When Brian Elrod graduated from college, he wanted to work in ANY industry except for transportation and logistics, but he didn’t have much of a choice and he “couldn’t afford to be an entrepreneur.” After years of paying his dues, opportunity knocked and he started the Educational Outfitters franchise with his wife, Jamey. 

He’s bootstrapped three start-ups in the franchise and tech industries, two of which have appeared in Inc's 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies list multiple times.

In this episode, we talk about Brian’s journey in starting each of his businesses, the successes and failures, how “nothing happens in a straight line,” and why bootstrapping is better than having investors.

Brian is the co-founder and CEO of Text Request, a texting software that helps you connect with your customers (est. 2014). You can connect with him here. 

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

Growing up, Chris Lytle wanted to be one of three things: a politician, a minister, or a lawyer. Instead, he accidentally became a salesman and then went on to write the book on it (literally). For the past 40+ years, he’s been traveling the world teaching others how to sell.

In this episode, we talk about how he got to where he is today. Plus, he drops in a few sales knowledge bites throughout the episode too, like: “Selling is earning the right to make a recommendation,” and “It’s not about what you want to sell, it’s about what they need to buy.”

Chris is the owner of Instant Sales Training and the author of the bestselling books The Accidental Salesman and The Accidental Sales Manager. You can connect with him here.

You can watch his free knowledge bite, “Four Minutes to a Stronger Closing” at instantsalestraining.com

Josh Manning has always been intrigued by how and why things work. It led him to pursue many interests including running an eBay store, earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and learning how to do CBD extraction. All of those interests, followed by a life-changing accident, led Josh to open Snapdragon Hemp. 

His business has grown quickly over the past seven years and in this episode, we discuss the winding path that got him to where he is today. Plus, he explains the differences between THC/CBD/Delta 8 and 9, and why he believes the industry should be even more regulated than it already is.

Josh is the owner of Snapdragon Hemp. You can connect with him here. 

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

Becky Blaesing always knew she wanted to follow in her parents’ footsteps and start her own business, but after college she started a career in sales as a manufacturer’s rep. She thrived in a man’s world until she pivoted and pursued her calling of running group homes for a non-profit. She eventually dove back into the world of sales, but this time - media sales! 

We talk about the ups and downs of those careers, why she had the goal of starting her own business before her 50th birthday, and how she continues to be successful despite a cancer diagnosis and bilateral mastectomy last year. 

Becky is the owner of Blazing Kiss Media. You can connect with her here.

This week I talk with a man who has dedicated his life to his country and to serving others, retired Navy Captain, Mickey McCamish. Mickey grew up in East Chattanooga, worked his way through college at the University of Chattanooga, then joined the Navy in the midst of the Vietnam War. He rose through the ranks and retired as a Captain after 27 years. 

Since retiring from the Navy, Mickey has led the Senior PGA Tour Championship in Myrtle Beach as well as several non-profits such as The Epilepsy Foundation, Wreaths Across Chattanooga, and Friends of the Festival. 

In this episode, Mickey shares his Navy story, what led him to each of those organizations, and why Riverbend has changed over the past few years.

Mickey is a retired U.S. Navy Captain, a former golf industry executive, and the current President and CEO for Friends of the Festival (Riverbend).

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

Tim Morgan, Chief Sports Officer for Chattanooga Sports, joins the podcast this week to share what he knows about resolving issues with angry people, a hidden (yet lucrative) way to network, and the economic impact of sports tourism. Plus, we find out how the Charlotte Modern Pentathlon convinced him sports tourism was the career for him.

Tim is the Chief Sports Officer for Chattanooga Sports, a division of Chattanooga Tourism Company. You can connect with him here.

Have you ever gotten a job because of how tall you are, or rather how short you are? Tom Griscom has, and he joins the podcast this week to tell that story, among others, including the time he stood up against the Secretary of State and wrote the famous “Tear Down This Wall” speech given by President Ronald Reagan. 

Tom also shares how he started his career as a sports writer, but was then drafted into the Army, and explains what he believes to be the seminal event that put Chattanooga on the map.

Tom is the former Executive Editor for the Times Free Press. Prior to that, Tom was the Press Secretary for Senator Howard Baker and then the Director of Communications for President Ronald Reagan. You can connect with him here.

Despite growing up in a very “indoors” family, Gail Loveland Barille has found herself outdoors in almost every job she’s held. In this episode, we discuss how her career path led her across the country and how she used sports to build friendships every time she moved. Plus, stepping up as a leader (even if you think you’re not ready), when to invest in yourself with professional development, and the key to (re)connecting with impactful people.

Gail is the Director of Outdoor Chattanooga. You can connect with her here.

Sometimes you walk through doors, sometimes you go kicking and screaming through them. For Todd Womack, it was the latter when he unexpectedly entered into a political career alongside Mayor Bob Corker. 

In this episode, Todd shares how to build a peer-to-peer relationship with your boss, the time he was almost fired, and what it’s really like traveling to DC each week. He also takes us behind the scenes on a few projects, including the 21st-century Waterfront Project and the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery.

Todd is the CEO of Bridge Public Affairs. You can connect with Todd here.

Who knew business and NASCAR had so much in common? Shawn Whitfield joins the podcast this week to tell us about his experience growing up in the oil distribution industry and why being the youngest person in the room can be a good thing (especially in sales). After leaving the oil business, Shawn went on to start a NASCAR-centric radio show and the Chattanooga Fitness Expo, a bodybuilding and fitness competition.

Shawn owns Whitfield Media Group and hosts Racing Talk Radio, the second-longest-running specialty radio show in Chattanooga, for 22 years. You can connect with Shawn here.

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.