Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Stalvey. Them and their team share their story with us below:
(The Story of Turnipblood Entertainment). Founded by Trey Myers, an agent, and manager of bands, Turnipblood Entertainment pioneered the full-service approach to fraternity entertainment and grew quickly at the University of Georgia.
Wanting to increase his talent buying clout, Trey moved to Nashville to work for major agencies, and in his absence, the Turnipblood team stepped up and expanded into Alabama where they created Sorority and Travel divisions, but things didn’t explode until the decision was made to grow westward.
Trey eventually quit his job to focus on building teams in major markets across the southeast and Texas, and to write a how-to-book to help incoming social chairs: The Perfect Southern Fraternity Party: From House Bands to National Acts, the Complete Guide to Planning, Booking, and Production
Since 2015, Turnipblood has grown through acquisition, while focussing obsessively on cultivating young talent through its intern, ambassador, and brand rep programs…
Turnipblood BlackTie was created when Ashley came on board in the Summer of 2019 to focus on weddings, corporate and special events, and Turnipblood’s Destinations merged with two larger companies to create GreekFormals.
With 20 years of experience in special events and weddings, Ashley has been uniquely positioned to work with brides, planners, and hosts to recommend and book the exact right bands each event calls for while handling logistical details with ease.
Innovative, entrepreneurial, and constantly evolving, Trey, Ashley, and the entire Turnipblood team embrace the weird and strive to create lasting memories through exceptional entertainment experiences!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Obviously, the onset and subsequent shutdowns of Covid-19 brought a huge challenge to Turnipblood Entertainment and the entire entertainment industry (and the world as a whole).
Navigating cancellations, reschedules, re-reschedules, restrictions, safety precautions, and client expectations was difficult but rewarding – we managed to work with artists, agencies, and vendors to ensure that none of our clients lost a penny and were able to use credits totaling nearly two million dollars to eventually produce events once restrictions lifted and safely execute events for thrilled clients and guests.
Everyone in the entertainment and event industry became pros at pivoting, and we used the downtime to refine our systems, invest in our amazing team members, and strengthen our internal relationships and those we have with artists and agencies.
I’d say that our skills are stronger than ever, and there are fewer surprising circumstances on a day-to-day basis now that we’ve survived (and thrived!) following the pandemic.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Turnipblood Entertainment is known for taking on what would be stressful situations for event hosts and turning them into perfect days.
Since we’re working with artists and agencies every day, we’re pros at working through technical and hospitality riders, planning for the unexpected, and managing timelines and logistical challenges that aren’t new to us but would be new to a host without the same experience.
The thing that sets Turnipblood Entertainment apart from its competitors is that we’ll take your event from conception to execution and provide ‘boots on the ground’ labor to navigate Day of Show challenges so that the enjoyment of the hosts and guests are not impacted in the slightest. Anything from a faulty generator to an artist missing a flight is handled with confidence and grace.
Something I’m most proud of with our brand is the longevity of our clients – we may begin working with someone as the social chair of their fraternity or sorority, and that person will call us when they’ve moved on to a corporate job and are looking for a brand for the company’s event, for their wedding band, for their anniversary party, or for friends’ weddings and events.
Knowing we’ve been part of memorable moments throughout a client’s life is exceedingly rewarding.
What were you like growing up?
I was always the one who wanted to do everything (and be the ‘leader’ of the group) – there was no such thing as too many activities, new opportunities were always the most exciting, and I’ve always loved to travel.
I was (and still am) a huge reader, and writing for magazines was a big part of my high school and college years, and considered a career option. Music has been a huge part of my life from a young age, my father is a musician and I pursued ballet and musical theater throughout my younger years.
In college, live music became my world, and I’d frequently go ‘on tour’ following bands, and volunteering for hospitality jobs at local music venues and with music festivals. I began helping plan events in high school, continued to work in every aspect of event planning and execution throughout college, and started an official career in events after graduation.
Because no two days are ever the same in entertainment, having a varied skill set is essential!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.turnipbloodent.com
- Instagram: @turnipbloodent and @turnipbloodblacktie
Image Credits
Travis Ward, TPac Films, Claire Barrett Photo, One Nine Images, and Kaitie Bryant Photography
