In this episode, I sit down with Jared from The Hospitality Hub in Memphis to talk about redesigning how they serve people experiencing homelessness. He shares what it takes to build real solutions, from private studios to trauma-informed care, and why preserving dignity should be the starting point. Episode Highlights: Why People Really Become Homeless: Jared breaks down the data and busts myths. Redesigning the Model: A shelter built on hospitality, not compliance. Stories That Stay With You: ...
Jul 31, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 105
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Reginald Coopwood, CEO of Regional One Health, to talk about how he and his team led one of the most significant healthcare turnarounds in Memphis history. He shares what it took to step into a hospital losing $20 million a year and rebuild it—without ever losing faith in the people who showed up every day to serve. From personal tragedy to civic vision, Dr. Coopwood offers a powerful look at leading with purpose. Episode Highlights A Hospital in Crisis: What...
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 104
In this episode, I sit down with Field Norris, co-founder of Chene Gear, to talk about how a frustration in the duck blind turned into a premium outdoor brand. He shares the story of what it takes to build something from the ground up, and how he and his team have scaled without losing sight of their values. From early challenges to staying customer-first, Field offers an honest look at building a brand with purpose. Episode Highlights Origin Story: How a leaky pair of waders on a duck hunting t...
May 29, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 103
In this episode, I sit down with Mark Goodfellow — a man who’s lived life at full speed and with no filter. We cover from the trailer park in West Memphis to the car lots and the flash people in the city know him for today. Along the way, he talks about gambling, second chances, hard lessons, and big swings. This isn’t a polished story — It’s a conversation about the price of ambition, the impact of choices, and the search for meaning after the dust settles. Episode Highlights Early Days: Growin...
May 01, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 102
In this episode, I sit down with Dana Evans—missionary, adoptive mother, and advocate—to discuss her journey of faith, calling, and resilience. She shares what led her to Russia, the challenges of adoption, and the lessons she’s learned about trust, fear, and perseverance. Episode Highlights When a Calling Won’t Let Go: From childhood dreams to a leap of faith that changed her life. Life in Russia as a Missionary: Navigating culture shock, language barriers, and church planting. An Adoption That...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 101
In this episode, I sit down with Stephen Shannon—entrepreneur, investor, and family office operator—to discuss his journey across private equity, real estate, and capital management. We explore the principles behind his investment strategy, the challenges of building credibility, and the hard lessons he’s learned about leadership, trust, and execution. Episode Highlights From Memphis to Texas: Navigating different markets, building networks, and embracing Texas’ economic advantages. A Career in ...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 100
In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Torres, former CEO of Memphis Athletic Ministries and Frase Protection, and Danny Song, founder of Believe Memphis Academy and CEO of Give Services, to discuss everything nonprofit leadership. With years of experience serving communities in need, they share their journeys, the realities of leading nonprofit organizations, and moving to the for-profit world. Episode Highlights The Reality of Nonprofit Leadership: Navigating the demands of fundraising, org...
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 99
In this episode, I sit down with Daniel Shumate, CEO of Campbell Clinic, to discuss delivering patient-centered care in a country with the most expensive healthcare in the world. We explore the challenges patients face and the bold decisions that need to be made. Episode Highlights: Staying Independent: Maintaining autonomy in a landscape dominated by large hospital systems. Achieving Better Outcomes: Connecting the right specialist with the right patient to improve care and outcomes. Pioneering...
Dec 19, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 98
Hear my conversation with Elizabeth Rouse, the President and CEO of Arts Memphis, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the arts in Memphis, Tennessee. With over 60 years of impact, Arts Memphis has played a pivotal role in fostering creativity and connection in the Memphis, TN community. Episode Highlights Historical Context: Learn how Arts Memphis evolved from the Memphis Arts Council to a cornerstone for the local arts community. Economic Impact: Discover how over $100 million in grants have fue...
Nov 27, 2024•56 min•Ep. 97
Hear my conversation with Randall Swaney, the entrepreneur behind Marshall Steakhouse, named the #1 Steakhouse in Mississippi by the Food Network. Located in rural Mississippi, Randall turned what was supposed to be a feed store into a bustling restaurant. Episode Highlights From Feed Store to Steakhouse: How Randall’s idea turned into a steakhouse serving 4,000 people a week. Against All Odds: Why everyone told him he was crazy, and how Randall proved them wrong. The Power of Location: 50,000 c...
