My Morning Cup

This week I welcome back our first repeat guest, Matt Hullander, who shares everything he’s been doing since he was last on the podcast in episode 3. 

Matt shares how a health scare in 2018 made him realize he wasn’t living his life “on purpose” and motivated him to write his book: The Daily Climb. He also shares advice for business owners, such as what makes a business sellable, why you need to find your “one thing,” and how to stop worrying so much.

Matt Hullander grew Hullco to become one of the largest exterior remodeling companies in the country before selling the business in 2021. Now, he’s a partner and investor in several real estate development, private equity, and e-commerce businesses. 

You can learn more about Matt Hullander on his website here, purchase The Daily Climb here, and connect with him on LinkedIn here. 

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions. Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter here.

If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:

• Chip Baker’s Morning Cup (E04)

No one thinks their marriage will end in divorce, and certainly no one thinks they will turn it into a career - but Brenda Bridges is a successful divorce coach, mediator, and financial advisor.

In this episode, Brenda shares how sometimes you just need to get your foot in the door in order to prove yourself, how her definition of success has changed throughout her career, and how she’s turned a terrible event into a way to help other people.

Brenda Bridges is the Founder and Owner of Bridging Wealth Solutions, where she helps couples through the emotional and financial aspects of divorce. You can connect with her on LinkedIn here, and you can find her book “Oh $h*t! I’m Getting Divorced” on Amazon here.

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions. Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter here.

If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:

• Gideon Thomas’s Morning Cup (E07)

Long-time Chattanoogans will know Jed Mescon from his 28 years anchoring the morning news on WRCB-TV. After a brief 7-year break from media, Jed is back on-air… but this time, on the radio (Talk 102.3).

In this episode, Jed shares how he became “King of the Passover Candy Sale” while in school, how he started his broadcasting career at the age of 16 by hosting a children’s game show, and fun anecdotes about his time at WRCB - like the time he had to visit a nudist colony, and how he proposed to his wife on live TV.

Jed Mescon is Program Director and On-Air Talent at Cumulus Media. You can listen to him Monday-Friday from 6AM-10AM on WGOW Talk Radio 102.3. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn here.

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions. Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter here.

If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:

• Callie Starnes’s Morning Cup (E18)

Bo Drake is drawn to creating opportunities for others, which is what led him to pursue a career in higher education.

In this episode, Bo shares how his first career in insurance started by working in the family business (with a warning), how he used LinkedIn to get a foot in the door for higher education, and why it’s important to align your paycheck with your passion.

Bo Drake is the Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development and the Tennessee College of Applied Technologies at Chattanooga State. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions. Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter here.

If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:

• Dr. Rebecca Ashford’s Morning Cup (E16)

Dr. Elaine Swafford blooms where she’s planted. Throughout her life and career, opportunities have been presented and she seized them each time.

In this episode, Elaine shares with us her path from Teacher at Soddy Daisy High School to CEO of CGLA and every stop in between. She also tells us the story of her “Michael Jordan” moment, how 4-H speeches trained her to be an extrovert, and how she turned CGLA around within 9 months after it received an ultimatum.

Dr. Elaine Swafford is the CEO of Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA), the first all-girls public charter STEM school in Tennessee. You can connect with her on LinkedIn here. You can also watch her OATS series on YouTube here.

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions. Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter here.

If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:

• Ella Livingston’s Morning Cup (E11)

For Cam Doody, the corporate path was just too clear and unappealing. Instead, he found a solution to a problem, and started, along with his partners, his own company, Bellhop - the fastest-growing moving & relocation brand in the U.S. 

Now, 13 years later, he helps other founders “burn the ships” and make it through “the trough of sorrow” - if they’re one of the ten startups that get accepted each year (out of 4,600+ applications).

Cam Doody is Co-Founder and General Partner of Brickyard, a first-round venture capital firm and residency. He’s also the Co-Founder of Bellhop, the second-largest moving company in the country. You can connect with him on Linkedin here and learn more about Brickyard here.

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions. Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter here.

If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:

• Kenyatta Ashford’s Morning Cup (E05)

Growing up on a farm in Iowa, Marj never dreamed of leaving her hometown. Nevertheless, with three babies under the age of 1, she moved across the country to California and began her career.

In this episode, Marj shares what it was like “dressing” chickens in Correctionville, how she moved up the ranks at a company for 19 years, and why she started her own Leadership Training business (which is still going strong decades later).

Marj Flemming is the CEO of LaunchPoint Leadership, which provides organizational and professional leadership development. You can connect with her on LinkedIn here.

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions. Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter here.

If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:

• John Germ’s Morning Cup (E35)

Patrick Wells got an early taste of the startup world when he won a business plan competition in college. From there, he’s grown businesses in the legal, auto salvage, and stone industries.

In this episode, Patrick shares how one good idea changed his life’s path, what he learned from pole vaulting (and the adjustments former athletes must make to be successful in business), and how he’s acquired and grown several businesses.

Patrick Wells is the CEO of Majestic Stone and StoneLoads. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions. Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter here.

If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:

• Brent Burks’s Morning Cup (E10)

Growing up, Valoria Armstrong wanted to be an attorney. She never imagined that she would have a career in HR or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

In this episode, Valoria shares how she was elected President of the NAACP board at the age of 26, how she evaluates opportunities before committing to them, and why inclusion comes before diversity at Unum.

Valoria Armstrong is the Chief Global Inclusion & Diversity Officer at Unum. You can connect with her on LinkedIn here.

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions. Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter here.

If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:

• Wade Hinton’s Morning Cup (E09)

Virginia Anne’s career did not start in the art world, despite a passion for the performing arts. She originally followed in her father’s footsteps as a lawyer, but her involvement in the community grew, leading her to the Hunter Museum nine years ago.

In this episode, we discuss what it was like to be the second woman ever hired at Miller & Martin, switching her focus from litigation to commercial real estate, and why art is so important. 

Stick around until the end to hear a special announcement about an upcoming exhibit at the Hunter Museum!

Virginia Anne Sharber is the Executive Director of the Hunter Museum of American Art. You can connect with her on LinkedIn here.

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions. Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter here.

If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:

• Todd Womack’s Morning Cup (E21)