He’s a Tennessee native and splits time between Nashville and Los Angeles.

He and his good friend, Jess, created New Boots in 2016 after they conceptualized the business at a Mexican restaurant, never actually thinking it would come to fruition. The company now employs over 5 instructors including former Tennessee Titans cheerleaders who are specialized in various forms of line dance.

What brought you to Nashville? In high school, I was a musician playing guitar and writing songs and wanted to pursue the music industry. I came to Nashville to go to Belmont University where I majored in Music Business. 17 years later I’m still working in the music industry at record labels in Nashville and Los Angeles. 

Do you line dance? Jess is the dancer between the two of us- I am the music and entertainment enthusiast. Living in Nashville for nearly two decades exposed me to the power of music and how it can get people dancing which is what I love most about this company.  

What are your favorite songs to get people dancing? When we started the company in 2016, I realized what great modern country songs there were with rhythm people could dance to. Walker Hayes has some great songs like “You Broke Up With Me”, “AA” and “Fancy Like”. We also like to throw in some other genres to get people moving- no one ever complains about dancing to Beyonce!

What brings you the most joy in running New Boots? What brings me the most joy is seeing groups of friends and families form memories that they will always remember about their visit to Nashville. Everyone leaves saying how surprised they were at how much fun they had. You get to see people truly let loose and be free around the people they love and it feels like our business genuinely brings something good to this city and its visitors.

What surprised you about running a business? The most surprising thing has been to see the level at which Nashville has grown since we opened. In 2016 it truly felt like we were a mom-and-pop shop in a small town, and in the last 5 years it truly has transformed. There are more activities and options in Nashville than I ever imagined and I’m thankful we’ve been able to maintain our personalized boutique experience for our customers.

What are you most proud of with New Boots? Looking back at the number of lessons that our instructors have taught is always a prideful moment, and realizing how many people have experienced the business. But first and foremost I’m proud that Jess and I have maintained our 17 year friendship and the ups and downs of running a company together. We still are just great friends first and foremost and I am most proud and thankful for that!