Oct 24, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 96
Enjoy my conversation with Nancy Knous, Executive Partner at Benchmark Wealth Management. Nancy built her firm from the ground up, tackling the unique challenges of being a woman in a predominantly male industry. Episode Highlights Building from Scratch: How Nancy structured her business for growth and planning for the next generation. Lonely in the Industry: The unique struggles of being a woman in finance and how she navigated them. Financial Independence: Why women are inheriting more wealth ...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 95
My guest today is David Wedaman. David began his career as an accountant at Arthur Anderson. He then left to go into the transportation industry, and after his first stop, David was a co-founder in Mark VII, which he and his partners grew to $800 million in annual revenue. After this business was taken public and sold in the late 1990’s, David founded Retrans, which he and his team built into 32 branches across the United States with sales of more than $500 million a year and sold to global logi...
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 94
Memphis, TN is where I call home. A city that has much momentum, but also a city that has significant challenges. This episode is outside my normal focus of business and entrepreneurship, but I wanted to sit down with Mayor Paul Young to discuss his journey and these things head on. Discover his vision for transforming Memphis, a city rich in history and culture but also facing significant issues such as cutting high crime rates, economic issues, minimal population growth, and more. With a city ...
Jul 25, 2024•50 min•Ep. 93
Hear my conversation with Rich Johnson and learn how he went from Air Force airman to CEO, building ViaQuest into a leading healthcare provider with 3,500 employees across Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Episode Highlights Care Trends: Evolution of managing disabilities, mental health, and hospice. 2008 Banking Crisis: How Rich steered ViaQuest through financial turmoil. Veteran Pride: The impact of veteran leadership in business and as CEO. Healthcare Insights: Navigating staffing challenges, ...
Jun 27, 2024•50 min•Ep. 92
Our guests today are Hal and Julie Lansky. Lansky Bros. opened as an army surplus and uniform store in 1946. It then pivoted when supplies ran out after WW2. Bernard Lanksy hit the jackpot when a young man with no money, Elvis Presley, walked into his store before the one and only Ed Sullivan show. Today, 78 years later, Lansky Bros. is an international brand. Here, I sit down with second-generation Hal Lansky and third-generation Julie Lanksy at the world-famous Peabody Hotel. Thanks for listen...
May 16, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 91
Here is my conversation is with Steve Laffey. Steve is a politician and businessman who ran for Mayor of his hometown of Cranston, Rhode Island and won. Steve is a former executive at Morgan Keegan and Company, author, and filmmaker. After serving as Mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island, Steve ran for the Republican primary for United States Senate and the Republican Primary for the House of Representatives where he was not successful. In 2023, Steve announced he would run for the Republican nominati...
Apr 11, 2024•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 90
Hey everybody, my guest this week is Chris Mercer. Forty-two years ago, Chris Mercer left investment Bank Morgan Keegan and launched Mercer Capital. Mercer Capital provides Business Valuation and Financial Advisory Services to clients worldwide. To date, Chris says they have served over 15,000 companies. Today, Mercer Capital has 57 associates and four offices across the United States. With the documentaries and interviews, my team and I produce, I spend a lot of time with entrepreneurs and comp...
Mar 21, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 89
This family doesn’t care about taking Private Equity money and selling. They are all in on their 75-year history and 3rd generation family business. This family business started with Generation 1. Dr. Lloyd Reed founded this family business right after WW2. 75 Years later, Generation 3 is now running it with Generation 2, and they have no plans on slowing down. Dr. Kevin Reed is 2nd generation of Reed Family Dentistry, which is located about 16 miles from Memphis, TN, with a population of 10,508...
Feb 22, 2024•39 min•Ep. 88
My guest this week is Bill Courtney. Bill is the CEO and founder of Classic American Hardwoods. An 80 Million a year global lumber company based out of Memphis, TN. Bill started this company out of his living room in 2001. Bill is also the host of the Army of Normal Folks Podcast, a former High School Football Coach, Featured in the Award Winning Documentary Undefeated, plus much more. This interview is unique. Bill goes into his tough upbringing, selling cars, learning from legendary entreprene...
Jan 31, 2024•56 min•Ep. 87
My guest this week is Ryan Pryor. Ryan is an educator with Crosstown High School based out of Memphis, Tennessee. The Public School system in the United States is broken. To better understand this why I did a podcast with an educator that’s not scared to do something different. Crosstown High School was started out of the XQ Institute which works directly with the Emerson Collective which has been established by Laurene Powell Jobs. Our education problems are not local, they are national. They a...
