What does it actually take to keep a booming city from losing what made it special in the first place? On this episode of The Spark, host Mark Scrivner sits down with Stephanie Coleman, President & CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, for a candid look at leadership inside one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. Stephanie traces her path from federal policy work in D.C. to nearly 18 years and seven roles at the Chamber, then digs into the tension every high-growth city eventually faces: how to keep pace with affordability, housing, and infrastructure needs without losing the culture and creative identity that built the city's brand. She shares what she's learned about cross-sector leadership, why trust is the real bottleneck on collaboration, and what becoming the Chamber's first female CEO means to her and to the next generation of leaders behind her. Business owners, civic leaders, and anyone building something in a fast-growing city will walk away with a sharper read on how leadership, collaboration, and intentional growth planning actually work together, covering topics including cross-sector leadership, affordability and housing, Partnership 2030, chamber membership strategy, civic resilience, and Nashville's Super Bowl moment.

Episode Highlights

00:56 – Stephanie on leaving D.C. policy work to build her career in Nashville

06:09 – Nashville's boom years and the affordability tension shaping the region today

11:43 – The "secret sauce" behind successful cities: leadership across every sector

13:43 – Why collaboration can't move faster than trust

16:08 – Becoming the Chamber's first female President & CEO

22:01 – The bold goal to grow Chamber membership by 50%

31:46 – Stephanie's vision for what Nashville looks like in 2031

35:30 – Nashville's Super Bowl moment and its global spotlight

Learn More & Connect
Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/
Connect With Stephanie Coleman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-coleman-1956775/ | https://nashvillechamber.com/
Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health
Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health
Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/
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