The Decision by EO Nashville

Colin Callahan is the Co-founder and CEO of Acklen Avenue, a custom software development company. With over 13 years in business, Acklen Avenue provides software development teams and staff augmentation services to help companies manage IT budgets and fill talent gaps. Colin is a member of EO Nashville and has been a mentor at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center for 10 years.

If you’re experiencing entrepreneurial burnout or stagnation in your career, it may be time to step back from the daily grind and let someone else take the reins of your company. Is it time to consider bringing in someone new to lead your business in the right direction?

Feeling burned out and craving a break, software development entrepreneur Colin Callahan realized his energy was no longer aligned with his role as CEO. He began implementing EOS to redefine his company’s leadership structures, allowing him to hire an enthusiastic professional better suited for the role. After relinquishing your leadership duties, Colin advises surrounding yourself with like-minded people in peer groups like EO to guide you through the transition and help you identify a new career path that aligns with your innate purpose.

Join EO Nashville’s Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson in this episode of The Decision as they interview Colin Callahan, the Co-founder and CEO of Acklen Avenue, about transitioning out of his leadership role. Colin shares how to navigate the EO experience, how implementing EOS in his business accelerated his decision-making, and his reflections post-transition.

Amanda Stone is the Founder and General Contractor at Palmingo Pools, a design and build pool contractor specializing in plunge, fiberglass, and stock tank pools. After struggling to find a suitable pool option for her sloped backyard, Amanda received her contractor’s license and launched a pool company. She is also the Co-owner of Perch, a women-owned roofing company.

Entrepreneurs are known for their adaptability and resilience, with some making multiple career changes throughout their professional lives. How can you navigate the ebbs and flows of entrepreneurship while finding satisfaction in your career?

As a child, versatile entrepreneur Amanda Stone had her heart set on the events industry after witnessing her parents acquire and manage motels. She enjoyed the fast-paced, people-centered nature of the business and found motivation in managing multiple projects simultaneously. After the pandemic shifted her priorities, Amanda entered the construction industry and noticed similarities in the skill sets between the two industries. Although switching careers and balancing work and life may feel overwhelming, Amanda maintains that the right career fit won’t be a burden and advises making space for the priorities that matter most.

In this week’s episode of The Decision, Eric Jackson and Robert Hartline welcome Amanda Stone, the Founder and General Contractor at Palmingo Pools, to discuss her career shift. Amanda shares advice for gaining value from EO, how she balances motherhood with entrepreneurship, and how her internship shaped her entrepreneurial spirit.

Jacob Greer is the Founder of 6th Man Movers, a fully licensed, bonded, insured, A-rated, and BBB-accredited moving company. He is also the Owner of Custom Fundraising Solutions Nashville, which provides fundraising options for coaches and school directors. As a service-driven entrepreneur, Jacob is a member of EO Nashville, a supporter of Safe Haven — an organization combating homelessness — and an advocate for Musicians Corner, a cause supporting artists and parks throughout Nashville.

Modern hustle culture has led entrepreneurs to pursue multiple figures in revenue growth at all costs. Yet, some businesses can’t scale to this level. Instead, diversifying your revenue can help you achieve your entrepreneurial growth goals. Find out how a passionate entrepreneur built and managed two separate businesses.

Service-oriented entrepreneur Jacob Greer always enjoyed engaging in side hustles like landscaping and moving, so when presented with an opportunity to launch a moving business, he jumped at the chance. Jacob soon discovered the challenge of developing a scalable business model in the moving industry and, inspired by a client, launched a fundraising business to supplement the industry’s seasonality. When operating multiple businesses, Jacob advises identifying and leveraging seasonal trends in both industries, ensuring you can maintain consistent revenue.

In this week’s episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson chat with Jacob Greer, the Founder of 6th Man Movers and Owner of Custom Fundraising Solutions Nashville, about owning and operating two businesses in separate industries. Jacob shares how he transitioned his side hustle into a full-fledged business, his leadership strategies for managing a moving company, and how his EO forum helped him manage two diverse businesses. 

Richard Moscardelli is the President of EO Nashville and a Partner at 615 Real Property, LP. With a background in manufacturing, he co-founded a business with his father, which manufactured components for air filters.

When facing difficult decisions from all areas of life, entrepreneurs need an outlet to manage stress and navigate the outcome of their choices. How can you maintain focus and resilience during these shifts in your journey?

