Hope has more than 25 years of tax experience in public accounting, including two years in consulting. She specializes in high-net-worth tax compliance, planning, and consulting, with extensive experience serving flow-through entities such as partnershipsand S corporations. Hope works closely with clients to navigate complex transactions, including business sales, audits, voluntary disclosure agreements, and film tax credits. Her expertise also includes advising entertainers and touring bands on federal and multi-state tax compliance matters, including catalog sales, aircraft use, royalties, and wage allocations unique to the touring artist industry. She is an active member of the Firm's Theatre and Entertainment Team.

For over 15 years, Kari Barnhart has been mixing her love of finance, music, and people into a career that provides innovative services to individuals in the music industry. It all began when, despite earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Union University, she found herself entering the world of banking at HSBC Charleston. While there, she ran a 32MM branch and led her team to the top 15 out of 800 offices. A leap of faith then led her to Nashville, where she landed at Fifth Third Bank, helping build the bank’s new Music and Entertainment Division and serving as its Director and Relationship Specialist. Prior to joining Studio Bank as a SVP/Entertainment Relationship Manager, where she currently serves her clients, she worked at Regions Bank as an Entertainment Relationship Manager/Wealth Advisor.

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Kari believes there is nothing more exciting than watching someone achieve their dreams and she is a champion and connector for her clients, walking them through the rollercoasters of their careers. In her words, she “likes to be on the bandwagon before there is a hitch on the trailer,” meaning she wants to be involved in the artist’s career at the beginning stages and believes her job should be treated as a partnership between her clients and their teams.

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She also believes in serving her community and is actively involved in industry organizations such as the Arts Immersion Council, Muscular Dystrophy Association Fundraising Committee, MusiCares Ambassador, Grammy Next, Music Makes Us Marketing Committee, while holding leadership board positions with SOURCE (two-term President), TN Youth Courts, Copyright Society of the South (Secretary), SOLID and Troubadour Society.

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Additionally, Kari was honored as a 2019 40 Under 40 Award Recipient and a 2017 NELA Finalist. Lastly, she is a proud member Leadership Music's BCE 2025.

Shelley Grayson is an associate business manager with more than 15 years of experience in the music industry. She works behind the scenes to help her clients, both developing acts and some of today’s biggest touring artists across genres, achieve their financial goals. Shelley is known for her ability to pivot and take on whatever role her clients need, from managing headlining domestic and international tours, real estate transactions, estate planning and more.

Shelley is a member of the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, the Recording Academy and SOURCE Nashville. She is a public director for ACM Lifting Lives’ board of directors. Shelley serves on FBMM’s Philanthropy Committee and volunteers with Second Harvest Food Bank.

Rachael Bronstein is a financial coach and the founder of Life’s Jam, where she empowers music industry professionals with practical tools for financial organization and planning. Her career began in production finance at NBC, where she developed a deep respect for the behind-the-scenes talents that make live performances possible. Motivated by the challenges posed by the pandemic, she launched Life’s Jam to help these professionals manage their personal and professional finances more effectively.

Over the past five and a half years, Rachael has collaborated with industry organizations such as the Country Music Association, where she also serves as a CMA Ambassador, and Women in Music. She helped start the financial coaching program for MusiCares and ECCHO Live, extending support to those in need, and regularly provides on-the-road coaching for touring crews navigating the unique challenges of tour life. She also shares her expertise through a monthly financial wellness column for Projection, Lights, & Staging News (PLSN) magazine and is a proud member of the Recording Academy.

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In addition to her work with Life’s Jam, Rachael serves on the board of ECCHO Live, a nonprofit supporting live event professionals with tools, workshops, education, networking, and mental health resources.

For more information about Life’s Jam and Rachael’s work, please visit www.lifesjam.com.