Leadership is not about having the biggest title or sitting at the top of the organization. Sometimes it starts with someone simply seeing potential in you before you see it in yourself.

Tandy Shuck of Leadership Johnson County shares how one teacher’s encouragement changed her path and why developing leaders at every level matters. In this conversation, Tandy talks about building a culture of trust, why leaders have to get comfortable with discomfort, and how the biggest bottleneck in an organization can sometimes be the leader who does not let others make decisions. 

She also shares why listening to understand, not just listening to respond, can change the way teams work together.

Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southside of Indianapolis. Each week, your hosts Jennifer Denney sits down for candid conversations about what it really takes to build, run, and grow a business today.

Real stories. Real challenges. Real lessons.

Bryan Gregg wanted to build a team that could leave tomorrow and work anywhere, but chose to stay because they were happy. He saw himself as a coach, not a boss. That approach shows up throughout this conversation, from thanking someone who disagreed with him to recognizing when the plan that made sense on paper wasn’t what people wanted.

This episode was recorded while Bryan served as Trafalgar’s first town manager, before his voluntary resignation and move to Huston Electric. Jennifer Denney asks what leadership looks like when nobody is watching, and Bryan’s answer starts with something as ordinary as mowing a little farther into a neighbor’s yard.

The conversation gets past the position and into the person, exploring what it means to build people up, think beyond yourself, and serve without needing the credit.

Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southside of Indianapolis. Each week, your hosts Jennifer Denney sits down for candid conversations about what it really takes to build, run, and grow a business today.

Real stories. Real challenges. Real lessons.

The moment leaders stop developing themselves, they can start micromanaging everyone else. Melanie Akee of Everyday Leaders digs into why leadership is not about staying in the middle of everything. It is about developing people, recognizing their strengths, and being willing to let them grow.

Melanie also shares where her own confidence came from, including losing her father at a young age, moving through three kindergartens, and becoming the only girl in her ice hockey league for years. The conversation comes back to one practical truth again and again.

Growth takes action, failure, reflection, and the humility to realize you can do anything, but you cannot do everything.


Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southside of Indianapolis. Each week, your hosts Jennifer Denney sits down for candid conversations about what it really takes to build, run, and grow a business today.

Real stories. Real challenges. Real lessons.

David Mauer has spent decades learning what holds up when business, leadership, and life get difficult. From nearly 30 years in insurance to nonprofit leadership, community service, and mentoring through SCORE, David shares why preparation, follow-through, relationships, and the ability to adapt still matter more than the latest business trend.

The conversation gets more personal when David talks about pressure, rejection, unexpected turns, and the realization that time is the one asset you cannot replenish. It is a candid conversation about what crisis reveals about us, why perspective matters, and how being intentional about the people you invest in can change the way you look at success.

Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southside of Indianapolis. Each week, your hosts Jennifer Denney sits down for candid conversations about what it really takes to build, run, and grow a business today.

Real stories. Real challenges. Real lessons.

How do you spend your days dealing with some of the hardest situations families can face and still keep going? For Tammy Hickman and Mandy Anderson, part of the answer is knowing when they need to step away. Family, grandkids, the lake, the beach, and sometimes simply taking a mental health day help them reset before returning to work that requires patience, perspective, and resilience. This episode gives you a very real look behind the people doing the work at Johnson County CASA.

Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southside of Indianapolis. Each week, your hosts Jennifer Denney sits down for candid conversations about what it really takes to build, run, and grow a business today.

Real stories. Real challenges. Real lessons.

A month before this conversation, Romeo Goia walked away from a successful corporate career to focus completely on business ownership. After decades in healthcare, sales, marketing, and leadership, he is now responsible for two StretchLab studios, 22 employees, and the possibility of a third location.

He is also candid about the part people do not always talk about. Even after building momentum, the transition is still scary. Romeo shares why he chose franchising, what changed when he went from corporate leadership to being the person ultimately responsible for every decision, and why his biggest focus is now his people.

From building a playbook across two studios to improving member retention and learning how to lead a younger team, this is a conversation about having the courage to start something new and continuing to believe in it when some days are harder than other

Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southside of Indianapolis. Each week, your hosts Jennifer Denney sits down for candid conversations about what it really takes to build, run, and grow a business today.

Real stories. Real challenges. Real lessons.

How does a park with more than 600 acres, a campground, hiking trails, a lake, major events, and one of the region’s most impressive horse facilities remain a hidden secret?

Christy Howe and Dan Cartwright take us inside Johnson County Parks and explain why the possibilities are much bigger than most people realize.

Get all the episodes at southsidevoices.com


Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southside of Indianapolis. Each week, your hosts Jennifer Denney sits down for candid conversations about what it really takes to build, run, and grow a business today.

Real stories. Real challenges. Real lessons.

Sometimes advocacy begins with something simple. Sit down. Listen. Let the person be heard.Lauren Rynerson explains how taking time to understand a client can ease frustration, build trust, and help facilities, families, volunteers, and the courts work toward the same goal.Hear her leadership lessons in this episode of Southside Voices.

Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southside of Indianapolis. Each week, your hosts Jennifer Denney sits down for candid conversations about what it really takes to build, run, and grow a business today.

Real stories. Real challenges. Real lessons.

A team may say it has a communication problem, but the real issue often runs deeper. People do not feel heard. They do not understand how their role contributes. Morale drops, and everyone starts working in their own silo.Adam Sweet, director of the FFA Leadership Center, shares how uncomfortable challenges, shared goals, and honest conversations can bring people together. Drawing from his experience with the Indiana National Guard, Adam explains why confidence is built through real problems, why difficult moments can strengthen a team, and why leadership sometimes begins with two boards, a cinder block, and no internet to provide the answer.
Catch all the espisodes over at southsidevoices.com

Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southside of Indianapolis. Each week, your hosts Jennifer Denney sits down for candid conversations about what it really takes to build, run, and grow a business today.

Real stories. Real challenges. Real lessons.

Dr. Leanne knew she could not manage the daily demands of a second business by herself.The answer was not to work longer hours. It was to find a partner she respected enough to trust with real decisions.In this episode, she explains how her partnership with Julie at Prime IV Hydration and Wellness allows each of them to lead from their strengths without trying to control every detail.

Catch all the episodes at southsidevoices.com 

Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southside of Indianapolis. Each week, your hosts Jennifer Denney sits down for candid conversations about what it really takes to build, run, and grow a business today.

Real stories. Real challenges. Real lessons.