EO leader and veteran entrepreneur Richard Moscardelli discovered a passion for flying to ground him during stressful business periods. After obtaining his pilot’s license, he identified parallels between flying and business ownership, noting the role of checklists and processes in both endeavors. Additionally, when facing a divorce and a business sale, Richard found invaluable support in his EO forum, who coached him through their experiences to help him make informed decisions. He emphasizes involvement in forum presentations, retreats, and activities since this allowed him to become president, learning from past presidents’ leadership approaches and experiences.

In this week’s episode of The Decision, Eric Jackson and Robert Hartline invite EO Nashville’s President Richard Moscardelli to talk about his trajectory through the organization. Richard discusses co-founding his first business with his father, how joining EO influenced his business approach, and how his first job at the University of Tennessee shaped his career.

Shane Shown is the CEO and Chief Recruiting Officer at Nxt Level, a talent acquisition firm. Since founding the firm, he has partnered with hundreds of VC-backed startups and Fortune 500 companies. As a seasoned entrepreneur, Shane was the Co-owner of Barrel and Roll and worked with notable companies like National Services Group, Zillow, and Facebook.

Most entrepreneurs agree that hiring is one of the most difficult aspects of business ownership. When starting out, some entrepreneurs struggle to hire people who align with their goals, and others find their employees working individually rather than as a team. How can you align your workforce to grow your business?

In the early days of his business, recruitment specialist Shane Shown found himself at odds with his employees when they functioned as individual contributors, working for their personal benefit while ignoring the company’s goals. Shane recognized that he lacked a definitive culture, which gave his employees little direction. He recommends building a specific culture and hiring employees who align with it using culture fit assessments during the hiring process. You can also apply this strategy to EO forums that lack structure and member engagement. Having members engage in a culture fit and personality assessment allows moderators to determine dynamics and develop a strategy for working cohesively. 

In today’s episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson welcome Shane Shown, the CEO and Chief Recruiting Officer at Nxt Level, to talk about recruitment strategies for small businesses. Shane describes his initial struggle to hire employees, how to attract talent to your organization, and how to evaluate candidates for remote versus in-person work.

Kyle Bush is the Co-owner and CEO of Cumberland Creative, an award-winning content creation agency that conveys brand stories through high-quality creative content. He is passionate about exploring the human experience through video. Before co-founding Cumberland Creative, Kyle was a Creative Strategist at Jump Goat Media.

Entrepreneurs face countless decisions and dilemmas, causing some to become overwhelmed and avoid or delay handling them. However, continuous evasion leads to burnout and potential business failure. When it feels as though you’re stretching yourself too thin, how can you find a path forward?

Video content creator and entrepreneur Kyle Bush launched a promising business model that allowed him to conceptualize and sell videos while his partner directed, filmed, and edited them. Yet Kyle didn’t plan for sustainability and struggled to navigate partnership dynamics and place people in the appropriate roles. After implementing EOS into his business, he realized he lacked a visionary to execute the company’s ideas and processes. Requesting an emergency meeting with his EO forum allowed Kyle to hire an integrator and build a leadership team. He advises gaining support from your EO forum to help you evaluate any business decision.

Tune in to this episode of The Decision as Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson host Kyle Bush, the Co-owner and CEO of Cumberland Creative, to talk about how he overcame entrepreneurial challenges through EO. Kyle shares the value of mentorship, the nuances of brand storytelling, and how to own your EO experience.

Alan Young is the Founder and CEO of Armor Concepts, a leading manufacturer and distributor of entry-point security and repair solutions. He began his career as a professional football player before joining Bank of America Securities as an Investment Banker, where he executed mergers and acquisitions and capital raising transactions. After leaving Bank of America, Alan began rehabbing and flipping investment properties, but a string of repeated break-ins led him to develop door jamb products, and Armor Concepts was born. He is a three-time winner of the Nashville Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO and has been on the Nashville Power 100 list.

It’s easy to assume successful entrepreneurs have it all figured out, but this is often a facade of perfection that can crumble at the first sign of failure. In reality, entrepreneurs are at the helm of tough decisions and feel the weight of expectations bearing down, making the future unknown and often terrifying. In a relentless pursuit of success, how can you find freedom and fulfillment?