Dec 21, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 86
My guest this week is Danny Palo . Danny is the CEO of Vital Records Control . This company started in 1988 at $300,000.00 in annual revenue and today is at $300,000,000.00. Windjammer Capital now owns VRC and is in 80 markets with 2,000 employees. What’s even more impressive is that Danny’s only job prior was flipping hamburgers. He then started as a delivery driver, dropped out of college, and has run this company for nearly 40 years with a great group of long-time associates, original investo...
Nov 16, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 85
My guest this week is Andy Heck. Andy is the Co-owner and President of Alpin Haus, an outdoor recreation powerhouse out of Amsterdam, New York. Alpin Haus has 300 employees and does 100 Million in revenue It is a third-generation private family business that started like many other great American companies with entrepreneurs and a dream. The outdoor recreation space has exploded, and this family business has endured many ups and downs over the last 59 years. This is a great episode that covers: ...
Sep 28, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 84
Hey Everybody, my guest this week is entrepreneur and founder of Alma Del Jaguar McCauley Williams. This episode was a blast. McCauley, a former corporate attorney and C.E.O. of Bluenote Bourbon and he went all in on this new tequila company earlier this year. As McCauley says, we’re overloaded with options as consumers, and authenticity and transparency matter more now than ever. McCauley has put everything he has into this company and then raised several million dollars and found one of a kind...
Aug 31, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 83
My guest today is Bill Proctor. Bill is the President of Nexair. Nexair has been one of the largest independent packaged gas distributors in the United States and has a rich 73-year history. In early 2023, Nexair was acquired by Linde, the thirty-three billion dollar global multinational chemical company. Bill remains president through this acquisition. Nexair is a great American success story that embodies risk, entrepreneurship, generational ownership, talent development, execution, and much m...
Jul 27, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 82
Hey everybody, I hope you're having a great summer. Today's podcast is one I produced for one of the largest privately owned orthopaedic organizations in the United States. Campbell Clinic is based out of Memphis, Tennessee, and has been a leader nationally and internationally in orthopaedics since 1909. And my guest this week is their Chief of Staff, Dr. Frederick Azar. I'm choosing to release this interview on this podcast because Dr. Azar is straight to the point. He speaks to the power of a ...
Jul 13, 2023•51 min•Ep. 81
Hey Everybody, I hope you're having a great start to the summer. My guest today is Oscar Subrats; a previous guest suggested Oscar, and the more I looked into him, the more I was interested. Oscar is the President of College Prospects of America, a company that has helped over 35,000 students get an education and play college sports in the United States. Many of these students are international students, and as you'll hear, Oscar grew this company into Mexico and Latin America. According to NCAA...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 80
My guest this week is the CEO of the nation’s largest three-service municipal utility service Doug McGowen. Former Top Gun Pilot, Navy Captain, City of Memphis COO, (plus more stops along the way) and now CEO of MLGW. I’ve heard many times that Doug simply knows how to get stuff done so it was a privilege to record this with him. His reputation did not disappoint. This is a great episode that covers the following: How you bring urgency, transparency, and accountability to transform performance u...
May 11, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 79
Who would have thought an English mid-19th-century sport would empower inner-city students to overcome? My guest today is Shane Young . Shane co-founded Memphis Inner City Rugby and is a former Teach for America Educator. After working in the inner city school system and knowing there had to be a new way to additionally transform lives, Shane and his co-founder launched Memphis Inner City Rugby from scratch. As you'll hear in this interview, they've put everything they've had into this work. Thi...
Apr 06, 2023•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 78
My guest today is Candace Steele Flippin, DM. Candace is currently the chief communications officer for Acuity Brands- a 4 Billion dollar revenue organization, and previously served as Chief Communications Officer of First Horizon Bank, a 3.49 Billion dollar revenue bank. Acuity has 11,500 employees, and First Horizon has 7,000 plus employees. She also has her Doctor of Management from Case Western Reserve University out of Cleveland, Ohio. Candace is on this podcast because I want to understand...
Mar 16, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 77
My guest this week is Memphis Fire, Chief Gina Sweat. Chief Sweat was selected to be the first female director of fire services in Memphis, TN, and there were only a handful of female fire chiefs nationally when she was selected. The world of fire departments is changing. Chief Sweat says in this episode 80% of their calls are medical, so gone are the days when you are only going to fight fires. This is a great episode that covers the following: What it's like living with the responsibility of 1...
Feb 16, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 76
