My Morning Cup

E23 - Tom Griscom’s Morning Cup

Have you ever gotten a job because of how tall you are, or rather how short you are? Tom Griscom has, and he joins the podcast this week to tell that story, among others, including the time he stood up against the Secretary of State and wrote the famous “Tear Down This Wall” speech given by President Ronald Reagan. 
 
Tom also shares how he started his career as a sports writer, but was then drafted into the Army, and explains what he believes to be the seminal event that put Chattanooga on the map.
 
Tom is the former Executive Editor for the Times Free Press. Prior to that, Tom was the Press Secretary for Senator Howard Baker and then the Director of Communications for President Ronald Reagan. You can connect with him here.
My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

E22 - Gail Loveland Barille’s Morning Cup

Despite growing up in a very “indoors” family, Gail Loveland Barille has found herself outdoors in almost every job she’s held. In this episode, we discuss how her career path led her across the country and how she used sports to build friendships every time she moved. Plus, stepping up as a leader (even if you think you’re not ready), when to invest in yourself with professional development, and the key to (re)connecting with impactful people.
 
Gail is the Director of Outdoor Chattanooga. You can connect with her here.
My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

E21 - Todd Womack’s Morning Cup

Sometimes you walk through doors, sometimes you go kicking and screaming through them. For Todd Womack, it was the latter when he unexpectedly entered into a political career alongside Mayor Bob Corker. 
 
In this episode, Todd shares how to build a peer-to-peer relationship with your boss, the time he was almost fired, and what it’s really like traveling to DC each week. He also takes us behind the scenes on a few projects, including the 21st-century Waterfront Project and the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery.
 
Todd is the CEO of Bridge Public Affairs. You can connect with Todd here.
My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

E20 - Shawn Whitfield’s Morning Cup

Who knew business and NASCAR had so much in common? Shawn Whitfield joins the podcast this week to tell us about his experience growing up in the oil distribution industry and why being the youngest person in the room can be a good thing (especially in sales). After leaving the oil business, Shawn went on to start a NASCAR-centric radio show and the Chattanooga Fitness Expo, a bodybuilding and fitness competition.
 
Shawn owns Whitfield Media Group and hosts Racing Talk Radio, the second-longest-running specialty radio show in Chattanooga, for 22 years. You can connect with Shawn here.
 
My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

E19 - Chanda Chambers’ Morning Cup

The military holds an important role in Chanda Chambers’s life. In this episode, we learn how she went from the Army to Human Resources to owning a Welding and Fabrication business. We also explore the hardest parts of running a business as a woman, what her superpowers are, and how a stranger at Ruby Tuesday changed her career path.
 
Chanda is the Owner of Chambers Welding and Fabrication, Metal Makers, and Chambers PitMasters. You can connect with Chanda here.
 
My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

E18 - Callie Starnes’ Morning Cup

This week we board the rocketship that is Callie Starnes’ broadcasting career! She shares how 9/11 piqued her interest in journalism and how she earned promotion after promotion (and you can too)! Plus, a few topics that are often overlooked in the media industry: staying safe in the field as a young female reporter and work/life balance.
 
Callie Starnes is the President and General Manager of Local 3 News. You can connect with her here.
My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

E17 - Ron Harr’s Morning Cup

Ron Harr joins the podcast this week to explain his pinball-esque career and how he “fell” into many of the jobs he held. He shares how he became known as the $2 Million Man, and why you should always eat at the company potluck (or at least pretend to).
 
Before retiring and becoming a boat Captain, Ron held executive-level positions at AT&T, BCBST, and the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. You can connect with Ron here.
 
My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

E16 - Dr. Rebecca Ashford’s Morning Cup

Dr. Rebecca Ashford joins the podcast this week to talk about her journey from student to President of a community college. Plus, the superstitions that brought her to Tennessee, and why discipline, focus, and empathy are the key ingredients to success.
 
Dr. Ashford is the President of Chattanooga State Community College. You can connect with her here.
My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

E15 - Jay Kennamer’s Morning Cup

Jay Kennamer has a knack for doing what others won’t and he makes major life decisions with a coin toss. In this episode, he shares stories from the courtroom and how he cleans up Chattanooga (literally and figuratively).
 
Jay is a partner and attorney at the McMahon Law Firm, Chattanooga’s most prolific and largest personal injury law firm. You can learn more about Jay here.
 
My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.

E14 - Dalya Qualls White’s Morning Cup

Sports, Homeland Security, and health insurance all have two things in common - communications and Dalya Qualls White. In this episode, Dalya shares how her career took her all over the East Coast, why she believes in being a mentor to others, and how to leverage LinkedIn to get recruited.
 
Dalya is the SVP and Chief Communications Officer at BCBST. You can connect with Dalya here.
My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.