Podcasts about Opryland

I was scrolling through my Facebook timeline last night and saw two groups I follow share pictures that opined about their defunct Sky Ride. You probably rode on the Sky Ride if you visited nearly any amusement park in the 1960s through the 1980s. At Nashville's Opryland, the Skyride traveled between Doo Wah Diddy City and the New Orleans section of the park. In my old hometown of Quincy, IL, their Sky Cruise flew from the riverfront to Quinsippi Island and back. Sadly, by the mid-1980s, the ride was gone; today, most of the remaining trams are also distant memories... Click Here To Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicGoogle PodcastsTuneIniHeartRadioPandoraDeezerBlubrryBullhornCastBoxCastrofyyd.deGaanaiVooxListen NotesmyTuner RadioOvercastOwlTailPlayer.fmPocketCastsPodbayPodbeanPodcast AddictPodcast IndexPodcast RepublicPodchaserPodfanPodtailRadio PublicRadio.comReason.fmRSSRadioVurblWe.foYandex jQuery(document).ready(function($) { 'use strict'; $('#podcast-subscribe-button-13292 .podcast-subscribe-button.modal-67c6409a115b4').on("click", function() { $("#secondline-psb-subs-modal.modal-67c6409a115b4.modal.secondline-modal-67c6409a115b4").modal({ fadeDuration: 250, closeText: '', }); return false; }); });

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob don their cowboy hats, pull on their boots, and take the listeners to Tex…nope, not there - it's Nashville.  Home of hot chicken and hockey.  Country music and cutting edge comedy.  Parthenons and Moon Pies.  Jacob gets quizzed on his memories of a family spring break trip, and Jay reminisces about a childhood trip to the now-shuttered Opryland.  Then they get to the food.  It's another live tasting in the second half, with Nashville-born Goo Goo Clusters of all kinds, including three premium versions Jay picked up on his last visit to Music City.  You'll go goo-goo over this episode for sure!

We're riding shotgun with another fascinating guest on today's episode of the Six Figure Trucker. Actually, fascinating doesn't do it justice. Before taking his seat behind the wheel of Driveaway, Mark Nichols experienced life as a combat veteran, published journalist, and ballroom dancing instructor. Bet you didn't guess that last one! But, it's true, and this part of the story gets even crazier. As you'll hear in our conversation, Mark once leveraged his dancing talents for an opportunity to grace the Opryland stage alongside Dwight Yoakam at the CMA Awards! We're simply amazed by the fascinating lives of the men and women of driveaway trucking. Tune in today to hear Mark's story and glean valuable insights into Driveaway Trucking from this 7-year veteran of the open roads. Show Notes:Mark's colorful background in the Military and Journalism (1:13)Venturing into the world of Podcasting (5:40)The sights and sounds of 7 years in Driveaway (10:49)Becoming a Ballroom Dancing Instructor (16:55)On Stage with Country star, Dwight Yoakam (25:06)Sage advice for Driveaway Drivers (31:12)Keep Trucking, Mark! The Six-Figure Trucker is a weekly podcast about driveaway trucking brought to you by Norton Transport. For more information or to subscribe, please visit Six-FigureTrucker.com.

On Huckabee, this time of year offers the chance to reflect on the first, and most simple, Christmas. Actress and filmmaker, Melissa Francis, gives her first-hand account of her trip to the Gaza-Israel border. Steven Solomon offers an unfiltered look at the war in Ukraine and discusses what the mainstream media won't share. Keith Bilbrey visits Opryland's ICE! and there's a special performance of Angels We Have Heard on High by Vinnie and the Hitmen. Don't miss Huckabee! Missed last week's episode? Check it out here! WATCH Huckabee episodes for free on TBN+! Huckabee is America's favorite “front porch” talk show, coming to you weekly from TBN's famed Trinity Music City in Nashville. Hosted by former Arkansas governor and popular conservative commentator Mike Huckabee, the hour-long program is a down-home slice of wholesome Americana in all of its patriotic, God-honoring, and family-friendly glory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Call it the Opryland Hotel or the Gaylord Opryland, but the way the massive hotel and resort off of Briley Parkway has grown and changed is a reflection of the way Nashville has evolved. Plus the local news for November 26, 2024 and a school choice failure in Kentucky. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: Miriam KramerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Rachel Iacovone, LaTonya Turner and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

