Imperium serves as the public affairs advisor for Blackbird Capital, one of Nashville’s only true private equity firms. Our consultancy provides holistic public affairs services to Blackbird, including public relations, government affairs, and corporate political strategy.

We provide public relations and social media support for Blackbird’s acquisition strategy in commercial real estate, out-of-home media, and hospitality. Earned media coverage of Blackbird and its portfolio companies has expanded exponentially under our guidance including national coverage of its media company.

Imperium Founder Josh Helton served as a senior strategic consultant to Virginia businessman Glenn Youngkin’s successful gubernatorial campaign. Youngkin, a renowned businessman, won a historic victory in 2021 running an unconventional campaign that united Virginians across party lines.

Helton is recognized nationally for his expertise as an election attorney and campaign advisor, having served the NRSC for three election cycles and worked for multiple presidential campaigns. He has also advised numerous individual Senate campaigns and state political organizations.

Imperium was tasked with leading the public relations launch of healthcare private equity firm Russell Street Ventures as well as its first portfolio company, Main Street Health.

Led by former administration director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Brad Smith, both launches were of national interest. Imperium worked with firm founders to refine messaging, prepare collateral, and generate social media content.

The launches were covered locally by the Tennessean, Nashville Business Journal, and Nashville Post as well as nationally by Business Insider, Politico, and Fierce Health Care.

Imperium was tasked by our client Millions of Conversations with running point on the national public relations strategy and planning for the Rep. John Lewis Celebration of Life event and concert. Lewis, the late civil rights trail blazer and social icon, was honored by Nashville’s government by having a downtown  street dedicated to the memory of his work- John Lewis Way.

Imperium worked with stakeholders, event planners, non-profit leaders, and activists to pull together foundational messaging, press releases, media alerts, social media posts, and a national press plan. We reached out to media pitching availability with event organizers and access to the event itself.

Our work was successful with coverage from 26 different outlets that included the Associated Press, USA Today, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Tennessean,  the Huffington Post, and all four of Nashville’s broadcast affiliate television stations.

Imperium was hired by Tennessee-based C.L.I.A. certified laboratory Resolve MDx to help secure Covid-19 testing business from the State of Tennessee. We quickly diagnosed the challenges facing a local lab in interfacing with state government for testing, including competition from larger, national labs.

Our firm helped Resolve MDx effectively make their case to Tennessee state government and refine their practices to make their operations competitive. Our principals made introductions to key officials in the administration, including in the Tennessee Department of Health and the Governor’s Office.

Resolve MDx is now a certified state vendor performing tests weekly for the state’s Covid-19 program.

Imperium was retained to give strategic counsel and media support to Moore Construction for its 300-acre mixed use development near the booming market of Clarksville, Tennessee.

Our team worked with the developers to negotiate a difficult political environment while building community support that helped win votes for zoning and entitlement from local planners and the county commission.

Imperium also created and managed media and messaging during the process, working with local and regional media to earn accurate, positive coverage of the development.