Chris Goldby didn't start The Hickory Algorithm because it was a good business idea. He started it because he kept watching good local businesses go unnoticed — not because they weren't worthy of attention, but because nobody was telling their stories.
He'd spent his career in marketing, earned recognition as a Master Marketer for his campaign work, and understood better than most how noise drowns out signal. What Hickory needed wasn't more noise. It needed a publication that treated entrepreneurs the way they deserved to be treated: as the compelling, community-shaping stories they actually are.
So he built one.
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Drawn toward the light — not the drama. While most local media gravitates toward conflict and crisis, The Hickory Algorithm was built around the opposite instinct: find what's worth amplifying and carry it forward. Every feature, every newsletter, every post is rooted in that same commitment.
An Accomplished Writer — In Print and On Screen
Chris brings more than marketing experience to this work. He is a writer in the truest sense — not just copy, but craft. At Akula Literary Partners — a respected literary and entertainment firm whose roster includes Cuba Gooding Jr. and Alisyn Camerota among its senior partners — Chris holds two distinct roles that speak to the depth of his creative standing.
Akula Literary Partners develops original content across film, television, and documentary — working with writers at every level from staff to principal.
Head of Documentary & Docuseries · Leadership & Development
Chris serves as Head of Documentary and Docuseries within Akula's Leadership and Development team — overseeing the creative direction of non-fiction projects alongside Akula's principal partners. This role reflects the same instinct that drives The Hickory Algorithm: finding real stories worth telling and building them to last.
View Chris on the Akula Leadership & Development Team →
Writer · Akula Roster
Chris is a featured writer on the Akula literary roster, placing him among a distinguished group of storytellers working across film, television, and long-form narrative.
View Chris on the Akula Writers Roster →
Why Hickory
Chris chose Hickory not by accident but by conviction. The Catawba Valley has a density of hardworking, independent business owners who rarely get the spotlight they've earned. The Hickory Algorithm exists to change that — one story at a time, delivered to an audience of peers who are paying attention and ready to support.
This isn't a side project. It's a publication built with intention, run by someone who lives here, cares about this community, and has the craft to do it right.
