David Greer, CEO of StoryRoad, has focused his career on highlighting positive stories in the community. Formerly known as Tillman Allen Greer, StoryRoad aims to help local businesses share their stories through various media platforms including Gwinnett Magazine, the Guide to Gwinnett, and the Best of Gwinnett Awards. The company also utilizes podcasts and social media to connect businesses with customers.
“Early in my career, I made a personal decision to focus on good news,” Greer says. “I want to praise, recognize, educate, inform and celebrate the people and businesses that make Gwinnett thrive. To me, the good stuff is the essence of life.”
Greer emphasizes three main components for effective marketing: message, reach, and frequency. He explains that understanding what a business wants to communicate, identifying the target audience, and determining how often to engage them are key factors for success. “You have to understand your message, know who you’re trying to reach and determine how often to reach them,” he explains. “A business selling home appliances like air conditioners needs constant visibility so you’re top of mind when a need arises. An event like a fall festival needs timely frequency. We’ve designed our offerings to support both.”
StoryRoad offers services ranging from content creation to full campaign development for both new businesses and established brands. Many clients who started working with Greer decades ago continue their partnership today.
Greer’s work extends beyond business marketing into community engagement projects such as coining Gwinnett County’s slogan “Success Lives Here” and launching the #LoveGwinnett social media campaign aimed at promoting positivity within the county.
In 2009, Greer initiated the Heroes Project which highlights cancer survivors’ experiences through articles, photos, videos, and podcasts. “It started as a way to use our storytelling abilities to do good in the world and make cancer survivors feel like a rockstar for the day,” he explains. “But after interviewing hundreds of survivors, I’ve found that their stories have been a great inspiration. I’ve interviewed people who have faced life-or-death circumstances — including young kids and teenagers — and have shown incredible courage while choosing to look at the bright side.”
He has also written songs such as “We Light a Candle,” dedicated to Relay for Life participants and cancer survivors; this song was adopted by Relay for Life teams internationally.
Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Greer shares advice based on his experiences: “Put first things first. You can’t skip steps in business. Focus on doing each step in the right order.” He adds: “Don’t waste your energy blaming other people or circumstances. When things don’t go the way you want, take a look in the mirror and evaluate what you can control — your outlook and your next steps.”
Greer maintains involvement with organizations such as the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce’s Chairman’s Club: “I’ve always believed in surrounding myself with people smarter than me, and this group is full of smart, well-intended people who care about our community. It’s kind of a ‘who’s who’ of local business leaders.”
For Greer, storytelling remains central not only as professional work but also as service: “At the end of the day, it’s not about the money or growth,” he says. “It’s about helping people and feeling good about the work you do. That’s at the core of who we are.”
