From a childhood spent in country living to scaling and exiting a multi-million dollar business to building the largest online social hub in the Upper Cumberland, Influential Person Blair Dudley’s life has been a diverse journey lived in advocacy for others.

He stated, “I grew up on a farm outside of Nashville and learned independence and to think on my own as a boy in rural Tennessee. As an adult, I built and sold a successful company, and, along the way, I found that I enjoyed learning the stories of others and connecting needs with solutions. My mission with Hip Cookeville is to create positive, collaborative spaces that connect people, businesses, and solutions while fostering a sense of community. That’s what we’ve done with our business directory, and that’s what we’ve done with our Facebook Group. Hip Cookeville is committed to building up Putnam County by promoting local businesses, celebrating the local arts community, and helping tackle important issues like access to resources. By using local resources and talent, along with technology, our team is working to create a stronger, more connected community in the Upper Cumberland.”

Hip Cookeville partners with the Cookeville Performing Arts Center to present the popular Summer Concert Series each year, bringing in fresh talent to Cookeville. Each Halloween, the organization partners with the City of Cookeville for the Cookeville Treat Trail, bringing an opportunity for safe trunk-or-treating in the beautiful Dogwood Park. In addition to those events, Hip Cookeville produces the Upper Cumberland Hispanic Heritage Festival in September and Firefly Festival in April, celebrating local culture and talent.”

“When I moved here from Nashville in 2014 I missed three things, Lightning 100 radio, Nashville Hot Chicken, and the ability to hear live music anytime I wanted,” Blair said.

“With this in mind, I organized a group of folks and we booked our first group “Forever Abbey Road,” a Beatles tribute band. We sold right at 250 tickets and knew we were on to something. Through these concerts, the community has now learned to see CPAC as a legitimate concert venue and I’m truly proud of our team for making that shift in perception come to pass.”

Beyond their online business directory, bustling community, and live events, Hip Cookeville helps manage Cookeville Community Cares, a resource group that began in winter 2022 for those seeking shelter in inclement weather. On this Blair stated, “Last year we housed and fed 43 people during the brutally cold stretch of weather that hit the Upper Cumberland. We’ve received so much support from local businesses, individuals, and the city, making providing that care possible. We’re already gearing up for this year and need donations and volunteers to serve those whose lives are impacted by outdoor conditions and weather events.”

As our interview drew to a close, I asked Blair how the recognition as a person of influence within the community made him feel and what he hoped this article would accomplish.

“I would love it if this feature brought awareness to Hip Cookeville’s team and mission. I hope people realize that while I’m the President of Hip Cookeville, I couldn’t accomplish any of this without the incredible people around me,” Blair told me. “We have an entire team behind the scenes that keep things running, including our moderators, who often receive pushback based on their decisions, made in the best interest of the community. It would also be wonderful if this article inspired businesses to sign up for our local business directory, where our 80,000 members go to look for local businesses and services. As for individuals, we need support to continue serving the hundreds of thousands of people who interact with our group each year. This takes a village to manage, but seeing the good it brings to the Upper Cumberland is worth all the work,” he concluded.

Blair and the rest of Hip Cookeville’s team give tirelessly to the people of Cookeville and we’re happy to celebrate all their incredible efforts in this edition of Influential People.

– written by Andrew Buckner, photos by Abby Weeden