This is the "it" city I've heard that said
I just like to take over "it"
and just call it the information Technology city
I like the way you think why not
I mean this
I mean you look at the companies that have
in transportation comp data
in healthcare HCA and in all forms of logistics
Nashville is a thought leader
a historic leader in all forms of logistics
in Tennessee of course
with FedEx etcetera
so Tennessee is the greatest place to start
and grow a business
Nashville's the absolute
greatest place to start and grow a business
how are you tapping
into the enthusiasm that's already here
well I
the collaborative nature of Nashville is
you know
we had a conversation yesterday on using the phrase
easy it's simple
let's go with simple rather than easy
see I do listen to you
Johnny and
you know I do think it's simple
because the elements are all in place
we couldn't put the geographic position of Nashville
that's something I can't control
we can't control just happens to be really good
you know so we have that element in place
I think some foresight from the leadership of the state
from past years I mean
no state income tax
I sat at lunch today with someone
and he's in from Chicago and I said well
let's talk about some things
and there's so many elements in place
I think
personally
I'll feel like shame on me if we don't advance as
into that position of prominence
because it's all waiting to happen
so Nashville has tax policy
has a cosmopolitan field
there's a lot of people from somewhere else here
so everybody is comfortable meeting everybody
we talked a lot about community in this
set of conversations we've had today
yes
and John coach John Wooden said something like
you can't teach height
right and so he could take a 7 foot 2
human being and turn him into a 7 foot 2
and my friend Bill Walton
these these you
you don't have Nashville has height
Nashville has all the natural gifts
and all we need to do is learn our eye
hand coordination you know
how we're passing the ball as teammates
you know how are we playing this game
what what
what are your inspirations for leadership
oh
my father would be one just
just the way he was a very servant leader
I've been fortunate through my career
to have some great mentors
that I've Learned many great things from
recently Learned the premise of a reverse mentor think
we've chatted about that which is I'm all in on that
learning from younger generations that can help me
I believe be a better leader
but
I think looking at leaders
it comes from so many different forms of my life
and I'd like to believe I've
I've tried to look and be aware of those around me
and to pick elements of uh
what makes them special cause ultimately
I think a good leader is someone
Dy said it earlier I mean he
he went through a list of things and
I do believe it it's
it's being aware of your team
recognizing them correctly
just being very personal
caring for them caring and
and ultimately his phrase was be nice
hmm
I think if that's a pretty good lesson for you
for all of us you know
whether we're leaders or not
the world would be a better place
that's why I think Nashville is a great center
to do that because that's the community
Nashville wants to help and support
I mean you
we've all lived that
and so that's why that opportunity is so great here
and to your point yes
I would love to see it move throughout society
to where it touches all areas
because that's for the good of mankind
yeah our
our our quality of life here
has a lot to do with the quality of government
the quality of regional and
and
mayoral and city and other types of
of leaders coming together
together with their industrial counterparts
you know the rest of this ecosystem
and we haven't spent a lot of time talking today about
how our government can be a partner
and I don't I don't maybe
maybe we could speak a little bit about that
I think we're very fortunate
and again it goes into the stars aligned
we have a mayor that supports technology
he has a background from technology absolutely
he's a tech dude he's absolutely is
and Freddy has an understanding
which is a great perspective
this city to build from this region
to build from
and so we gotta utilize that
I think it's public and private investment is critical
one of my
I mean I love what Jeremy's done and achieved
and he'll be the first to tell you
he'll line up and talk about how the states
had involvement how certain companies
private companies have come to the table
it's pretty fun when you can do that together
what is the spirit of innovation
what is the spirit of of
of what moves them as leaders
and as people participating in this ecosystem
so I'm I'm
I'm proud to be a part of it
I'm I'm here to just shout from the rooftops
top of Alliance Bernstein with you about what
what you're doing right and what we're doing what
what else could we do is a good question
you asked that question when we first got together
what else could we do and I think we're doing it today
what what else could we do
well I think there's
I mean I'm not here to say that everything's working
in perfection because I told you one of my goals
I want us to have that worldwide prominence
we're not there at this point um
I think it's it's just connecting folks effectively
cause the desire is to make Nashville great okay
um what else could we do
it revolves we talk about human talent
it's capital it's
there's so many different elements
we just gotta piece together effectively
it's like the we've got the jigsaw puzzle
someone's given us all the pieces
we just gotta put them together to make that final
final jigsaw um
piece of art yeah
it's a piece of art absolutely
but it's not like
there's not a piece missing from the box in my opinion
I think it's all there it's just okay
we gotta figure out how to connect them effectively
so directly you look out three years from now um
what do you see
I'd like to see where we have an ecosystem in place
to where we've got a clear process that finds talent
it then develops talent and it retains talent
uh when I say that there's elements that that's
and when we talk about collaboration
that's gonna require the school systems
higher education employers
the city the state uh
we've all got to be working in harmony
but there's no reason that can't happen
because I believe we have
goes back to that special
special source and the special source is the people
that's the special source of of this region
it's the people um
both of you have been successful in business
you're givers you're not takers
I mean and I think that's something that's um
I don't say unique
because I'm sure there's other places
but I don't know whether there's places that do it
as well as this community
that's her that's her closer
there you go
thank you for being a part of this experience
no I love you for being part of this
it's uh you were vital in my mind
for this to be where we can fulfill the potential
so I appreciate you both we're not done
not even started not even close