Every other week, Kelleigh Bannen will provide behind-the-scenes analysis, stories and insight into Music City’s No. 1 export, with help from some of Nashville’s top songwriters, artists, executives and producers. Taste of Country will debut each new episode of her This Nashville Life podcast, and Bannen herself will introduce it as a guest writer. Thoughts and opinions expressed by Bannen are hers alone and do not reflect the opinions of Taste of Country, unless she’s talking about #TomatoGate, in which case, yeah … she’s spot on.

Two young twenty-somethings leave their jobs at Interscope Records, hop in a Toyota Camry (with a cat,) and make the drive from L.A. to Nashville to start a marketing company. They live in a one-room apartment. They work from the red sofa in their “living room.” They have no Nashville clients for 24 months. And now they are the premier full service music marketing company in town, and have worked with the likes of Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, and Kelsea Ballerini to name a few.

Meet Marbaloo Marketing owner Faithe Dillman Parker and vice-president Julie Behr. (Oh, and since this is the kind of company where folks hang out even after hours: Marbaloo’s Blakelee Land was with us as well — though podcast party foul, I didn’t have an extra mic for her.)

You’re gonna hear how Marbaloo started. The story of how Faithe almost threw up on Justin Timberlake (you’re welcome.) The challenges and advantages of being a woman entrepreneur in the music business. How Nashville is like the Hunger Games. And some super practical tips on how to better use social media to up your branding game ... in other words Marbaloo’s take on what it means to live “This Nashville Life.”

I hope you love this episode as much as I do. Huge thank you to Faithe, Julie, and Blakelee for sharing your stories.

Listen to This Nashville Life Season 2, Ep. 3

About Kelleigh Bannen: Kelleigh Bannen’s This Nashville Life Podcast offers an authentic, vibrant look at the journey of someone trying to “make it” in country music. Bannen is admittedly still learning what that means. After a short career as an independent artist, the “Famous” singer signed a major label record deal and recorded two-and-a-half albums that were never released. She’s honest, but not bitter about the obstacles female artists face in country music, but her blog and podcast go much deeper.

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