What makes a team intelligent? Brian and Linda Rising explore the surprising factors that foster group intelligence, from psychological safety to diversity, backed by groundbreaking research from MIT and Google. Overview In this episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast, Brian Milner sits down with Agile thought leader Linda Rising to explore the concept of group intelligence. They dive into what makes teams intelligent, discussing the importance of diversity, psychological safety, and social perceptiveness. Using research from MIT and Google, Linda also highlights how storytelling and a growth mindset can enhance team dynamics, leading to more effective and innovative collaboration. References and resources mentioned in the show: Linda Rising Fearless Change: Patterns for Introducing New Ideas by Mary Lynn Manns & Linda Rising MIT Center For Collective Intelligence Project Aristotle The Fearless Organization by Amy C. Edmonson Amy Edmonson’s TED Talks 3 ways to better connect with your coworkers - Mark T. Rivera’s TED Talk Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner® Advanced Certified ScrumMaster® Agile For Leaders Mountain Goat Software Certified Scrum and Agile Training Schedule Join the Agile Mentors Community Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is SVP of coaching and training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Linda Rising is an internationally recognized consultant, speaker, and author with a Ph.D. in object-based design metrics. Known for her expertise in agile development, retrospectives, and the intersection of neuroscience and software, Linda has authored five books and numerous articles. In 2020, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Agility Forum for her impactful contributions to the industry. Auto-generated Transcript: Brian (00:00) Welcome in Agile Mentors. We're back here with you for another episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast. I am with you as I always am, Brian Milner. And I wanted to introduce you today to someone I think you're really gonna enjoy here on this episode. I have the one and only Linda Rising with me. Linda, thank you so much for coming on. Linda Rising (00:09) Okay. It is my pleasure, Brian. Thank you so much for inviting me. It's a beautiful day here in Nashville, Tennessee. Brian (00:32) In Nash Vegas, yes. I actually spent a couple years in Nash Vegas. So I know that area back in the day, back in the day, because I worked at Opryland. So that'll tell you how long ago it was. Yeah, back in the dark times, right? But Linda, for those, if anyone who might not be aware, Linda is an author. She is... Linda Rising (00:33) Yeah! wow okay Brian (00:58) really what people would call an agile luminary. She has been involved with this movement for quite a while and has really, I don't think it's too far of a stretch to say shaped the conversation around this a lot with her research and other things that she's provided. we wanted to have her on because she, well, because it's Linda Rising, right? We wanted to have her on for that, but. Recently, she spoke at the Scrum Gathering, the regional Scrum Gathering that took place in Stockholm, and her topic just sounded really fascinating. I thought it would be fascinating for us to talk about. It was a topic of group intelligence. So Linda, I'm sure there's a lot of people out there like me that when they heard that the first time thought, I have no idea what that means. What does group intelligence mean? Linda Rising (01:43) Yeah. Actually, normally when I do anything, give a keynote or an interview on a podcast or the interviewer or the person who's inviting me will say, what would you like to talk about? That's what you did. What would you like to talk about with the idea that I could come up with a list of things I was interested in that I wanted to talk about because I knew something about it. Brian (02:09) Yep, it's true. Linda Rising (02:20) But in this case, no, it was, want you to be the opening keynote for this amazing gathering in Stockholm. and by the way, we want you to talk about group intelligence. So. That was about a year ago and I thought to myself, I don't know anything about, well, maybe I do. Maybe I do know something about group intelligence. But I have spent the past year getting ready for that talk. It was just a few weeks ago and along the way, what I found was it pulled together the research around this topic. pulled together a lot of things that I have been thinking about and it is still not over. I had to give that talk, there was a date for that, but now there are little threads that, as you say, I'm following those down various rabbit holes because they're connected to other things that I'm interested in. So this turned out to be, even though I didn't pick it and I didn't know a whole lot about it, It's turned out to be a great introduction to a different way of thinking. So we know what intelligence is, I think. Don't you? Do you know you have an idea? And aren't you intelligent? Brian (03:41) That's so awesome. Well, that's a quite a loaded question, right? Linda Rising (03:53) Of course you are and and so are our listeners our listeners are intelligent and what's interesting is that the psychologists who measure that They don't really have a definition for intelligence. What they do is they can test for it So have you ever had you know an intelligence test You know, an IQ test. Have you? Have you ever had one? Brian (04:25) You know what, I don't think I ever have, but I know my wife has, my daughters have, I'm very familiar with them, but I can't point back to one to say, hey, I know what my score was. Linda Rising (04:28) I'll bet you have. Well, sometimes you're given that test at a particular point, maybe in high school, and they didn't tell you that it was an intelligence test. You just took it along with the other battery of tests that you were taking at the time. And maybe they didn't tell you, you have an IQ of 145. They didn't tell you how smart you were. Brian (04:47) Yeah. Linda Rising (05:06) but somebody, somewhere, somehow along the way, they did. They measured it. And that's without having a definition for whatever it is. So what that test does is it says you're pretty good at solving a bunch of problems. And that's what the test is. Brian (05:17) That's amazing. Linda Rising (05:32) it asks you to look at some math problems, logic problems, spatial problems, different kinds of problems, and you either solve them pretty well or not so well, and when they are finished with that, that score on that test says something about how well you do at solving those problems. And that's what they're calling intelligence. Brian (06:03) I think I see where you're going with this because to me, if we're going to try to be very precise with words on that, I would say that sounds more like education. If I know how to solve a particular kind of math problem, that's because I've been educated to learn that. It's not a measure of my... Linda Rising (06:13) Yeah. Yep, yep. And so those tests, yeah, those tests do have a bias. They're biased toward people who have a certain kind of education biased against people who maybe didn't have that kind of education. Also, it doesn't even begin to talk about music. Here I am in Music City. Doesn't talk about musical talent. Brian (06:43) Yeah Linda Rising (06:46) It doesn't talk about your ability to perform, say, some sports activity, whether you're going to be a great basketball player or a baseball player. There are a lot of things that intelligence tests don't even, they don't even think about. Now, it doesn't mean this isn't a valid exercise because those IQ tests have been around a long time and they do measure what they measure, they measure it very well. And they do correlate with a lot of performance activities. In fact, if you were hiring somebody, the absolute best thing, if you could just do one thing, would be to give them an IQ test. That correlates most strongly with any kind of performance on the job. So it's a valid test, even if it has some biases, some problems. So that's individual intelligence and we call that IQ. So now the question is, can you do that for a group or a team? Brian (07:53) Yeah. Linda Rising (08:03) Could you say this group, could we measure it somehow? And if so, would it have the same kind of validity? That is, if they do well on this test, would that mean they would do well in the workplace? If we had that, then could we use it to say, all right, this team. is really going to be great for whatever it is that we wanted them to do. Is that possible? So obviously the answer is yes, or I wouldn't be here talking about it. Yeah. So the research is fascinating and it would take a long time to actually go into it, but it was started at MIT. The organization is called the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence. and they have been doing this now for over a decade. So this is not brand new out of the box. We're not sure where this is going. This has been happening and has been happening successfully. They do have a test. They can give it to a group. And what they find is that if the group does well, that group will also do well on other, just like IQ, other kinds of things that the test measures. And so, yes, they can measure group intelligence. Brian (09:38) Very interesting. This is really fascinating. Yeah. It's fascinating. I'm going to interrupt you for just a moment because I know, and forgive me if I'm taking you off track with where you were intending to go. But I know, having heard some of your other talks in the past on agile mindset and what you've written about, I know there's kind of this fundamental idea of the fixed verse. Linda Rising (09:39) It is interesting. Yeah. No, no, no, it's okay. Brian (10:05) growth mindset and the idea of intelligence being not necessarily a thing you're born with, but really something that you have the potential to change and grow. And how does that translate then to the group environment and the group's intelligence? Linda Rising (10:23) Yeah, so that's a great lead in because the next part of it was, well, okay, so we have this test and we can give it to a group, but we'd like to tease out some attributes of teams to say, you know, the teams that do really well on this test, they all seem to have, and they found there were three things that characterized Brian (10:26) Yeah. Linda Rising (10:52) intelligent group. The first one was called social perceptiveness. That is, are the people on the group, are they able to relate to each other? If one of the persons in the groups having a struggle for some reason, are they able to pick up on that? It's kind of hard to say, well what is that social perceptiveness? and we can come back to that, but that's first on the list. The second attribute is that when they have any kind of a discussion, that everybody talks. And that's pretty easy to see, and I know that you've probably been on teams as I have, where really not everybody talked, where maybe mostly one or two Brian (11:24) Yeah. Okay. Linda Rising (11:49) You know the loud people they did all the talking and the rest of us We just kind of sat in the corner and we said well, you know, whatever Yeah We've been there. Well, have we have we have seen that and I don't know how you're gonna feel about the third one But we all are concerned about diversity Brian (12:00) Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Linda Rising (12:17) We know that diversity is an issue. All organizations are struggling with the best way to deal with that. But the third attribute has to do with the percentage of women on the team. Brian (12:34) Really? Linda Rising (12:35) So this isn't like 50-50. This doesn't mean that you should have some women. It means the more women you have, the better. Ooh. You wanna think about that one? Brian (12:38) Yeah. You know what? I would not argue with that one bit because all the women that I've had in my life have been the most intelligent people I have known. So I would wholeheartedly concur with that. We're just a bunch of knuckleheads, the guys are. So I completely... Linda Rising (12:58) Ha! Brian (13:17) You know, I'm having some fun, but you're right. I can see that, you know? Like, I could see how that would be a really distinguishing characteristics. Linda Rising (13:22) Wow! So the researchers say maybe it's really not a gender thing because women are very good at social perceptiveness. And maybe what this third attribute, and they did a lot of statistical analyses, you you have to really dig down into the statistics and we don't want to do that. Maybe this third attribute is really a reflection of the first. And then if you, and here we're going to come to your growth mindset, if you could work with the people on the team who were not women, but who were these nerdy guys, know, could you somehow have them grow, improve, get better at social perceptiveness, then that would have the same effect as having more women on the team. And that's kind of where they are right now is can you do this? Are they equivalent? Are they really measuring the same thing? But they know that somehow that's what you've got to have is this ability to read. It's called theory of mind. Read the minds of the people on the team and that typically You know, we're stereotyping here. Typically men are not as good. So can you, could you, can you grow that characteristic? Can you get better? Can you get better at that? Brian (15:06) Yeah, I'll take a slight little side trail here and say that that makes perfect sense to me because one of the things that I found when I was doing my research on neurodiversity and specifically autism was that there's a book out there that I think I've shared on the podcast before, but it's called Autism in Heels. And basically the point of the book is to really examine autism in women. And one of the key points that's made in the book is the fact that when you see statistics about autism, you'll find that there's a huge number, there's a disparity. There's a large number of men, of males that are diagnosed and a few, a smaller percentage of females. And it gives the impression when you look at the data that you might think, well, this is a male thing, right? It's something that happens much more often than male. But this book is making the point that really, Linda Rising (16:02) Yeah. Brian (16:04) the criteria that was set aside to designate whether someone was autistic or not was really geared towards how it presents in males. So women were vastly underdiagnosed and still are to this day vastly underdiagnosed. And one of the things that makes it difficult to diagnose them is women are better at masking their symptoms. very much, they adapt to the environment around them. They pick up on the people around them. Linda Rising (16:18) Yeah. Brian (16:34) and they will mask the things that maybe are naturally a part of them, but they've learned in other parts of life how to do that. And so they're applying that to their autism as well. So that makes perfect sense to me. Linda Rising (16:43) Yeah. Yep, exactly. And of course, if we want to talk about women who have this tendency or on the spectrum, we have to mention Temple Grandin, who is one of the most famous female autistics in the world. I she's done more to gain attention for this problem, and she's definitely female. yeah, it's not it's not a male thing. But you're right that what's happened is that the women have had a growth mindset and whatever they inherited or were born with, they've done a better job at learning how to adapt given what they had as a limitation, adapting to working with others and using that as a strength. So that means that possibly, We could do that kind of thing to improve our teams if we included men in, well, what would it be? Would it be a training program? Would it be just coaching? Maybe this could be the job for a coach can certainly watch. The behavior of the team can notice, for instance, for that second attribute, is the discussion. Brian (17:54) Ha Linda Rising (18:10) Does that involve everybody equally? That could be a first step. And to encourage the growth in that direction. So one of the experiments that was done to follow on with that was to try to get male members of the team who didn't do well, you can actually measure social perceptiveness. And you mentioned autism, one of the tests. for autism is called reading the mind in the eyes. And with that test, you can show that people are better than others. And so maybe this could help us identify people who might benefit from this experimental approach. And that is to have something like, you know, I'm a patterns fan. So a collection of patterns that we used to talk about back in the day was written by Joshua Kerievsky and it was for running a study group where you read a book together a chapter at a time and you talk about it. So in the experiment the hypothesis was that reading a book together would improve the theory of mind or the social perceptiveness if it were a book that was fiction. Brian (19:37) Huh. Linda Rising (19:37) It's a story. A story. There's a hero and a beautiful princess and an adventurer and a bad guy