Entrepreneurial Insights

Natives of Memphis, Andy and Michael began cooking as children. Their extended Italian families would gather for jovial Sunday suppers, where everyone would help make homemade meatballs and ravioli. When Andy and Michael met at Christian Brothers High School, they immediately connected over their similar ancestral backstories. After graduating from the University of Mississippi and Auburn University, respectively, Andy and Michael attended Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, SC and the Italian Institute for Advanced Culinary Studies in Calabria, Italy. Both Andy's and MIchael's first formative kitchen experience was working under Chef Jose Gutierrez at Chez Philippe in Memphis. In 2008, Andy and Michael opened Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, which led to their first James Beard Foundation nomination. The duo followed their debut with Hog & Hominy, a wood-burning neighborhood restaurant that was recognized by Bon Appetit, GQ and Southern Living as one of the top new restaurants in the country in 2013. That year Food and Wine also selected them as Best New Chefs in the country, their cookbook Collards & Carbonara: Southern Cooking, Italian Roots was published and they were recognized as semifinalists for Best Chef Southeast by the James Beard Foundation. Two years later, Porcellio's Craft Butcher highlighted their love of traditional butcheries and heritage meats. The 2016 opening of Josephine Estelle in the Ace Hotel in New Orleans, LA, was their first foray into a hotel space. Catherine & Mary's a nod to their Italian grandmothers opened in 2016 as well. Gray Canary, located in Old Dominick Distillery in the South Main Arts District in downtown Memphis soon followed as their sixth concept. For their seventh restaurant, Bishop, Andy and Michael dug into their French cooking foundation that began right out of culinary school. Housed in the historic Central Station Hotel, this latest concept continues as the third in their stable of downtown restaurant locations and continues to underscore the renowned chefs' company culture of family and friends. They started the Andrew Michael Foundation in 2021 to help organize how the company can give back to our community. Links to items mentioned in the interview: Enjoy AM Restaurant Group Society of Entrepreneurs Profile - Andy Society of Entrepreneurs Profile - Michael Andrew Michael Foundation James Beard Foundation Mid-South Food Bank Collards & Carbonara: Southern Cooking, Italian Roots

Harry Smith's years in public accounting prepared him for his life-changing career move to the Schilling Companies, Inc. as he assumed the role of Chairman and CEO of the 1,000-person company. This is the holding company for the real estate and automotive divisions. He also owned, in partnership with Boyle Investment Company, Schilling Farms, a 448-acre planned business development in Collierville, TN. Over the past 35 years, Smith has been involved in a number of businesses which include automotive parts, industrial engines, heating and cooling distribution and over ten different automobile dealerships of all makes and models. He has served on the Ford Motor Company Governmental Affairs Committee and the Ford Consumer Appeals Board. In January 2003, he was recognized as the Time-Life Quality Award Dealer for the State of Tennessee. Smith has been involved in over 30 boards and managing committees in the area, including Baptist Memorial Hospital, Baptist Health Sciences University, University of Memphis Foundation, Board of Visitors, Union University, Church Health, and Collierville Chamber of Commerce, just to name a few. Links to items mentioned in the interview: Schilling Companies, Inc./Schilling Farms Society of Entrepreneurs Profile Ford Motor Company Baptist Memorial Hospital & Health Care Services Baptist Health Sciences University University of Memphis Foundation Union University Church Health Collierville Chamber of Commerce

When Tommy Earl and Gary Dodson purchased four of Barloworld Truck Center's dealerships in the summer of 2007, they say their $25 million bought the best Barloworld had to offer in the Freightliner business in terms of employees and customers. The service center and dealership locations are in Jackson, Tennessee; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Tupelo, Mississippi; with headquarters in Memphis. With the purchases, Earl and Dodson formed TAG (an acronym for Tommy and Gary) Truck Enterprises LLC. Perhaps this intrinsic link between themselves and their business explains TAG's commitment to customer service and satisfaction and their personal touch with the day-to-day operations. Since 2007, revenue at TAG Truck Center has almost doubled, and they have expanded from four to 10 locations. TAG Truck Center has been ranked in the Top 25 fastest growing companies in Memphis nearly every year, and has been recognized by Freightliner as an "Elite" dealer. Links to items mentioned in the interview: Lonestar Truck Group/TAG Truck Center Society of Entrepreneurs Profile Youth Villages Church Health Leadership Memphis Leadership Collierville New Hope Christian Church Ronald McDonald House of Memphis St. George's Independent School

