Heart of the City

Years in the making. A $75 million transformation. And a vision that was always bigger than the building itself.

Amy sits down with Nick Wilkinson, CEO of the Tivoli Theatre Foundation, to talk about the ambition, challenges, and unwavering belief behind one of Chattanooga's most anticipated transformations. From the bold decisions that brought the historic Tivoli Theatre into a new era to the power of the performing arts to bring people together, Nick shares what it takes to see a big vision through, even when the odds can seem stacked against you.

And after years of dreaming, planning, and pushing forward? Two words sum it all up: Worth it.

Artist, poet, entrepreneur, and a creative in every sense of the word, Genesis the Greykid has built a career that reaches far beyond Chattanooga. But behind the art, the success, and the unmistakable name is someone with a perspective on life that's entirely his own.

This week on Heart of the City, Genesis joins Amy for a conversation about the power of hearing “no,” finding purpose in creativity, building something new with HOME Bar, and why Chattanooga will always be home. From the value we place on art to the way we show up for one another, Genesis reminds us that some of life's most important things can't be measured.

And at the heart of it all? Love. Because for Genesis, love isn't just something we feel. It might just be the whole point.

This week on Heart of the City, Amy welcomes a guest who needs no introduction—at least to her! Her mom, Ginger Vitrano, joins the podcast for a conversation about life, family, and the career she’s built as a speech pathologist and owner of Scenic City Speech.

From navigating different seasons of life and career to building a practice centered on caring for children and families, Ginger shares how her experiences have shaped the way she approaches both business and patient care. Plus, she offers insight into speech and language development, what parents should look for, and the importance of early intervention.

It’s a little business, a little motherhood, and a fun change of pace as Amy gets to sit down with the woman who’s known her best from the very beginning.

Jules Downum has built a career around seeing possibility where others might not—and creating experiences that make people feel something. As the founder of Understory and the creative force behind Search Party, a month-long arts takeover on top of a downtown Chattanooga parking garage, she’s bringing together nearly 60 artists and dozens of local organizations to transform an unexpected space into a place for connection.

In this episode, Jules shares the story behind Search Party, the psychology of creating experiences that surprise us, and what it takes to trust your intuition when you’re creating something that doesn’t quite fit anywhere else. She also opens up about the painful experience of letting go of something she had built, navigating the uncertainty that followed, and giving herself permission to get quiet before figuring out what came next.

It’s a conversation about creativity, intuition, community—and what can happen when we make space for ourselves and others to belong.

At just 26, Caroline Lewis went from working at Lawson House to owning it—an opportunity she never expected and, as she’ll tell you, one that terrified her.

This week, Caroline joins Amy to talk about stepping into ownership before she necessarily felt ready, navigating imposter syndrome, and learning to trust what she knows to be true about herself as a marketer and a leader. They also get into the pressure business owners feel to wear every hat, the power of finding the right people to fill the ones that aren’t yours, and Caroline’s belief that marketing doesn’t have to feel salesy to be effective.

It’s a conversation about taking the risk, trusting your strengths, showing up for people, and finding the courage to truly own your place at the table.

Smashboyz

One year later, Cole Webster is back on Heart of the City—and The Barn Nursery has exploded. Cole sits down with Amy to talk about what’s behind the momentum, the team that helps him turn big ideas into reality, and his willingness to take a chance and figure out the details along the way. He shares what’s ahead for The Barn, including a new food truck park and a massive pumpkin weigh-off event, plus how becoming a dad has brought a new sense of purpose and clarity to this season of life. Through it all, Cole continues to find new ways to build on the experience at The Barn—creating the kind of service and environment that keeps people coming back. And, of course, reminding us all to go play in the yard.

What started as a dream—literally—has quickly become one of Chattanooga’s most talked-about coffee spots. Hannah Hatler went from stay-at-home mom craving connection and something of her own to the founder of The Main Brew, a coffee trailer built with intention from the ground up. From house-made ingredients and a brand people can’t stop sharing to learning how to take care of herself while building a growing business, Hannah shares what it looks like to find something you love, trust the pull toward it, and realize you might just be made for it.

Roni Glassman has built her physical therapy practice, Rehab with Roni, around a simple idea: helping people feel better in their bodies doesn’t have to feel complicated. We talk about her path to physical therapy, the patience and mindset that come with healing, and why movement might be simpler than we make it. Roni also takes us behind the scenes of her social media presence that has grown far beyond what she ever imagined, sharing what she’s learned about showing up as herself, and building a brand people trust. It’s a conversation about movement, growth, authenticity, and the feel-good energy Roni brings to everything she does.

Chattanooga is on the cusp of its next great renaissance—and Emily Mack is helping shape what comes next. As President & CEO of River City Company, Emily has a unique perspective on what makes a city thrive, what Chattanooga gets right, and why she believes this moment could define its next chapter.

We talk about her path to Chattanooga, how she thinks about growth and change, and what it’s like to have a hand in shaping the way people experience a city. Emily shares why Chattanooga continues to capture attention, where she sees its greatest potential, and why she believes we’re on the verge of a major resurgence.

And, of course, we dive into the project everyone is talking about: the reimagining of Chattanooga’s riverfront. Emily takes us inside the vision, the realities of the transition ahead, what she’s most excited for, and why the end result could fundamentally change the way Chattanooga experiences its river.