Podcast Get In Touch
WELCOME TO OUR PODCAST

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.

Explore More Episodes

FILTER EPISODES BY TOPIC

EPISODE

109
Education

109. Buried $500K Drug Cash, Prison Plea with God, Bootstrapped Boarding School with Melvin Cole

Education

Some stories don’t fit neatly into a redemption arc. Melvin Cole’s is one of them. This episode isn’t polished inspiration. It’s an honest conversation about trauma, responsibility, faith and what it actually takes to change outcomes: not just for individuals, but for communities.

Learn More

EPISODE

86
Education

“So You Want To Rethink High School?” With Ryan Pryor Crosstown High School

Education
Learn More

EPISODE

45
Education

The Life Of A Researcher – Thick Skin and Persistence

Education
Learn More

EPISODE

42
Education

“Living Out The Dreams Of Others Before You” with Dr. Tracy D. Hall

Education
Learn More

EPISODE

39
Education

“Education Was My Way Off The Farm” with Otis Sanford

Education
Learn More

EPISODE

20
Education

What Does it Take to Bridge the Gap in Educational Inequality?

Education
Learn More

EPISODE

4
Education

Dr. David Rudd | “Knowing Your Why”, Innovation, Data, Growth, Time Management, and Creating Change

Education
Learn More
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.

Learn More

Ready to Tell

Your Story?

BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL