Allen Clare, Senior VP of Power Operations at TVA, shares his journey from coal bunkers to leading major energy projects. He reflects on life in the Navy and the crucial skills for effective leadership. Dive into the evolution of the energy industry over the past eight years and TVA's future ambitions. Clare emphasizes the power of relationships in career growth and the balance between work and personal life, advocating for perseverance and harmony in achieving success.

Michael and Angela Ballard have used their careers as a tool to do what they love the most: travel. In this episode, we talk about what it was like for both of them to grow up on cattle and dairy farms, why Michael moved to Saudi Arabia at the age of 12, and how Angela gave a stipulation when Michael proposed… which lit the travel flame for them. They also share stories from all around the world and explain how they now help other people travel. Angela and Michael Ballard are the owners of We Married Adventure. You can learn more about them on their website, wemarriedadventure.com, and you can connect with them on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aesballard & linkedin.com/in/mike-ballard-2bb0587   You can also check out the websites they mentioned, nomadmania.com & secretflying.com    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!

Charlie has made his mark supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem, not only in Chattanooga, but all across Tennessee. In this episode, Charlie shares what it was like growing up in the Brock Candy family business, how he first got involved in the startup ecosystem as CEO of The Company Lab and then LaunchTN, and why he creates “intentional serendipitous collisions” for entrepreneurs. We also discuss quantum computing and and how Chattanooga will benefit from the technology. Charlie Brock is the Founder of Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative. You can connect with him on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/charliebrock) and learn more about the CQC on their website (chattanoogaquantum.com) If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like: Hal Bowling’s Morning Cup (E75) Keith Sanford’s Morning Cup (E86) Tasia Malakasis’s Morning Cup (E92) 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!

Darren Hodges (AKA Mr. Coca-Cola of Chattanooga) began his career at Coca-Cola United in 1986 and has worked a variety of positions, all the way up to Division Vice President. In this episode, Darren shares a behind-the-scenes look at Coke’s operations and positions, its important history in Chattanooga as the first franchised bottler of Coca-Cola products, and how “divine intervention” kept him from pursuing another career path. You can connect with Darren Hodges on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/darren-hodges-724a4811) and you can learn more about Coca-Cola Bottling Company United on their website (cocacolaunited.com/locations/chattanooga). If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like: Roy Vaughn’s Morning Cup (E08) Mark Reeves’s Morning Cup (E46) Paul Leath’s Morning Cup (E90) 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!

A month-long trip to Costa Rica completely changed the trajectory of Stacy Johnson’s career. In this episode, Stacy shares how a series of career disruptions led her to pivot from graphic design to nonprofits and why a trip to Costa Rica to learn Spanish led her to pursue new passions. Plus, we also discuss how the Latinx community in Chattanooga has changed over the past twenty years and why La Paz has shifted their focus as a result. Stacy Johnson is the President and CEO of La Paz, an organization whose mission is to empower and engage Chattanooga’s Latino population. You can connect with Stacy on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/stacy-johnson-7bba232b) and you can learn more about La Paz on their website (lapazchattanooga.org). If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like: Candy Johnson’s Morning Cup (E48) Emily Mack’s Morning Cup (E83) Keith Sanford’s Morning Cup (E86) 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!

Tasia Malakasis’s career can be classified as a series of “happy accidents.” In this episode, she shares how she started in sales (as all CEOs should), then pursued her love of food by acquiring Belle Chevre and taking it to the next level. We also discuss how she landed at The Company Lab, and why the organization has pivoted their focus to sustainable mobility. Tasia Malakasis is the CEO of The Company Lab, a nonprofit that accelerates early-stage startups in the sustainable mobility space. You can connect with Tasia on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/tasia-malakasis-4829a45) If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like: Craig Fuller’s Morning Cup (E58) Susan Vandergriff’s Morning Cup (E72) Emily Mack’s Morning Cup (E83) 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!

Joe Jacobi is an Olympic Gold Medalist, Performance Coach, and Author. After winning the gold in the 1992 canoe slalom event, he’s dedicated his life to teaching others how to perform well in their own lives. In this episode, Joe shares what it’s *really* like to win a gold medal, how he got started canoeing at the age of 8 years old, and why he moved to La Seu d’Urgell, Spain. We also talk about the idea of living well so you can compete well, why he believes in process over results, and how he must learn every single day in order to survive and thrive. You can subscribe to the Thinking in Waves newsletter (joejacobi.ck.page/921d235cfe) and you can connect with Joe on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jacobijoe). If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like: Gail Loveland Barille’s Morning Cup (E22) Scott Martin’s Morning Cup (E31) Mark McKnight’s Morning Cup (E39) 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!

The military is heavily engrained in Paul Leath’s DNA. Following in his dad’s footsteps, he joined the army and served nine years active duty. In this episode, Paul shares how veterans, nuns, and scouts have been great influences in his life, how he was stationed in Fort Bragg “for love,” what happened after getting the Red Ball Express phone call, and then switching to the private sector and loving the natural gas industry. Paul Leath is the Regional Director of Operations at Chattanooga Gas, a subsidiary of Southern Company. You can connect with Paul on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/paul-leath-73571413). If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like: Chip Baker’s Morning Cup (E04) Vance Travis’s Morning Cup (E40) Sheriff Austin Garrett’s Morning Cup (E71) 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!

Bruce Weiss is an artist. Most people know him as a sandwich artist because of his deli, but he was a visual artist first. In this episode, Bruce shares how growing up in the melting pot of New York led to his love of food and cooking, why having chutzpah is important for success, and the events that led to him opening River Street Deli in 1998, including working in sales, owning a graphic design business, and shadowing Chef Neville Forsythe. Bruce Weiss is the owner of River Street Deli. You can learn more about the deli at riverstreetdeli.com. If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like: Kenyatta Ashford’s Morning Cup (E05) Chris Lytle’s Morning Cup (E28) Chris Hopkins’s Morning Cup (E84) 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!

Linda Moss Mines is Chattanooga’s Historian, dedicated to reminding others about the blessings of liberty. In this episode, Linda shares what it was like growing up on the plateau with her favorite person (her Pa), how bedtime stories sparked her love of history, and her motivations for teaching at GPS for 27 years (aside from her love of teaching history).  Plus, we also discuss being a lifelong learner, the changing political climate, and the importance of the Medal of Honor. If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like: John Germ’s Morning Cup (E35) Jim Kennedy’s Morning Cup (E37) Dr. Elaine Swafford’s Morning Cup (E64) 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!