In 1988, Denise Burnett Stewart, RN, BSN joined her friend Carol Paterson, who had an idea to start a specialized nurse staffing company. During the first year, they worked to build their client base and nurse base, but were taken off course when Carol was diagnosed with cancer. In 1990, Carol passed away and Denise became president and owner. Known today as OR Nurses Nationwide/Travel Nurses, Inc., the company has expanded to staffing all nurse specialties and allied professionals nationwide. It has added two additional offices – now with a presence in Memphis, TN; Fort Lauderdale, FL; and Dallas, TX – with the same mindset: To provide patients with exceptional care by staffing elite healthcare professionals from all specialties in their ideal locations and facilities. OR Nurses Nationwide/Travel Nurses, Inc. has consistently ranked as the Largest Women Owned Business and has been recognized as a "Best Places to Work" by the Memphis Business Journal. Denise has been an active member of the Society of Entrepreneurs sponsored Insights Group since 2010. Links to items mentioned in the interview: OR Nurses Nationwide/Travel Nurses, Inc. Society of Entrepreneurs Profile Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation Baptist Health Sciences University Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare St. Francis Hospital - Memphis Maryville University

From art student to artist, designer to chef to restaurateur, Karen Blockman Carrier has been creating in different mediums for more than 25 years. Her first love was painting and glasswork and that, in a roundabout way, is where she got her start in the culinary world. Apprenticing and studying under the brilliant artist, Dorothy Sturm, Carrier spent her early years at The Memphis Academy of Art gaining as much knowledge as Ms. Sturm would bestow. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Memphis Academy of Art and receiving a scholarship to Hunter College for her MFA in painting, Carrier moved to New York City in 1980. About 10 years later, she found her way back to Memphis and over the years has opened such renowned establishments as Automatic Slim's Tonga Club, Mollie Fontaine Lounge, Bar DKDC and The Beauty Shop. Carrier has also been a personal chef to such Hollywood stars as Tom Cruise, Francis Ford Coppola, Jim Jarmush and Susan Sarandon. Over the last 20 years, St. Jude Children's Hospital, Le Bonheur, March of Dimes, Friends for Life, Hope House, Share Our Strength, Ballet Memphis, Memphis College of Art, Arts Memphis and numerous other non-profit organizations have felt Carrier's generosity. Links to items mentioned in the interview: Another Roadside Attraction Catering Society of Entrepreneurs Profile Beauty Shop Restaurant Bar DKDC Mollie Fontaine Lounge Automatic Slim's The Spirit and Science of Holistic Health

Growing up in the Cleaborne Homes housing community in the Memphis area, Fred Jones worked during the day and went to school at night to earn his BBA degree from then Memphis State University in 1971. He recognized that the support of his family and friends was vital to that achievement, and he wanted others to have that same support and opportunity. Having discovered a knack for putting together entertainers with large audiences in the most attractive venues, he blended that talent with his love for education and for helping the community to which he himself was grateful. From that combination, and a wealth of experience, the Southern Heritage Classic® Cultural Celebration was born. Jones's experience includes associations with a roster of well-known, first-class talent including Isaac Hayes, The Isley Brothers, Prince, The Commodores, Stevie Wonder, Parliament-Funkadelic, Luther Vandross, LL Cool J, Count Basie, Tyler Perry, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, The O'Jays, Usher, and hundreds more. He also assembled national blues and jazz tours for several international companies. He was also an original owner/limited partner of the Memphis Grizzlies. But Jones considers his most fulfilling business endeavor to be the Southern Heritage Classic. Links to items mentioned in the interview: Southern Heritage Classic Society of Entrepreneurs Profile Memphis Black Business Association Minority Enterprise Development Agency Memphis Grizzlies University of Memphis Leadership Memphis Memphis-Shelby County Schools

