
Cultural Innovator, Dynamic Producer, and Luxury Transportainment Founder
Owner/Martinique Old Hickory · Nashville, Tennessee, US
Open to advisory
Makes warm intros to
5
Hours / month
Founder & Executive Producer, Hypeman Rick Productions | Founder & CEO, Martinique Old Hickory
Ricky Toran is a dynamic Nashville entrepreneur, entertainment veteran, and regulatory pioneer transforming Middle Tennessee’s luxury "transportainment" landscape. As the Executive Producer of Hypeman Rick Productions (HRP), Ricky has spent more than two decades championing relationship-driven storytelling and diverse creative ventures—spearheading original media projects while amplifying the city's rich, evolving sounds through the Not Just Country movement.
Translating his production acumen and grassroots leadership into the maritime hospitality sector, Ricky is the Founder and CEO of Martinique Old Hickory. Operating under the HRP umbrella, Martinique is making history on the water, breaking legal barriers as the first wine and cigar propulsion passenger vessel to successfully navigate and pass the complex legislative hurdles required to secure a private alcohol license in Middle Tennessee. By combining legislative advocacy with upscale hospitality, Ricky’s custom 123-passenger luxury vessel is redefining the Nashville excursion market—offering an unprecedented, curated fusion of fine wines, premium cigar lounges, and world-class entertainment.
martiniqueoldhickory.com
Martinique Old Hickory is a multi-tier luxury passenger vessel concept providing a premium alternative to Nashville’s saturated, low-end party boat market. Designed for affluent consumers and corporate clients, our 123-passenger flagship features sophisticated, high-end wine and premium cigar lounges on the water.
We have secured a permanent regulatory moat: we successfully championed Tennessee legislation (SB2492) that explicitly permits our vessel to hold an alcohol license—creating a barrier to entry that blocks existing operators from competing in our tier.
With technical designs finalized by Elliott Bay Design Group and a launch point secured at Drakes Creek, our foundation is set for a Q2 2028 launch. We are currently accepting commitments for our $1.5M Seed Round and are seeking investors experienced in asset-backed luxury hospitality to capture this highly leveraged, legally protected market share.
Company Stage
Development
Funding Stage
Pre-Seed
Funding Raised
$0 to $100k
Team Size
Just Me/Co-Founders
Annual Revenue
$0 to $100k
Location
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Founded
2019
Industry
Other
Entertainment Industry
Over two decades of experience as an entertainment veteran, transforming the creative and cultural landscape.
Entrepreneurship
A dynamic entrepreneur who has founded and led two significant businesses in the entertainment and luxury hospitality sectors.
Founder
Successfully founded and leads two distinct companies, Hypeman Rick Productions and Martinique Old Hickory, demonstrating significant entrepreneurial drive.
Hospitality Industry
Pioneering the luxury maritime hospitality sector with innovative 'transportainment' experiences.
Leadership
Ricky Toran exhibits grassroots leadership and executive oversight as CEO and Founder of his companies.
CEO Leadership
Leads Martinique Old Hickory as CEO, overseeing strategic direction and operational execution.
Media Industry
Extensive experience in spearheading original media projects and storytelling within the entertainment sector.
Regulatory Pioneer
Successfully navigated complex legislative hurdles to secure the first private alcohol license for a propulsion passenger vessel in Middle Tennessee.
Transportainment
Pioneering and transforming the luxury 'transportainment' landscape in Middle Tennessee.
Transportainment Industry
Ricky Toran is actively transforming and redefining the luxury transportainment market.
Legal & Regulatory Compliance
Ricky Toran has successfully navigated complex legislative processes to secure critical licenses, demonstrating expertise in regulatory advocacy.
Experience Design
Ricky Toran is curating a unique luxury experience for a passenger vessel, integrating fine wines, premium cigars, and entertainment.
Branding
Ricky Toran has built and managed brand identities for Hypeman Rick Productions and Martinique Old Hickory's luxury offerings.
Luxury Vessel Development
Ricky Toran is managing the design and build of a custom 123-passenger luxury vessel in collaboration with marine engineers.
Creative Direction
Directed diverse creative ventures and original media projects within the entertainment industry.
Hospitality Management
Ricky Toran is defining and managing a luxury maritime hospitality experience for discerning guests.
Hospitality Product Development
Designed and developed a unique luxury maritime hospitality experience with curated offerings.
Legislative Advocacy
Successfully engaged in legislative advocacy to overcome legal barriers and secure critical business licenses.
Project Management
Managed complex projects from concept to execution, including media productions and luxury vessel development.
Product Development
Ricky Toran is leading the design and development of a 123-passenger luxury vessel for Martinique Old Hickory, defining a new luxury transportainment experience.
Regulatory Compliance
Expert in navigating and complying with complex legislative and regulatory requirements, particularly in new markets.
Executive Production
Served as Executive Producer for Hypeman Rick Productions for over two decades, managing creative projects and media ventures.
Entertainment Marketing
Amplified city sounds and created the 'Not Just Country' movement to promote diverse music and entertainment.
Market Analysis
Ricky Toran successfully identified and is targeting an underserved affluent market for luxury transportainment.
Business Strategy
Developed and implemented strategies to redefine market segments and capture underserved luxury clientele.
Storytelling
Championed relationship-driven storytelling for diverse creative ventures, enhancing brand narratives and engagement.
Media Production
Spearheaded original media projects for over two decades through Hypeman Rick Productions.
Media Content Creation
Ricky Toran's role as Executive Producer involves spearheading the creation of original media projects.
Luxury Service Design
Curated an unprecedented fusion of fine wines, premium cigars, and world-class entertainment for a high-end client base.
Luxury Market
Specializes in developing and marketing high-end products and services for affluent customers.
Marketing
Extensive experience in developing marketing strategies, including relationship-driven storytelling and niche market targeting for luxury experiences.
Grassroots Leadership
Demonstrated experience in fostering community engagement and leadership through grassroots initiatives.
Maritime Industry
Involved in the development and operation of a passenger vessel for luxury excursions.
Niche Marketing
Successfully targets the underserved affluent market for luxury transportainment experiences.
Business Development
Ricky Toran focuses on offering strategic partnerships and capturing specific market segments for growth and investment.
Vessel Design
Finalized the design for a custom 123-passenger luxury vessel in collaboration with industry-leading marine engineers.
Marketing Strategy
Ricky Toran has experience amplifying cultural movements and targeting specific market segments for customer acquisition.
Cultural Innovation
Ricky Toran amplified Nashville's evolving sounds through the Not Just Country movement and is transforming the transportainment landscape.
Corporate Sales
Implied focus on attracting and serving corporate clients for high-end luxury services.
Financial Strategy
Ricky Toran has experience identifying high-margin niches and understanding funding stages for startups.
Fundraising
Actively seeking strategic partners and implied involvement in pre-seed funding efforts for new ventures.
job
Founder & CEO
Martinique Old Hickory
Founded and leads a luxury 'transportainment' company, developing a 123-passenger vessel for curated experiences in Nashville's excursion market.
Pioneered legislative changes to secure the first private alcohol license for a propulsion passenger vessel in Middle Tennessee, redefining the luxury excursion market with upscale hospitality, fine wines, premium cigars, and world-class entertainment; finalized vessel design and on track for a 2027 build.
job
Founder & Executive Producer
Hypeman Rick Productions
Leads the company in relationship-driven storytelling and diverse creative ventures, amplifying Nashville's sounds through the Not Just Country movement.
Spearheaded original media projects and championed entertainment initiatives for over two decades, establishing a significant presence in cultural innovation.