Climbing the Charts with Angie Lawless and Brandon Miller

In the 1950s, Frank Sinatra famously proclaimed Jack Daniel's the "nectar of the gods." Sales doubled, the warehouses emptied, and Mr. Daniel's "nectar" was on allocation for the next twenty-five years.

In 2013, a state law in Tennessee established a legal definition of "Tennessee Whiskey" for the first time, better known as the "Lincoln County Process." While a few whiskey nerds followed the arcane legal and political developments that paved the way for official "Tennessee Whiskey," on November 4, 2015 the worlds of music and Tennessee whiskey would again collide when Justin Timberlake made a surprise appearance to join Chris Stapleton on-stage for the 2015 CMA awards. While Tennessee Whiskey was originally written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove in 1981 and made famous by George Jones in 1983, the Stapleton-Timberlake collab equated to a sonic boom in the worlds of music and brown liquor, bringing a new level of national and international attention to Tennessee's favorite spirit that was now a "category" all its own. It almost goes without saying that sales of Stapleton's debut studio album, "Traveller," produced with Dave Cobb, would also explode, winning numerous awards and ultimately becoming the top selling country album of the 2010s.

The story of Tennessee Whiskey is complicated, and fascinating. Join us for this very special episode of Climbing the Charts as John Brittle, real estate guru and founder of The Whiskey House, a 501(c)(3), and Heath Clark, a recovering healthcare attorney turned whiskey entrepreneur and founder of H Clark Distillery, tell us the incredible true story of how Tennessee went from almost 1,000 distilleries before Prohibition, to having just TWO distilleries until Prichard's opened in 1997, to now having almost 50 distilleries with almost 30 that are now part of the officially designated "Tennessee Whiskey Trail."

There are few better at turning phrases or crafting tall-tales than these guests (e.g., "I can have a one-night stand with a bottle of wine, but with a bottle of whiskey, I can have a long-term relationship." — John G. Brittle). We promise, whether you are a whiskey novice or aficionado, you will learn a lot and laugh even more through this episode, and you'll also have a true appreciation for the fact that all bourbon is whiskey, but that not even all Tennessee whiskey is "Tennessee Whiskey" . . . . with the exception of Prichard's!

In this episode, Climbing the Charts sits down with Republican Representative Todd Warner (District 92) and Democratic Representative Aftyn Behn (District 51). Aftyn, increasingly described as the "AOC of Tennessee," the youngest woman elected to the Tennessee House, is poised to be a fearless advocate for progressive values. Todd, by contrast, is the "Unapologetic Conservative," a successful business and family man who is devoted to protecting and furthering traditional, conservative values and constitutional freedoms.

These two, who had previously never met, go head-to-head on matters from the Scotty Campbell scandal to the expulsion of the Tennessee Three to reproductive rights, school vouchers, gun control and bipartisanship. Tennessee politics were a source of outrage, tragedy, and scandal, but also weighty policy debates and memorable humor in 2023, inspiring multiple sketches and commentaries on Colbert and Saturday Night Live. After CTC's discussion with these representatives, we cannot wait to see what's in store in the Tennessee General Assembly in 2024.

On July 21, 2006, the New York Times published an article entitled: "Creating Demand for City Living in Nashville." The piece's author, Lisa Chamberlain, noted that at that time, the frenzied pace of downtown residential development was slowing in major cities like New York and Chicago, but in cities like Nashville, "where no residential population had existed, people are suddenly hungry for an urban lifestyle and are willing to pay for it." Just three years prior to the publication of this article, there were all of 10 units for sale in downtown Nashville, but then something happened: "one developer, Anthony Giarratana, is credited with single-handedly creating a market for residential housing in the central business district."

Booming downtowns with arts and culture and thousands of residents don't happen by accident, and Tony is the first to admit that nothing significant is accomplished single-handedly. Nonetheless, the story of how Nashville went from having almost no downtown residents in 2003 to about 17,000 twenty years later in 2023 is a truly incredible story that spans law, politics, zoning, vision casting, as well as a truly remarkable levels of persistence (imagine making pitches to 69 banks before a single one says yes to your first residential tower project (The Cumberland). There's perhaps no better person to tell this utterly fascinating story than the man, the myth, the legend himself: Anthony "Tony" Giarratana.

