Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast

Jim McCarthy
  • 5.0 (37)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

Real conversations about the stories, challenges, struggles and triumphs of Middle Tennessee's entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals. Broadcasting from the J2HQ in Thompson's Station. www.mmtbp.com

  1. Oct 2

    From Starting Over to Starting a Plumbing Company | Lyndsey McDonald

    Lyndsey McDonald didn't grow up dreaming of owning a plumbing company. In fact, she had no professional experience in the trades. After an unwanted divorce changed the trajectory of her life, Lyndsey rebuilt her career, moved her family from Oregon to Middle Tennessee and eventually took an even bigger leap: starting Plumbing Pro. Lyndsey joins Jim McCarthy to talk about rebuilding from difficult circumstances, starting a company in an industry she didn't know, surrounding herself with people smarter than her and creating a workplace designed to treat skilled tradespeople differently. They also discuss five weeks of PTO for plumbers, hiring and work ethic, why skilled trades can offer a path toward financial stability, the impact of AI on white-collar careers and why the trades may be entering one of their biggest periods of opportunity.

    From Starting Over to Starting a Plumbing Company | Lyndsey McDonald

  2. Sep 25

    She Hated Sales—Then Built a Business Around It | Donna Leggett

    What happens when the career you've built for 15 years is suddenly no longer who you are? Donna Leggett spent years in accounting and financial leadership — and once listed sales and retail among the careers she never wanted.Today, she's doing both. Donna is the owner of Pearce Bespoke Nashville, helping clients build custom wardrobes while building an entirely new career and business of her own. In this episode of the Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast, Donna talks with Jim McCarthy about leaving the identity and security of a career she knew inside and out, moving to Nashville, learning how to sell, building a business from the ground up and the morning she sat at her desk wondering, “Who am I now?” They also get into why you shouldn't judge a customer by appearance, the psychology behind how we dress, why Donna refuses to “closet shame,” “budget shame” or “body shame” her clients, common mistakes men make with suits and why simply showing up can create opportunities you never expected. Sometimes changing careers isn't just about learning a new job.It's about discovering who you are without the old one. SPONSORS: ItsYourShow.co - Podcast and Short-Form Content Ideation and Production MuleTown Bikes :: MuletownBikes.comColumbia, Tennessee (on the square) Christian Brothers Automotive – Spring Hill :: www.cbac.com/spring-hill/Across from Walmart on Highway 31, Spring Hill, Tennessee

    She Hated Sales—Then Built a Business Around It | Donna Leggett

  3. Sep 18

    From Police Officer to Coffee Entrepreneur :: Ep 299 Chris Morris of Peacemaker Coffee

    After more than two decades in law enforcement, Chris Morris probably didn't expect his next career to involve coffee — especially considering he originally hated the stuff. But years of overnight shifts, a search for lower-acidity coffee and a lot of experimentation eventually led to Peacemaker Coffee Company. Chris joins Jim McCarthy to talk about making the leap from law enforcement into entrepreneurship, learning the coffee industry, getting rejected by retailers, building a growing business and discovering opportunities in white-label coffee and co-packing. They also get into coffee roasting, caffeine, acidity, Amazon, commodity pricing, business margins and some memorable stories from Chris's years behind the badge.

    From Police Officer to Coffee Entrepreneur :: Ep 299 Chris Morris of Peacemaker Coffee

  4. Sep 11

    He Lost His Dad at 26: Business, Family & What Really Matters | Jacob Bourque

    Jacob Bourque joins Jim McCarthy for a conversation that begins with logistics, cold calling and building a referral-based business — and eventually becomes something far more personal. Jacob talks about spending years making cold calls, learning how genuine relationships create long-term customers, specialty tax strategies and why there may be no such thing as truly passive income. Then the conversation turns to losing his father unexpectedly at 26. Jacob shares the moments when he still wishes he could pick up the phone and call his dad, why he once dialed the old number just to see what would happen, and how his father’s emphasis on experiences rather than possessions left him with something far more valuable: memories. It’s a conversation about business, grief, family, resilience and remembering what all the work is ultimately for. Follow along at www.mmtbp.com SPONSORS: ItsYourShow.co - Podcast and Short-Form Content Ideation and Production MuleTown Bikes :: MuletownBikes.comColumbia, Tennessee (on the square) Christian Brothers Automotive – Spring Hill :: www.cbac.com/spring-hill/Across from Walmart on Highway 31, Spring Hill, Tennessee

