My Guest today is Garrott McClintock. Garrott is the COO of AcreTrader. AcreTrader is a hot new start-up out of Fayetteville, Arkansas, that recently finished a series its 12 Million Dollar funding round. AcreTrader matches investors with farmland while giving Farmers the land they need to grow their operation. Did you know that In 1935, there were 7 million farms, and now there are only 2 million in operation? What’s changed? Why is farming so hard? What is often hard for farmers to grow their ...
Jul 29, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 47
My guest today is Brent Beshore. If you haven’t heard of Brent before, I bet you’ll be impressed with his story. After starting and acquiring companies in his 20’s, he now is CEO of Permanent Equity, where he and his team currently own 11 plus companies and oversee the deployment of 300 million dollars in capital. Brent and his team believe in owning companies for the long run hence the name Permanent Equity. This conversation is about much more than just business. I had a great time with Brent ...
Jul 15, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 46
My guest today is Dr. Dennis Black. Dr. Black is one of a kind. I heard of Dr. Black from a listener to this podcast, and once I heard how established he is as an accomplished researcher and award-winning physician while also being an avid fan of Bonnaroo- I couldn’t resist asking him to be on the show. I had a great time with Dr. Black where we cover: The time when he wanted to be a mad scientist as a kid, and he lit a desk on fire The patience and persistence of a researcher Why he loves pouri...
Jul 08, 2021•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 45
My guest today is Ken Masterson. You may know Ken from FedEx, where he built the legal department and was the General Counsel for FedEx from 1979 - 2005. Ken tells a one-of-a-kind story when Fred Smith wanted him to build a value-added legal department. But Ken didn’t stop there; when Ken retired in 2005, he founded Masterson Farms, where he and his team are dedicated to breeding, raising, and developing the finest western show horses available where he is working today with his wife, Marilyn. T...
Jun 24, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 44
Jun 17, 2021•4 min•Ep. 46
Over the last several weeks, my team and I have had the pleasure of taking my podcast and using it to come alongside and help organizations tell their story to their own people through their own private podcast channel. By creating an exclusive podcast channel for the organization and all of its associates, we help them build further engagement. This work has been a ton where I prepare by understanding the following: What makes the company unique? What's their position in the market they are in?...
Apr 22, 2021•3 min•Ep. 45
My guest this week is Kat Gordon. In her mid 20’s, Kat opened Muddy’s Bake Shop thinking it likely wouldn’t make it. Thirteen years later, Muddy’s is one of the top bakeries in the United States. This pandemic has been incredibly difficult for businesses across the country, and Muddy’s is no exception. Muddy’s completely shut its doors for several weeks before reopening one of its locations, but things are not as bad as they may sound for Kat. This episode may take a different turn than you expe...
Apr 15, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 44
My guest this week is Pat Lawler. Pat is the CEO of Youth Villages. Founded in 1986 with the merger of two Memphis-based residential campuses, Youth Villages is now a nationally recognized leader in the field of children’s mental and behavioral health. From the early days of serving just 80 children a year, we’ve since grown to help tens of thousands of children, families and young people annually, with a complete continuum of programs and services across 24 states and 100 locations. RECAP 3:00 ...
Apr 08, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 43
My guest this week is Dr. Tracy D. Hall. Tracy is the President of Southwest Tennessee Community College out of Memphis, TN. Regardless of whether you live in Memphis or not, this is an important conversation that applies all across the country. We talk about education, changing the narrative, the importance of stem education, why community colleges matter, and more. When DR. Hall took over Southwest TN Community College, Southwest had a graduation rate of 5%. Under her leadership, Southwest TN ...
Apr 01, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 42
My guest this week is Geoff Calkins. This episode is a fun and valuable conversation where we cover: Discovering his love for stories while battling leukemia as a kid What it took for a major career change: Leaving the law firm then ending up in Anniston, Alabama What sports can do for a city How he learned to write Finding your voice And more! After starting his career as a lawyer in Washington DC, Geoff made a major career change, attending Columbia's School of Journalism. Geoff's first job le...
Mar 18, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 41
My guest this week is University of Memphis Head Football Coach Ryan Silverfield. For those who live in Memphis or follow U of M Football, do you remember when Ryan was named interim head coach and how he made it known he wanted the job? He didn’t hold back. He went all-in, letting everyone know. I have been looking forward to this conversation, and I am glad to release it to you this week. During this conversation, we cover: From sleeping on cots at Hampden-Sydney to being the head coach at Mem...
