My Morning Cup
A Chattanooga podcast exploring what makes a happy, successful life through conversations with local entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals. Each episode goes beyond career achievements to uncover the challenges, life lessons, and daily habits that shape fulfilling lives.
Discover how Chattanooga's most accomplished people start their day, and what's really in their morning cup.
Episodes
Monday Nov 04, 2024
E95 - Charlie Brock's Morning Cup
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Monday Nov 04, 2024
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!
Monday Oct 28, 2024
E94 - Darren Hodges's Morning Cup
Monday Oct 28, 2024
Monday Oct 28, 2024
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!
Monday Oct 21, 2024
E93 - Stacy Johnson's Morning Cup
Monday Oct 21, 2024
Monday Oct 21, 2024
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!
Monday Oct 14, 2024
E92 - Tasia Malakasis's Morning Cup
Monday Oct 14, 2024
Monday Oct 14, 2024
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!
Monday Oct 07, 2024
E91 - Joe Jacobi's Morning Cup
Monday Oct 07, 2024
Monday Oct 07, 2024
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!
Monday Sep 30, 2024
E90 - Paul Leath's Morning Cup
Monday Sep 30, 2024
Monday Sep 30, 2024
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!
Monday Sep 23, 2024
E89 - Bruce Weiss's Morning Cup
Monday Sep 23, 2024
Monday Sep 23, 2024
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!
Monday Sep 16, 2024
E88 - Linda Moss Mines's Morning Cup
Monday Sep 16, 2024
Monday Sep 16, 2024
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!
Monday Sep 09, 2024
E87 - Richard Simms's Morning Cup
Monday Sep 09, 2024
Monday Sep 09, 2024
Captain Richard Simms has an eclectic career path, from Game Warden to Videographer to Executive Producer, and ultimately back to the outdoors.
In this episode, Richard shares how a coin toss influenced where he landed as a Game Warden, why family drives every decision he makes, and how he left his 9-5 to pursue his “weekend gig” - Scenic City Fishing Charters - and is now affiliated with nine additional guides.
Richard Simms is the owner of Scenic City Fishing Charters. You can connect with him on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/sceniccityfishing) and you can learn more about his fishing charters on his website (sceniccityfishing.com).
If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:
Mark McKnight’s Morning Cup (E39)
Calvin Sneed’s Morning Cup (E77)
Tom Henderson’s Morning Cup (E82)
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!
Monday Sep 02, 2024
E86 - Keith Sanford's Morning Cup
Monday Sep 02, 2024
Monday Sep 02, 2024
Keith Sanford’s community involvement and love of Chattanooga makes everyone feel as though they’ve worked with him in some form or fashion, despite only working at three places during his 44-year career.
In this episode, Keith shares what it was like working his way up to Market President at First Tennessee (now First Horizon), being expected to be involved in the community (and ending up loving it), and what penguins are really like… hint: they’re not all cuddly!
Plus, we talk about what Keith will be doing once he retires later this year.
Keith Sanford is the President and CEO of the Tennessee Aquarium. You can connect with him on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/keith-sanford-9718981a) and you can learn more about the aquarium on their website (tnaqua.org).
If you liked this episode, we think you’ll also like:
Tom Griscom’s Morning Cup (E23)
Jay Dale’s Morning Cup (E42)
Virginia Anne Sharber’s Morning Cup (E59)
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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!









