Southside Voices

“Growth can't happen without chaos.” That idea becomes a thread running through this conversation about what it actually takes to develop people in a workplace that keeps changing. At Endress+Hauser, the goal is to be 100 percent supportive and 100 percent challenging, creating an environment where people are expected to keep learning, thinking, and getting better. Welcome to Southside Voices, the...

Caleb Lane describes it as picking up a “10,000-pound phone.” He knows because before becoming Director of Business Development at Tara Treatment Center, he was a client there himself. His story is one of recovery, second chances, and eventually becoming the person who can answer that call for someone else. Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community lea...

Leadership is not about having the biggest title or sitting at the top of the organization. Sometimes it starts with someone simply seeing potential in you before you see it in yourself. Tandy Shuck of Leadership Johnson County shares how one teacher’s encouragement changed her path and why developing leaders at every level matters. In this conversation, Tandy talks about building a culture of tru...

Bryan Gregg wanted to build a team that could leave tomorrow and work anywhere, but chose to stay because they were happy. He saw himself as a coach, not a boss. That approach shows up throughout this conversation, from thanking someone who disagreed with him to recognizing when the plan that made sense on paper wasn’t what people wanted. This episode was recorded while Bryan served as Trafalgar’s...

The moment leaders stop developing themselves, they can start micromanaging everyone else. Melanie Akee of Everyday Leaders digs into why leadership is not about staying in the middle of everything. It is about developing people, recognizing their strengths, and being willing to let them grow. Melanie also shares where her own confidence came from, including losing her father at a young age, movin...

David Mauer has spent decades learning what holds up when business, leadership, and life get difficult. From nearly 30 years in insurance to nonprofit leadership, community service, and mentoring through SCORE, David shares why preparation, follow-through, relationships, and the ability to adapt still matter more than the latest business trend. The conversation gets more personal when David talks...

How do you spend your days dealing with some of the hardest situations families can face and still keep going? For Tammy Hickman and Mandy Anderson, part of the answer is knowing when they need to step away. Family, grandkids, the lake, the beach, and sometimes simply taking a mental health day help them reset before returning to work that requires patience, perspective, and resilience. This episo...

A month before this conversation, Romeo Goia walked away from a successful corporate career to focus completely on business ownership. After decades in healthcare, sales, marketing, and leadership, he is now responsible for two StretchLab studios, 22 employees, and the possibility of a third location. He is also candid about the part people do not always talk about. Even after building momentum, t...

How does a park with more than 600 acres, a campground, hiking trails, a lake, major events, and one of the region’s most impressive horse facilities remain a hidden secret? Christy Howe and Dan Cartwright take us inside Johnson County Parks and explain why the possibilities are much bigger than most people realize. Get all the episodes at southsidevoices.com Welcome to Southside Voices, the show...

Sometimes advocacy begins with something simple. Sit down. Listen. Let the person be heard. Lauren Rynerson explains how taking time to understand a client can ease frustration, build trust, and help facilities, families, volunteers, and the courts work toward the same goal. Hear her leadership lessons in this episode of Southside Voices. Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the b...

A team may say it has a communication problem, but the real issue often runs deeper. People do not feel heard. They do not understand how their role contributes. Morale drops, and everyone starts working in their own silo. Adam Sweet, director of the FFA Leadership Center, shares how uncomfortable challenges, shared goals, and honest conversations can bring people together. Drawing from his experi...

Dr. Leanne knew she could not manage the daily demands of a second business by herself. The answer was not to work longer hours. It was to find a partner she respected enough to trust with real decisions. In this episode, she explains how her partnership with Julie at Prime IV Hydration and Wellness allows each of them to lead from their strengths without trying to control every detail. Catch all...

Growth sounds exciting until you have to build the structure to support it. Dr. Chris Browning joins Southside Voices to talk about the real side of growing a practice, from parking issues and staffing to weekly training, leadership lessons, and knowing when it is time to take the next step. Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Joh...

Core Managed grew from one employee to 42. But the growth did not happen without risk. John Wright talks about hiring, culture, opening new offices, shutting down plans that did not work, and why being honest about mistakes matters just as much as celebrating wins. Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson County and the Southsi...

Brad does not pretend business ownership is neat or easy. In this episode, he talks about what changed after buying Rascal’s, why the right team matters, how weather can affect the whole season, and why every owner needs people around them who actually care if the business succeeds. Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and community leaders shaping Johnson Coun...

There is a lot Aspire does that people never see. Responding to companies looking for a new home. Helping businesses make connections. Working on childcare, workforce, policy, and growth. Creating spaces where people can actually meet and build relationships. Christian Maslowski pulls back the curtain on the work behind the work. Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business o...

Sonia Ware McGwire has spent 18 years leading Girls Inc. of Johnson County, and she still calls it her dream job. In this episode, she shares what most people misunderstand about Girls Inc., why it is so much more than after-school care, and what it takes to keep growing a mission that serves more girls every year. Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotlights the business owners and commu...

Franklin has become one of those places people want to be. But that kind of growth comes with real challenges. Bigger events. Higher rents. Parking pressure. Volunteer burnout. Weather-dependent revenue. And the constant work of keeping small businesses supported. On this episode of Southside Voices, Danny Causey from Discover Downtown Franklin talks about what it really takes to build a downtown...

A chamber is not just networking, and Rosie Chambers makes that clear fast. For the Franklin Chamber, the work is part business support, part community connector, and part steady voice when things get messy. In this episode of Southside Voices, Rosie talks about the 31 Corridor project, the pressure of leading in public, and why Franklin’s growth has to stay centered on people. It is a candid conv...

There is a lot of good work happening quietly in Johnson County, but quiet does not always help people understand where money goes, how decisions get made, or what problems are still left unsolved. In this episode, Jennifer and Scott sit down with Kim Kasting, president and CEO of Johnson County Community Foundation, to talk about the real work behind giving, grants, scholarships, childcare, housi...

Some businesses grow because everything goes right. Mark Clark’s story is more honest than that. From radio sales and publishing to buying Whits Inn, Mark has learned that growth usually exposes the problems you did not know were there yet. More revenue can help, but it can also put pressure on your people, systems, kitchen, margins, and patience. In this conversation, Jennifer and Scott talk with...

“The biggest myth about being your own boss is that you can do whatever you want whenever you want.” Kent Beeson does not sugarcoat business ownership. In this episode, he talks about the real cost of being responsible for customers, employees, family, and a company with your name on it. It is honest, practical, and full of lessons you only learn by living them. Welcome to Southside Voices, the sh...

“No one gets denied. You’re just put on a plan.” That line from Mike Wood says a lot about how Bailey & Wood approaches people who are not ready to buy today, but could be ready later with the right guidance. This episode is a candid conversation about business, mortgages, communication, and building a company around doing things the right way. Welcome to Southside Voices, the show that spotli...

Building a business is one thing. Building it while caring deeply about people is something else. In this episode, Eshaan of Golden Physical Therapy talks about stepping into entrepreneurship through a family legacy, learning how to balance patient care with the reality of running a business, and why one-on-one care still matters in a world that often feels rushed and transactional. Catch all the...

Sometimes the business you end up building is not the one you planned for. Chia Chu did not set out to become a business owner. She started as a student, became an instructor, then stepped into ownership when the opportunity came. What followed was a crash course in payroll, hiring, pricing, pressure, and learning how to lead while still figuring it out herself. Welcome to Southside Voices, the sh...