• by Erin Everhart , Staff Writer, Today

My husband and I start every July 4th at The Peachtree Road Race, the largest 10K in the world. 60,000 people. 80-degree heat. 70% humidity. Hills that have no business existing inside a city limit.

Oh God, no, we’re not running it. We’re there in a strictly supportive capacity. We wake up at dawn and set up shop at Mile 2, handing out free beer, Jell-O shots and watermelon to the sweatiest – and oddly happiest – humans you’ve ever seen.

American flags are draped over shoulders. People are dressed up as George Washington yelling “The British are coming!” There’s at least one Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam. I even saw someone dressed up as a bald eagle once.

It’s chaotic, loud, and genuinely American, and every year, I feel it. That thing. That complicated, imperfect, still-worth-something feeling of what this country can be when it's at its best.

That feeling has gotten harder to hold onto. Somewhere along the way, the flag got pulled into a tug of war. Red state or blue state. Us or them. You wear it or you don't, and everyone draws a conclusion. 

Volition America is a patriotic lifestyle brand built around a simple, stubborn belief that the American flag is a symbol of passion and pride, not politics. They’re building brand partnerships across categories and providing scholarships to children of fallen soldiers and first responders. They believe “patriot” doesn’t belong to one party, and it doesn’t mean you agree with every decision being made. 

That’s a pretty hard brand value to have in 2026. 

With America's 250th birthday one week away, there is no better moment to ask: What does it mean to build a purpose-driven brand in a country this divided? Can you actually be patriotic without being political? 

We sat down with CEO John Sapiente to find out.

Listen to the full episode here.