My Morning Cup

Mayor Weston Wamp says everyone is born with a set of gifts no one else has, and he’s put his to use in a remarkable number of ways before turning 40. In this episode, Weston shares how his upbringing taught him there’s more than one path to success, why he believes a community’s future depends on its public schools, and how a foundation he started in his early thirties grew into a national effort...

When Sammy Lowdermilk sees a need in his community, he tends to be the first to raise his hand.  In this episode, Sammy shares how a lack of girls in code camps inspired him to start one just for them, how his love of hip hop led him to launch Chattanooga’s Hip Hop Summit, and why he’s focused on making sure no one gets left behind when it comes to technology and AI.  Sammy Lowdermilk is the Presi...

Brad Leon has built his career around a single conviction: talent is widely distributed, but opportunity isn’t. In this episode, Brad shares how one poster inspired him to become a teacher instead of a lawyer as planned, why a missed promotion taught him to value relationships as much as results, and how he’s helping students earn a debt-free degree and a guaranteed job through BlueCross’s BlueSky...

Jon Dickerson has never shied away from an adventure, trusting he'll figure the rest out along the way. In this episode, Jon shares how a finance major ended up teaching English in South Korea and backpacking across Europe, how an early job at a fast-growing startup became a crash course in building and launching products, and how he came to found Gumption, a matchmaking tool for commercial real e...

Nick Wilkinson's career has taken more turns than he originally planned, but each stop teed him up perfectly for his role as CEO of the Tivoli Theatre Foundation. In this episode, Nick shares how a lawn-mowing business taught him early that he didn't want to wait around to be given anything, how working in fundraising, the music industry, and economic development turned out to be the exact résumé...

Rae Bond has gone from award-winning journalist to a congressman's press secretary to one of the most trusted voices in healthcare. In this episode, Rae shares how one phone call pulled her from Idaho newspapers into Washington politics, why an innate fear of failure has driven her to take on things she never thought she could, and how she built Project Access to connect thousands of working, unin...

Nicole Brown has reinvented herself more than once, from radio personality to professor to award-winning filmmaker to healthcare leader. In this episode, Nicole shares how a Tom Brokaw poster launched her career in broadcasting, how she found her calling as a documentary producer giving voice to untold stories, and why she's leading a STEAM and health academy to open doors for Chattanooga's next g...

Rob Philyaw thought a law degree would set him apart in business, but it actually sent him in an entirely different direction. In this episode, Judge Rob Philyaw shares why being a little naive and bold has opened doors, how “holding out” landed him on the juvenile court bench, and why he focuses on helping youth find a better path (not just punishment). Rob Philyaw is the Hamilton County Juvenile...

Eleanor Cooper was a driving force for Chattanooga Venture and Vision 2000, laying the groundwork for our city’s renaissance. In this episode, Eleanor shares why her search for "what's worth learning" led her to Japan, how a B.B. King concert showed her that Chattanooga was ready to change, and what it looked like from the inside as the city reinvented itself. Eleanor Cooper is an educator. You ca...

Adam Kinsey has always had a knack for seeing what a place could become (often long before anyone else does). In this episode, Adam shares how driving past construction sites as a kid shaped the way he sees a city, how Track 29 helped put Chattanooga on the map for touring musicians who used to skip right past us, and what it takes to breathe new life into a property as storied as the Chattanooga...

Shannon Burger has been a K9 handler, a CPA, a firefighter, an entrepreneur, and now: CEO of one of Chattanooga’s fastest growing healthcare organizations. In this episode, Shannon shares how bracelets and bubblegum were the first signs of an entrepreneurial mind, what working nights as a firefighter taught her about public service and teamwork, and how Cempa has evolved over the past decade to me...

Chip Baker is back for round two of My Morning Cup as he begins his third term as County Commissioner for District 2. In this episode, Chip shares why he gave up a fast-rising hospital career to stay in Chattanooga for good, how a knock on the door pulled him onto the school board and into a lifetime of public service, and why he refuses to accept that local politics has to be a slugfest. If you l...