A founding member of the Society of Entrepreneurs, John Malmo has spent more than 60 years in advertising and marketing. He founded John Malmo Advertising in 1967 and built it into the largest agency in the Mid-South. He sold the agency to Ward Archer & Associates in 1991 and became a full-time marketing consultant in 1994. He currently serves as chairman emeritus of Archer Malmo, Inc. Malmo is a past president of the Memphis Advertising Federation, recipient of the American Advertising Federation Silver Medal Award and a former director of the American Association of Advertising Agencies. He has spoken and written columns for publications all over the world. He is author of the business book, "When on the Mountain There is No Tiger, Monkey Is King," and broadcasts a business commentary on WKNO-FM every Monday morning. Links to items mentioned in the interview: Archer Malmo Society of Entrepreneurs Profile American Advertising Federation Memphis American Association of Advertising Agencies Moore Tech College Memphis Parks Memphis Symphony Orchestra Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis Greater Memphis Chamber Opera Memphis

In 1977, he launched Gilliam Communications, Inc. and bought the WLOK radio station. In doing so, WLOK became the first African American-owned Memphis radio station and the city's first locally owned station. As president and CEO of Gilliam Communications, Inc., Gilliam has also operated radio stations in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jacksonville, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia. He also sponsors the annual WLOK Stone Soul Picnic, which draws thousands of attendees. Gilliam's WLOK has earned the title of #1 Gospel Station in the nation by Religion & Media Quarterly for several consecutive years; and, in 1997, was recognized by the Tennessee Historical Commission as a Tennessee Historical Landmark. Gilliam has also received the Black History Men of Honor Leadership Award, the Gospel Bridge Lifetime Achievement Award, the Rainbow/PUSH Martin Luther King, Jr. Award, the Memphis Advertising Federation's Silver Medal Award, and the Downtown Memphis Commission's Visionary Award, among many other accolades. Links to items mentioned in the interview: WLOK Society of Entrepreneurs Profile Humanities Tennessee Lemoyne-Owen College Black Business Association of Memphis NAACP Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Leadership Memphis Shelby County Sheriff's Office AAF Memphis Leadership Music Nashville

Daphne Large, founding CEO of Data Facts got her start in the Consumer Reporting industry at the young age of 16 at Equifax Services while still attending Briarcrest High School. She stayed with Equifax while attending the University of Memphis and rose to the position of Assistant Regional Manager. She recognized a competitive advantage and started Data Facts in 1989 at the age of 27. She saw an opportunity to start a company that was both employee and customer focused. Today, she serves as CEO and majority shareholder in Data Facts, which has grown from 4 employees to 125 with hundreds of additional independent contractors supporting their firm. Data Facts serves customers in all 50 states and is one of only 10% of background screening firms nationally to have achieved accreditation from the Professional Background Screening Association. Links to items mentioned in the interview: Data Facts Society of Entrepreneurs Profile Professional Background Screening Association National Consumer Reporting Association Greater Memphis Chamber New Memphis University of Memphis Make-A-Wish Mid-South St. George's Independent School

Jay Martin graduated from the University of Georgia in 1968 and moved to Memphis in 1969. Jay founded National Safety Associates (Juice Plus Co.) with $500 and has served as President and CEO since its inception. Juice Plus+ has 75,000 independent distributors in all 50 states and 25 foreign countries, with system-wide sales of $425 million annually and has sales since inception of more than $12 billion. Juice Plus+ has 450 employees, primarily housed at corporate headquarters in Collierville, and a shipping facility in Memphis. The company hosts two conventions a year with an average attendance of 5,000.

Links to items mentioned in the interview:

Juice Plus+

Society of Entrepreneurs Profile

St. George's Episcopal School

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis

Memphis Athletic Ministries

Volunteers of America

United Way of the Mid-South

Direct Selling Association