The Small Agency Conference & Awards is back and this year Ad Age is heading to Nashville. On July 18 and 19, the forum for independent shops will gather more than 200 agency executives, strategists and creatives for networking, inspiring talks and a celebration of the best small-agency work of the year.

The daylong conference on July 19 at the Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown is designed to give those tasked with owning and managing small and mid-size agencies the tools and ideas they need to thrive as the industry evolves. Speakers — including Barton F. Graf 9000's Gerry Graf and Jason DeLand, founding partner of Ad Age A-List 2017 Agency of the Year, Anomaly — will discuss tough decisions, new and unexpected ways to grow revenue streams and more.

But just as Nashville is about more than its Music City moniker, the Small Agency Conference will go beyond issues unique to independent shops and dive into topics such as diversity and how to build stronger agency-client relationships. We'll learn lessons from Scott Borchetta, founder of indie music label Big Machine, about how to beat big rivals, and hear from Wild Turkey master distiller Jimmy Russell about the importance of product quality and brand loyalty.

The festivities will conclude with the Small Agency Awards where Ad Age will announce this year's winners.

Don't miss out. Get your tickets at adage.com/smallagency2017. Register before May 25 and save $75.