Podcast
The Decision by EO Nashville
Hosted by EO Nashville · EN
This is The Decision by Nashville EO. On this podcast, you will hear the rest of the story after tough decisions were made by Entrepreneurs who faced adversity and lived to tell about it.
25episodes
Episodes
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Matthew Anderson - Making Better Decisions in Real Estate, Law, and Entrepreneurship
4w ago00:28:30Tap to summarizeMatthew Anderson is a Partner at Anderson & Harrison, PLLC, a Nashville-based boutique law firm focused on construction and real estate law. The practice represents real estate professionals, investors, developers, and operators in breach-of-contract and tort disputes related to real estate and construction. As a real estate investor and operator, Matthew has approximately $25M of assets under management, consisting primarily of multifamily and office space in Tennessee. In this episode… Entrepreneurship often requires choosing between what's working and what's worth building next. As opportunities expand, the harder decision is not always whether to grow, but what to let go of in order to grow well. How do you know when a difficult season is actually pointing you toward the next right move? Real estate and construction law expert Matthew Anderson built his career at the intersection of legal strategy, investing, and entrepreneurship. After starting out in law while quietly pursuing real estate deals on the side, he eventually stepped into business ownership, learning that growth required more than ambition — it required focus, discipline, and the courage to say no. A deeply personal setback, including grief and a delayed bar exam, became an unexpected turning point that gave Matthew space to study investing and take action. His advice: stop dabbling, make offers, learn through due diligence, and use action to build confidence. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline sits down with Matthew Anderson, Partner at Anderson & Harrison, PLLC, to discuss making difficult decisions in entrepreneurship and real estate investing. Matthew shares how he joined EO, why investor experience shapes his legal advice, and how a major personal setback helped launch his investing journey.
Transcribe →Brian Fisher - How To Find Your True Role in Business and Build a Career That Fits
May 100:44:51Tap to summarizeBrian Fisher is the Co-founder and COO of Jucebox, a digital marketing and sales platform for life insurance agents and advisors. He is also the COO and Chief Compliance Officer at JB Wealth Advisors, an SEC-registered investment advisory services company. With a background in operations and marketing, Brian helps advisors improve performance and client acquisition. In this episode… Success may look like a straight path from passion to achievement, but it rarely unfolds that way. Many professionals find themselves pivoting, reevaluating, and redefining what fulfillment means along the journey. What can you do when the path you've invested in no longer aligns with the life you want to build? Business infrastructure expert Brian Fisher didn't begin his career with spreadsheets or systems, but with a trumpet in hand and a vision of performing. As he moved from music into the restaurant industry, he immersed himself in operations, eventually running multimillion-dollar establishments and launching his own creative dining experiences. Even after achieving his dream of opening a restaurant, an unexpected loss forced Brian to rebuild from scratch. Alongside his twin brother, he found a new path, learning to embrace his strengths behind the scenes — designing systems, scaling operations, and supporting growth rather than chasing the spotlight. Brian's journey demonstrates that success comes from aligning your work with your natural strengths, not forcing yourself into roles that drain you. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with Brian Fisher, Co-founder and COO of Jucebox, to discuss navigating career pivots and finding your role in business. Brian shares his transition from music to restaurants, lessons from building and losing a business, and how defining his strengths reshaped his leadership approach.
Transcribe →Joyce Mehlman - How to Bet on Yourself and Build a Business Through Uncertainty
Apr 2400:32:26Tap to summarizeJoyce Mehlman is the Founder of iLEX Consulting Group, a fintech consulting firm. She is also the President and COO of Spidr, a fintech platform that enables businesses to develop and deliver embedded banking solutions. With over 30 years of experience in financial services and fintech, Joyce held senior leadership roles across operations, compliance, and payments. In this episode… Major career decisions rarely arrive at convenient times. They tend to show up alongside uncertainty, responsibility, and the pressure to choose between stability and something unproven. When the stakes include family, finances, and personal identity, how can you decide which path to take? Seasoned fintech leader and strategist Joyce Mehlman didn't begin her career in finance — she stumbled into it after her plans for law school fell through and a temporary bank job turned into a lifelong endeavor. Over decades, she worked her way through nearly every function in banking, eventually rising to executive leadership before stepping away to build something of her own. Along the way, Joyce faced moments that tested both her resilience and conviction — from supporting her family through uncertainty to navigating a near-collapse of her business during an industry downturn. Through it all, she leaned into adaptability, honesty, and persistence, proving that the willingness to bet on yourself can be the most important decision you make. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with Joyce Mehlman, Founder of iLEX Consulting Group and President and COO of Spidr, to discuss building resilience through uncertainty. Joyce shares how she transitioned from banking into entrepreneurship, navigated financial instability during the pandemic, and evolved her leadership style through honesty and active listening.
