Eighth Annual Conference Unites Entrepreneurs, Creatives and Small Business Innovators
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 30, 2026) –The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce today announced Colton Mulligan as the 2026 Nashpreneur of the Year. This award recognizes an individual in the Nashville community who exemplifies what it means to be a “Nashpreneur”- a creative, resilient, risk-taking leader who paves the way for other entrepreneurs and small businesses to succeed.
“As CEO of FoxFuel Creative, Colton has built a respected, results-driven agency that helps organizations translate brand clarity into measurable business performance across multiple industries,” said Veronica Johnson, vice president of small business initiatives, Nashville Area Chamber. “His consistent demonstration of strategic leadership, business growth, and meaningful impact within Nashville’s entrepreneurial ecosystem make him the right choice for this year’s award.”
Colton was officially recognized during the 2026 Nashpreneurs Conference on June 30 at the National Museum of African American Music and presented by the 2025 winner, Anna-Vija McCloud. He joins a distinguished list of past Nashpreneur winners that along with McCloud includes Monchiere’ Holmes-Jones, Mignon Francois, Sam Davidson, and Marcus Whitney.
“I love the entrepreneurial community here in Nashville; not just the business owners, but also the organizations, city leaders, and clients who choose to support us,” Mulligan said. “The success that my partners and I have had with FoxFuel is directly attributable to those who mentored us, corrected us, and trusted us with their brands since 2015. I’m deeply honored, and honestly a little emotional, to be included in the group of past winners. They mean so much to this community.
“Organizations like the Chamber, which support entrepreneurs, are why I’m more excited than ever for the future of our city and for the risk-takers who build something they believe in,” he continued.
Under his leadership, FoxFuel has grown into a trusted partner for both regional and national clients, delivering work that strengthens credibility, sharpens positioning, and drives commercial traction. His ability to lead with vision while executing at a high level reflects a strong balance of creativity and business discipline – positioning his company for sustained success over the past decade.
Beyond business performance, Colton’s influence extends across the broader Nashville business community. As an active thought leader and incoming president of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization Nashville chapter, he continues to invest in the growth of other entrepreneurs—sharing insights, fostering connections, and elevating the standard of leadership across the ecosystem. He has also played a meaningful role in developing emerging community leaders by coaching Leadership Connect cohorts and contributing to the planning of small business programming within the North Nashville Area Advisory Council – further demonstrating his commitment to strengthening the local business community.
Over the past decade, FoxFuel’s clients have included HCA, Yazoo Brewery, MTE, Lifepoint, Barge Design, The Mathews Company, RC Mathews, Centric Architecture, Ascension, CHS, Hilton Hotels/Home2Suites, Pinnacle Bank, Studio Bank, TSA Pre-Check, Lipscomb, Holland and Knight (Waller), Iron Path Capital, New Mountain Capital, and SVMIC, among many others. An active voice in Nashville’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Colton speaks on brand strategy, entrepreneurship, and creativity.
Headshot available upon request.
Learn more about the 2026 Nashpreneurs Conference here.
###
Media Contact
Alexia Poe
615-948-9339
About the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce is Middle Tennessee’s largest business federation, representing over 1,900 member companies. Belong, engage, lead, prosper embodies the Chamber’s focus on creating economic prosperity by facilitating community leadership. Established in 1990 as an economic development and community enhancement initiative of the Chamber, Partnership 2030 is a regional cooperative dedicated to making Middle Tennessee among the nation’s best places to live, work, and do business. Partnership 2030 is supported by a diverse group of public and private companies as well as governmental agencies from the organization’s 10-county service area. The work of the Chamber is supported by its members, Partnership 2030 investors, and sponsors; the Chamber’s Pivotal Partners (a partnership at the highest level for all Chamber programs and events) are Gresham Smith and Regions Bank. For more information, visit www.nashvillechamber.com.