    He Lost His Dad at 26: Business, Family & What Really Matters | Jacob Bourque

  5. Sep 4

    Will AI Make the Trades More Valuable? | Esteban Legarrea :: Ep 297 Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast

    For decades, skilled trades were often treated as Plan B while college was sold as the path to success. That equation may be changing fast. Electrical-industry sales professional Esteban Legarea joins Jim for a conversation about AI and the future of blue-collar work, college debt, learning through experience, building customer relationships, the realities of sales, and accidentally discovering a career he never knew existed. Esteban shares how he went from waiting tables to the warehouse floor and ultimately found a career he genuinely loves. SPONSORS: ItsYourShow.co - Podcast and Short-Form Content Ideation and Production MuleTown Bikes :: MuletownBikes.comColumbia, Tennessee (on the square) Christian Brothers Automotive – Spring Hill :: www.cbac.com/spring-hill/Across from Walmart on Highway 31, Spring Hill, Tennessee

    Will AI Make the Trades More Valuable? | Esteban Legarrea :: Ep 297 Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast

  6. Aug 21

    When Autistic Kids Grow Up: Community, Independence & Purpose with Meredith Pettigrew :: Ep 295 The Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast

    What happens after an autistic child grows up? Meredith Pettigrew joins Jim McCarthy for a candid, funny and deeply human conversation about supporting autistic adults—and why a meaningful life can't always be measured by a traditional job or career. Meredith shares her journey from public-school teacher to leading Autism Career Training, an organization now expanding its mission toward Autism Community Training. The change reflects something Meredith has learned firsthand: every autistic adult is different, and success can look dramatically different from one person to the next. For some, that may mean employment with a job coach. For others, it may mean volunteering, communicating more independently, learning everyday life skills, participating in the community or simply experiencing something they've never done before. Jim and Meredith also talk about the teachers we remember for the rest of our lives, the challenges facing public education, why people sometimes feel uncomfortable around autism, community partnerships with Middle Tennessee businesses and organizations, and the importance of connecting with the person rather than the diagnosis. It's a conversation about autism—but it's also about dignity, purpose, community and what happens when somebody genuinely gives a damn. SPONSORS: ItsYourShow.co - Podcast and Short-Form Content Ideation and Production MuleTown Bikes :: MuletownBikes.comColumbia, Tennessee (on the square) Christian Brothers Automotive – Spring Hill :: www.cbac.com/spring-hill/Across from Walmart on Highway 31, Spring Hill, Tennessee

    When Autistic Kids Grow Up: Community, Independence & Purpose with Meredith Pettigrew :: Ep 295 The Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast

  7. Aug 14

    Homeownership Isn't Dead: A Mortgage Reality Check with Daniel Cruz

    Is the American Dream of homeownership still alive? Mortgage professional Daniel Cruz joins Jim McCarthy for a candid conversation about today's housing market, interest rates, first-time buyers and why “it's always a good time to buy” isn't necessarily good advice. Daniel explains why your first house probably shouldn't be your dream house, what future buyers can do now to improve their chances of qualifying, when refinancing makes sense—and when it absolutely doesn't—and why homeownership can still be an important tool for building long-term wealth. But this conversation goes well beyond mortgages. Jim and Daniel dig into leadership, company culture and the difference between someone who calls themselves a leader and someone people actually choose to follow. Daniel shares why great leaders make every person feel valued, why communication matters so much and why there's a big difference between telling your team to “go” and saying, “Let's go.” Plus: Middle Tennessee's housing market, where the region may grow next, mortgages for self-employed business owners, credit scores, bad financial advice on social media and why the American Dream may not be dead—it may just look a little different. If you're thinking about buying a home, running a business or leading people, there's something in this conversation for you. (03:40) - What's Happening in the Mortgage Market? (04:28) - Why Middle Tennessee Is Different (05:02) - Daniel's Unusual Approach to Mortgage Lending (08:38) - What Are Mortgage Rates Doing? (00:00) - Finding the Right Mortgage Instead of Selling One (00:00) - Making Homeownership Work (00:00) - Creative Housing Solutions (00:00) - Trust, Sales and Doing What's Right for the Client (36:04) - You Don't Get to Declare Yourself a Leader (37:11) - Bad Leaders Say “Go.” Great Leaders Say “Let's Go.” (38:10) - What Great Leadership Actually Looks Like (40:12) - There Are No Small Roles in a Company (42:40) - Take Care of Your Employees First (45:14) - Communication Is Everything (48:25) - Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable (49:12) - Is the American Dream Still Alive? (50:00) - Why Homeownership Still Builds Wealth (50:48) - Your First House Shouldn't Be Your Dream House (52:03) - What Future Homebuyers Should Be Doing NOW (52:14) - Three Ways to Build Better Credit (54:36) - How Lenders Really Look at Your Finances (55:18) - Bad Mortgage Advice on Social Media (55:37) - When You Should NOT Refinance (57:21) - “It's Always a Good Time to Buy” Is Bad Advice (58:29) - Your House Is Out There (01:00:20) - Mortgages for Self-Employed Business Owners (01:04:12) - Where Is Middle Tennessee Growing Next?