Tune in for this very special episode, which includes a proper telling of how downtown Nashville came to be what it is today, as well as a wide-ranging discussion of many hot issues, including the East Bank redevelopment, 2024 market forecasts, why 30,000 residents is the magic inflection point for downtowns, why Nashville should embrace taller builders, as well as why he will never complain about "chores." Tony also shares a book everyone should read, as well as some eloquent nuggets of hard-won wisdom about the role of kindness in life and in business.

On this new episode of Climbing the Charts, we sat down with Jon Michael, who after 15 years of toting the metro zoning code under his arm in various roles as a lawyer with Metro, joined the local Nashville law firm of Thompson Burton PLLC to create his own land use practice.

If you have ever listened to a conversation about development, attended a Metro Planning Commission meeting, or have even just heard someone at the office water fountain spouting acronyms like AR2a, RS80, R20, R6, OR20, or MUL, you may have guessed that you are in the presence of Nashville's zoning code. After the acronyms are rattled off, someone then usually utters a name: Jon Michael.

Legal entrepreneurs are a different class of entrepreneurs, as most view attorneys as risk-averse, or at least extremely calculating, by nature. But, Jon Michael is cut from a bit of a different cloth. The son of a preacher who grew up in Dickson, TN, Jon shares his entrepreneurial story with us – and it is a great story filled with trials and tribulations. The best careers are often non-linear, and Jon's is no exception. In addition to being a gifted raconteur, Jon is a true student of about everything and brings an insatiable curiosity to life.

Every city in America has struggled with how to regulate the "sharing economy," which in Music City includes a thriving short-term rental market (think Airbnb and VRBO). As the Metro Zoning Administrator from 2018 to 2021, Jon was at the center of the efforts to balance commerce/tourism and community and neighborhood quality of life concerns. Most observers think Nashville has struck a good balance, especially compared to some cities (think: NYC). Jon shares his thoughts on this topic, but also offers his vision for how Nashville can continue to grow smartly. With rumors of a massive overall to the Metro Code in the not too distant future, it's almost a given as well that Jon will play a significant role in that process for only a handful of attorneys have such deep knowledge and expertise in the area.

We promise you will learn some very interesting things in this inviting conversation, as well as learn more about Jon's path from public servant to private entrepreneur, political connector, dad, husband, and humorist. Jon's new role is something he views as neither pro-development nor pro-neighborhood, but "pro-Nashville."

For the launch of Episode 1 of Season 3, Climbing the Charts sat down with Sam Davidson, who on June 28, 2023, was announced as Jane Allen's successor as the next CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC). Sam hit the ground running in this high visibility, high impact new role, which he describes on his Linkedin profile as: "Working to make Nashville the most entrepreneurial city in America."

For more than a decade, the EC has connected entrepreneurs with critical resources to create, launch, and grow businesses, and has become a centerpiece of the connective tissue and business ecosystem of Music City. Sam provides us with an overview of the EC's current programs and services, as well as provides some truly fascinating metrics about its impact and successes in a city that now boasts 2 million people and 53,000 businesses.

During our conversation with Sam, we learn about his path as a four-time entrepreneur, author of three books, and noted speaker, as well as some of the unique experiences, both business and personal, that have shaped him and the thinking he brings to bear in his new role. Sam also has some incredible insights and advice for would-be entrepreneurs, as well as those trying to scale their businesses. Learn why Sam believes adaptability is the thread that unites the most successful entrepreneurs, and how the single most critical factor for success is "access to a mentor" (that's where the EC comes in). Sam also offers some fascinating insights on the role community plays in personal and business successes, and explains what he means that the height of his success is "directly related to the depth of my community."

We promise you will learn some very interesting things in this inviting conversation, as well as learn more about Sam's vision and future plans for the Nashville EC. Music City was ranked as the 4th best city for starting a business by Inc in 2020, so we still have work to do to achieve Sam's vision of Nashville as the most entrepreneurial city in America!

Early voting begins 20 days before an election and typically ends 5 days before Election Day. Translated to the current election for Nashville Mayor and other local runoff elections, that means early voting started August 25th and will run until September 9th, with Election Day being September 14th.

