magician. I’m proud to have built a reputation for credibility and excellence in my work. Putting my name behind a business is a risk I take, but it’s one I’m willing to embrace. Read more>>

Jake Roberts

Instead of jumping into the industry right away, I went to film school which gave me the resources to study film theory for three years, and I interned at a camera rental house which allowed me to work with and learn with the best equipment we have today. This put me in the best spot to help my clients, and I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to learn and grow my own abilities! Read more>>

Amanda Pumphrey

Pumphrey and Berad was founded in 2018 as a food truck and we were on several farmers markets.Then parked at the Land in Kingston Springs before moving to Little Harpeths Taproom in East Nashville. After the tornado of 2020 and COVID we opened our space in Dickson TN. We have also opened since then another store in LInden TN. Read more>>