The Talk Chamber

David Schuessler has spent 27 years with Ducks Unlimited and 18 of them right here in Memphis, and on this episode of The Talk Chamber, he walks us through how the world's largest wetlands and waterfowl conservation organization ended up headquartered in the Bluff City. David also talks about what keeps Ducks Unlimited proud after 89 years, including its 33,000 volunteers and 2,600 local chapters...

This episode of The Talk Chamber is a replay spotlighting three of Memphis's 2025 Next-Gen 10 Awardees — and applications for the next class are open now through July 15 at memphischamber.com. Taylor Ann sits down back-to-back with three young professionals making their mark across the city, starting with Jevonte Porter Sr., Director of Community Relations at Youth Villages. He shares what it mean...

Frankie Dakin was 19 when he and a few college friends decided that someone needed to run for alderman in Millington. That someone ended up being him, and he won, catapulting him into his career in public service. Now, as city manager for Millington, he runs an $85 million operation and thinks hard about what it actually takes for a nine-county, three-state region to act like one region. This week...

Entrepreneurship can be a lonely field to be in, but it doesn't have to be. And that's exactly what this week's guest, Kimberlee Denise, believes. Kimberlee is the founder and executive director of The Flourishing Agency. At the heart of what she does is creating a community through leadership and professional development. Kimberlee shares her journey from being a Whitehaven native to a classroom...

A 3rd grade teacher told Princeton James to be realistic. He'd never be an actor; he should be an accountant. So he got the degree. Worked the job. And then one day, he quit. That decision set off a chain of events that would take him from having never seen a script growing up to the sets of Netflix's Uncorked, NBC's Bluff City Law, and eventually to the director's chair of his own feature films....

If you've ever been to a Greater Memphis Chamber ribbon cutting, you've probably met Terri Bosby — and if you haven't, you'd remember her if you had. In this episode, Terri sits down with host Taylor Ann Carpenter to talk about her nearly 10-year journey at the Chamber, the ambassador program she's grown from 14 to 178 members (with a goal of 200 by year's end), and why she's one of Memphis's most...

What if your employees had access to a real doctor — same day, no waiting room shuffle, no surprise bill — for just $40 a month? That's exactly what ChamberCare makes possible for Greater Memphis Chamber members. In this episode, Taylor Ann sits down with Raegan Le Douaron, CEO and owner of WeCare tlc, the company behind ChamberCare's on-site primary care health centers. Raegan breaks down how Cha...

What happens when a 10th grader walks into a meeting he wasn't invited to? In Cortney Richardson's case — a 20-year journey to the CEO seat of Peer Power Foundation. In this episode, host Taylor Ann Carpenter sits down with Cortney to talk about the model behind one of Memphis's most impactful education nonprofits, the workforce skills being built one success coach at a time, and what it truly tak...

While Small Business Week may be over, the work of celebrating and supporting local businesses never stops. In this episode, host Taylor Ann sits down with two guests making a real impact in Memphis — Marc Young of Frame Corner and Melissa Todd of The Front Porch Memphis — to talk about community, creativity, and what it truly takes to build something that lasts. Marc Young is the owner of Frame C...

In this episode, Patricia McKinney, Director of Small Business and Member Programming at the Greater Memphis Chamber, discusses Small Business Week (May 3–9), support for local businesses, upcoming events, and celebrating our local businesses. She highlights Chamber resources like the Small Business Development Center, the ACE focus (Advocate, Communicate, Educate), and how owners can get involved...

In this episode, Scott Beal and Joe Lyons of Barr Brands discuss the company’s 80-year history, its evolution from solvent-maker to a house of consumer brands, and its growth strategy through acquisitions and innovation. They also explain Barr’s 30-year ESOP, share powerful employee stories about long-term wealth creation, and describe why Barr chooses to stay and invest in Memphis.

Neki Catron, Sylvamo’s Corporate Global Community Engagement Manager, discusses the company’s roots, mission, and deep commitment to Memphis. The episode highlights Sylvamo’s values-driven community investment—especially literacy and education partnerships—and spotlights the Reading Is Fundamental 60th anniversary kickoff event in Memphis at Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library.