In the general election, which took place on Thursday, August 3rd, 101,245 votes were cast. Councilmember O'Connell garnered 27,470 votes, or 27.13%, while Alice Rolli placed 2nd with 17,186 votes, which was good for 20.21% of the total vote. But, with no candidate earning more than 50% + 1 of the total votes cast, Nashville now heads to a runoff election to decide who will become Music City's 10th mayor (since the consolidation of the Metro Government in 1963!).

Both Alice Rolli and Freddie O'Connell joined Climbing the Charts as mayoral candidates – Freddie in October 2022 (when the field was small and many assumed Mayor Cooper would seek a second term and would be a formidable incumbent), and then Alice in April 2023 (after the field had greatly expanded after Mayor Cooper announced he would NOT seek a second term) - and were some of our most memorable guests on Season 1 and Season 2 of the show. With a new introduction to frame the race, Climbing the Charts is now re-releasing those episodes as Nashville goes to the polls to elect a new mayor!

The stakes are high, and we believe these long-form interviews present one of the very best ways to access the thoughts, beliefs, decision-making qualities, and personalities of these two very smart, highly educated, and dynamic leaders that are now seeking to become Music City's next mayor.

Early voting begins 20 days before an election and typically ends 5 days before Election Day. Translated to the current election for Nashville Mayor and other local runoff elections, that means early voting started August 25th and will run until September 9th, with Election Day being September 14th.

In the general election, which took place on Thursday, August 3rd, 101,245 votes were cast. Councilmember O'Connell garnered 27,470 votes, or 27.13%, while Alice Rolli placed 2nd with 17,186 votes, which was good for 20.21% of the total vote. But, with no candidate earning more than 50% + 1 of the total votes cast, Nashville now heads to a runoff election to decide who will become Music City's 10th mayor (since the consolidation of the Metro Government in 1963!).

Both Alice Rolli and Freddie O'Connell joined Climbing the Charts as mayoral candidates – Freddie in October 2022 (when the field was small and many assumed Mayor Cooper would seek a second term and would be a formidable incumbent), and then Alice in April 2023 (after the field had greatly expanded after Mayor Cooper announced he would NOT seek a second term) - and were some of our most memorable guests on Season 1 and Season 2 of the show. With a new introduction to frame the race, Climbing the Charts is now re-releasing those episodes as Nashville goes to the polls to elect a new mayor!

The stakes are high, and we believe these long-form interviews present one of the very best ways to access the thoughts, beliefs, decision-making qualities, and personalities of these two very smart, highly educated, and dynamic leaders that are now seeking to become Music City's next mayor.

In the recently released Travel + Leisure rankings of "The 24 Best New Luxury City Hotels Around the World," readers likely nodded at Xenodocheio Milos in Athens.; however, #2 was likely to come as something of a surprise: Four Seasons Hotel Nashville. In the words of Travel + Leisure, "It wasn't that long ago that a pairing of the Four Seasons and Nashville would've seemed unlikely. But times have changed for both the iconic hotel brand and Music City."

The Four Seasons Nashville is not just a luxury hotel, however. The tower also has 144 private residence, luxury condominums. Many local real estate observers were skeptical that Nashville had a deep enough luxury market to support this sort of project, a project where a handful of units had listing prices in the eight figure ranges. Spoiler alert—all the Four Seasons Residences were sold before construction was even complete.

So, how was Four Seasons persuaded to plant a flag in Nashville, and how did Nashville attract Four Seasons?

On this very special episode of Climbing the Charts, we sit down with Dean Stratouly. He's the CEO of the Congress Group, based in Boston, and has been, for almost a decade now, the driving force behind the answers to those questions. Dean shares with us how he went from selling nuclear power plants to developing skyline shaping properties – like the Four Seasons Nashville.

And Dean isn't done in Nashville; he's just getting started. Dean offers unvarnished takes on today's real estate market, explains how Nashville can ensure better and smarter development, and offers his assessment of the current state of Music City: "I'm as bullish on Nashville today as I was seven years ago when I got here. It continues to have all the potential, more potential than just about any other market that I've seen in the last three or four years."

