The Corner: Partner Spotlight
Kerry Hayes, Founder, COEO
THE CORNER
Welcome to The Corner, where we virtually sit down with leaders and experts to get to know our partners and colleagues just a little bit more. Let’s meet Kerry Hayes, founder of COEO, a Chattanooga based media and public affairs consultancy.
Kerry's career spans a wide range of sectors, from the private sector to government agencies and nonprofit organizations. He has helped businesses and causes of all sizes build audiences, raise funds, and influence legislation through his expertise in public affairs campaigns and digital content creation. His strategic guidance has been invaluable to organizations striving to create more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous communities.
Join us as we delve into Kerry's journey and learn about the insights and lessons he has gathered throughout his career. We'll discuss his work with community development organizations, small businesses, advocacy groups, public health organizations, schools, universities, government agencies, and philanthropic foundations, as well as the challenges he's faced along the way.
1. Tell us something we wouldn’t know from social/google search: I've got one degree - in Playwriting, from Webster University, class of 1998. Go Gorloks! The last piece I had produced was the libretto of a dance piece about the life and work of Edgar Allan Poe, in Chicago sometime in early 2003 (I think.)
2. What was a transformational moment for you: I had never thought of myself as an entrepreneur or "start-up" guy but I reached a point in my career several years ago where I realized that I was the source of my own dissatisfaction -- I really wanted to work for myself, but had never articulated it in quite that way. I've now founded two consulting businesses, which have in turn allowed me to help support other entrepreneurs and creative people. The range of things you have to think about when you're forming your own business can be a bit intimidating at first, but now that I've been doing it for several years, I have a hard time imagining doing anything else.
3. Favorite Book: This is such a difficult one. I'll say my favorite book this year is "The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy" by Anand Giridharadas. It's a sort of how-to manual for progressive people who want to build sustainable, inclusive movements for change.
4. What is something that people often get wrong about you: I'm such a fan and student of cities and urban life that I think many people would be surprised to know that I grew up in a deeply rural area. I lived 5 miles outside of a town of 1,000 people, about two hours northeast of Denver, Colorado. My street was a dirt road for the first 18 years of my life!
5. The last show binged: White Lotus, season 2. It was better than season 1, which is saying something.
6. A concert you’ll never forget: Too many here to name, but getting to see Lizzo in Atlanta with my girlfriend a few months ago was a non-stop party and so life-affirming.
7. Favorite meal: A few years ago, my girlfriend and I started this Christmas tradition of making short ribs in the slow cooker and now I cannot have the holidays without that smell in the house.
8. Favorite vacation: Any big city, any time of year. New York City in the winter, Chicago in the summer, Boston in the fall. Just give me interesting neighborhoods and walkable streets.
9. Give us a snapshot of a moment in your life that brings you great joy: I recently had an opportunity to work with a terrific local arts organization called The Pop-up Project on a temporary activation of an old textile mill in the Oak Grove neighborhood. It was a project that brought together a lot of my passions: interesting buildings, historic neighborhoods, the arts, music, community. Watching people experience something that I had a small role in helping make happen was truly thrilling.
10. What is the one thing you’re deeply grateful for right now: I own a great house in Highland Park, one of the most historic and eclectic neighborhoods of Chattanooga. I was extremely lucky to have found it before it was listed by the seller - and before interest rates started climbing so quickly. I know how difficult it is for anyone to purchase a home right now, and I'm beyond grateful every day for my little piece of the city.
Get in touch with Kerry here and across the socials at Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.