NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Adam Visbeen’s story isn’t one you hear every day. It’s a mix of military grit, wild twists of fate, and pure entrepreneurial drive — one that took him from serving in the Army to standing behind Channing Tatum on the set of Magic Mike, to eventually running one of Nashville’s most unique entertainment experiences, Music City Gents.

But how did it all began?

“I was on active duty in the Army when they were filming Magic Mike XXL in Savannah, Georgia,” Visbeen said. “I applied to be a backup dancer and ended up standing behind Channing Tatum thinking I was going to be in the movie — and then they cut the scene.”

The disappointment didn’t last long. The experience sparked something bigger, the idea that Nashville needed its own kind of Vegas-style entertainment.

“I figured, why can’t we do this in Nashville?” he said. “Every weekend you’d see bachelorettes flooding Broadway, and I kept thinking, we don’t actually have shows here. We have bars, but not entertainment like Vegas. So I just said, ‘Let’s do it.’”

The Hustle Begins

Before Music City Gents ever took the stage, Visbeen was already hustling — in true Nashville fashion.

“My journey didn’t start with the Gents,” he said. “It started with scooters. Nashville had just gotten the Bird and Lime scooters, and when the city impounded them to figure out regulations, I bought my own and started doing scooter tours.”

Visbeen pitched Airbnb directly, convincing them to list his scooter tour as an official experience. “Within a few months, it became the number one Airbnb Experience in Nashville,” he said.

At the same time, he was living in a detached garage without running water or HVAC, showering at the downtown YMCA, and renting out his home on the weekends to fund his business. “That’s how I paid for Music City Gents in the beginning,” he said.

His entrepreneurial spirit kept him going, even in times he could have easily given up.

Finding the First “Gent”

The next challenge? Finding performers.

“I had no idea where to find dancers,” Visbeen laughed. “Do I go to the gym and recruit guys? Walk up to strangers?”

Visbeen’s work isn’t just about the performances, it’s about the energy, the humor, and the unexpected connections that happen backstage and in the audience. “I always laugh at this,” he said. “I tell people I think it’s really funny when you, as a straight man, realize that you’re now at the bars, not even looking to talk to women. You want to go find dudes. And you’re like, ‘Man, you’re a good-looking dude. Can I talk to you for a moment?’” It’s moments like these, he says, that remind him how much his work was all about an unexpected hustle in unexpected places.

That’s how he met Cody, the first member of Music City Gents. 

“My friend saw this guy dancing to Ginuwine’s Pony at a local bar,” Visbeen said. “She filmed him and sent it to me. I told her to get his number. He thought he was being picked up by a girl, and she said, ‘No, it’s for my buddy.’ That’s how it started.”

From there, the team grew organically. “We’ve had up to six Gents, and two of them have been with me since day one,” Visbeen said. “It’s a family.”

Visbeen says they have collectively been through all you can imagine including financial setbacks, deaths and COVID shutdowns.

However they never gave up on him.

Building the Brand

Visbeen built Music City Gents from scratch, without outside marketing. Today, the business has a collective of over 60,000 followers across Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

“I’ve never spent a dollar on marketing,” he said. “For the first four years, I was out on Broadway handing out flyers. By year four, we’d done over a million dollars in sales just from that.”

But it wasn’t without its challenges. Music City Gents bounced between multiple venues, from Piranha’s to The Valentine to Hard Rock Café, before finally securing their own space.

“I was one inch away from losing everything. That was the closest I’ve come to quitting.”

For Visbeen, success isn’t just personal, it’s about the people around him. “It’s about the team,” he said. “At the end of the day, I think about it: I cannot fail, because if I fail, I fail everyone who works for me — their salary, their families, their jobs, their enjoyment.” Every decision, every performance, every detail is weighed with that responsibility in mind. It’s a mindset that drives him to push harder, plan smarter, and lead not just as a performer, but as someone who understands the ripple effect his actions have on the lives of his team.

Leadership, Loyalty, and Legacy

Much of Visbeen’s mindset comes from his military background.

“In all my companies, I follow four core principles,” he explained. “The most important one is company culture. Culture carries a company forward. It dictates how your team operates and how your customers experience your brand.”

He sees clear parallels between leadership in business and leadership in the military. “People talk about business plans, well, I wrote a plan every time I went on a mission,” he said. “People don’t follow you into combat because of your rank. They follow you because they trust you. That’s leadership. That’s culture.”

The Music City Gents isn’t just a performance, it’s an experience, and it all is rooted in good company culture.

He ensures his guys are ready physically and emotionally before they hit the stage every night.

“The company would pay for us to go to Topgolf or do something together so we socially bond,” he explained. “So that when they’re in the changing room, they have those moments to lean on each other.” As the business grew, he realized he needed to focus on it seriously. “This wasn’t just a hobby or a game anymore.” Today, the energy in the changing room is electric. “They encourage and pump each other up for the show, like soldiers for me. They go out there and have fun.”

For Visbeen, it’s not just about the performance.

“I tell my guys, these girls are here for one weekend of their life, their bachelorette,” he said. “They’ll remember this forever. We owe them an unforgettable night. I want them to walk out saying, ‘That was so much fun. I want to go back.’”

He also makes sure his team is taken care of. “Every year, we have meetings where I show analytics, feedback, and ideas for improvement,” Visbeen said. “One year they told me they wanted an in-house nutritionist. That showed me how seriously they take it.”

Looking Ahead

As Adam gears up for the new year, he will soon be launching his next endeavor, Command Connections, a new networking event designed to maximize meaningful connections. The event uses a simple color-coding system: attendees wear colors on each shoulder that indicate their business and the type of connections they’re seeking. This allows participants to immediately identify the people they should connect with, cutting out wasted time and ensuring interactions are productive for everyone. The event also features a panel of speakers and Q&A sessions, providing both insight and opportunity for networking in a structured, results-driven way. A recent test run proved the concept works, setting the stage for a full-scale launch. Nashville Fit Magazine will keep you updated when that is expected to launch. 

After nearly a decade of challenges and triumphs, Visbeen is optimistic about what’s next.

Visbeen and his team take a well-earned break in December, using the downtime to recharge and reflect. “It’s a time to step back from the shows, spend time with family, and reset,” he explained. While the business never truly stops, the team uses the holiday season to bond in low-key ways and prepare mentally for the high-energy months ahead. “It gives us a moment to reflect, relax, and come back ready to bring the energy for the next season.”

In the end, Music City Gents isn’t just about entertainment, it’s about brotherhood, perseverance, and passion. There are still a few shows left. Follow them on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, or visit their website to book your show before the year is over.