Josh Brown, President and CEO of the Tennessee Chamber, discusses Tennessee’s competitive strengths while warning against complacency. He highlights recent policy wins, the push for nuclear energy, and statewide workforce improvements. Brown explains the role regional hubs like Memphis play in logistics, healthcare, and as cultural centers. He stresses the importance of collaboration among local c...

This week on The Talk Chamber, Mark Halperin joins Taylor Ann as they discuss Boyle Investment Company's long history in Memphis. Mark talks about what makes a company not just survive but thrive. He shares why Memphis is a great place to live and work, and why he chose to stay in Memphis.

Jay B, a Memphis-born radio programmer, DJ, and co-founder of WYXR, discusses his journey from local journalism to curating Memphis music at South by Southwest. He highlights the city’s deep musical legacy, his DJ sets, and his work showcasing Memphis artists on an international stage. JB explains how music becomes a bridge to economic opportunity and cultural tourism, inviting listeners to visit...

In this episode Whitney Jo, managing director of Playhouse on the Square, shares her 33-year Memphis story and explains her role as a Greater Memphis Chamber ambassador, celebrating new and long-standing local businesses through ribbon cuttings and community outreach. She discusses how the Chamber supports small businesses and nonprofits, the power of positive community voices, and encourages list...

Ted Townsend, president and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber, explains why Memphis shows up at South by Southwest, how the Tennessee House showcases the city’s music, culture, and growing tech scene, and how brief encounters can spark business attraction and investment. The episode highlights Memphis’s momentum in AI, partnerships at SXSW (including a panel at the Ireland House), and the city’s...

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Greater Memphis Chamber, Duncan Williams, returns on this episode of The Talk Chamber. He and Taylor Ann discuss the Memphis narrative and Duncan's new "For Memphis" initiative. Duncan sends a weekly email that shares good Memphis news. He challenged recipients of the email to share it with 100 other people and continue to share the good news. Hear how Dun...

This week, Pat Mitchell Worley, CEO of The Soulsville Foundation, sits down with Taylor Ann Carpenter on The Talk Chamber. They talk about her journey to her role as CEO and why music matters to Memphis. Tune in to hear her insights on Memphis music.     For more information of the Soulsville Foundation visit: https://soulsvillefoundation.org/  

This episode of The Talk Chamber features two incredible young professionals, Lionel Davis and Maria Rios. Lionel and Maria are the Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, of our Young Professionals Council. They both have passion for Memphis and the growth of our young professional community. Tune in to this episode to hear about the future of YPC and the future of Memphis.

The latest episode of The Talk Chamber features Dusky Grimmig, founder of Behind the Scenes Events. Dusky shares how she started her event business, what makes them different, and how they made it to 25 years of business. Listen to this episode to hear her advice for business owners of all industries.

Rory Thomas, President and CEO of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative, joins Taylor Ann on the latest episode of The Talk Chamber. They celebrate 10 years of MMDC, the new developments and improvements, and why the Medical District is crucial to Memphis. Listen to this episode to discover the great work of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative.   For more information on the Memphis Med...

This week, Julian Cross, the Communications Manager at the Greater Memphis Chamber, joins Taylor Ann Carpenter on The Talk Chamber. Julian looks back on his first year at the Chamber and discusses what it's like being a young professional and why it's important to cultivate the YoPros in your office.     Music by: #mubert https://mubert.com/render

We're kicking off season 2 of The Talk Chamber with another great episode. This week, Pierre Landaiche, CEO of UMRF Ventures, joins Taylor Ann Carpenter. They discuss what UMRF Ventures does, how that helps students, and how it plays into the Memphis economy.    For more about UMRF Ventures visit: https://umrfventures.com/home   Music by: #mubert https://mubert.com/render

As we wrap up our year, let's end on a high note. Bill Dunavant, CEO & President of Dunavant Enterprise, one of the greatest cheerleaders for our city, shares his Memphis story and why you need to be all in on Memphis.