Transcribe →Jim Fisher - Lessons in Entrepreneurship, Sales, and Walking Away at the Right Time
Apr 1700:34:11Tap to summarizeJim Fisher is the Founder and CEO of Jucebox, a digital marketing and sales platform for life insurance agents and advisors. He is also the Managing Director at JB Growth Partners, where he leads retirement planning and financial education initiatives. With years of experience in retirement income planning, Jim focuses on helping financial professionals scale their production to serve clients more effectively. In this episode… Growth often comes from moments that don't look like wins. Entrepreneurs frequently face decisions where holding on feels safer than letting go, even when the path forward is unclear. Sometimes walking away turns out to be the most strategic move you can make. As a sales coach in the financial services industry, Jim Fisher's journey is shaped by a series of calculated risks and hard-earned lessons. Early in his career, he absorbed a customer-first philosophy that emphasized solving problems rather than pushing products, a mindset that later defined how he trained others. Along the way, Jim faced a defining setback when a business partnership unraveled, forcing him to choose between a prolonged legal fight or redirecting his energy elsewhere. He chose to move forward, channeling his focus into refining his craft and helping others master sales through clarity, conviction, and purpose. Jim emphasizes narrowing your focus and committing to where you can create the most value. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with Jim Fisher, Founder and CEO of Jucebox and Managing Director of JB Growth Partners, to discuss entrepreneurship, sales, and decision-making. Jim explains how to niche down for growth, what traits define high-performing salespeople, and why walking away from a business can lead to greater long-term success.
Transcribe →David Waddell - The Power of Vulnerability and Fast Decision-Making in Business Growth
Apr 1000:41:42Tap to summarizeDavid Waddell is the CEO and Chief Investment Strategist at Waddell & Associates, an SEC-registered investment advisory and wealth management firm. He leads the firm's investment committee, using macroeconomic forecasting, market analysis, and risk assessment to guide clients' portfolio strategies. With over two decades of experience, David is a recognized economic and investment expert and has been featured in major media outlets like Forbes and The Wall Street Journal. In this episode… Success in business often looks like confidence, certainty, and control — but the reality is often far messier. Behind strong outcomes are moments of doubt, difficult decisions, and the willingness to admit what isn't working. Sometimes, the advantage isn't having the answers, but knowing when to question them. As an investment strategist with decades of experience guiding entrepreneurs, David Waddell's journey was shaped as much by missteps as by wins. From humble beginnings — sleeping in a sparse apartment while working at Charles Schwab — to stepping into his father's firm and challenging its core business model, David learned early that conviction comes with risk. Years later, after a long stretch of success, shifting market dynamics exposed flaws in his approach, forcing him into a difficult period of reflection and reinvention. That experience reshaped his leadership style, grounding it in humility and decisiveness. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with David Waddell, CEO and Chief Investment Strategist at Waddell & Associates, to discuss decision-making and growth as an entrepreneur. David explains the importance of vulnerability in EO forums, lessons from shifting a business model, and how market changes forced a strategic reset.
Transcribe →Carla Pierson - Building a Scalable Platform Business: Lessons in Growth, Risk, and Focus
Apr 300:31:03Tap to summarizeCarla Pierson, DNP, RN, is the Co-founder and Chief of Business Operations at Smiley Aesthetics, a medical aesthetics company that provides clinical services, training, and business support to aesthetic providers. With over a decade of experience in nursing leadership and healthcare operations, she combines critical care, hospital administration, and business strategy. Before launching the company with her twin sister, Carla held leadership roles at major healthcare companies. In this episode… Building a business often looks straightforward from the outside: identify a need, create a solution, and grow. Yet behind that simplicity are decisions that carry weight, especially when stability, identity, and risk are all intertwined. How do entrepreneurs know when to leap and when to hold steady? Seasoned healthcare operator Carla Pierson didn't set out to become an entrepreneur overnight. After years of managing large-scale hospital operations, she partnered with her twin sister to explore a small, scrappy idea — bringing aesthetic services directly to clients. What began as a side hustle quickly gained traction, forcing her to confront a defining moment: leave a secure career or fully commit to something uncertain. As the business scaled, Carla leaned on structure, discipline, and her clinical background to build systems that empowered others, all while navigating the complexities of partnership, growth, and opportunity. Her advice to others: focus is everything, and splitting your energy limits your ceiling, but committing fully can unlock exponential growth. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with Carla Pierson, DNP, RN, Co-founder and Chief of Business Operations at Smiley Aesthetics, to discuss transitioning to entrepreneurship. Carla talks about her transition from healthcare leadership, building a scalable platform model, and the decision to walk away from a potential sale.
