The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with First Horizon Bank and Music City Center, is excited to host the Small & Diverse Business: Supplier Procurement Fair & Forum. This half-day event offers a valuable opportunity to engage with small businesses, learn about procurement strategies, and explore upcoming opportunities across various industries.
Attendees will hear directly from influential leaders in the concert and convention sectors, who will share practical advice, best practices, and insights on how small businesses can compete as suppliers in these thriving markets. At the Procurement Fair, small businesses can meet directly with corporate buyers and procurement teams, showcasing their capabilities, exploring potential contracting leads, and forming meaningful relationships with organizations seeking diverse suppliers.
Keynote Speaker, Ivan Joseph
Ivan Joseph is an internationally recognized speaker, bestselling author, award-winning performance coach, and accomplished leader. He holds a PhD in Psychology and has served as Vice President, Director of Athletics, and faculty at four North American universities. His TEDx talk, “The Skill of Self-Confidence,” has amassed over 30 million views and was featured by Forbes as one of the 10 Best TED Talks for Graduates.
During his tenure as a professor and coach at Graceland University, Ivan built the soccer program, guiding both the men’s and women’s teams to #1 national rankings and clinching the university’s first national championship in just five years—a feat that earned him the National Coach of the Year honor. He then spent a decade as Director of Athletics at Toronto Metropolitan University, spearheading the landmark $100M Maple Leaf Gardens renovation and leading TMU teams to provincial and national championships in school history.
Ivan’s work has involved coaching World Champions and Olympians, with an emphasis on how self-confidence and cohesion drive performance. He now applies these strategies to high-performing businesses and individuals around the world, helping them unlock potential, embrace a winning mindset, and achieve remarkable results.
Moderators & Panelists
Nashville Conventions Breakout Session:
-Moderator, Moncherie Holmes- Jones
Founder & CEO MOJO Marketing + PR
-Panelist, Tony Jones
CP Rigging
-Panelist, Sara Beth Urban
-Panelist, Marie Sueing
Chief Diversity Officer, Nashville Convention and Visitors Center
-Panelist, James Leslie
Senior Booking Agent, Dynamic Talent International
Nashville Concerts Breakout Session:
-Moderator, Eric Holt
Assistant Professor of Music Business, Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business
-Panelist, Sally Williams
President of Nashville Music and Business Strategy, Live Nation Entertainment
-Panelist, Rod Essig
Founder, CAA Music- Nashville Office
-Panelist, Chris Lisle
Owner, CLLD LLC