Join us for a conversation that will raise your real estate IQ and inspire you as to what's possible on one's professional journey, including the role of chance encounters and self-manufactured luck.

Climbing the Charts sat down with Vivian Wilhoite, a former two-term member of the Metro Council (District 29) and current Assessor of Property for Davidson County (since 2016). And on April 28th, 2023, she formally announced that she would be auditioning for her biggest role yet: Mayor of Music City.

Among the top ten candidates vying to become Nashville's 10th mayor since the consolidation of the Metro Government in 1963, Vivian is now one of FOUR African-American women candidates. If elected, Vivian would become the first African-American mayor of Music City, and only the second woman. Vivian has been a trailblazer since, at the encouragement of her cousin Homer R. Wheaton - aka, "Uncle Homer" - she arrived in Nashville from Gulfport, Mississippi to attend college at Tennessee State University (TSU).

Vivian tells us her story of how she got a start in a real estate career – first as a real estate appraiser with the Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA), where she would become Chief of the Consumer Services Division, to her current role as the head of a team of 87 professionals at the Office of the Assessor of Property—a government services division that would be selected as a finalist for the Nashville Business Journal's "Best of Business" awards in 2022. This episode will be of particular interest to anyone who wants to gain a deep(er) understanding of property values and property taxes in Davidson County. Vivians explains what her office does, how it differs from the role of the Davidson Country Trustee, and explains how her office's role interplays with state law, including "equalization," as well as the roles of the Mayor and Metro Council in the overall process (a fascinatingly complex process that few people, including even many "experts," do not fully understand!).

Lastly, Vivian reveals her personal side, including her love of various types of music, shares some her personal and professional accomplishments, and tells us about the wells from which she derives much of her energy and motivation.

With the release of this episode, Climbing the Charts concludes its conversations with the top ten (10) candidates vying to become Nashville's next mayor in 2023. If you or someone you know is trying to decide who to vote for, please pass along the recommendation to listen to our conversations in a long-form format that gets beneath the surface and sound bites and provides a more real, 3D, way to get to know the candidates.

On this very special episode of Climbing the Climbs, we are joined by John Cooper, Music City's 9th Mayor (since the consolidation of the Metro Government in 1963).

One of the few things Mayor Cooper's champions and critics can both agree on is that he served a term that was almost Biblical in nature. His first week on the job, the city was threatened with receivership by the State of Tennessee. And, that fact is almost forgotten because of shadows cast by subsequent events: the worst global pandemic in a century and one that caused him to shut down the city, the most destructive tornado the city has ever experienced, a Christmas Day bombing that 2nd Avenue still hasn't recovered from 3 years later, and an almost existential threat posed by a supermajority Republican General Assembly. And then there was the Covenant school shooting that captured the attention of the nation and the world.

Mayor Cooper offers a candid take on the most challenging events he confronted as Mayor, telling us that it's "actually very inspiring to be a mayor when you have these kinds of challenges because people really come together." Mayor Cooper believes one of his greatest legacies will be his financial stewardship as the CEO of Music City. He describes the status of Nashville's finances, when he first took office after a reluctant decision to run for Mayor, as "broke" but "disguising its broke-ness through several deceptive budget practices." Even some of Cooper's harshest critics will have to concede some points as he offers strong empirical support for his record, which includes dramatically raising funding for public education, creating a living wage for Metro employees, and turning around the city's credit rating.

Mayor Cooper also offers a master class in negotiations by walking us thru the salient details of the Titans Stadium deal, explaining why critics of the stadium deal are simply wrong—or worse, engaging in all all too popular cynicism in their often deceptive attacks on the deal which he says will pave the way for Nashville's "biggest next chapter." Mayor Cooper explains what qualities Nashvillians should seek out when selecting our next mayor, and explains some of the aspects of being mayor that many may not fully appreciate or fully understand.

Finally, Mayor Cooper offers some truly fascinating insights and concluding thoughts about his beloved city's past, present, and future, including why he thinks Music City is poised to be the "human connection capital in America." That theme was, and is, the driving inspiration for the Climbing the Charts podcast, and we can't wait for our listeners to hear Mayor Cooper's thoughts on the subject.