Brent Burks joins the podcast this week to share the story of cutting his teeth in the courtroom, how family dynamics can shape a person’s career, and learning to adapt and hustle when your plans change beyond your control.

Brent is a partner and attorney at the McMahan Law Firm, Chattanooga’s most prolific and largest personal injury law firm. You can learn more about Brent here.

This week on the podcast, Wade Hinton shares what made him move away from (and come back to) Chattanooga, why he feels so strongly about community engagement, and how international travel has affected his business decisions. Plus, how his interest in music led him to become an attorney, which in turn led to him becoming a DEI consultant.

Wade Hinton is the founder of Hinton & Company, a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consulting firm. You can connect with him here.

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

Roy Vaughn joins the podcast this week to share about his diet coke obsession, the time his mentor set him up to stand on his own, why he left his role as Founding Partner at an agency to work for BCBST, and how a communications professional can excel in human resources. 

Roy Vaughn is the Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer at BCBST. You can connect with him here. 

This week on the podcast, Gideon Thomas shares how her passion for the performing arts led her to a career in HR and how a series of family health crises led her to become an entrepreneur in the healthcare industry. Plus, why she believes great business decisions happen by disaster (not by design) and why listening to your body is so important.

Gideon is the founder and owner of Serious Healthcare, an agency that focuses on placing elderly and disabled clients into the personal homes of nurses to care for their daily needs. You can learn more about Gideon here.

Mitch Patel joins the podcast this week to talk about the American Dream, his interlude with engineering, the culture at Vision Hospitality, and how treating employees well can drive profits for your company.

Mitch Patel is the owner of Vision Hospitality and a portfolio of hotels. He is a successful businessman, founder, philanthropist, and die-hard Tennessee fan. You can connect with him here.

Local celebrity chef, Kenyatta Ashford, joins the podcast this week to share how growing up in New Orleans influenced his love of food, the meaning behind Neutral Ground, his experience on the TV show Chopped (spoiler: he won), and the ups and downs along the way of becoming a successful chef.

Kenyatta Ashford is the chef and founder of Neutral Ground, a modern New Orleans style po-boy and yakamein restaurant in Chattanooga, TN. You can connect with Kenyatta here and learn more about Neutral Ground here.

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

Chip Baker, the most positive and fun person I know, joins the podcast to reveal how someone goes from running a hospital to running a music festival. Plus, we talk about his passion for aviation, the time Samuel L. Jackson returned his phone call within three hours, and more.

Chip Baker is a management coach, County Commissioner, former Executive Director of Riverbend Music Festival, and former hospital administrator. You can connect with him here.

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

This week on the podcast, Matt Hullander and I discuss the importance of “knowing the score” in business, investing in marketing, and being involved in your community. Plus, find out why Matt believes so heavily in having a board of advisors, joining a peer group, and staying sharp.

Matt Hullander is a successful businessman, real estate investor, founder, and philanthropist. You can connect with him here.

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

Leslie Gower is a Memphian who, like myself, migrated east to Chattanooga. She joins the podcast this week to share her professional story, including how she stopped being an introvert and “unleashed the beast,” building her network in Chattanooga before moving here, how the Construction Career Center came together, and the importance of knowing your value.

Leslie Gower is the CEO of the Association for General Contractors, a marketing consultant, and formerly the VP of Marketing for several associations. You can connect with her here.

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

In the inaugural episode of My Morning Cup, Chattanooga podcaster and marketer Clint Powell tells us what he puts in his morning cup (you won’t believe it, seriously). Plus, how the rough and tumble sport of rugby is like starting a business, why always saying yes made him poorer in more ways than one, the truth about social media and those overly rah-rah posts, and much more.

Clint Powell is a podcaster, rugby player, business coach, and multi-preneur. You can connect with him here.