and a good guy. in reading that, you learn to identify with the characters. And you talk about it. What was the character feeling when the handsome prince ran in to rescue the what was he thinking? Brian (19:39) Yeah. Linda Rising (20:05) So in a structured study group situation like that, reading fiction together and the results so far are positive but not enormous. It does help. It does help. Brian (20:20) Yeah. Yeah, I can see that, because you're trying to collectively interpret and you're getting a peek into someone else's mind of how they might interpret a situation and that can help you to interpret other situations. Yeah, I can see that. Linda Rising (20:23) May not. Yeah! Yeah, especially if someone was not in the habit of doing that. There are a lot of people who say, I've never even stopped to think about how the other members of my team are feeling. Brian (20:43) Yeah. Linda Rising (20:56) So attached to all of this is an enormous project that Google also started called Project Aristotle. And their idea was we wanna know what the secret is, what makes great teams. And they looked at everything. They spent years. mean, Google collects data, data they've got. and statisticians and analysts, they got it. And they spent years collecting and analyzing. And the summary at the end of all that was they found nothing. Brian (21:38) Hahaha Linda Rising (21:40) Did you read that? Did you read about that study? Yeah. Brian (21:44) I I'm familiar with that study. I really like what they did. Because when you have that kind of data available to you across cultures, across business units, it was an ambitious kind of study. I'm really thankful that they did it because I think they had some good findings there that came out of that as well. you're right. Linda Rising (21:52) Yeah! Yeah. Yeah? Yeah, they didn't find anything. Brian (22:12) Right, they thought it was gonna be, you know, it's a skill, it's the right mix of skills that makes it a high performing team or expertise and none of that really had a bearing. Yeah. Yeah. Linda Rising (22:15) Get off! And what was interesting about all of this is it sort of all came together because the folks at Google kind of looked over and said, well, look at what these folks at MIT are doing. And they said, maybe we're just not looking at the right thing. And they had talked about this social perceptiveness and what is that anyway? And it was kind of serendipity at about this time. Amy Edmondson wrote a book called The Fearless Organization, and it was about something she called psychological safety. And it was bigger than what the folks at MIT had identified. This has, I am free, I feel safe. Well, that would mean that you could speak up in a discussion and that would make the discussion more, okay, now we would think about what, I mean, what she talked about kind of put a big blanket around all of it and said, hey, I think we might be all talking about this. And the folks at Google said, well, you know, that makes sense. Maybe that's what we're looking for. And how do we do it? How do we do this? So your listeners might wanna just wander out to the Google site because now Google's been very transparent about this. How do you make this work? How do you bring about this psychological safety? How do you get people feel free to talk and to discussion? How do you help people be aware? of what other people are feeling. And they've got a whole raft of suggestions for managers, suggestions for team members, for, you know, and they're really all singing the same song. It's about this awareness of others, feeling that you are safe and that thinking about what other people are thinking. can lead your team to behave in more intelligent way. Brian (24:41) That's so, that's awesome. Right, right. Linda Rising (24:41) It's kind like a miracle. It's like a miracle. It all just came together. They weren't planning that. know, here at MIT, going one direction, Google going another direction. Here's Amy Edmondson at Harvard, and that it all kind of came together. Brian (24:48) That's awesome. You came together now. Yeah, Amy Edmondson is definitely one of my heroes. we've tried to get her on. We tried to get her to come on, but I know that there's layers to get to people like that. so if anyone's listening and has an end to Amy Edmondson, tell her that this is a welcome, this is a psychologically safe podcast to come on. We'd love to have her, but yeah. Linda Rising (25:07) Yeah. Well, yeah. think she did go out and talk to Google. I think there's a Google talk about psychological safety. So they did have her come in and give them some ideas, some suggestions or yeah. And she's on to failure now because her book, After Fearless Organization, which was about psychological safety, the one that, in fact, I just finished it is about failure. Brian (25:44) Yeah. That, Linda Rising (25:59) and their case studies of failures and what can you do about failure and yeah but anyway so she she's on she's she's on to whatever but yeah. Brian (26:07) That's awesome. Yes, she does great research and it's it's chock full in her book So I highly recommend her writing to anyone who's listening if that if this interests you Yeah, definitely read Amy Edmondson's work. You'll really enjoy it Linda Rising (26:14) Yeah Yeah. So, and if you do, then the story is not over, it's still going, which is, not just Amy Edmondson, but there's a fellow named Kevin Dunbar. This is not Robin Dunbar who did the 150 is kind of the magic number. This is a different Dunbar, same last name, but he did a lot of studies about thinking and. especially in science, how do scientists think? And in particular, he was interested in failure. And you know that as a scientist, you propose some hypothesis and then you test it in an experiment and then you stand back and you do an analysis and you say, well, did this work out or not? And he found that some scientists don't... like it when things don't go well. What a surprise, huh? Brian (27:26) Yeah, right. Linda Rising (27:28) Yeah, and they just ignore it. They either pretend it didn't happen or they put it in a drawer saying, we'll come back and, you know, we'll look at it later. But some scientists do a really good job of accepting that failure, working with it, and building on it. saying, hey, this is something we didn't think about. Maybe we can, they, you know, and they're off and running. It doesn't slow them down at all. And it turns out that the scientists who have that characteristic, who are able to do that, are scientists in groups. and they're in groups that are intelligent. They're diverse and open. They let everybody speak. They think about what other people are thinking if they're discouraged or not with this bad result. So the characteristics of those groups of scientists who do well with failure is the same. Brian (28:22) you Linda Rising (28:40) as the groups that MIT identified, the groups that Google is trying to grow. And I think it's really what we want in Agile development. We want groups like that. Not just because we think, intelligence is what. No. We want groups that have that characteristic. We want groups that feel psychologically safe. We want groups that feel free. Brian (28:54) Yeah. Linda Rising (29:08) to express their ideas. We want groups of people who are aware of what other people are thinking. That's what we want. Brian (29:16) Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. That's so cool. Linda Rising (29:18) So they're all talking about the same thing. They may be using different words, but they are really, and one thing that we might wanna note right here is that all these different researchers made the same mistake in the beginning. And it's the same mistake organizations make. Is they thought in the beginning that what makes a smart team is smart people. Wrong. Not that you don't want smart people. Brian (29:48) Yeah. Right. Linda Rising (29:53) But that's just an okay thing to have. You can have a team of very smart people that doesn't have any of these other characteristics that is not intelligent as a group. So I think we really have to wake up and realize, first of all, that we're doing that, that we're valuing IQ or individual intelligence, smartness, you went to this school or you got that particular SAT score. It has nothing to do with that. It's not that there's no correlation, but it's weak, it's very weak. It's much better to have people who have these other characteristics. Brian (30:33) Yeah, let me just, yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Let me connect it just a second to maybe someone who's listening who's a Scrum Master or someone like that, right? You might hear this and think, those foolish leadership people, they make these kinds of mistakes. I wouldn't make that kind of mistake. I know better than this kind of thing, right? Well, how much emphasis are you placing on whether your team knows all the details of what they should be doing in Scrum versus... helping them to know and understand each other, communicate with each other, right? How much effort and energy are you putting into those things versus the facts, right? I think that's where it can hit home for us is, these other areas, I think are, as you said, really much stronger predictors of success. And I think as Agilist, that's where we should be pouring our attention into because that's what's going to make the most significant difference. Linda Rising (31:40) Yeah. And I think since software development and I've been in it for a long time has had this really strong emphasis on smartness. We like smart people. And it's not that that's a bad thing necessarily. It's that it's not enough. So as a mathematician, you could say necessary, but not sufficient. Not even close. and that all of these researchers all said the same thing, that we thought it was going to be about smart people. We thought it was about IQ, that teams of smart people would be smart. And you and I both know that's not true. Brian (32:32) Right, right, right. I've been on some teams with some very smart people that were horrible teams. Linda Rising (32:35) Yes. Yes, yes, exactly. And I guess without belaboring it or beating it up, what's happening to me right now is that in reading about all of these different research activities, more and more things start to bubble up. that sort of are like the glue that holds all of this together. And the one that just, it just happened yesterday has to do with brainstorming. So I've been on a ramp to not, you know, I'm against brainstorming because there's plenty of evidence that it doesn't work. They've done experiments, they've said, okay, here's a group of people and they're gonna get together and they're gonna come up with ideas. Okay, we know how many ideas they came up with and whether they're any good or not. And now let's just take individuals and tell them individually, you come up with ideas and then we'll just measure. And the results are always the same, the individuals do better. So I have come up with explanations for that and I'm like, okay, well here's what. Well, I was wrong. Because in the research, it just was like an accident. I just happened to discover it in one of the papers that the groups that are intelligent, the groups that are aware, the groups that embrace failure, the groups that do well also do better at brainstorming. Why is that? Well, because everybody feels free to talk. Everybody feels psychologically safe. Everybody's aware of how other people are feeling and that impacts how they come up with ideas or think about things that other people suggest. So as a group, they do superbly at brainstorming. So it's not the brainstorming, it's the group and how they... Brian (34:43) Yeah. Ha Linda Rising (34:48) get in a room together and discuss things and share ideas. And so, you know, I hate to say this is gonna be the answer to all our prayers. And of course we still don't, we're still working on, well, how do you do this? How do you make this happen? And I remember a story. It's in fact, it's in one of the documents, I'm trying to think now on the Google website. It's a story of a team. Brian (34:58) Hahaha Yeah. Linda Rising (35:18) where the team leader tells the other people on the team that he has a terminal illness. And when he did that, everybody else on the team realized that they didn't really know anything about this guy. And they in turn began to share, well, I'm also having some struggles and here's my story. And going through that. cause that team to move up a notch, if you will, to become more intelligent, to be more aware, to suddenly be a little more respectful of how the discussions were. It was just telling stories about what you're going through so that everyone will be aware of how you feel, what you think is gonna be your... Brian (35:48) Yeah. Linda Rising (36:11) future in the next six months that they didn't have any training or study groups or they just told stories. Brian (36:26) They got to know each other as humans. And it's amazing how often we forget that that's who we work with. At least right now, we work with other human beings. And I hope that never changes, because that's where the best ideas, that's where the best creativity comes from. And yeah, it's fascinating, but you're absolutely right. I can see that point. Linda Rising (36:28) Yes, exactly. think for me, this is all, it's been really a hopeful journey because in the beginning, I wasn't even sure how it would go. I didn't know anything about the intelligence of groups. And in the beginning, it was all, okay, here's what MIT is doing and reading through, I mean, there were a lot of papers that I slogged through and it wasn't until about halfway through that, I discovered. Project Aristotle and I saw, this really connects. And now all these other things start to bubble up that really make a lot of sense. And of course, that it fits. It fits with Agile. It fits with the Agile message that the big things like that cause you, especially if you've had any experience with Agile, to sort of wake up and say, how do I miss this? Brian (37:50) Ha ha. Linda Rising (37:52) I should have seen this and it's news to me. So, wow, we're all still learning, I guess, aren't we? Brian (38:03) Yeah, I mean, you get presented with something like that and think, I've kind of intuitively known this all along, but I didn't have words for it. And now, now there's a vocabulary that can describe it. And I agree, right? That's exactly what it is. So yeah, you're absolutely right. Well, Linda, this is, this is such a fascinating discussion. And, you know, it's, I had no idea where, you know, group intelligence would lead us, but that it's all just fascinating. Linda Rising (38:09) Yeah Brian (38:32) the different threads of the spider web and where this kind of ends up. So I know it led you in a lot of places with your research and everything else. I really, really appreciate you sharing that with us and helping us to try to understand a little bit of the journey you've been on and kind of discovering this over the past year or so is what you said. Linda Rising (38:53) Yep. And I was going to say, anybody, I know most people don't want to spend the time reading the original research papers, and I don't blame you, that does take a lot of, you know, have a lot of investment in that. But there are some, I would call them sort of lightweight. There's some excellent, excellent Harvard Business Review articles that do a very good job of talking about. what is happening at MIT, what is happening at Google, that kind of a high-level summary, like Harvard Business Review does that like nobody else. And of course, there are TED Talks that Amy Edmondson has given, and there are all the Google Talks, of course, are also out on YouTube. And she has been to Google as well, so you can go listen to what she has to say there. So if you want to dig into this for yourself, there's a lot that you can get without having to read the book or read all the research papers. Brian (39:57) Yeah, we'll try to link to as much of this as we can in the show notes of this. So anyone who's listening, if you want to go down one of these rabbit holes like we talked about, maybe we can point the direction and say, hey, try this one. So we'll also include in the show notes some links to some of Linda's work as well so that you can find out more about her and maybe read one of her books as well and see some of the Linda Rising (40:11) Yeah! Brian (40:27) some of the insights she's already brought to this Agile community. And if you like what you heard here, I know you'll like her books as well. So Linda, thank you so much for making your time. I know it's very busy. Thank you for coming on the show. Linda Rising (40:41) It's been my pleasure. Can we close with some good wishes, some thoughts and prayers for all the people who are in Western North Carolina or in Florida who have just been two horrible disasters and are going to be a long time recovering. And that includes my good friend and co-writer Mary Lynn Mans who's in Asheville, North Carolina. So fingers crossed, prayers, good thoughts. Brian (41:11) Absolutely. I wholeheartedly concur with you on that. So I agree. Well, thanks again, Linda.

