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Where can a young entrepreneur figure out how to turn their dreams into reality? Just take a step into the Shrimp Tank. The Shrimp Tank brings you interviews with some of the most successful business owners in the United States to learn the do’s and don’ts of starting and running a successful business. Then, the fun really starts when we bring in high school and college students to pitch their business ideas to the Shrimp Tank. We don’t fund any business, but we do teach kids how to turn their business ideas into a successful business.
Hosts of The Shrimp Tank Chris Hanks, Ted Jenkin and Lee Heisman
Tara Murphy / 360 Media
Founder
Tara Murphy is the definition of a self-made woman. As founder and president of 360 Media, a leading Atlanta-based public relations boutique, she started on her own and now has a flourishing media and marketing company serving top-name clients. Since establishing the firm in 1996, Tara has become well-known as one of Atlanta’s foremost public relations and media mavens, having launched many of city’s top events including Music Midtown and Peach Drop. Renowned events like these, plus her dedicated work ethic and overall knowledge of what works, makes Tara a prominent in voice Atlanta’s entertainment, lifestyle and hospitality industries.
Earning her stripes as a successful public relations practitioner in the music industry, Tara headed up PR for notable companies including Ichiban Records, NMC Records and Concert Southern, where she successfully managed PR and promotions as an independent contractor for what would become Atlanta’s largest outdoor entertainment event, Music Midtown. Out of a simple need for space and a business name rather than an entrepreneurial plan, 360 Media was born in her former boss’s basement. Her reputation for creativity and integrity spread quickly and soon additional clients and projects came her way out of natural, authentic relationships.
From its humble beginnings as a one-person shop, now 21 years later, Tara has grown 360 to seven employees and expanded the agency’s services by adding culinary, lifestyle and hospitality clients to its roster. With clients and connections that span the globe, 360 Media represents some of the best culinary personalities, hotels, brands, bands, non-profits and food and wine events. Some notable 360 clients have included Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, Music Midtown, Voodoo Music Experience, BottleRock Napa Valley, Lakewood Amphitheatre, Charlotte Marriott City Center Hotel, Krog Street Market, Netherworld Haunted House, Miracle On Monroe Christmas Pop Up, ADAC, Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway Hotel, Jennifer Nettles/Sugarland, 10th Anniversary of the Olympics, The Atlanta Jazz Festival, W Atlanta Downtown, Cousins Properties, The Lawrence, radio personality Bert Weiss of Q100, Eight Sushi Lounge and non-profits such as Bert’s Big Adventure, The Frank Ski Kids Foundation, Grady Health Foundation and March of Dimes.
Tara has spoken to groups at many conferences including the Winter Music Dance Conference, Atlantis Music Conference, GA Chapter of PRSSA, Georgia State University, other universities and the International Festivals and Events Association Southeast Conference. Tara is also the recipient of several professional awards, including the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Best in Atlanta Real Estate – Retail, for Underground Atlanta (Public Relations mention); and a nomination for the National Leadership Award. She was also named as “One of the 25 Power Women to Watch,” and was nominated as one of Atlanta’s Top 25 Women by Rolling Out Magazine and has received leadership accolades by the MS Society and March of Dimes and has been featured in Styleblueprint, Jezebel, Rolling Out, Piedmont Review, The Atlanta Journal and Women’s Business Daily. Tara is also an active member in the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), was featured in the 2014 digital curriculum for Usher’s New Look Foundation about entertainment PR and landed on the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Book of Lists for “Top 25 PR Firms” in 2015.
Al Meyers, the Executive Director of TiE Atlanta, is an entrepreneur and media executive with more than 25 years of experience across Fortune 500 companies, for-profit and nonprofit startups. Meyers has launched two award-winning, sustainable, Atlanta-based nonprofit organizations: TEDxPeachtree and the Atlanta Music Project. Both are successful community assets that have made a significant social impact in Metro Atlanta. TEDxPeachtree has become the premier TEDx event in Georgia and one of the leading TEDx events in the world, with several talks garnering millions of views. The Atlanta Music Project is the first music program in the state of Georgia inspired by the globally acclaimed Venezuelan youth music program, El Sistema. AMP is an intensive music program for at-risk youth right in their neighborhood, and now serves hundreds of at-risk youth across several locations in Metro Atlanta who are now on a path to college and career.
Chau Nguyen has been an entrepreneur for over 10 years. In 2005, Chau co-founded Campus Special, which was recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in the US for four consecutive years. Campus Special reached millions of college students at over 500 universities through mobile apps, ecommerce, and print media. Nearly 4,000 college students launched their career in sales and marketing through his award winning internship program. In 2014, Campus Special was acquired by Chegg (NYSE: CHGG).
Hanuman Nandanampati came to USA in 1993 as a student to complete his master’s degree at the University of Massachusetts. After graduation, Hanuman worked with several companies, including Inrange, ADC Telecom, and Regions, as a Software Engineer.
Founded in 2011 by lifelong automotive enthusiast and Atlanta native Tony Marzullo, Gas Motorcars, Inc. is a family-owned and operated car dealership with headquarters located in Marietta, Ga. After spending several years in retail sales with AM General and Hummer, Marzullo decided in 2000 to open Global Auto Solutions, a full-service automotive concierge. Global’s mission was to help private individuals buy and sell vehicles. Acting as an independent broker allowed Marzullo to use his informed automotive knowledge in an objective fashion. Global never pressured a prospective buyer toward any specific product. Instead, Global’s mission was to find the right fit for the customer. This principled set of values, still maintained today, results in customers purchasing only what they need.
