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Meet Shari Day, President & CEO of Artists&Outlaws
Tell us about yourself?
I’m a 37-year advertising industry veteran who has lived in Nashville since 2010. I was named president & CEO of this award-winning Nashville-based agency in 2015, and I acquired ownership in 2022. In October 2025, I led a bold rebranding, my first step in defining a path for Artists&Outlaws next chapter. Our new name and new look reflects my boundary-breaking approach. One of our agency taglines is “we make our own way, but we get there together.” I fully believe this, and I take my role as agency leader very seriously. I believe it’s my responsibility to remove barriers for my 90-plus team members, to make sure they have the resources to do great work in great conditions.
I am a board member for the American Association of Advertising Agencies, our industry’s leading trade organization. I represent the Southern region, and my advocacy plays an active role in shaping and supporting the organization’s initiatives, helping to guide and advance the advertising and marketing communications community. As a female leader and a former working mother, I’m especially interested in actionable ways I can support women, both those working at Artists&Outlaws and those in our broader advertising community. I believe that women can have it all, and I want to be an agent for positive change. Approaching four decades in this industry, I can recall a time when it was much more challenging for women, especially single working mothers.
I’ve also made a commitment to recruiting and retaining the most talented professionals in our field. I know that our company culture plays a tremendous role in both, and our company culture begins with me. I take that role very seriously.
ArtistsandOutlaws’ end-to-end advertising and marketing campaigns have garnered the attention of clients across all business sectors. Ascension Saint Thomas Health, Dollar General, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee are just a few brands for whom ArtistsandOutlaws has delivered results.
I recently expanded our agency’s ability to support other brands with the addition of Fresh Consumables, a high-volume content/production studio.
Discover more at ArtistsandOutlaws.com.
Tell us about your business/industry?
The advertising industry relies heavily on data and research. We must be informed to effectively reach audiences and deliver messaging that drives results. At Artists&Outlaws, we’re early adopters of AI. We’re leaning into this technology while being mindful of the fine line that exists between technology and our craft. There’s no substitute for the human element in the creative process.
Women fill almost half of the roles in advertising and yet there are still very few women in creative leadership roles—and even fewer women of color in leadership roles overall. As a leader, I want to advocate for ways to close this gap. As a former working single mom, I’m especially sensitive to the plight of working moms and single parents. I’ve been there; I know it’s tough sometimes.
What should we know about you?
My career path is proof of “earn it, don’t expect it.” I’m extremely proud to be among the growing minority of female ad agency CEOs. I’m a board member for the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the industry’s leading trade organization where I represent the Southern region.
My advocacy plays an active role in shaping and supporting the organization’s initiatives, helping to guide & advance the advertising and marcomm community. My 37-year career includes work with a broad range of clients including Ascension Saint Thomas Health, Dollar General, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Pigeon Forge Tourism, Sea Ray Boats, & Azimut Yachts
How did you get to your current position?
Through a lot of hard work! I’ve worked my way up, from being responsible for multiple accounts to my current leadership role at Artists&Outlaws. Our industry requires that we know or are willing to learn about any industry. We sometimes must pivot with very little notice and immerse ourselves in an industry that might be unfamiliar to us. I thrive in that environment. We also have monitor trends across all industries. I start my day with a deep dive into trade publications, industry news and our own internal updates. I’m an adventurer at heart. I love stepping outside my comfort zone, and I think that’s helped me stretch myself and grow into my current role.
What value do you see in Chamber involvement?
As business owners and leaders, the shared experience is crucial. Experience is a great teacher, and we can help empower each other when we share the how. How did we achieve success? What did we learn from our losses?
What is your leadership style? How does that motivate yourself and your team?
I’m a very engaged and involved leader. I make myself available to our team on every level, whether that’s pitching new business, consulting with a client, or interviewing prospective new hires. I enjoy my involvement, and I learn so much from my team members across all disciplines.
What makes you proud to live and work in the Nashville area?
Nashville has maintained its sense of community. As we pitch to potential clients beyond the Nashville market, it’s great that this city’s reputation–for great music and successful businesses–makes for an impactful introduction. It seems everyone either loves Nashville, has been to Nashville, or wants to visit Nashville. Those are the characteristics of a vibrant community.
What is the most rewarding part of your job? What is the best part of working in your field?
We support brands by helping them grow. This may be in the form of helping them reach new customers in new markets or helping them introduce new products. We’re a partner along the entire marketing journey, including strategy, creative services, branding and design, data analysis, content production and media. We’re full service.
Through our work, we’ve had the great fortune of watching brands grow and succeed. For example, we’ve been the agency of record for the Pigeon Forge (Tennessee) Department of Tourism since 1990. We’ve enjoyed working alongside them as the city has grown into one of the country’s most popular vacation destinations. It’s our privilege to help brands achieve their goals. We love nothing more than celebrating a win with our clients!
What is your favorite local restaurant?
Midtown Cafe is a favorite restaurant of mine and my husband’s. It’s consistently excellent in every way and so deserving of its many accolades. They’ve been able to maintain that neighborhood vibe amid all of the notoriety. It’s one of my go-tos for a client lunch or a celebratory dinner with family and friends.