Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Matthews.
Hi Jake, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve only ever had one career, as a photographer. But my first love is basketball. There’s something about playing as a team, going on a mission after a goal, together. I was missing that for the first 5 years of my career as a photographer. It was a very solo life. Eventually, the gigs started to grow, and it became something I couldn’t handle on my own, or more importantly, I didn’t want to. I wanted to be a part of something where I could feel the heartbeat of a team, knowing I wasn’t doing it just for myself. Then, a report came out at the end of 2024, naming Nashville as the #4 event destination in the U.S. It was a lightbulb moment. All of a sudden, I noticed there were large events pouring into the city every day, and it was important for them to showcase content from their event, as well as content of their trip to Nashville. We rebranded completely- started focusing on conferences and events only, and things took off. We’re a year into that now, and we have a team of 6 shooters, 3 editors, and 2 producers, and we’re shooting some of the largest events around Nashville on a consistent basis. I couldn’t be more grateful.
Now, we are positioning ourselves the be the leading event photo/video team in Nashville, while also expanding our premium event services: 360 Video Booths, Headshot Lounges, Magnet/Trading Card Guest Gift Stations, and all sorts of Photobooths. Those are launching within the next month, and we can’t wait.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all. But who doesn’t love a good challenge. I started the business in 2018, made close to zero dollars, definitely not anything to live off of, for 6 years straight. My mom admitted she was skeptic it would ever work. Then came 2025; everything clicked. We expanded our team to start the year, bringing on our entire production team. And then the saying came true: if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Suddenly, we were a team. A team that worked together, dedicated to making sure we served these events the best way we could, and provided them the best Nashville experience we could deliver.
It’s refreshing now. It had been 6 years of feeling like I was wasting my time, but still deciding to try and get up the next day and build it anyway. And the most difficult part, looking at yourself in the mirror…honestly. Every time I messed up on a project, I had to learn how to get 1% better the next day, and be determined not to make the mistake again. Eventually, we developed a pretty good process, and every single client we had last year had a great experience. That wasn’t always the case. We had to fail first.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Nash Creative House?
We started with this idea- 99% of corporate event photo/video you see is well…boring. We had a team of top tier creatives, who spent their weekends touring as the photographer for Grammy winning artists, traveling worldwide shooting for international hotel clients, and shooting globally known brand lifestyle shoots. They were used to being creative, offering unique perspectives, and delivering at the highest level. We just had to plug them into the conferences and corporate events. They’ve done a fantastic job, and they’re the reason why our clients are so happy. We create truly memorable and marketable media for businesses that they WANT to share to show others their event.
What sets us apart is the full range of production experiences we bring under one roof. Beyond traditional event photography and videography, we run on-site headshot lounges, branded photo booths, and attendee gift activations — including custom magnet prints, custom trading cards, lanyard creation, 360 Photobooths, and more. These aren’t afterthoughts; they’re designed to be highlights of the event itself. Attendees line up for them. Organizers love that it adds a tangible, memorable moment to their program.
We’re not a one-person operation showing up with a camera. We field full crews, manage multiple activations simultaneously, and deliver organized, polished content that clients can put to work immediately.
But, while we pride ourselves in our work, that isn’t what I’m most proud of. I’m most proud of the feeling of community, of friendship we’ve developed with our photo/video team, and our clients. We simply enjoy what we do, enjoy showing up every day, and doing it with each other.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Oh my, luck has played more of a role than I have for sure. We’re ignorant to ignore that. I’m lucky to have decided last minute to go to college in Nashville, such a creative city. I’m lucky to have met a friend my first year of college that introduced me to photography. I’m lucky to live in a place, where building my own business is even an option. I’m lucky that certain clients have decided to take a chance on me. There are so many blessings, that I did nothing to deserve.
Pricing:
- Conference Photo/Video: $5k+
- Base Project Price: $2,000
- Individual Professional Headshot: $250
- Photobooth Experiences: Prices range from $250-$4,000
- Complete Photo/Video Brand Revamp: $5,000+
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nashcreativehouse.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nashcreativehouse
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NashCreativeHouse