Mar 11, 2021•35 min•Ep. 40
My guest this week is Otis Sanford. This episode is loaded with experiences, insights, a deeper understanding of how journalism works and where it's headed. We talk about when he fell in love with journalism, political machines, why he doesn't mind criticism, the funniest story he has covered, the politician who didn't take things personally, and all of the journalism changes and more. In 1975 Otis became the first male African American reporter for the Jackson, Mississippi Clarion ledger. Otis ...
Mar 04, 2021•1 hr 48 min•Ep. 39
My guest this week is Kent Ritchey. For over 50 years, Kent has been in the automobile business. Kent’s company, Lander’s Auto Group, has 15 Automobile Franchises with over 450 Associates in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. I wanted to have this conversation with Kent to understand all the changes taking place with the automobile industry and how he adapts to them. Additionally, we discuss: Checking your ego and going from an owner to a salesperson when you need a job What he’s learned abou...
Feb 18, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 38
My guest this week is David Jordan. For close to 26 years, David has been leading Agape Child Services out of Memphis, TN. Agape serves approximately 3000 children and families each year by loving families and fighting poverty. I wanted to have a conversation with David to understand the challenges of poverty and what it takes to succeed in getting out of poverty. Additionally, we discuss: · That point when you want to throw in the towel · The impact of Covid-19 and poverty · Pivoting the organi...
Feb 11, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 37
My guests this week are Wiseacre Brewery Founders Davin and Kellan Bartosch. Davin and Kellan launched Wiseacre in 2013 and it has been a huge success. They quit their jobs, found a partner, took out personal loans and have built one of the most well known craft breweries in the Southeast. After one year of opening, their Tiny Bomb beer won the Bronze Medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2014. I wanted to have a conversation with Davin and Kellan to learn how they have generated such mom...
Feb 04, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 36
My guest this week is Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings. You may know Director Rallings from leading the Memphis Police Department. After announcing his retirement for the year 2021, I wanted to speak with Director Rallings to understand what it felt like when he accessed and walked with protesters off the Mississippi River Bridge in 2016. This is a replay of an episode that was recorded in the summer of 2020. In this conversation, we discuss: The principles that he has lived by throughou...
Jan 28, 2021•54 min•Ep. 35
Hey Everybody- As I mentioned last week, while I get ready for the new year- I am resharing some of my favorite episodes from 2020 for January while I get ready for this year. Who would have thought almost one year later we would still be where we are with the Covid 19 pandemic. I reached out to Cathy to get an update on where things are now almost one year later with their work. She said that in 2019 the mid-south food bank provided 15 Million meals. IN 2020, they provided close to 42 Million m...
Jan 21, 2021•25 min•Ep. 33
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be replaying some of my favorite episodes from 2020. I hope you enjoy these episodes and Happy New Year! My guest this week is Isaac Bruce. Isaac was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2020. Isaac played college football for the University of Memphis and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2nd round and had a 14-year career with the Rams. Isaac was known for his work ethic. This episode is for you if you want to learn more about: How those closest to you n...
Jan 14, 2021•19 min•Ep. 32
My guest this week is Kat Gordon. In her mid 20’s Kat opened Muddy’s Bake Shop thinking it likely wouldn’t make it. Thirteen years later, Muddy’s is one of the top bakeries in the United States. This pandemic has been a massive issue for businesses across the country, and Muddy’s is no different. Muddy’s completely shut its doors for several weeks and has opened one of its locations back, but it is not as bad as it sounds for Kat. This episode may take a different turn than you expect. Download ...
Jan 07, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 31
My guest this week is Jean McGhee. Jean is one of the owners of Hollywood Feed – the fastest-growing pet retail store in the country with 110 stores across the U.S. Jean and her husband Shawn purchased Hollywood Feed in 2006. Before purchasing Hollywood Feed, Jean was a stay-at-home mom. Through this conversation, you'll see that Jean doesn't get caught up with numbers and scale. You'll see how she sticks to what she loves and how this serves the public. This episode will expose you to everythin...