    Homeownership Isn't Dead: A Mortgage Reality Check with Daniel Cruz

  8. Jul 31

    How eSpaces Is Redefining Shared Office Space w/Rebecca Jacobs :: Ep 293 Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast

    Rebecca Jacobs of eSpaces sits down with host Jim McCarthy to break down the evolution of shared office space, from scrappy entrepreneurs fleeing coffee shops to corporate satellite teams needing turnkey suites. They talk about the “one price, one bill” model, building real community in office spaces, expanding into Atlanta, plus hard-earned leadership lessons from years in big-box retail. You’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories from Victoria’s Secret and Target, why people really leave companies, how eSpaces fills the gap between your spare bedroom and a $7,000/month lease, and why tone, culture, and the word “why” matter so much in business. 1:14 Rebecca’s retail journey: Victoria’s Secret, Target, Charming Charlie, and running a spa2:23 Inside Victoria’s Secret: fitting room stories and shocking product margins4:10 Jim intro: Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast and sponsor shout-outs4:58 What eSpaces is today: from co-working to private offices and suites8:04 Solving the “coffee shop / home office / $7K lease” problem10:59 Office sizes, flexibility, and plug-and-play space for growing teams14:20 Community vs. privacy: cafés, happy hours, and “your space behind a closed door”17:21 How members find each other: logos on doors, member portal, and events19:12 Key differentiators: locally owned, one all-inclusive bill, empowered managers22:37 Use cases: entrepreneurs, wealth advisors, lawyers, therapists, corporate hubs23:47 Podcast studios in eSpaces and Jim’s proposed ItsYourShow.co partnership26:01 Expansion plans: Atlanta, Chattanooga, Knoxville and choosing the right locations33:29 Brand awareness as Rebecca’s main job: brokers, chambers, and networking40:26 Positioning: “your office, one price” and redefining co-working46:08 Leadership lessons from retail: fear-based management vs. leading with “why”51:00 Jim’s auto sales story: lost bonuses, unfair policy changes, and pushing back54:10 Knowing your worth: negotiating, asking questions, and not settling63:18 Why people really quit: “people leave people,” not just companies72:05 Rebecca’s personal and professional “why” and being “Mrs. eSpaces” in the community82:10 How eSpaces protects culture with a small, mighty team  eSpaces Website: espaces.com SPONSRS:  ItsYourShow.co (Jim’s production company) Website: ItsYourShow.co Mule Town Bikes / Muletown Bikes Location: Columbia, Tennessee (on the square) Christian Brothers Automotive – Spring Hill Location: Across from Walmart on Highway 31, Spring Hill, Tennessee BNI (Business Network International) is mentioned as a networking organization, along with various local chambers. Suggested Tags / Hashtags

    How eSpaces Is Redefining Shared Office Space w/Rebecca Jacobs :: Ep 293 Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast
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Real conversations about the stories, challenges, struggles and triumphs of Middle Tennessee's entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals. Broadcasting from the J2HQ in Thompson's Station. www.mmtbp.com

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