Tonight is the first of two Halloween specials this month. In this first special, we're diving into five top-secret haunted locations in Nashville, Tennessee. From ghostly apparitions to chilling legends, get ready to uncover the spine-tingling stories lurking in Music City. So, grab your flashlights, and let's embark on this haunted journey together! Nashville has been a tourist destination for the last 10 years or so and is known as the home of country music and a popular destination for bridal showers. But what most people don't know is that there is a dark history to Nashville – one that extends beyond its Civil War history. There's plenty of haunted locations in and around Nashville. Some of the more popular ones are the Bell Witch Cave, the Ryman Auditorium and Opryland, just to name a few. But there are several other haunted places that aren't well-known to the tourists. These places are known only to the locals and the hard-core paranormal investigators. Tonight, I'm going to be telling you about 5 of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people don't associate Ronald Reagan with country music, but in today's podcast, we'll hear another side! The President actually journeyed to Nashville, Tennessee to celebrate the birthday of one of country music's all-time greats, Roy Acuff. He met with Mr. Acuff and his family early in the day, then journeyed to the Grand Ole Opry Theater at Opryland, USA to deliver these remarks. You'll hear the President mention Barbara Mandrell early on because as you might recall, she had been in a terrible automobile accident.

It's the most famous country music show and has been a part of my life for decades. People worldwide know the Grand Ole Opry. I hung out backstage for the first time back in the mid-1980s. Plus, I've had the privilege of watching many artists I work with perform there. I even took a busload of radio listeners to the old Opryland amusement park in the nineties. But if you told me then that I'd live near the Opry House one day, I would have laughed. But I've lived just a few miles away for over a decade. I drive by and look at its big electronic sign twice a day, nearly every day of the year... Click Here To Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicGoogle PodcastsTuneIniHeartRadioPandoraDeezerBlubrryBullhornCastBoxCastrofyyd.deGaanaiVooxListen NotesmyTuner RadioOvercastOwlTailPlayer.fmPocketCastsPodbayPodbeanPodcast AddictPodcast IndexPodcast RepublicPodchaserPodfanPodtailRadio PublicRadio.comReason.fmRSSRadioVurblWe.foYandex jQuery(document).ready(function($) { 'use strict'; $('#podcast-subscribe-button-13292 .podcast-subscribe-button.modal-66d6a601def71').on("click", function() { $("#secondline-psb-subs-modal.modal-66d6a601def71.modal.secondline-modal-66d6a601def71").modal({ fadeDuration: 250, closeText: '', }); return false; }); });