Transcribe →Nancy Stabell - Why Networking and Community Support Are Crucial for Entrepreneurs
Feb 2000:22:12Tap to summarizeNancy Stabell is the Founding Member of Wood Stabell Law Group, PLLC, which provides strategic, business‑oriented legal services to entrepreneurs, investors, and growing companies. As a fourth-generation attorney, she has over two decades of experience in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial real estate. Before founding Wood Stabell, Nancy gained experience in private practice and as a senior in‑house counsel. In this episode… What does it take to transition from a corporate career to owning your own business? This leap requires a clear vision and the courage to take risks. How can you navigate the uncertainty and build a thriving business from the ground up? Fourth-generation attorney Nancy Stabell always knew she was destined for a career in law. However, after years in a corporate job, she faced a pivotal moment when a company restructuring left her unemployed. Rather than seeking another position, Nancy took the plunge and began her own firm. At first, she worked out of a closet and built her client base through coffee meetings. Nancy emphasizes the value of working with entrepreneurs and building meaningful relationships that align with your passions. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with Nancy Stabell, Founding Member of Wood Stabell Law Group, PLLC, to discuss her journey as a founder. She talks about starting her firm after being laid off, navigating her first year in business, and the value of joining EO for growth.
Transcribe →Scott Scovill - The Power of Tenacity: Turning Fear and Failure Into Success in Music and Business
Feb 1300:58:10Tap to summarizeScott Scovill is a Nashville‑based country music singer‑songwriter known for his booming baritone and blend of classic and contemporary country. In addition to his music, he is the Owner of Moo TV, which provides equipment for concert tours and live events, and Moo Creative Media, which provides video production services. Scott also owns The Steel Mill, a premier rehearsal facility. In this episode… Success doesn't come easy, especially when the path is filled with fear, failure, and setbacks. What does it take to overcome these obstacles and push forward toward your dreams? Country music artist and entrepreneur Scott Scovill believes that tenacity fueled his success. He began his entrepreneurial journey by overcoming the fear of failure that had held him back. Scott advises entrepreneurs and creatives to embrace their fears, take risks, and work toward their passions — even when the road seems impossible. Not trying is a form of failure in itself, so pushing through discomfort is crucial. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with country music artist Scott Scovill to discuss overcoming fear and embracing persistence. Scott shares how sneaking into U2 shows shaped his career, how he conquered glossophobia, and how he began living a life worth writing about.
Transcribe →Buddy Teaster - How To Rebuild Trust, Culture, and Strategy After Mismanagement
Feb 500:35:53Tap to summarizeBuddy Teaster is the President and CEO of Soles4Souls, a global nonprofit that creates opportunities for people through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing. As a thought leader, speaker, and author, he has written books on leadership and social impact and hosts a podcast about purpose-driven leadership. Before Soles4Souls, Buddy held executive roles in business and nonprofit organizations, including the National Association of Local Advertisers and Executive Business Services (EBS). In this episode… Major decisions often arise when the path forward is unclear — when the numbers don't add up, the pressure mounts, and leadership is tested. In those moments, performance depends less on having perfect answers and more on having the courage to face reality and rebuild with intention. How can leaders push through uncertainty and turn a struggling organization into something sustainable? According to purpose-driven leader Buddy Teaster, the first step is radical transparency: focusing on actual cash flow, telling the truth about challenges, and creating systems that keep everyone aligned. He also highlights the role of trusted peer communities like EO, where vulnerability, mentoring, and one-on-one connections help leaders navigate tough seasons. Together, these practices show how discipline and openness create the foundation for mission-centered leadership that can withstand uncertainty. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with Buddy Teaster, President and CEO of Soles4Souls, to discuss leading through organizational turnaround to catalyze impact-driven growth. Buddy talks about rebuilding transparency after a financial crisis, shifting from transactional models to deeper partnerships, and launching bold new programs during uncertainty.
Transcribe →Casey Riggs - How Entrepreneurs Can Identify Business Problems and Make Informed Decisions
Dec 1200:33:48Tap to summarizeCasey Riggs is a Member of Riggs Davie PLC, a boutique law firm specializing in corporate and securities law, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital/private equity, and estate and tax planning. In his practice, he focuses on estate planning, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives for individuals and families. Casey also advises clients on corporate matters such as entity formation, financing, equity compensation, and mergers and acquisitions. In this episode… Entrepreneurs can struggle to define the underlying problem behind the urgent issue they bring to advisors. Questions get buried under assumptions, and complex challenges get reduced to overly simple requests. Uncovering the actual problem can be one of the most valuable skills a business owner develops. According to business attorney Casey Riggs, clarity is the starting point for every effective solution. He recommends digging past the surface by asking targeted questions and resisting the urge to fix what hasn't been fully defined. Casey also emphasizes the importance of working with people familiar with professional processes and leveraging AI tools to improve accuracy, efficiency, and decision-making. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson chat with Casey Riggs, a Member of Riggs Davie PLC, about identifying client needs. Casey shares how he diagnoses core issues, how EO shaped his leadership style, and how AI is transforming his legal work.
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