Today we’d like to introduce you to John Petri
Hi John, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been drawn to everything connected to the sports world. Whether it was collecting trading cards, filling up NHL sticker books, drawing new logos, or watching team hype videos, I couldn’t get enough. I didn’t know what the job titles were for the people who were creating these things, but I was naturally immersed in the culture of sports and the creativity behind it.
As I got older, I became passionate about graphic design. Even though a lot of people told me there was no money or opportunity in sports design and that I should focus my work on something else, I always dreamed about being a part of that world. After graduating college in 2003, I moved from Buffalo, NY to Atlanta, GA to pursue a career in graphic design. My first job was at a creative agency, Crawford Mikus Design, where I learned the value of hard work, dedication, and building strong relationships. After 2 years on the agency side as a Junior Designer, I switched gears to the in-house corporate world, spending 10+ years at Interface flooring systems, where I grew from a graphic design role into Director of Design, overseeing global branding, technology, and customer experience.
I loved my work, but I was still obsessed with sports and fitness – and I would still daydream about ways I could merge my passion for design with my passion for sports.
In 2016, I was finally able to realize that dream when I became Executive Creative Director at Mizuno USA. Overseeing a team of 10 people, I had the chance to work cross-functionally, designing sales & marketing tools, brand & product strategies, product design, and apparel for seven sports. There, I had the chance to work in partnership with major brands like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Academy Sports, the Atlanta Braves, marquee professional and Olympic athletes, and many more. Those were some of my proudest moments professionally, especially helping open Mizuno’s flagship store at The Battery Atlanta when the Atlanta Braves were building their new stadium. All of these efforts contributed to a $40 million turnaround for U.S. operations in just two years.
But the best part about Mizuno for me was meeting my lifelong partner there, and now also business partner at Fuel BMC, Stevie, and she has helped bring together so many things in my life both personally and professionally.
I was finally living my dream – but that dream was short-lived. In 2017, just a few months after Stevie and I became a couple, a restructure at Mizuno led to almost 60% of the U.S. organization being laid off, including me and 95% of my team. I was devastated. Even though it was out of my control, I felt like I had let down a team of great people who trusted me completely and had failed to protect them – after we had accomplished so much together – I promised myself that I would never let something like that happen ever again.
During this time, I reflected a lot. Thinking back on my dad and my stepmom’s accomplishments of building and selling an insurance agency, my vision became crystal clear – I wanted to follow their footsteps and become an entrepreneur. I knew it was time to take the leap and bet on myself.
In 2018, with the support, trust, and inspiration from Stevie, I founded Fuel BMC, a creative marketing agency. This allowed me to combine my passion for sports and business, and to build a winning team – to be the kind of leader I would’ve wanted to have and to put my teammates in the position to win personally and professionally.
Looking at a blank canvas and making a start was hard. For the first several months, I spent many all-nighters preparing an RFP (Request for Proposal) for an NHL team. With no other projects lined up to generate revenues, I worked 100+ hour weeks, with Stevie in the trenches beside me in addition to her full-time job. It was grueling, and daunting watching my personal savings slowly disappear. But this time period was pivotal to our success, as Stevie and I realized that we were both willing and capable to do what it takes to go through life together, to endure the ups and downs, and ultimately share a business where we could build something unique and special and achieve results while still honoring our integrity. Ultimately, we didn’t get the project with that NHL team, however slowly and surely we started gaining projects with clients like Powerade and LakePoint Sports – which led to even bigger projects and more clients.
This gave us the opportunity to expand. First, Stevie joined full-time and we partnered on just about every facet of the business while she also oversaw many things individually across the business from marketing, creative strategy, account management, web design, video strategy and pre-production, music and voiceover sourcing, creative partner and vendor management, accounting, and many other hats. Then, we were able to add amazing, talented people that we had worked with throughout our career – or sought out, specifically, because of the quality of their skillsets and work, but most importantly, who they are as people. Expanding our team allowed us to have a broader vision – and grow in new directions. We have a special bond with:
Will Erbele: Our dynamic Strategic Marketing Director and Lead Copywriter.
Matt Pryor: Our all-star Video Director, who doubles as a Swiss-Army knife designer and project manager.
Daley Serpico: Who helps keep us on track with internal project management and helps out with design.
Vic Garcia: Our super talented 3D and motion graphic artist.
There are so many other great people who are integral to our team, but this core group has been instrumental since the early days, helping get Fuel BMC established, while bringing the same scrappy tenacity it takes to grow – and for that we are eternally grateful.
The past six years have been humbling and rewarding for us all. We’ve had the opportunity to work with clients from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and NCAA. However, our reputation has opened all kinds of doors – from developing and executing go-to-market strategy for startup companies to developing premium video content for Fortune 100 companies. We’ve developed marketing strategy and premium creative for sports and entertainment, sports science, esports, premium apparel, food and beverage, lifestyle, tech, B2B, and more.
