Seasoned CEOs on Nashville Stage at CREATE

Behind the Crest of CREATE

CREATE, the Event for Emerging Restaurateurs, lands in Nashville with a clear charge: illuminate how seasoned leaders steer brands through volatility. The session known as CEO Conversations pairs veterans with rising operators, producing a dialogue that’s actionable, not academic. On stage, the pulse is steady and practical, shaped by a late-night talk show format that keeps the focus on real-world leadership. "CREATE has a lot of entrepreneurial energy and a lot of founders in the audience, but we wanted to introduce those folks to seasoned executives who demonstrate what it’s like to shepherd a brand they didn’t start with their own leadership style." The room nods to the purpose, and NRN’s Alicia Kelso keeps the cadence tight as Sam Oches watches the room lean in.

Four chief executives are slated to share their joining stories, the skills they carried in, and how their leadership style now shapes their systems. The dialogue aims to produce practical takeaways for mid-market operators and aspiring restaurateurs alike, translating leadership journeys into scalable actions. As the session unfolds, attendees will see how governance, culture, and execution converge when seasoned hands run growth-stage brands. The format centers on listening to diverse paths and extracting what works in real-time for established concepts.

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Format and Outcomes

Patterned after CREATE’s Founders Forum, the CEO Conversations place senior operators on stage to discuss the arc from hire to leadership imprint. Each guest recounts how they joined their company, the skills they brought, and how their leadership style is deployed to shape the brand’s systems. The panel invites ongoing dialogue, building a shared narrative that attendees can translate into practical steps for growth and integration. This mechanics-focused approach is designed to yield tangible guidance for operators navigating volatility and rapid change.

NRN frames this as more than a talk. The format embraces a conversation that travels from individual journeys to brand-wide implications, with the goal of equipping leaders to craft resilient, scalable structures. The intention is to equip mid-market operators with practical models—how to onboard leadership, align culture, and stitch governance into daily execution—so the lessons outlive the session and inform decisions well into 2026 and beyond.

A Founders Pivot

The Founders Forum this year paired the founders of Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, Swig, and Bluestone Lane, spotlighting entrepreneurship against the backdrop of established growth. The four founders—Tim McEnery (Cooper’s Hawk), Cameron Mitchell (Cameron Mitchell Restaurants), Nicole Tanner (Swig), and Nicholas Stone (Bluestone Lane)—anchor a contrasting innings to the CEO Conversations. Moderated by Sam Oches, the forum offers a baseline for evaluating how founders transition into brand stewardship and how that contrasts with seasoned leadership.

Together, the two formats give attendees a spectrum: entrepreneurial energy on one side, proven governance on the other. NRN’s coverage emphasizes the value of both journeys as routes to longevity, with the Founders Forum serving as a counterpoint to the CEO Conversations in the broader narrative of brand growth.

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Credibility Anchors

NRN’s leadership signals trust in experience. “These four dynamic CEOs are the perfect representatives to empower restaurant leaders as they navigate their own companies through volatile times.” That endorsement, from Sam Oches, underscores the emphasis on experience, tested judgment, and practical guidance. Moderator Alicia Kelso anchors the conversation, ensuring the dialogue remains grounded in real-world leadership challenges. The combination—credible moderator, experienced guests—frames the event as a practical learning lab rather than a showpiece.

That balance matters. It’s not about spectacle; it’s about translating journeys into usable playbooks for multi-unit operators and growing brands. Kelso’s stewardship helps keep the discourse anchored, while the presence of growth-minded voices broadens the practical horizon for attendees looking to apply lessons into their own leadership pipelines.

Nashville Footprint

CREATE’s 2025 edition runs October 9–11, anchored by the Omni Nashville Hotel. The event continues to emphasize accessibility, with restaurant leaders able to register for free. This policy reflects CREATE’s broader mission: to disseminate practical leadership lessons and accelerate growth for independent and multi-unit operators alike. Attendees should brace for a tightly packed mix of CEO Conversations, Founders Forum sessions, and supporting programming that translates leadership stories into scalable frameworks.

The continuity matters. CREATE aims to fuse national-scale leadership storytelling with Nashville’s vibrant hospitality scene, signaling a steady commitment to experiential learning, mentorship-like dialogue, and practical guidance for a sector navigating volatility and rapid change. Expect a schedule that blends narratives with concrete frameworks to guide day-to-day decisions in 2026 and beyond.

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A Deliberate Shift

Together, the CEO Conversations and Founders Forum mark a deliberate shift in restaurant learning—from founder-led narratives to leadership transitions and brand stewardship. The focus on mid-market brands navigating volatility offers a practical lens for growth, integration, and cultural alignment within established systems. NRN’s coverage frames these sessions as credible, evidence-based storytelling that translates into actionable practice for 2026 and beyond. The emphasis is on real-world decision-making, not just theory.

Looking ahead, the integration of CEO Conversations into CREATE signals a sustained commitment to mentorship-like dialogue and practical frameworks. It anchors industry expectations in resilience, disciplined growth, and informed risk-taking, all within a Nashville setting that blends national scope with local flavor.

Behind the Crest of CREATE