When people have told Bernie Miller something can’t be done, his answer has always been the same: "I think it can." In this episode, Bernie shares how an early lesson in humility stuck with him for the rest of his life, how co-writing the soul classic "I Can't Stand the Rain" opened doors to working with artists like Michael Jackson, and how a radio job he didn't necessarily want led him to Chatta...

David Martin is committed to building a stronger, more connected Chattanooga. In this episode, David shares how his father's advice to find his own way sent him down a winding career path, how a master's in history unexpectedly launched a career in PR, and how Heed PR became a three-month "overnight" success story. David Martin is the Co-Founder and Partner of Heed Public Relations and Feed the Na...

Matt Patterson has spent his career proving that the biggest risk is often the safest bet you can make. In this episode, Matt shares why he refused to stay in any job for more than a year, how moving to a city where he knew no one helped him and his partners build Bellhops from the ground up, and why Brickyard gives other founders that same all-in experience. Matt Patterson is Co-Founder and Gener...

Cindy Lee has built her career on a simple belief: “I can do this.” In this episode, Cindy shares what a decade in the corporate world taught her about how NOT to run a business, how she unexpectedly fell in love with the world of trucking, and why she built Lync Logistics around the idea that people always come before transactions. Cindy Lee is the CEO of Lync Logistics. You can connect with her...

Darde Long always knew she wanted to work with animals, it just didn't end up the way she originally imagined. In this episode, Darde shares how a childhood pony sparked a lifelong career caring for animals, why a trusted mentor pushed her to take a job she almost turned down, and how the Chattanooga Zoo has evolved from just 2 employees and 25 animals in 1985 to 80+ employees and 100+ species tod...

Dr. Dan Challener has spent his career supporting the people he calls the linchpin in every child's life: teachers. In this episode, Dan shares how a summer camp job changed the course of his life, why one person believing in a child can change everything, and how a friend's nudge to check out a job led him to Chattanooga for what he thought would be five years (spoiler: it's been 27). Plus, a can...

Harshad Shah learned early on that giving back isn't something you do once you're successful, it's just something you do.  In this episode, Harshad shares what it was like growing up the youngest of 11 in post-independence India, how he didn’t plan to stay in America but a one-month visit to Chicago changed his mind, and how a $30,000 lab in his garage grew into Hamilton Plastics and a portfolio o...

For Dr. Patricia McLelland, becoming a doctor wasn't the plan until a mission trip to Uganda changed everything. In this episode, Tricia shares how being a patient in a third-world hospital shaped the way she practices medicine today, what a mentor taught her about choosing a career based on what she *didn't* enjoy, and how a patient in Portland rewired her entire approach to women's health. Dr. P...

Ketha Richardson has spent his career building bridges between people, opportunities, and communities. In this episode, Ketha shares how a career in procurement led him to one of EPB's most community-facing roles, why having a mentor matters (and how to find one), and how he's helping Chattanoogans land careers they never even knew existed. Ketha Richardson is the Director of Workforce Development...

Dr. Mina Sartipi was taught by her parents that there were no limits, and that's truly been the case throughout her life. In this episode, Mina shares how she earned one of the 100 spots at Iran's top engineering university, why the Argentinian tango led her to plant roots in Chattanooga, and how she has helped lead some of UTC's most ambitious research initiatives, such as the MLK Smart Corridor....

Marcia Kling (aka Miss Marcia) helped raise many of today's leaders with her shows on WTVC: Romper Room School and Funtime. In this episode, Marcia shares how faith has guided her through every major decision of her life, how she went from working in churches in Chattanooga and New York to children's television host, and what it took to come back to the show she loved after being told she might ne...

Tim Moore doesn't follow the expected path in his career, his content, or the stories he chooses to tell. In this episode, Tim shares how the people closest to him have pushed him to see things he couldn't, why he's built a career by putting other people's stories at the center, and what it looks like to build an audience around curiosity rather than expectations. Tim Moore is the Founder of Colli...

Dr. Reginald Smith has spent his career building bridges between people, communities, and opportunity. In this episode, Dr. Smith shares how watching his father build a nonprofit alongside a successful career planted a seed early, why he chose UTC over Howard University despite his family's deep HBCU roots, and what it felt like being handed the keys to a 95-year-old organization at 29 years old....