In this episode Kelsey shares everything you need to know about planning a family stay at Opryland Hotel - including all there is to know about Soundwaves Waterpark and how to make Opryland Hotel your home bass for a family trip to Nashville, TN.Also - a helpful hack for free parking at the hotel!Kelsey shares about other family-friendly things to do in Nashville including: the Nashville Zoo, the Adventure Science Center, and Fifth + Broadway.Also discussed are the details about Opryland's A Country Christmas and ICE exhibit.Mentioned in this episode:Gaylord Opryland Resort & Conference CenterSoundwaves WaterparkOpryland Hotel Offers & Savings PageChase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card 60,000 Bonus Points OfferNashville ZooAdventure Science CenterFifth + Broadway Shopping & Dining (and Parking)PARTNER DISCOUNT CODESSPANX.COM - Use code KGRAVESXSPANX for 10% OFF full-price items and FREE SHIPPING. My current fav travel outfit is the Air Essentials Jumpsuit. CHASE SAPPHIRE CREDIT CARD - My preferred points earning credit card and a great card for newbies entering the points & miles space to get started. Open a Chase Sapphire Preferred with my link and earn 60,000 BONUS POINTS after you spend $4,000 in the first three months your account is open.SHOP Kelsey's Travel Favorites from AmazonShare about your trip on the Trip Tales podcast: triptalespodcast@gmail.comBuy me a coffee to show your support for Trip Tales! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/kelseygravesFollow Kelsey on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube!

Topical again! From June 2022, here's every time we talked about Lee Greenwood or the Lee Greenwood Bible. There ain't no doubt we love this repost of a clip show. Best of Us Talkin' About Lee Greenwood: Jackie & Dunlap on Lee Greenwood, Lee Greenwood's other hits, the Lee Greenwood Corps, the Lee Greenwood Bible, the Lee Greenwood fireworks, and Opryland. Clips: Ep. 106, 11/17/14  Ep. 441, 5/21/21 Ep. 442, 5/29/21 Ep. 459, 9/26/21 Ep. 483, 6/3/22 http://patreon.com/redstateupdate "The Magic Cowboy" courtesy Seth Timbs:   https://sethtimbs.bandcamp.com Red State Update theme "Tasty Sorghum Biscuit" by William Sherry:  https://open.spotify.com/track/74j2AyMM9Qy2VhSQDajhfn 

On this episode: we share highlights from our recent interviews with Mark Wills, Breland, and Gordon Mote. Beforehand, the crew discusses Breland's upcoming Breland & Friendsshow (and some of his A-list guests) coming up at The Ryman on March 26, plus Gordon Mote's Porter Wagoner impression and Mark Wills' preferred lip balm. Make the Grand Ole Opry part of YOUR Nashville experience! With at least three shows every week, there are plenty of opportunities to see The Show That Made Country Music Famous -- plus, take the Opry Backstage Tour while you're there, and (on most tours) you'll get to stand in the world-famous circle where so many country greats have performed.  Thanks for listening to the Coffee, Country & Cody podcast from WSM Radio! Download the official WSM Radio App (for Apple or Android devices) to hear WSM in digital clarity, plus two additional streaming stations: Opry Nashville and Route 650. And now you can hear WSM on iHeartRadio as well!

Doug Gray, founding member of The Marshall Tucker Band, called into the show and spoke with WSM's morning crew the day before the band would make its return to the Grand Ole Opry. Enjoy this conversation full of great memories! Make the Grand Ole Opry part of YOUR Nashville experience! With at least three shows every week, there are plenty of opportunities to see The Show That Made Country Music Famous -- plus, take the Opry Backstage Tour while you're there, and you'll get to stand in the world-famous circle where so many country greats have performed. Plus, you'll get access to the limited-time "Famous Friends: Guests of the Grand Ole Opry" exhibit at the Acuff House. Thanks for listening to the Coffee, Country & Cody podcast from WSM Radio! Download the official WSM Radio App (for Apple or Android devices) to hear WSM in digital clarity, plus two additional streaming stations -- Opry Nashville and Route 650 -- as well as thousands of hours of archived programming. And now you can hear WSM on iHeartRadio as well!

Sugarcane Jane, otherwise known as Anthony Crawford and Savana Lee from Loxley, Alabama — have been Americana's sweethearts from Alabama's Gulf Coast for over a decade. Between them, they have amassed a rich musical heritage working with such notables as Neil Young, Steve Winwood, and Dwight Yoakam. The music they make together is simple and direct, rooted in country and rock, and anchored by their sweet and soulful harmonies. To know the couple's roots is important in understanding the foundation of the duo's incredible story. Anthony's musical career has lead him all over the world beginning at Opryland at the age of eighteen to performing at the Grand Ole Opry with Roy Acuff, to being on tour with Sonny James, Neil Young (The Shocking Pinks, The International Harvesters, The Electric Band), then Steve Winwood (Roll With It Tour), Vince Gill, and Dwight Yoakam. He's had appearances on Hee Haw, Austin City Limits, Live Aid, Farm Aid, Showtime, the Late Show with David Letterman, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Today Show, Grammy Awards Show, made music videos (Wonderin-Neil Young, Gone- Dwight Yoakam), been in movies (Heart of Gold- Neil Young, Neil Young Trunk Show, Blackhawk DVD). He's played on stage with Paul McCartney with Neil Young at Hyde Park. He took the cover photo for Neil Young's Chrome Dreams II al- bum. His songs have been recorded by Steve Winwood, Dwight Yoakam, Kenny Rogers, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Oak Ridge Boys, Lorrie Morgan, Billy Burnett, Sawyer Brown, and others.

Pam Lewis is joined by singer, dancer, actor and entertainer, Nancy Hays, with a special guest, Joan Lewis. Hays, the Illinois native, started her musical career in her teens. She was exposed to country music at a young age through many different jobs, including Opryland. Hays has been a wife and mother and raised four children, all sharing their mother's love of music. Both a touring and top charting country artist as well as a successful university graduate, Nancy Hays is an inspiration. Tune in to listen as her and Pam discuss her journey and career in entertainment. 

Marty Roe, the lead singer of the '90s country group, Diamond Rio, sat down with Bobby Bones to talk about his monumental career. Marty shares how he got his start singing at Opryland and doing voice impressions. He also shares why in the early days the band went through multiple name changes and how the group, Shenandoah, inspired the band name they settled on. He also talks about what it was like to be the first band to have their debut single go number one, the new music he's working on, the new band members and more!  Follow on Instagram: @TheBobbyCast Follow on TikTok: @TheBobbyCast Watch this Episode on Youtube    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode the crew sits down with Nashville singer/songwriter Laura Walsh! Laura is a big member of the the TipSee fam and has been involved in many events while being of the top artists on the TipSee Music platform. On this episode we discuss science, Drew's Opryland pictures, Blonde Mirage with Kassi Jayde, FSU football, destiny, Laura plays hot or not, Morgan Wallen's mullet, Whitney Houston impression, and of course the Louisiana  purchase...Be sure to subscribe and check out our merchandise on tipseemusic.com !

Texas A&M insider Jeff Tarpley joins The Show to give a preview of the Aggies in 2023. Will TAMU bounce back? What's up with Jimbo Fisher? Also, Brad Crawford live from SEC Media Days in Nashville gives us the early buzz on the Gamecocks from the media in Music City. Lots of angst and consternation from the chat box about recruiting. JC gives his take on that...it's all here today as JB is on the links. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of Impact Stigma. Excited for our guest today. He grew up in Johnson City and received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing from East Tennessee State University. He also had an extensive hospitality career with Hyatt, Opryland, and Marriott Hotels. Then worked with Scott Niswonger managing the Morgan Inn Corporation for ten years. In 2016, he started his own consulting company called Internity Development, of which the most recognized project is the Model Mill Redevelopment in downtown Johnson City. He is the Past Chairperson for the Ballad Health Foundation and has served on the BrightRidge Board of Directors and has been involved in many leadership roles at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church. He is a certified facilitator for Co. Starters which is a business development course for start-up or new businesses. He is also experienced in entrepreneurial start-ups and has experience with venture capital access. On July 1, 2019, he became the President/CEO of the Chamber of Commerce serving Johnson City, Jonesborough, and Washington County. Welcome, to Impact Stigma Bob Cantler. 

