For many decades, Nashville has been known as Music City – and rightly so. When Santa came down the chimney in Middle Tennessee, the musical talent section of his bag ripped wide open and spilled out all over the place (and that seems to happen every year).
The music being made in countless dozens of clubs and restaurants throughout middle Tennessee every week – amazing. There’s no place like it!
And increasingly, the Nashville area is growing as a destination city, with a vibrant downtown, a great food and bar scene, upscale neighborhoods, TV shows and specials, and a shining profile in write-ups around the country.
We’re enjoying the bright lights and glitter – the attention is nice. But, as many of us understand, there is much more to Nashville than the entertainment scene. The Nashville brand has two other elements that I think we ought to bring forward very pro-actively:
Variation: 
(do pardon my lack of graphical design skills – I design in words, not images!)
Two of the main reasons I moved back to the Nashville area this year were:
– Great and dynamic business climate, including a vibrant entrepreneurial culture
– The general cultural friendliness which is a unique hallmark of the middle Tennessee area
The fact is, Tennesseee is a very business-friendly state, and like Texas, we should market the heck out of it. Healthcare companies, automobile companies, and many others have flocked to Tennessee and grown. And while entertainment and tourism will continue to generate a lot of revenue, a deepening foundation of vibrant businesses will position Middle (and all of) Tennessee for enduring prosperity.
But we’re not just business-friendly in the financial sense. We’re friendly – and that is great for business. Our moderate weather climate is joined to a welcoming cultural climate.
I’ll bet there are hundreds of “re-location” stories like mine, from solo entrepreneurs to very large companies. Let’s highlight those stories (“Flee to Tennessee!” – I can just envision the ads in the NY/NJ marketplace now). Culture is a huge draw, and businesses are waking up to that fact.
We have the core infrastructure. We have the talent base. We have the universities. We have what every professional and business is looking for – opportunity and growth. Joined to smiles and a family-friendly climate.
Whoever has been branding and promoting Nashville in recent years – you’re doing genius work, and by all means, let’s continue to promote the guitars and the glamour. But let’s talk even more about what a great climate there is for business here. And how friendly and welcoming our community is. THAT’s a business friendly that differentiates us from everyone else!
UPDATE: This encouraging article published on January 5, 2015: Tennessee named “State of the Year” for economic growth
Nashville Business Friendly/We are Business Friendly tagline concepts copyright 2015 Impactiviti LLC. May not be used or reproduced without permission.
