Nashville Adventures Earns Silver Level Recognition from the Tennessee Veteran Ready Business Program
- Paul Whitten
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
When I started Nashville Adventures, I didn’t imagine awards or certifications. I imagined doing something meaningful with my life after the Army. I imagined building a company that served people, told good stories, and gave veterans the kind of opportunities I wish existed when I first came home. This week, something happened that hits right at the heart of that mission.
Nashville Adventures has officially earned Silver Level Recognition from the Tennessee Veteran Ready Business Program.
This isn’t a marketing badge. It’s a commitment. And for us, it’s personal.
What the Veteran Ready Business Program Is
The Tennessee Department of Veterans Services created the Veteran Ready Business Program to recognize companies that don’t just hire veterans, but actually support them. It’s designed to highlight businesses that recruit, hire, and retain service members, veterans, and their families, while also creating a workplace where they can thrive.
The program has three tiers:
Bronze reflects a company’s basic commitment to hiring and recognizing veterans. Silver requires demonstrating real development, mentorship, and support for veterans and military families within the company. Gold is reserved for long-term, wide-reaching impact across the veteran community.
Silver Level is earned only when a business shows it is actively building pathways for veterans to grow, empowering them to help shape the workplace, participating in veteran hiring efforts, and engaging with organizations that serve the veteran community.
In other words, Silver means you’re not just friendly to veterans. You’re building with them.
Why Silver Matters to Nashville Adventures and the Veterans Who Work There
Nashville Adventures was built by a veteran, but more importantly, it was built with the same values the military gives you: service, discipline, accountability, a sense of purpose, and the belief that everyone deserves a fair shot.
This certification reflects several things we take seriously:
Giving veterans real opportunities within the company• Making sure team members who served have a voice in how we recruit and train others• Supporting growth, mentorship, and upward mobility for the veterans on our team• Partnering with veteran organizations that help service members transition into civilian life• Creating a work culture that honors the full story of a veteran, not just the uniform they once wore
We donate one percent of all revenue to veteran-related charities. We give veterans a path to earn, grow, learn the city, and share our history with pride. And we work hard to be a place where service members and their families feel respected and understood.
Silver Level recognition tells us we’re doing things the right way. It also pushes us to do even more.
What This Means for the Community
When someone chooses to book a tour with Nashville Adventures, they’re choosing to support a company that invests in veterans in a real, measurable way. It means your dollars support a business that gives back, hires locally, and creates opportunities for those who served.
It also shows what’s possible. If a small Nashville tourism company can meet this standard, other businesses can too. Veteran readiness isn’t just for big corporations with HR departments and massive budgets. It’s about intention and commitment.
Where We Go from Here
This recognition is something to be proud of, but it isn’t the finish line. We’re committed to strengthening our work with the veteran community, expanding opportunities inside the company, and continuing to build a workplace that reflects the values that shaped us.
And yes, someday, we’re aiming for Gold.
For now, I’m grateful. Grateful to the veterans who work with us. Grateful to the team that makes Nashville Adventures what it is. And grateful to every guest who walks the streets of this city with us and becomes part of our story.
Silver Level recognition is an honor. But the real honor is getting to serve Nashville, tell its stories, and build a company worthy of the veteran community that helped shape it.
— Paul Whitten, Founder, Nashville Adventures Explore More Nashville Stories
If you want to dive deeper into what makes this city special, here are a few blogs you may enjoy:
To learn more about what we do, visit our homepage at https://www.nashvilleadventures.com.
If you want to see Nashville with a veteran led company, we would be honored to have you join us on our History, Highlights, and Hacks Walking Tour.
