Signature Required
A podcast for Tennesseans by Tennesseans. We talk with leaders—business owners, policy experts, educators, and more—who champion the entrepreneurial spirit and transform once-small ideas into big impact.
Episodes
106 episodes
Sen. Jack Johnson on Tunnels, Tolls, and Tennessee Politics
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson breaks down the mechanics behind the Boring Company's underground tunnels, Choice Lanes, and the real drivers of Tennessee's explosive growth. From navigating misinformation to the sacrifice require...
Wendall Hinkle on What It Takes to Manage Film Locations
Location manager Wendall Hinkle pulls back the curtain on how major productions like Superman, Nashville, and 9-1-1 Nashville find and transform real places into the backdrops of our favorite shows. From knocking on doors in neighborhoods to sh...
Lance Villio on the Governor’s Faith Based & Community Initiatives
Lance Villio, Executive Director of the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative, joins Signature Required to discuss how government, churches, and nonprofits can work together to serve Tennessee’s most vulnerable. Appointed by Gov...
Dr. Candice McQueen on Lipscomb University
This week, we sit down with Dr. Candice McQueen, President of Lipscomb University, to explore the evolving role of higher education in Tennessee. We discuss how Lipscomb is balancing academic rigor with a Christ-centered mission, the importance...
Tiffany Kerns on Building Community Through Music
Tiffany Kerns, Executive Director of the CMA Foundation, joins Signature Required for a grounded and expansive conversation about music education, leadership, and the power of community partnership. While many know the Country Music As...
Mackenzie Steele on Creative Discovery Museum Chattanooga
At the Creative Discovery Museum in Chattanooga, learning looks a lot like play, and play is serious work. From the center of the museum’s atrium, Mackenzie Steele, Director of Marketing and Communications, shares how one of Tennessee’s most be...
Randy Boyd on The University of Tennessee
Randy Boyd, President of the University of Tennessee, joins Signature Required for a conversation about entrepreneurship, public service, and the role higher education plays in shaping the future of Tennessee. From starting busin...
Vernon Shaw on the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
Signature Required sits down with Vernon Shaw, Manager of Donor Relationships for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, for a conversation about food insecurity, community care, and the complexity behind feeding thousands of families ac...
Scott Peck on The Loveless Cafe
Signature Required sits down with Scott Peck, Executive Chef of Loveless Cafe, for a conversation about Southern cooking, culinary leadership, and what it takes to steward one of Tennessee’s most iconic restaurants. From biscuits and fried chic...
Chris Fletcher On Inside Jack Daniel’s
Jack Daniel’s is one of the most recognizable brands in the world, but its story is deeply rooted in a small Tennessee town, generations of family legacy, and an uncompromising commitment to doing things the right way. From the Bethel House at ...
CJ Sentell on Nashville Food Project
Signature Required sits down with CJ Sentelll, CEO of the Nashville Food Project, to explore food insecurity from a community and systems perspective. The conversation goes beyond emergency food aid to examine why hunger exists, how food desert...
Andrew Leeper On Nashville Severe Weather
Weather becomes personal when it’s happening over your neighborhood, at night, with kids asleep down the hall. Andrew Leeper, Director of Broadcasting for Nashville Severe Weather, explains why hyperlocal, calm, two-way communication matters mo...
Mark Davidson (DA) on Inside the Role of a Tennessee District Attorney
Public safety looks very different when you move past TV stereotypes and into real communities. Mark Davidson, District Attorney General for Tennessee’s 25th Judicial District, offers a candid look at what the justice system actually does and w...
Patrick Sheehan on Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
Patrick Sheehan, Director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, is one of the people most Tennesseans never see but rely on constantly. Drawing on decades of experience responding to disasters ranging from floods and tornadoes to pandem...
Chief John Drake on Keeping Nashville Safe
Chief John Drake, Metro Nashville’s Chief of Police, joins us for a wide ranging conversation on leadership, trust, and what it actually means to serve a city that has changed dramatically over the last few decades. With nearly four decades in ...
Dr. Nidhi Gupta on Tennessee Doctor Leads the Way for Screen Safety
Screens are shaping childhood in ways most parents never connect until something feels off. Dr. Nidhi Gupta joins us for a clear, clinical conversation about screen safety, child development, and what she sees showing up in kids long before fam...
Rory and AJ Vaden on Marriage and Partnership in Entrepreneurship
Join us this week as we sit down with Rory and AJ Vaden, co-founders of Brand Builders Group. We talk about personal branding, entrepreneurship, and what it really means to build a meaningful business together. Tune in today!
.png)
Tasia Malakasis on What It Takes to Scale a Startup
This week, we sat down with Tasia Malakasis, CEO of The Company Lab, to explore her journey from tech executive to entrepreneur. She shares insights on Chattanooga’s startup scene, the importance of tenacity, and how The Company Lab supports mo...
Dean Wegner on Made in the USA
This week, we sat down with Dean Wegner, founder and CEO of Authentically American, to talk about how his company is producing 100% U.S.-made apparel while supporting veterans, maintaining American manufacturing, and leading with faith and valu...
Brian Clifford on Tennessee's State Parks
Join us this week as we sit down with Brian Clifford, Director of Tennessee’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, to explore the state’s outdoor opportunities. We dive into how Tennessee is improving quality of life, creating jobs, and conserving nat...
.png)
Ellen Liston on Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood
In this festive episode, Ellen Liston, PR Manager at Dollywood, takes us inside the park for its beloved Smoky Mountain Christmas. She also shares Dolly Parton’s vision for community impact and the stories of employees who bring the magic to li...
Lauren Clanton on Faith-Based Preventative Care
This week, we sit down with Lauren Clanton, Behavioral Specialist at Faith Family Medical Center, to dive into the key issues and opportunities influencing Nashville’s health landscape. We explore her work in community engagement, the importanc...
.png)
Mark Yancy on Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice
This week, we sit down with Mark Yancy, CEO of NashvilleHealth, to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping Nashville’s public health. We discuss access to healthier choices, how the city’s infrastructure impacts well-being, and the col...
.png)
Joshua Haston on Affordable Housing Development
Join us this week as we sit down with Joshua Haston, Development Manager at LDG Development's Nashville office, to unpack the challenges and solutions behind affordable housing. Tune in today!
.png)
Glenn Cranfield on Homelessness in Nashville
This week, we sit down with Glenn Cranfield, President & CEO of the Nashville Rescue Mission, to talk about how the organization has been serving Nashville’s homeless community since 1953, offering not just shelter, but hope, restoration, a...
.png)