Today we’d like to introduce you to Stuart Deming.
Hi Stuart, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been in the Nashville area for almost 11 years and have accumulated over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Throughout my career, I’ve worked in various roles, from kitchens to hotels, and have become a leading specialist in tourism for the city of Nashville. I’ve personally provided tours to nearly 20,000 people, covering aspects such as history, food, music, and more.
My main focus in tourism was with a company called Bespoke Experiences based in New Orleans, specializing in private curated tours of different cities. Leveraging my extensive knowledge of Nashville, I aimed to bring value to people by sharing stories about the city and highlighting exceptional restaurants, attractions, parks, and more. This passion led to the creation of XPLR.NASH in collaboration with my business partner, Erin Pennington.
Together, we’ve generated thousands of pieces of content, including podcasts like The XPLR.NASH Podcast, on our Instagram and YouTube channels called XPLR.NASH. Our content explores various aspects of Nashville, including its history, food, day trips, attractions, adventures, development, and other engaging topics.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey hasn’t been without its challenges. I encountered numerous hurdles, one of which was establishing viable revenue streams to sustain full-time engagement in content curation. To support the development of our brand, we temporarily transitioned into a production company, creating content for various clients
During this phase, managing cash flow became a notable concern. Operating as a production company had its moments of financial stress, especially when addressing payroll and ensuring our team’s well-being. However, our commitment to overcoming obstacles remained steadfast.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have been in the hospitality world for over 15 years and have worked in almost every position you can imagine. I have also been creating content for almost 20 years. I took both of those passions to create XPLR.NASH. XPLR.NASH is a brand that was born out of my love for the city of Nashville.
We curated content that is created to allow people to Experience Nashville Differently. Over the last 6 years, we have created nearly 1200 podcast episodes, hundreds of videos for YouTube, and tons of Instagram reels showing how great Nashville is.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Embracing risks has been a constant theme throughout my life. Many of these risks have been well-calculated, but the unpredictability keeps things interesting.
One significant risk was seizing the opportunity to live in Italy, initially to study and later to work for the college I attended. Another pivotal decision involved relocating across the country to take a job in Franklin, TN. This move meant starting anew without any friends and navigating through a significant cultural shift.
Coming from one of the poorest counties in Upstate New York, the affluence in Franklin was initially surprising and took some time to sink in. Despite the challenges, these experiences contributed significantly to my personal growth.
Being self-employed for the majority of my life represents a continuous risk, betting on my capabilities, and so far, it has proven successful. Additionally, taking on the responsibility of a team, where others depend on me for payroll, has been another significant risk.
Contact Info:
- Website: xplrnash.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xplr.nash/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xplr.nash
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-deming-11a17b68/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@xplrnash
