NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — From Nashville’s music scene to partnerships spanning NASCAR, country music and Western sports, Jessica Shae Craven has built a career around creating new opportunities for brands and athletes.
Jessica Shae Craven, founder of the Blank Canvas Agency, recently joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report for a preview of her upcoming appearance on Dirt Diaries, where she discusses her career, entrepreneurship and the importance of relationships in building brand partnerships.
Making Connections from Country Music to Western Sports
In her conversation with RFD News, Craven says her career in brand partnerships began about 15 years ago in country music before shifting into the Western industry.
For the past five years, she has worked with rodeo superstar Rocker Steiner while expanding her work to other athletes in the PBR and PRCA spaces, including Keyshawn Whitehorse, Luke Makino and Ali.
Her agency has also worked on partnerships surrounding the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, including hotel partnerships, events and brand opportunities.
Craven says a major part of the agency’s strategy has been helping brands enter sports and industries where they have not previously been involved.
An Entrepreneurial Mindset & New Opportunities
Craven says growing up in an entrepreneurial family shaped how she approaches business. She describes the Blank Canvas Agency as a reflection of that mindset, with every day presenting new opportunities.
Rather than turning down unfamiliar opportunities, Craven says she focuses on understanding the challenges people are facing and finding ways to help solve them.
Craven also highlighted several recent initiatives involving Rocker Steiner. She said Steiner recently became a boxer brief model, expanding his brand portfolio beyond traditional Western clothing and cowboy hats.
The agency also recently announced a formal partnership between Steiner and Caesars Palace and its hotel portfolio. Craven said the Caesars Rodeo campaign quickly gained attention online.
Building Relationships Across the Western Industry
Craven says relationships are at the foundation of the agency’s work.
She looks beyond traditional brand awareness to identify where an entity wants to grow and where it wants to be seen.
From hotels and grocery stores to tracks, arenas, food, drinks, workbench materials and footwear, Craven says there are opportunities to connect brands with different parts of the consumer experience.
A Conversation on Dirt Diaries
Craven says she typically doesn’t do media interviews because she prefers working behind the scenes. However, she agreed to join Kirbe Schnoor on Dirt Diaries because of the inspiration she has found in Schnoor and the path she has created within the Western industry.
Craven says the conversation allowed her to speak openly about her experiences and how she hopes to help continue growing the Western space.
LEARN MORE: www.farmher.com
