Mid South Business Exchange

Hosted by Southaven Chamber of Commerce, Cristan Engelke & Kim Cook

BusinessInterviews guests

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Episodes

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Welcome to the Mid South Business Exchange podcast—where business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals connect through real stories, practical insights, and conversations about what it takes to build and grow a business in the Mid-South. From entrepreneurship and leadership to workforce, marketing, economic development, and the challenges facing today's businesses, we explore the ideas, people, and opportunities shaping our region. Each episode features conversations with local business leaders, community changemakers, and industry experts who share their experiences, lessons learned, and perspectives on doing business across the Mid-South. Whether you're starting a business, growing a team, leading an organization, or simply looking for fresh ideas, Mid South Business Exchange brings you stories and insights to help you learn, connect, and grow.

Listen to episodes

8 recent

November 2, 202635 min

The Same Conflict Keeps Coming Up. Look Here First.

Could the way you naturally lead be holding you back? Leadership development coach Jeff Jones, founder of Refining Leaders, explains why the most important question is how you lead the people you lead, and why the style that got you here can become a weakness. You'll learn how stress pulls you back to your default style, what recurring conflict says about your leadership, and why one assessment never gives you the full picture.

October 26, 202625 min

Put Down the Snow Globe at Your Next Event

Networking event tips for anyone who has ever stopped listening because they couldn’t wait to share their own idea. Host Cristan explains the snow globe habit that kills conversations at networking events, and what to do instead. You will also learn the mindset shift, how to become the connector in the room, and why one event is never enough.

October 19, 202632 min

Could Your Business Survive 30 Days Without You?

Have you built a successful business or a beautiful prison? Tina Tatum, owner of Ethnos Coffee Roasters and Coffee Central, shares how she is building a business that runs without her at the center of everything. You'll learn how checklists, hiring for culture, and real delegation let an owner step back without the business slipping.

October 12, 202636 min

How to Follow Up With Customers the Chick fil A Way

April Armstrong of Chick-fil-A Southaven explains the small, free habits that build customer trust. She shares how intentional follow-up, the first 30 seconds of an interaction, and second mile service helped grow her catering business from a little over $200,000 a year to over $2.4 million. Every one of these habits is something a small business can start this week.

October 5, 202630 min

AI Can’t Find Your Business? Here’s the Fix

More customers are asking ChatGPT and other AI tools which business to pick, and your website may never get a click. Patrick Collins, founder and owner of Patrick Works Marketing, breaks down how AI decides who it recommends and what a small business can do this week to get found.

September 28, 202647 min

I Tried to Build a Town: The Jon Reeves Story

John Reeves, co-founder of Reeves Williams, helped build Southaven from the ground up. He explains how a town with gravel roads and one burger stand grew into one of the Mid-South's biggest suburbs, and what drove that growth.

September 21, 202637 min

Your Best Marketing Team Is Already In Your Store

Social media marketer Andrew Bartolotta explains how small businesses get seen without millions of followers. You will learn why your regular customers may be your strongest marketing team, and how showing up in your community turns visibility into new customers.

September 8, 202626 min

5 Financial Reports Every Business Owner Needs

Most businesses that fail don't fail from a weak product or a lazy owner. They fail because nobody reads the numbers. Beth Snow of Back Office Guru explains the financial reports every business owner needs to understand, the warning signs of trouble, and why hiring an accountant alone won't fix it.