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.

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Public Service

“Entrepreneurship and Mom’s Garage” with JW Gibson

Public Service

In this episode of Driven By, I sit down with JW Gibson, a lifelong Memphian whose journey is as remarkable as it is inspiring.

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Public Service

“From $20 Million in the Red to a Vision for Memphis Healthcare” Dr. Reginald Coopwood

Public Service

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“Rise Above The Fray” with Memphis Mayor Paul Young

Public Service

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“We’re Standing In The Gap” with Memphis Fire Chief Gina Sweat

Public Service

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Who Said Living Out Your Childhood Dreams Would Be Easy? with MPD Director Michael Rallings

Public Service

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Taking Action While Finding What Moves You with JP Dinnell

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Public Service

There’s no blueprint for life: What happens when you take it one day at a time

Public Service

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Michael Dunavant | Finding His Calling, Public Service, Doing the Hard Things to do the Better Things, George Floyd, Fighting Crime, and More

Public Service

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Michael W. Rallings | Service, Discipline, Emotions, Humility, and Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

Public Service
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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