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Meet Founders & People Making an Impact on Driven By

Welcome to our podcast where you’ll hear from those who have boldly blazed their own trail. We discuss what drives them, the risks they have taken, and what they have learned along the way.

OUR LATEST EPISODE

On the latest episode of Drive By with Sam Coates, Cole, founder of PURE Academy in Memphis, shares a raw, unpolished account of growing up in extreme poverty, entering the drug trade at age 11, surviving gun violence and ultimately choosing a radically different path. Raised by a heroin-addicted grandmother in South Memphis, Cole lost his sister as a toddler due to a medical misdiagnosis, experienced childhood sexual abuse and became a father at just 14. Survival wasn’t a philosophy: it was daily reality.

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EPISODE

108
Business

108. “Blue-Collar Kid, $20k in a Garage, Second Mortgage, Big Exits” with Gary Stavrum

Business

This Driven By episode features Gary Stavrum, a Memphis entrepreneur whose career reflects exceptional grit, discipline and vision.

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EPISODE

103
Business

Field Norris on Turning a Problem into a Brand: The Birth of Chene Gear

Business
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EPISODE

102
Business

“From Greyhounds to Third Street: The Wild Story of Mark Goodfellow”

Business
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EPISODE

100
Business

“An Operator At Heart” with Stephen Shannon

Business
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EPISODE

99
Business

“Burnout, Funding, and Impact: The Realities of Nonprofit Leadership” with Jonathan Torres and Danny Song

Business
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EPISODE

98
Business

“Breaking Down the Business of Medicine” with Daniel Shumate

Business
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EPISODE

97
Business

“The Art of Impact: The Legacy and Vision of Arts Memphis” with Elizabeth Rouse

Business
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EPISODE

96
Business

“The Steakhouse In The Middle of Nowhere” with Randall Swaney

Business
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EPISODE

95
Business

“The Only Woman There” with Nancy Knous

Business
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EPISODE

94
Business

“Desperation Makes You Do Wonderful Things” with David Wedaman

Business
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ABOUT OUR FOUNDER

Meet Sam Coates

Sam brings clarity and curiosity to the table, drawing out honest, meaningful conversations with people who’ve built something worth paying attention to. it’s a deep dive into decisions, turning points, and the values that drive people forward.

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