From Guitars to Graduation: Will Acuff on Building a Joy Lab and Scaling Community Impact

In this episode of the Circle Back Podcast, Sam Davidson sits down with Will Acuff—co-founder of Corner to Corner, Nashville-based nonprofit leader, and author of the new book No Elevator to Everest. The conversation winds through Will’s journey: from a self-funded rock-and-roll dream, to a life-altering trip to Nairobi, to launching a neighborhood-rooted organization now serving more than 1,400 entrepreneurs.

Will shares how a health crisis on his honeymoon became the catalyst for embracing purposeful living—and why Nashville was the perfect place to build a better story. Alongside his wife Tiffany, Will planted deep roots in one of Nashville’s historically underserved neighborhoods, walking the talk of proximity-based leadership.

Listeners will hear about:

  • The power of walking meetings and side-by-side vulnerability
  • How Corner to Corner launched with five people and one pot of food—and now boasts over $37M in collective graduate business impact
  • The moment he turned down a promising tech career to build something with deeper meaning
  • Why turning his own life into a “joy lab” changed everything

This episode is more than a founder’s journey—it’s a blueprint for purpose-led work, authentic leadership, and building from the inside out.

🎧 Don’t miss this one—plus, Will shares how to attend the upcoming May 12 graduation event where the next class of entrepreneurs will celebrate, showcase, and pitch!

👉 Listen now and learn more about Will’s book at NoElevatorToEverest.com or Corner to Corner at cornertocorner.org.

About the author

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Ben Evans

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