What happens when your population increases by over 30% in 10 years and the median home price is over $900,000?

It sounds like a success story (and it is), but at the same time the teachers, first responders, and entry-level workers who keep this community running can't afford to live where they work.

In this episode I'm discussing the housing challenges that come with being Tennessee's biggest success story with Bo Patten, the CEO of the Williamson County Association of Realtors.

WCAR’s 2,800 members aren't just selling houses - they're on the front lines of a housing market that's growing faster than anyone expected.

In this episode, Bo shares:

• How realtors went from selling houses to shaping housing policy in Franklin
• Why as many people commute INTO Williamson County as leave it (it's not the bedroom community people think it is)
• How Williamson County plans to address a projected shortage of nearly 10,000 housing units by 2030

The communities that thrive long-term aren't the ones that grow the fastest. They're the ones that plan for it.

Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com

Most people think Tennessee's entertainment industry is just Nashville honky-tonks and country music. It's actually an $8 billion business keeping your taxes low.

Bob Raines runs the Tennessee Entertainment Commission - the state agency that oversees film, TV, and music. The industry he manages generates $8 billion in economic activity across Tennessee, which brings over $400 million in tax revenue into the state every year. That money helps keep Tennessee a low-tax state.

Tennessee didn't throw massive incentive programs at entertainment companies. We built something better - a talent ecosystem that keeps growing on its own.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why Bob would rather be a "second tier" market than #1 (and why it’s a smarter play long-term)
• How Tennessee attracts more talent than states spending twice as much on incentives
• Why an eight-year degree isn't needed to be successful in entertainment

Entertainment in Tennessee isn't just Nashville's country music scene. It's jobs, tax revenue, and reasons for people to stay, all across the state.

Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com

Ten years ago, Lawrence County was on Tennessee's distressed counties list.

Today, they're one of the most exciting areas in the state. New investment coming in every month, 1,500 jobs added since 2020, and downtown is filled with restaurants, retailers, and Airbnbs.

So… what changed? They started seeing their limitations as opportunities.

Ryan Egly is the President & CEO of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce. Growing up he was told if he wanted to be successful, he'd have to leave Lawrenceburg. Instead of following that advice, he found a different solution.

In this episode, we're discussing:

• How quantifying work ethic (not just credentials) became their secret weapon for recruiting businesses
• Why keeping everything under one roof lets a 50,000-person county compete with 100,000+ markets
• How to build education partnerships that actually serve your local workforce needs

You already have what you need. You just have to see it differently.

Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com

Cleveland is thriving. New restaurants, full parking lots, major development happening everywhere.

But six years ago, the city was operating with 65% variable debt - which meant they couldn't predict their budget, couldn't plan accurately, and couldn't attract the kind of investment they needed.

The first thing Mayor Kevin Brooks did? The unsexy work. He got Cleveland's debt under control (from 65% variable to 97% fixed) and created the foundation for everything else.

Kevin Brooks doesn't call himself a politician. He's a public servant who's been serving Cleveland since he was a college student giving downtown historical tours. In this episode, he shares:

• Why getting your financial house in order has to come first
• How fixing the debt allowed Cleveland to budget taxpayer money for real infrastructure improvements
• How regional collaboration drives growth, even across party lines

When you fix the foundation first, it makes everything else a little bit easier.

Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com

If Knoxville only had football, they'd have 7 weekends of revenue per year.

Instead, Visit Knoxville generated $2 billion in economic impact by building the infrastructure, bringing in events like the Bassmaster Classic and concerts at Neyland Stadium, and promoting the city's restaurants, arts scene, and outdoor spaces.

In this episode, Kim Bumpas (President of Visit Knoxville) shares:

• Why being a standalone organization is key to staying nimble
• The infrastructure investments that turned Knoxville into a year-round destination
• What keeps tourists (and customers) coming back after their first visit

Your main attraction might get people in the door, but what you build around it can keep them coming back.

Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com

00:00 - Why we're headed to Knoxville

02:33 - How Knoxville transformed from "college town" to premier destination

04:48 - The Sunsphere takeover: turning a 40-year-old icon into a revenue driver

06:43 - Creating the Visit Knoxville Film Office (and why focused ownership matters)

10:48 - Why being a standalone organization keeps you nimble

13:55 - The Bassmaster Classic: $35M in economic impact over 4 days

17:30 - How tourism creates infrastructure that serves locals year-round

22:41 - When Visit Knoxville and UT are partners

27:11 - Building community buy-in for events that cause inconvenience

29:36 - What's next: future plans and events coming to Knoxville

39:57 - Studio debrief

You don’t get better at sports by playing people you can already beat, and you don’t grow as a leader by staying in rooms where you’re always comfortable.

Some of the most important turning points in my life came from being challenged by people who were smarter than me, realizing I still had blind spots, and hearing perspectives I didn’t expect.

In fact, I spent most of my career telling people who worked for me that they didn’t need a college degree as long as they could sell. But my opinion changed once I went through Leadership Tennessee, and I ended up going back to college.

In this episode, Dr. Alfred Degrafinreid of Leadership Tennessee and I explore:

• How the whole state improves when leaders stop trying to be the smartest person in the room
• Why Leadership Tennessee doesn’t actually teach leadership (because everyone who gets in already is one)
• How traveling across the state exposes blind spots that don’t show up in boardrooms
• What happens when growth gets concentrated in one place instead of spread across the state

Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com

When Tennessee started winning at football, hotels in Knoxville went from $150/night to $800/night on game weekends. The university got 800 new student applications after they beat Alabama. Downtown restaurants set sales records.

The Volunteer Club (Tennessee's NIL collective) was created when college athletes started getting paid - a change some people loved and others hated. But Hunter Baddour saw an opportunity to partner with the university in a way that helped everyone succeed.

In this episode, Hunter Baddour of The Volunteer Club joins me to share how they built a product so good they barely had to sell it. Now, 3,000 people show up to their tailgates, members renew without being asked, VFLs get involved without prompting. Plus:

• Why they diversified their customer base instead of chasing big donors
• How they evolved their offerings based on member feedback
• Why business is transactional (yes, relationships open doors, but execution keeps them from closing)

You might not have an SEC school in your backyard, but every community has something they can win at.

Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com

New bars and restaurants might be sexy, but what's really sexy are the businesses that hold history within their walls.

Gary Meadows is the 4th owner of Wally's, which opened in 1937 and is now the oldest restaurant in Chattanooga. It's a meat-and-three where people from all walks of life come together, business deals happen over cobbler, and they know you by your face even if they don't know your name.

It just so happens to be my favorite restaurant, but that's not why we're visiting it today. Wally's has a story to tell - something that others can learn from.

In this episode, I head to Wally's to find out:

• What it takes to survive 89 years in the restaurant business
• How it's possible to pride yourself on affordability, even when costs keep rising
• Why closing one location actually strengthened the other

With places like Nikki's, Town & Country, and Zarzours closing, it's more important than ever to support local institutions like Wally's.

And just to be clear: Gary has no plans of closing Wally's any time soon. It's survived two fires, multiple transitions, and the great lemon debacle, so it'll take a lot more than that to shut it down.

Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com

00:00 - Why We’re Heading to Wally’s

01:10 - The History of Wally’s

11:30 - How They Maintain Affordability Despite Rising Costs

21:35 - Passing It Down: Training the Next Generation

25:00 - When Gary's Brother Closed the East Ridge Location

35:34 - The 1998 Fire: When the Community Rallied for the Staff

41:23 - Tony's Advice & The Lemon Debacle

48:36 - The Staff Who Show Up at 2:45 AM ("We Got You, Boss")

54:25 - Locally Owned AND Operated vs. Corporate Chains

1:01:35 - Studio Debrief: Takeaways