Author's Note: If you or anyone you know are suffering from a mental health crisis, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is a pleasure to welcome Rebecca Folsom to The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast. Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Rebecca believes every lyric, note, and musical collaboration carries the capability to change the world. With her tender ballads to full, fiery vocal release, the singer-songwriter aims to emote an array of emotions with each song. Rebecca has had the pleasure of appearing on BBC television and raid entertaining an audience of 1.5 million, performing at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado as well as the historic Opryland in Tennessee. Her previous album, Extraordinary Days, debuted with the song “Better Times,” landing at the number one spot on the National Folk Radio DJ Chart and spending five months on the Top 50 National Americana Country Radio Chart. Her recent single, “Sanctuary,” received high praises as a semi-finalist in the 2021 International Songwriting Competition and a finalist in the 2021 International Acoustic Music Awards. In addition to her musical releases, she has written and published two books of poetry (Silver and Your Life is a Masterpiece), created numerous fine art paintings, and has spent the better part of her life guiding others on how to become a better version of themselves as a transformational teacher and leadership coach. In this edition of The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Rebecca Folsom shared several stories behind the songs of her new album: Sanctuary. She also spoke about the Sanctuary Project, which is a musical collaboration between writers, musicians, and producers that inspires deep listening, human equality, and peace.

Dennis is joined via Zoom by singer-songwriter Brandon Stansell to talk about his latest album This Must Be the Place, his upcoming show at Hotel Café in Los Angeles on April 6 and shares the stories behind his songs “Pick Up Where We Left Off,” “Good At the Time” and “Did You Settle Down Too Soon.” He also talks about the reaction to his 2020 documentary Three Cords and a Lie, about the strained relationship he's had with his family and hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee since he came out in his early 20's. He also recalls being a dancer on Taylor Swift's Fearless tour around the same time he came out, his favorite T Swift tune and the sweet note Taylor wrote to him. Other topics include: why he loves CrossFit, having lunch with Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks at their compound, why Amy Grant is everything, why he loves Los Angeles, working at Opryland from age 6 to 12, saying hell no to conversion therapy and that time Halle Berry came to one of his shows. @brandonstansell on Instagram https://www.brandonstansell.com/

Actress Charlene Tilton visited the WSM studios on February 8, 2023 to discuss her new film "Heaven Sent" streaming on PureFlix, and we reminised about her years on the hit TV show "Dallas". Make the Grand Ole Opry part of YOUR Nashville experience! With at least three shows every week, there are plenty of opportunities to see The Show That Made Country Music Famous -- plus, take the Opry Backstage Tour while you're there, and you'll get to stand in the world-famous circle where so many country greats have performed. Thanks for listening to the Coffee, Country & Cody podcast from WSM Radio! Download the official WSM Radio App (for Apple or Android devices) to hear WSM in digital clarity, plus two additional streaming stations -- Opry Nashville and Route 650 -- as well as thousands of hours of archived programming.

New YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKjWKXfpjtNL0oL2R6MKSxwToday's Sponsors:Brad Reynoldshttps://thinkbrad.com/Blessed Day Coffeehttps://www.blesseddaycoffee.com/Use Code "XPLR20" for 20% off at checkoutNash NewsLocal Artist FeatureNashville Daily Artist of the Day Playlisthttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/51eNcUWPg7qtj8KECrbuwx?si=nEfxeOgmTv6rFUyhVUJY9AFollow us @ XPLR NASHWebsite - https://nashvilledailypodcast.com/YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/xplrnashInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/xplr.nash/Twitter - https://twitter.com/xplr_nashNASHVILLE & XPLR MERCH - https://www.xplrnash.com/shopMedia and other inquiries please email hello@xplr.life

The guys celebrate the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team's back to back national championships. They discuss Tecmo Bowl, Ace Vane, and Asian Mist. RIP David Crosby, Okefenokee Joe, and Flower the Meerkat. There is talk of Kitty and the Slug, Duck Pin Bowling, Ping Pong, Dolly World, Opryland, and Six Flags. Dick Loverboy considers that Carny Lifestyle and delivers a new Shit Story Glory. And Reverend Florist tells tale of a water-skiing youth minister with diarrhea.

Chris and new co-host (and wife) Ashley recap their visit to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel over Christmas.  Listen to hear what was offered at Opryland this Christmas and plan your visit for next year!

Outdoor SoBro joins Stoney Keeley to catch up on all things Nashville since the last SoBros Power Hour of 2022 - tourism money, bad traffic, Arnold's, Opryland, you know...all the Nashville stuff. Then, the two explore what they would do if they had 27,000 square feet and Kid Rock's bank account to play with. All this and much more!

Welcome to 2023. We have Ryan Crowder on the show. Ryan is currently creating a VR recreation of Opryland Theme Park. We get to know him and a little bit more about this project. You can find out more about it at www.oprylandvr.com. You can find him on Instagram at instagram.com/opryland_vr. You can find us at instagram.com/eastnashvilleyachtclub and email at eastnashvilleyachtclub@gmail.com. Let's make the most of this time that we've been given. Take care.

On today's episode, Greg the Google Guy joins Stuart to read the reviews of Nashville's most Googled attraction. We'll talk about all of this and more on Nashville Daily.New YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKjWKXfpjtNL0oL2R6MKSxwToday's Sponsors:Brad Reynoldshttps://thinkbrad.com/Blessed Day Coffeehttps://www.blesseddaycoffee.com/Use Code "XPLR20" for 20% off at checkoutGreg The Google Guy Reviews - Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/gaylord%20opryland/entity/CgoIu6-B1eiP1OQ6EAE/reviews?q=gaylord%20opryland&g2lb=2502548%2C2503771%2C2503781%2C4258168%2C4270442%2C4284970%2C4291517%2C4306835%2C4597339%2C4718358%2C4723331%2C4731329%2C4757164%2C4814050%2C4861688%2C4864715%2C4865467%2C4874190%2C4886082%2C4886480%2C4893075%2C4902277%2C4903082%2C4905351%2C4906050%2C4920622%2C4926010%2C4926165%2C4929167&hl=en-US&gl=us&cs=1&ssta=1&rp=ELuvgdXoj9TkOhC7r4HV6I_U5Do4AkAASAHAAQI&ictx=1&sa=X&ved=0CAAQ5JsGahcKEwig6r-9j4f8AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQBA&utm_campaign=sharing&utm_medium=link&utm_source=htls&ts=CAESABpJCisSJzIlMHg4ODY0NjlkMGI3YzA5NmZmOjB4M2FjOTUwN2U4YWEwNTdiYhoAEhoSFAoHCOcPEAEYAxIHCOcPEAEYBBgBMgIQACoJCgU6A1VTRBoANashville Daily Artist of the Day Playlisthttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/51eNcUWPg7qtj8KECrbuwx?si=nEfxeOgmTv6rFUyhVUJY9AFollow us @ XPLR NASHWebsite - https://nashvilledailypodcast.com/YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/xplrnashInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/xplr.nash/Twitter - https://twitter.com/xplr_nashNASHVILLE & XPLR MERCH - https://www.xplrnash.com/shopMedia and other inquiries please email hello@xplr.life

Most food tours in the US involve quick stops at multiple restaurants, but in Charleston, SC, there is one that is very unique, led by a chef and certified tour guide with a passion for the history of Lowcountry foodways. Undiscovered Charleston is the brainchild of Forrest Parker, a chef whose restaurant tenures include Opryland, Louis's, the Old Village Post House, and Revival. A former 2016 South Carolina Chef Ambassador, Forrest has a cookbook collection that spans 3000 volumes and three storage units, and that's not including his extensive collection of old restaurant menus from the Holy City. He weaves history, architecture, and plenty of good food into this intimate walking tour that ends in lunch, and it's rated the #1 most popular food experience in the world on TripAdvisor. Walk a morning with Forrest, and you realize that his encyclopedic knowledge of Charleston restaurants past and present is directly connected to the city streets themselves, and he's weaving his own story into those old cobblestones with every tour. 

