For Jim Coleman, running a hospital isn’t all that different from taking apart a stove. You just need to understand how the pieces fit together to make the whole thing work.

In this episode, Jim shares what it was like managing 300 employees by the time he was 30, how new roles often found him before he went looking for them, and why a heart attack ended up giving him unexpected mental clarity.

Plus, he shares what it was like to lead Erlanger through its shift to a private, for-profit hospital system.

Jim Coleman is the President & CEO of Erlanger. You can connect with him on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jim-coleman-9045282).

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

• John Germ’s Morning Cup (E35)
• Chris Hopkins’s Morning Cup (E84)
• Lynn Chesnutt’s Morning Cup (E118)

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter and be the first to know who upcoming guests are: http://eepurl.com/iGJzII

Darin Wright knows the power of color, and she’s built her work around helping people feel confident in theirs.

In this episode, Darin shares how selling makeup at 14, riding shotgun on her dad’s TastyKake route, and even a short stint as a “terrible waitress” taught her client-first sales and honest communication. She also shares how her winding path through banking, real estate, and retail, paired with a frustration with one-size-fits-all makeup, inspired her to start Elea Blake Cosmetics and create the EB Hues color system.

Darin Wright is the owner of Elea Blake Cosmetics. You can learn more on their website (eleablake.com) and connect with Darin on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/darin-wright-25276511).

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

• Stephanie Stuckey’s Morning Cup (E33)
• Susan Vandergriff’s Morning Cup (E72)
• Lisa McCluskey’s Morning Cup (E113)

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors, and produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter and be the first to know who upcoming guests are: http://eepurl.com/iGJzII

Doug Thompson has a knack for seeing the bigger picture… whether on the soccer field, in business, or in civic life.

In this episode, Doug shares why the best players are the ones who make everyone else better, how a detour into screenwriting led him to USC and ultimately into a career in real estate development, and why he had to “fire” himself in order to move his career forward.

Doug Thompson is the President of HFS Capital Advisors. You can connect with him on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/doug-thompson-28218613).

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

• Roy Vaughn’s Morning Cup (E08)
• Edna Varner’s Morning Cup (E104)
• Kim White’s Morning Cup (E119)

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter here and be the first to know who upcoming guests are!

Brian Hunt grew up redeeming Coke bottles for a nickel, and now leads a century‑old, family‑founded manufacturer as its first non‑family CEO.

In this episode, Brian shares how humble beginnings shaped his work ethic, how “getting cultured” in Boston taught him to be more assertive, and why he left a Fortune 250 track to join a family business built on servant-hearted values.

Brian Hunt is the President and CEO of Southern Champion Tray. You can connect with him on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/brian-hunt-44ab7813).

This episode was recorded with a live audience at the Global Leadership Summit.

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

• Jay Dale’s Morning Cup (E42)
• Tom Glenn’s Morning Cup (E125)
• Jason Provonsha’s Morning Cup (E130)

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter here and be the first to know who upcoming guests are!

David Wade started his career digging holes, and now he’s finishing his career digging out of them.

In this episode, he shares how he worked his way up from line helper to CEO of EPB, why he pivoted when he was “right at the finish line” of his apprenticeship, and how The Gig put Chattanooga on the map.

David Wade is the President and CEO of EPB. You can learn more about him and EPB on their website: epb.com/about/leadership

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

• Matt Rasmussen’s Morning Cup (E57)
• Bill Crawford’s Morning Cup (E99)
• Ken Jones’s Morning Cup (E122)

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter here and be the first to know who upcoming guests are!

Thom Benson has a habit of stepping up before he knows exactly where it’ll lead, and it's served him well throughout his career.

In this episode, Thom shares how volunteering at his college radio station set him on the path to journalism, how raising his hand for the weekend meteorologist role changed the course of his TV career, and how volunteer diving at the Tennessee Aquarium eventually turned into a full-time position he’s held for nearly two decades.

Thom Benson is the VP, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer for the Tennessee Aquarium. You can connect with him on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/thombenson).

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

• Keith Sanford’s Morning Cup (E86)
• David Carroll’s Morning Cup (E111)
• Andy Wood’s Morning Cup (E124)

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter here and be the first to know who upcoming guests are!

Kurt Faires learned early that average effort = average results... a principle he’s carried through every season of life.

In this episode, Kurt shares why he earned a law degree but waited nearly 20 years to practice, how his career in private investing and business turnarounds ultimately brought him to Chattanooga, and how he went from running marathons to being told he had just 4 months to live… twenty years ago.

Kurt Faires is a Corporate Attorney at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C and you can connect with him on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/kurtfaires).

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

• Tom Griscom’s Morning Cup (E23)
• Virginia Anne Sharber’s Morning Cup (E59)
• George Mullinix’s Morning Cup (E129)

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter here and be the first to know who upcoming guests are!

Stephen Culp is one of Chattanooga’s most prodigious and low-key entrepreneurs.

In this episode, Stephen shares why curiosity is the driving force behind most of his decisions, what it was like being in Europe when the Berlin Wall fell (and participating in it), and how going to Stanford forced him to be entrepreneurial, which ultimately led him to start Smart Furniture and Delegator, as well as to come back to Chattanooga.

Stephen Culp founded Smart Furniture and co-founded Delegator. You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/stephenculp).

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

• Cam Doody’s Morning Cup (E63)
• Christian Höferle’s Morning Cup (E76)
• Dave Kinzler’s Morning Cup (E102)

My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter here and be the first to know who upcoming guests are!