Sharing experiences, insights, and the drivers behind why my guests have built what they have built and how this applies to what drives you.
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Welcome back to the Driven By podcast. Today I'm sitting down with Dr. Sally Gates Parish, Vice Provost and Director of Schools at the University of Memphis. Sally runs University Schools — Tennessee's first Innovative School District. No entrance exam. Lottery-based admission. Kids from all 36 zip codes in Memphis. And the results are four times better than the district average — 87% reading…
Most people think nonprofits survive on grants and goodwill. Roshun Austin thinks that's the wrong mindset. As president and CEO of The Works, Inc., she's spent the last 14 years building one of Memphis' most impactful community development organizations by treating it like a business. Today, The Works has grown from fewer than five employees and a $2 million budget to more than 30 employees, a…
Most universities facing enrollment challenges have responded the same way: lower the bar and hope the numbers improve. Dr. Bill Hardgrave chose a different path. As President of the University of Memphis, Hardgrave made a controversial decision to significantly raise admissions standards, knowing it would come with short-term pain. In year one, freshman enrollment dropped 25%. Headlines followed,…
Andy Kizzee didn’t set out to build a workforce model in one of Memphis’ most challenged neighborhoods. However, after moving into Binghampton and getting to know his neighbors, he began asking a different question: not just why people weren’t working, but what kind of work actually changes a life. A structural engineer by training, Andy spent six years in India before returning to Memphis with a…
In this episode of Driven By Sam Coates , Trent Williamson, head of school at Harding Academy, shares the story of a decision that defied expectations. At a time when many Memphis institutions were moving outward, Harding chose to stay rooted in the city — a move that brought short-term pain but long-term transformation. Trent offers an honest look at what that choice required: navigating family…
Some stories don’t fit neatly into a redemption arc. Melvin Cole’s is one of them. On the latest episode of Drive By with Sam Coates , Cole, founder of PURE Academy in Memphis, shares a raw, unpolished account of growing up in extreme poverty, entering the drug trade at age 11, surviving gun violence and ultimately choosing a radically different path. Raised by a heroin-addicted grandmother in…
Our next Driven By episode features Gary Stavrum , a Memphis entrepreneur whose career reflects exceptional grit, discipline and vision. A Christian Brothers alumnus, Gary built three med-device contract manufacturing companies, two of which he has sold, beginning with a startup launched in a garage in Covington, Tennessee, funded with just $20,000. His first company grew to 128 employees and $18…
In this episode of Driven By, I sit down with JW Gibson, a Memphian whose story runs from the Dixie Homes housing project to entrepreneur. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he built businesses from the ground up—including a medical supply company launched in his mother’s garage and a printing company that now produces Tennessee’s lottery tickets. This conversation is about how JW built from scratch,…
In this episode, I sit down with Coach Mike Mosby from Oakhaven High, an inner-city Memphis school, to talk about what it means to lead beyond football. When a wealthy East Memphis school stepped in to buy his team 30 new helmets, the gap was on full display. Mosby shares hard truths about the community he serves—where father figures are scarce, crime is concentrated, and football becomes a…
In this episode, I sit down with Jared from The Hospitality Hub in Memphis to talk about redesigning how they serve people experiencing homelessness. He shares what it takes to build real solutions, from private studios to trauma-informed care, and why preserving dignity should be the starting point. Episode Highlights: Why People Really Become Homeless: Jared breaks down the data and busts myths.…