At Fuel BMC, we focus on delivering innovative strategies and premium creative that helps businesses crush their goals, with a passionate, fun and collaborative culture at the heart of everything we do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business from a blank canvas was not easy at the start for Stevie and I, and the journey has been filled with significant challenges. From late nights and financial sacrifice to juggling family life, there have been many times that we’ve felt exhausted and defeated. But sports taught us discipline, teamwork, and the importance of positivity and consistency. By staying focused, learning from setbacks, and applying those life lessons to Fuel BMC, we’ve been able to make steady progress. It’s about winning the small battles daily to achieve the bigger long-term goals – just like in sports – and trusting your teammates when the game’s on the line. It’s easy to try and do too much, but that’s when burnout can happen, or it impacts relationships, health, and other things. It’s all about teamwork and working at a healthy pace with balance for us.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Fuel BMC is a strategic marketing and creative agency that blends high-quality creative services with strategic marketing solutions. We offer a wide range of services, including brand identity and campaign design, video production, and strategic marketing consultation and execution. Our goal is to help businesses grow by delivering solutions that enhance brand identity and drive measurable business results. Whether you’re a startup building your brand and winning investments or an established business refining your marketing efforts, we work with you to fully understand your business and create customized strategies that align with your vision and goals. We specialize in strategic brand design, brand positioning, video production, and developing innovative go-to-market strategies.
Our team is known for combining creative excellence with data-driven strategies to help brands stand out and achieve real, measurable business outcomes. Whether it’s a visual campaign, a compelling video, apparel, branding a physical space, investor presentation, or a comprehensive marketing plan, we ensure every project aligns with our clients’ objectives and delivers results.
What sets us apart is our people and integrated approach. We don’t just produce creative content – we lead with strategy to create campaigns that drive results. Our team works closely with clients to craft their story, develop a compelling brand narrative, and effectively reach their target audience to drive behaviors that align with their goals. From consultation to execution, we’re hands-on at every step, ensuring success from start to finish.
I’m not only proud of the diverse and impactful portfolio we’ve produced, but especially the strong relationships we’ve built with our internal Fuel team and our clients who trust us time and again. We’ve had the opportunity to launch brands and pro sports teams during their inaugural season, like the Atlanta Vibe and College Park Skyhawks (Atlanta Hawks affiliate). We helped brands like S2 Cognition rapidly grow and go viral at the NFL Draft and appear on the Pat McAfee Show (where Pat even pulled up the website we built because he and his crew thought it was so cool—yeah, we blushed). We helped the Atlanta Braves land their jersey patch partner, the Cincinnati Bengals land their first-ever stadium naming rights partner, and supported the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks with their global market programs for fan expansion. We’ve developed narratively-driven investment decks that won 9 figures in investment. We’ve created hundreds of stunning videos, logos, campaigns, and designed pro sports jerseys and apparel.
The real payoff, though, is seeing how our work directly impacts our clients’ success and grows their business – We absolutely love seeing the people who hire us win.
We’re more than just a creative agency – we’re a full-service strategic marketing partner. We offer a unique blend of creative expertise in design, photography, illustration, full video productions, and more, along with strategic marketing insight to make campaigns and business models work in the real world. Whether our client is launching a new product, building a brand from the ground up, or refining their marketing efforts, we provide end-to-end services that ensure the message resonates with their audience and drives results.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people don’t know that Fuel BMC started as a husband-and-wife team. It’s always a fun moment when a new client hesitantly asks if we’re married, followed by the story of how we met and how Fuel came to be. We get a lot of comments like, “How do you work with your spouse? I could never do that!” But honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
As evidence of the brands we work with, and level of projects we deliver, teaming up in business and life allows us to accomplish far more than we ever did working for larger corporations. Plus, it lets us avoid the commuting grind and spend more time together as a family. We love what we do, and we think that we bring out the best in each other – personally and professionally.
In a world where work and life demands are high, building our business around each other has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. It’s allowed us to serve our clients and teammates in a way that feels authentic to who we are and what we stand for. One of our greatest rewards is seeing those we work with succeed – it’s what keeps us motivated.
Having worked at larger companies ourselves, we’ve seen how “family” values are often spoken about but not always practiced behind the scenes. That’s why we’ve worked hard to ensure Fuel’s operations reflect the same values we live by – creating a work environment that’s not just about results, but about having fun, sharing laughs, collaborating with other people who truly want to be a part of something great.
Pricing:
- At Fuel BMC, we provide customized solutions based on each client’s specific needs. We recommend scheduling a consultation to receive a customized quote tailored to your needs as pricing varies depending on the complexity of the project. Here is a general overview:
- Brand Design Services: For complete brand design, we start at $50,000 for smaller brand development projects (including logo design, brand books, brand positioning, marketing collateral, campaign assets, etc.), and scale up depending on project complexity, type and amount of deliverables, and company size. In those cases, prices can range much higher and include revenue share or equity.
- Custom Video Production: We offer premium video and photography packages starting at $20,000 (non-physical products, promotional, explainers). More extensive projects and high-quality productions that entail production at multiple locations, additional talent, virtual production, advanced editing, graphics, and CGI can range up to $100,000 and beyond (which we price out on a per-client basis).
- Strategic Marketing Consultation: Strategic marketing consultation can range from $3,000 for one-time consultations or specific projects to $50,000+ and revenue share for complete go-to-market strategy roadmaps. On going retainer pricing varies based on the services, scope and range of the project, and business size we are building strategy around.
- *New* Product Video Packages: In order to make our services more accessible to smaller or medium-sized businesses that rely on ecommerce and digital marketing for physical product sales, we’re launching Fuel Productions where we’ve developed 3 product video and photography package options that offer a :30 & :60 second commercial, 2-5 Instagram Reels, 5-10 premium studio product images, and up to 35 premium lifestyle photos – allowing these business to power their marketing funnel and help businesses have a consistent omnichannel experience and access our premium marketing services at more accessible price points.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fuelbmc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fuelbmc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063927890295
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnapetri/
- Twitter: https://x.com/fuelbmc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FuelBMC
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fuel-business-minded-creative/
Image Credits
Sean Berney
Adam Hagy