Faced with the choice of either paying his employees or paying himself, innovator Alan Young realized he couldn’t feign perfection in front of his children. He began teaching them the value of learning and growing from failure and the importance of not comparing yourself to others. As a member and leader of EO Nashville, Alan learned that the most successful entrepreneurs often struggle the most, and by feeling satisfied in your achievements, you can gain the true freedom entrepreneurs crave. 

In today’s episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson speak with Alan Young, the Founder and CEO of Armor Concepts, about how he leads through adversity. Alan shares leadership insights from his time as EO Nashville President, how EO reduces entrepreneurial loneliness, and how he learned to embrace his failures and be happy with his achievements.

Robin Davis is the Founder and CEO of Metre, a proposal development consultancy for healthcare companies. She is also the Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Homegrown Taproom & Kitchen, a restaurant and craft beer mecca in Nashville. As a leader in the sales and proposal development industry, Robin is an APMP-certified proposal professional and association fellow, a former member of the International Board of Directors, and a top-rated speaker at industry events. Robin is also a member of EO and serves on the Nashville chapter’s board of directors.

Altering your leadership structures and business model can be scary, especially if you’re unprepared to take the leap. Yet changes like these are often necessary for growth. How did one entrepreneurial leader catalyze radical change in her business?

Multifaceted entrepreneur Robin Davis ignored the cracks in her business model until her foundation nearly crumbled. Her business partner struggled to separate friendships and professional relationships, and the two didn’t trust each other. After attending an EO forum presentation on EOS, Robin implemented the system into her business, aligning leaders with their ideal roles and driving her business partner out. Robin learned that transparency and accountability are crucial in catalyzing necessary company transformations.

Tune in to the latest episode of The Decision as Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson welcome Robin Davis, the Founder and CEO of Metre, to talk about her company’s leadership evolution. Robin explains the significance of supportive community networks, how she founded Homegrown Taproom & Kitchen, and how EO transformed her business outlook.

Philip Steen is the Owner of Nashville Sports Leagues (NSL), an organization that develops sports leagues and events throughout the greater Nashville area. The network manages seven recreational sports leagues with about 25,000 yearly players. Philip is also the Owner and Founder of Urban Flip, a property management and investment company for vacation rentals.

Building a niche business that adds value to your community can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Yet personal challenges and situations outside your control can alter your drive and passion for the business. How can you change direction and continue moving forward?

Resilient and versatile entrepreneur Philip Steen developed an organization that brought his community together through recreational sports teams. The business boomed as athletes seized the opportunity to participate in sports not previously available to them, like flag football. However, the pandemic forced Philip to lay off his entire staff, while a historical flood ruined one of his playing fields. Additionally, Philip had a heart attack just before the pandemic, prompting him to reassess his personal life and the company’s place within it. Now contemplating a business sale, Philip vows to overcome fear and uncertainty, welcoming career change and evolution as a growth opportunity.

Welcome back to The Decision, where Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson interview Philip Steen, the Owner of Nashville Sports Leagues, about his company’s evolution and reaching a crossroads in his career. Philip shares how his organization facilitates team dynamics, its impact on his community, and his experience as a new EO member.

Tim McMullen is the Founder of redpepper, a full-service strategic and creative agency. The company has been ranked on Inc. magazine’s list of fastest-growing companies for six years and has been recognized in the advertising industry with several local, regional, and national ADDY awards. Tim speaks nationally on company culture and integrated marketing and has been featured on 60 Minutes, NPR, CNN, and Fox News among other publications and networks. He was also named the 2010 Agency Marketer of the Year by the American Marketing Association Nashville chapter and is the former President of Nashville’s American Advertising Federation.

As the sole proprietor of a business, you often have to make decisions on your own, even while navigating personal turmoil. How can you restructure priorities to ensure your company doesn’t fall apart?

Award-winning marketer Tim McMullen built his business from the ground up, recruiting his brother to help him manage it. After battling cancer and undergoing a stressful divorce, he recognized the need to step away from the daily grind of his business, relying on his brother to take over. Yet the familial partnership no longer served the company, forcing Tim and his brother to part ways. When you’ve reached a crossroads in your business after restructuring your priorities, Tim suggests understanding every aspect of yourself to build a culture that reflects your true values.

Tune in to The Decision podcast as Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson host Tim McMullen, the Founder of redpepper, who talks about how he redefined success and found a balance between work, life, and health. Tim shares the dynamics of his business partnership with his brother, how to benefit from your EO journey, and his future vision for redpepper.