A luxury park may be built by Opryland soon, but it might not be the kind of park you're thinking about. And Nashville's tourism isn't just a market that reaches inside the borders of the United States. It has expanded very rapidly into the global market. But does this make Nashville a true global city?New YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKjWKXfpjtNL0oL2R6MKSxwToday's Sponsors: Brad Reynolds  https://thinkbrad.com/Blessed Day Coffee   https://www.blesseddaycoffee.com/   Use Code "XPLR20" for 20% off at checkoutNash NewsProposed RV Park in Nashvillehttps://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2022/11/22/rv-park-proposed-for-gleaves-farm-northgate-resort.html?ana=TRUEANTHEMFB_NA&csrc=6398&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR1_YhTj5kuxClRaV-zl0PxWuFqTnqx_wojW1AGlvmkyh9DVn2HrwRYKF5I&mibextid=Zxz2cZNashville's global reach is spreading. Its tourism industry is trying to keep up.https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2022/11/17/nashville-tourism-growth-industry-keep-up/69651762007/When will Nashville Become a True International MarketWhat makes a city “global”? - GRINhttps://www.grin.com/document/279988global city | Britannicahttps://www.britannica.com/topic/global-cityGlobal Business Snapshot | Nashville Area Chamber of Commercehttps://www.nashvillechamber.com/economic-development/international-business/global-business-snapshotjInternational Organizations | Nashville Area Chamber of Commercehttps://www.nashvillechamber.com/economic-development/international-business/international-organizationsNashville Daily Artist of the Day Playlist   https://open.spotify.com/playlist/51eNcUWPg7qtj8KECrbuwx?si=nEfxeOgmTv6rFUyhVUJY9AFollow us @ XPLR NASH   Website -  https://nashvilledailypodcast.com/   YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/xplrnash   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/xplr.nash/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/xplr_nash   NASHVILLE & XPLR MERCH - https://www.xplrnash.com/shopMedia and other inquiries please email hello@xplr.life

Grand Ole Opry star Pam Tillis joined Coffee, Country & Cody on November 8, 2022 to discuss her new Christmas music release, and her upcoming shows in Franklin, Tennessee and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Make the Grand Ole Opry part of YOUR Nashville experience! With at least three shows every week, there are plenty of opportunities to see The Show That Made Country Music Famous -- plus, take the Opry Backstage Tour while you're there, and you'll get to stand in the world-famous circle where so many country greats have performed. Thanks for listening to the Coffee, Country & Cody podcast from WSM Radio! Download the official WSM Radio App (for Apple or Android devices) to hear WSM in digital clarity, plus two additional streaming stations -- Opry Nashville and Route 650 -- as well as thousands of hours of archived programming.

Millions of people the world over have marveled at the comedic magical antics and inviting personality of Leslie McKinney. He began working at Opryland and on The Nashville Network (TNN). Leslie's first Vegas show was Wizards' Secrets Magic Show at The MGM Grand Hotel where he did an 18-month contract. Since then his shows have been seen throughout Las Vegas at The Riviera, Fitzgerald's, The Plaza Hotel, Sun Coast, Sam's Town, and Planet Hollywood. Leslie recently starred in his own show Presto at The Downtown Grand Las Vegas. He has also performed for cruise lines such as American Family Cruises, Costa, Holland America, Norwegian, Star/Dream Cruises, and Grand Bahamas Cruise. McKinney's talents have been seen on TLC, Children Talk Television Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, and he was a consultant for Teller's production Play Dead. In addition to this Leslie McKinney was the first American entertainer to perform in Weifang, Shandong province in The People's Republic of China. Leslie McKinney is known for his charming southern style and his ability to make his audience feel at home.www.lesliemckinneymagic.com

Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to country music royalty. We are talking to Lisa Sutton who's has not one but four musical legacies and estates to look after. Her mother, the great singer Lynn Anderson is best known for her iconic #1 hit, “Rose Garden” and released, count ‘em, 72 singles in her career. Lisa's father, was Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame member Glenn Sutton who produced “Rose Garden” and wrote the Grammy winning David Huston hit “Almost Persuaded” as well as “What Made Milwaukee Famous (Made A Loser Out of Me)”, “Your Good Girls Gonna Go Bad” & countless other  songs. The architecht of Countrypolitan sound of the 60s, Glenn's songs were recorded by everyone from Etta James to The Louvin Brothers to Jerry Lee Lewis and Rod Stewart. What's more, Lisa's grandparents were Casey Anderson and Liz Anderson. Liz wrote many country music hits in the 50s and 60s including “Wife of the Party” and “Mama Spank” and it was Casey who invited an iconic soon-to-be country music icon back to their house for pancakes after a show that led to Country music history. What's more Lynn talks to us about growing up in a household where being the ‘hero child' was something of the norm, where riding horses was a huge part of life. What's more, Lisa is so invested in her family legacy that the amateur Rosarian, even brought about the comeback of the world champion Lynn Anderson Hybrid Tea Rose. From songwriting credits, to intellectual property to memorabilia to following through on her parents and grandparents wishes, we don't think you will find anyone more dedicated to her family legacy than Lisa Sutton. And it's all next on the Rarified Heir Podcast.

Some careers can be described with a couple of words, but Shawn Camp's isn't one of them. A bold and distinctive singer, a songwriter who's provided material for artists ranging from Ralph Stanley, Del McCoury and Ricky Skaggs to Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Porter Wagoner, Loretta Lynn and Brooks & Dunn, with hits such as “Two Pina Coladas” (Garth Brooks), “Nobody But Me” (Blake Shelton), “Would You Go With Me” (Josh Turner), “River Of Love” (George Strait), and Billy Currington's hit single “Love Done Gone”. Along with being a hit writer, he is a gifted multi-instrumentalist who's played as a touring/recording musician with everyone from Jerry Reed, Trisha Yearwood, Shelby Lynn, and Alan Jackson to the Osborne Brothers, Guy Clark and John Prine. Camp also co-produced a compilation tribute album for his friend and hero Guy Clark, which was #1 on the Americana Charts for several weeks in the spring of 2012, and voted Americana Album Of The Year 2012. Entitled, Guy Clark: This One's For Him. This Album was also Grammy nominated for Folk Album Of The Year 2012.Then Shawn co-produced and won the Grammy for Folk Album Of The Year-2013, for Guy Clark's "My Favorite Picture Of You".  Learn more about Shawn Camp at http://shawncamp.comLisa Stewart is an American country music artist, actress, and television host. In 1993, she signed to BNA Records (then known as BNA Entertainment), releasing her self-titled debut album that year. This album produced two singles for her on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. She penned BMI's 2008 Gospel Song of The Year, "Sky Full of Angels" made popular by Reba McEntire. Stewart is also known for her acting career. Most notably, she has shared the silver screen with Academy Award winners Gwyneth Paltrow ("Country Strong" 2010) and Melissa Leo in the Sundance award-winning film, "Novitiate". She was featured in The CW's "The Vampire Diaries","Containment" and various films, TV series and commercials. Stewart is currently writing music and performing live shows. Lisa Stewart's first public appearance was in church at the early age of six, singing along with a record of “Jesus, I Heard You Had a Big House.” Her first appearance as a country singer came at age eleven when she attended the Nashville Fan Fair and performed in the Tent Show. In 1987 she began doing demo and jingle work in Nashville studios. She was a singer/dancer at Opryland. She also sang with the JazzR&B band ‘Soire' as well as other club acts. You may even recognize her as the voice of companies including Target, Allstate, Showtime, HBO and many more! Her speaking voice has landed her on the list of Grammy considerations for “Spoken Word”.Other singles include “Drive Time” and “Under the Light of the Texaco.” In 1992, she went on a radio tour promoting the release of her debut album. In 1993, she began her television career as a co-host of “# 1 Country.” Since then Lisa has co-hosted TNN's ‘Yesteryear,' had feature appearances on ‘Prime Time Country, ‘and ‘Statler Brothers Show.'She toured with Kenny Rogers in 1995 and the Statler Brothers in 1996. She has been to the ‘Country Music Festival' in Geneva, Switzerland, twice, in 1995 and 1996. In 1996 she also did a USO tour to Hungary and Bosnia. In 1997 Lisa became the co-host of ‘This Week in Country Music.' She is currently writing songs and wants to do a rock record. She is on the movie soundtrack to “Jericho.” She also plays a small part in the movie. She can also be seen in Billy Gilman's video, “Oklahoma.” You can learn more about Lisa Stewart as an actress at Lisa Stewart IMDb

