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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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.

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.

EPISODE

107
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.

EPISODE

106
Athletics

“Beyond Football: Saving Lives on and off the Field” with Coach Mike Mosby

Athletics

In this episode, I sit down with Coach Mike Mosby from Oakhaven High, an inner-city Memphis school, to talk about what it means to lead beyond football.

EPISODE

105
Non Profit

“We’re Still Getting Homelessness Wrong — and How to Fix It” with Jarad Bingham

Non Profit

In this episode, I sit down with Jarad from The Hospitality Hub in Memphis to talk about redesigning how they serve people experiencing homelessness.

EPISODE

104
Public Service

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

Public Service

EPISODE

103
Business

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

Business

EPISODE

102
Business

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

Business

EPISODE

101
Non Profit

“Faith, Fear, and Calling: A Missionary’s Story from Russia” with Dana Evans

Non Profit

EPISODE

100
Business

“An Operator At Heart” with Stephen Shannon

Business
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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