Georgia Entertainment recently released the names of the 200 Most Influential of Georgia’s Creative Industries. The individuals are highlighted in the bi-annual printed publication – Georgia Entertainment: The Creative Economy Journal. See the digital version. Our 200 Spotlight series showcases many of those that were included.
By Carol Badaracco Padgett, Senior Writer
Mike Byrd, Director of Sales, Yancey Bros. Co. – Entertainment Division
Hawaii is fabulous, but it has nothing on Georgia. Consider the migration of Mike Byrd if you’re not sure about that.
Byrd, who was born and raised in Peachtree City, Georgia, moved to Hawaii with his family during his middle school years. Then he returned to Peachtree City and attended McIntosh High School there. College followed, where he graduated with honors from the University of Georgia in Athens in 2008.
“[I] started my career renting cars on the southside of Atlanta,” Byrd says. But then, Georgia and its wonderland of opportunity brought career moves the car rental pro couldn’t have foreseen.
“In 2010, I got my break working with a TV show, Drop Dead Diva, and provided them with cast and crew vehicles and picture cars for background scenery. During this time, I got plugged into the developments around Pinewood Atlanta Studios, and opened the first rental car operation solely dedicated to the film industry at the studio in early 2014.”
By 2018, Yancey Bros. Co. brought Byrd onboard to lead and develop its Entertainment Division within the Yancey Rents organization of the company. The focus: heavy equipment, power generation, and temporary HVAC services.
The combination of Byrd’s skills and Yancey’s entertainment arm has given him a career trajectory beyond his imagination. And it has given him the ability to bring other Georgians along on the ride.
“Besides helping creators bring to life the passion of their work, we have been able to add more hardworking and talented Georgians to our team in sales, operations, and in technical roles,” Byrd says. “We also work with other vendors and suppliers. I often tell people that they are part of the Creative Economy, even though they may not be aware of it, because there are so many people who are positively affected downstream of our operations.”
Aside from the sheer “pow factor” of Georgia’s combined business and creative strength, Byrd sees another strength that glides beneath the obvious.
“I think our creative and entertainment industries project Georgia’s ‘soft power’ and help us attract and keep talented people who can bring their best to the state and our economy. The industries enhance our ability to be well-rounded and well-positioned to compete in a global marketplace, and the creative and entertainment industries offer Georgia a unique advantage,” Byrd notes.
Then, there’s also Georgia’s heart, which is among the top attributes the Peach State is known for, mingled with a bit of muscle.
“Georgia has a personality in its people, business environment, and in our way of life,” Byrd finds. “What I love most is Georgians’ ability to blend Southern hospitality with a sense of a can-do spirit in how we tackle challenges and create opportunities.”
Ask him who his biggest career mentors have been, and Byrd is quick to note: “Neil Scognamiglio, Joel Marrow, Tyson Weatherford, Jimmy Ray Pickens, and Graham Ready have been instrumental in helping me understand the industry and its potential. From a leadership perspective, Steve Massie, Dan Cathy, and Jason Glover are my greatest influences in leading by example, and [in]their abilities to climb with care and confidence.”
Today, Byrd is still enjoying life in Peachtree City, married for 14 years and a “girl dad” to two daughters. And his work at Yancey Bros. Co. continues to amaze and lift him. “We have continued to grow in our equipment solutions for our customers, the staff needed to support our operations, and in our overall footprint within the entertainment ecosystem in Georgia,” he says.
Georgia Entertainment: The Creative Economy Journal
