084: Rules were Put in Place by all the Normal People and I am Going to Break Every One of Them with JT Terrell Founding Partner/CMO Music City Tents and Events & BAAG 360 Partner

With the impending growth of Nashville becoming apparent, in 2001 he decided to take on a partner and start a party rental company out of his home. That company (T and M Event Rentals LLC) was acquired in 2007 and became Music City Tents and Events LLC (MCT), an industry innovation leader and the largest such company in the Middle Tennessee region earning the 2009 Nashville Business Journal’s, Best in Business award and making the Inc. 5000 list for years 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Specific to the special event industry, in 2013 JT and his MCT partners created a Business Advisory Group of 10 non-competing, local and regional US event companies to “virtually”meet monthly share best practices and analyze financial data, in the hope that the “exponential experience” in the room would yield Best Practices applicable across the industry. NDA’s were signed, monthly CEO/founder calls began and as a result each of the member companies experienced increased efficiencies and profitability.

Entrepreneurial Role Models:

Nick Swinmurn founded Zappos

Joe Freedman (Business Partner)

Andy Bailey of Petra Coach

When business started difficulties overcame:

Mine is pretty common, I had no money whatsoever. I actually mortgaged my house to get the seed money for the first company and I was only able to get $15000. So after that it was make money reinvest it, make money reinvest , make money reinvest …[Listen for More]

Favourite Books:

Business Brilliant: Surprising Lessons from the Greatest Self-Made Business Icons Book by Lewis Schiff

Who: The A Method for Hiring Book by Geoff Smart and Randy Street

Favourite Quote:

“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.” – Richard Branson

Others mentioned:

“do you have more balls than sense”

Recommended Online Resources:

Entrepreneurs Organisation

Octane Magazine

Story Core

Best Advice to Other Entrepreneurs:

This is something that I told my Dad. He is a military man and a wonderful rule follower. And I told my dad when I went into business for myself, I said Dad rules were put in place by all the normal people and I am going to break every one of them…[Listen for More]

More About JT Terrell:

Music City Tents

BAAG360 (A Network of Industry Experts)

Neil’s Quote at the Beginning:

“When I meet successful people I ask 100 questions as to what they attribute their success to. It is usually the same: persistence, hard work and hiring good people.” Kiana Tom

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