Dec 31, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 30
My guests this week are Jim and Amy Yurchenco. Jim and Amy have both live and work in Palo Alto, California. Jim was the first employee for worldwide engineering firm Ideo and Amy, most recently as a software engineer for Intuit. In addition to their professional careers, they have canoed the Mississippi River and hiked tens of thousands of miles in 10 different countries (Wales, Turkey, Spain, Scotland, Slovakia, Japan, Italy, France, Australia, USA). In case you didn’t know it is 24,000 miles ...
Dec 17, 2020•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 29
My Guest this week is Shawn Askinosie. Askinosie Chocolate is a small batch, award-winning chocolate factory located in Springfield, Missouri. They source 100% of their beans directly from farmers. Shawn travels to Ecuador, the Philippines, and Tanzania to source cocoa beans for his chocolate. This allows the chocolate to be traced to the source and labeled authentic single origin. Their mission is to serve their farmers, their neighborhood, their customers, and each other. The company is curren...
Dec 10, 2020•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 28
My guest this week is JP Dinnell. JP is from Northern California, enlisted in the Navy out of High School, served as a U.S. Navy Seal for 10 Years, and is now with Echelon Front, teaching leadership development and organizational management worldwide. We talked life's highs and lows, life transitions, and everything in between. This episode is a great perspective on making the most out of your current situation by taking it one day at a time, giving up good for something great, knowing what trul...
Dec 03, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 27
My guest this week is Warren Doyle. Warren holds the informal record for hiking the Appalachian Trail the most times. That number is 18 times. Yes, he has hiked 18 total times from George to Maine, which is 2,190 miles and typically takes 5-7 months to complete. In 1973, Warren set the unofficial endurance record of hiking the trail in a record time of 66 days. Since then, Warren has gone on to start the Appalachian Trail Institute, which teaches and equips hikers with the training they need to ...
Nov 25, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 26
My guest this week is Clark Butcher. Clark is back on for a part two episode. Last week we left off at what happens when you go all-in on your business, and it burns down one month after starting. This week, we will dive into what it is like to build a high-touch retail store. This episode is an in-depth conversation on what it looks like to make a brand and build a successful small business that reaches far more than just a local market. Additionally, it is fascinating to hear how Covid 19 is a...
Nov 12, 2020•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 25
My guest this week is Clark Butcher. Clark is a cyclist and owner of Victory Bicycle Studio. I wanted to have Clark on the show for a few reasons. First, I read earlier this year when he was asked how he thinks about Covid-19 and how it affects his business, he answered they would continue to serve and deliver a customized service to his clients and focus on that. In other words, it struck me that he was playing offense when it was common to think defensively. Secondly: Why cycling? What has he ...
Nov 05, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 24
This week's guest is Matt Cook, Matt is currently the VP of Engineering at Tilled; before that, he launched his own startup, and before that, he was head of platform for Shipt. As you may know, Shipt was started in 2014 and was acquired by Target in 2017 for $550 Million Dollars. As you know, we live in a growing gig economy where people get to work in flexible ways that were not possible before. This is powered by technology, consumer needs, and how platforms bring together service fulfillment ...
Oct 29, 2020•55 min•Ep. 23
Did you know that there are currently over 81,900 missing American Service Members around the world? Why does this matter? Why is this important? What does it take to identify and bring home Service Members? Why is closure essential, and how do these experiences affect us today? We cover all of this and much more. These service members served our country, sacrificed their lives, and they haven’t yet come home. Today’s episode is about a group of men and women from all over the world that dedicat...
Oct 22, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 22
My guest this week is Retired United States Marine Sergeant Major Justin LeHew. This episode is the first of two conversations with Sergeant Major (Ret) LeHew. The second one will be next week and also including the organization that he leads today. Sergeant Major (Ret) LeHew has been awarded the Navy Cross, The Bronze Star. He is also known as the Hero of Nasiriyah for his work taking part in the 507 Maintenance company's rescue operation, including Jessica Lynch in 2003. I quote: “Under consta...
Oct 15, 2020•3 hr 1 min•Ep. 21
Educational inequality is a significant problem today. Last week’s episode covered what it takes to make a positive impact on this problem. When you think about childhood education, you also understand the importance of the child’s development as a person. Teachers are crucial in how this happens, and this work is more than just teaching curriculum. This week I am releasing the 2nd part to the series with Larissa Gregory. Larissa is over social-emotional learning for Memphis Teacher Residency an...
Oct 08, 2020•35 min•Ep. 20