A few Tennessee constitutional amendments are on the November 8th ballet, including prohibiting slavery. If you thought Tennessee might have already had that in the constitution, stay tuned. Opryland brings back their ICE! exhibit for the first time in two years. Plus, we talk about an abandoned Nashville airport that became a city park.Take a Tour With Us! Use code NASH for 20% off - https://www.xplrnash.com/toursToday's Sponsors: Brad Reynolds  https://thinkbrad.com/Bowtie Barber Clubhttps://www.bowtiebarberclub.com/Nash NewsProhibiting slavery is among the four proposed constitutional amendments to be voted on in Tennesseehttps://www.newschannel5.com/news/prohibiting-slavery-is-among-the-four-proposed-constitutional-amendments-to-be-voted-on-in-tennesseehttps://sos.tn.gov/amendmentsGaylord Opryland prepares for the return of ICE!https://www.wsmv.com/2022/08/17/gaylord-opryland-prepares-return-ice/The History of Cornelia Fort AirparkCornelia Fort https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelia_FortCornelia Forthttps://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/cornelia-fort/Nashville's Abandoned Cornelia Fort Airpark Is A Fascinating Piece Of Historyhttps://www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/nashville/cornelia-fort-airpark-tn/Cornelia Fort Airpark - Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelia_Fort_AirparkCornelia Fort Airpark https://nashvillehistoricalnewsletter.com/tag/cornelia-fort-airpark/Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Central Tennesseehttp://www.airfields-freeman.com/TN/Airfields_TN_C.htmlNashville Daily Artist of the Day Playlist   https://open.spotify.com/playlist/51eNcUWPg7qtj8KECrbuwx?si=nEfxeOgmTv6rFUyhVUJY9AFollow us @ XPLR NASH   Website -  https://nashvilledailypodcast.com/   YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/xplrnash   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/xplr.nash/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/xplr_nash   NASHVILLE & XPLR MERCH - https://www.xplrnash.com/shopMedia and other inquiries please email hello@xplr.life

Coming at you from an Opryland hotel in Nashville, today's episode is short and sweet, but powerful. Chances, dreams, love and the time you have now. You think you can do it all, til you can't. Today's episode is inspired by lyrics from Cody Johnson's song "Til You Can't"Therapy, Friends, Disney Princesses and Country Music- all of my favorite things mentioned in a singular episode! Let's connect on Instagram: @lovelaughlinds Join the Facebook podcast community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lovelaughletitgo

We're away for a couple of weeks but there ain't no doubt we love this land.  Here's a best of Jackie & Dunlap on Lee Greenwood, the Lee Greenwood Corps, the Lee Greenwood Bible, the Lee Greenwood fireworks, and Opryland. Clips: Ep. 106, 11/17/14  Ep. 441, 5/21/21 Ep. 442, 5/29/21 Ep. 459, 9/26/21 Ep. 483, 6/3/22 http://patreon.com/redstateupdate "The Magic Cowboy" courtesy Seth Timbs:   https://sethtimbs.bandcamp.com Red State Update theme "Tasty Sorghum Biscuit" by William Sherry:  https://open.spotify.com/track/74j2AyMM9Qy2VhSQDajhfn 

Back in the day when I was little, we planned camping trip routes to our destination like Opryland, but we didn't necessarily plan where we would stop for the night and park our motorhome.   If we came upon a campground that was full, we'd just keep driving until we saw a billboard for another campground.  When we found one it was anyone's guess what type of adventure we signed up for.   The kids of course just wanted a swimming pool, and we were always disappointed when there wasn't one.  Why wasn't there one?  I'm Mechiel Kopaska host of the Fearless Innovator podcast and That's what we're going to discuss today, the differences between overnight parks and Destination parks.    Overnight parks really haven't changed that much, but what has changed is the amount of people travelling and looking for their perfect camping spot.   Today, you need to do your homework before you start travelling and you need to make reservations well in advance as the shear number of RV travelers has increased significantly in the last 2 years, so finding your perfect spot may be a bit more challenging.   You also need to know your family's needs while travelling.  Like I said before one of our needs were the kids wanted a swimming pool, mom and dad didn't much care what else as long as the kids could be preoccupied.  I'm sure if I'd ask my dad, he would have said he wanted a level spot large enough for the camper with hookups.  Hookups back then were nothing like they are today, our generator was not built in and there was no cable or fiber because there were no TV's or internet. I know there are a lot of new RV'ers hitting the road these days, so I'd like to help everyone understand that not all parks are created equally and you should know what type you're going to because it could save you from writing a bad review on the park! Let's first talk about Overnight parks.   Overnight parks are generally well advertised along the highways with HUGE billboards because they are only getting 1-2 nights of revenue, they need to do a lot more advertising.  The overnight parks are generally found within 5 miles just off interstates or major roadways.  Once you're in the park, most have no frills, no swimming pools just the basics and just looks like a parking lot. The guests that generally come just stay for 1 or 2 nights and then they move on to their destination park. They usually have a higher vacancy rate as people are just passing through.  Which means it's much easier to get into one of these parks.  The overnight park will have limited employees and more of a self-park feature.  You may not even see anyone as you can book your reservations online and pay online. Pricing for an overnight park will be less expensive because the park itself has less to offer and they have no overhead. The overnight parks have a definite purpose and are very much needed as the average RV traveler will only drive 4 hours a day.  If your destination is 800 miles away, that's possibly 3 overnight stays before you reach your destination.  If my dad was driving, he'd only stop once! Destination parks.  Our destination one year was Opryland in Nashville. These days destination parks have a lot to offer.  I just visited Renegades on the River 2 weeks ago, it had a marina for the fishermen, a Tiki bar with live music and a restaurant onsite.  The Spirit of the Suwanee River Park here in Florida is nothing but a Music venue that brings in BIG Music names.  I know of another park that has hosted Burger challenges, Car Shows, Corn Hole Competitions, Chili Cook-offs, Super Bowl parties, the ideas are limitless, and I have yet to see someone playing pickle ball! Destination parks are also well advertised, however now the billboard is going to attract you with all the amenities the park offers like 4 tickets to Opryland, Swimming pool, 4 show tickets, free shuttle, a kids play area and an ice cream shop onsite, etc.  Destination parks are typically located near the destination or may even offer a music venue onsite like the Spirit of the Suwanee River Park. Guests will normally stay for a week because this area can keep your family occupied with a number of things to do in the area.  If you're a snowbird you will stay for a season typically just to get you out of the northern weather.  It's not every day that you have to have an activity but it's nice if the area has a lot to do.  Most snowbirds love to eat out – so good reasonable restaurants are always a hit with you. You will also look for a good car swap meet or flea market.  Here in my area, we have the Florida State Fair and the Strawberry Festival, and they used to have a Grand Ole Opry day. These parks will require advanced booking, sometimes even the year before.  Most snowbird parks allow you to prebook for the following season with an advanced down payment. If you're the summer vacation RV'er make sure to plan ahead! The destination parks will have a lot of employees such as greeters at the gate to show you to your exact RV spot.  You will notice how well the property is taken care of by the maintenance crews and the well-manicured lawns.  There will always be someone in the office to answer any questions that you have from prebooking to exiting the park on your departure day. Some destination parks allow for an overnight parking. These parks are capitalizing on both markets. Pricing at a destination park will be significantly higher based on what the park itself can offer.  If you're Fort Wilderness, you can pretty much charge what you want, because the people will come strictly because there is SOOOO much to do at this park. My last bit of advice is read the reviews!  The reviews will tell you what others did not like about the park.  Now, take each with a grain of salt as there can be some sketchy reviews and certainly dig in and find the good reviews. Key point is do your research ahead of time to ensure you know the surrounding area and you know what your park offers or does not offer in amenities before you book! I'm Mechiel Kopaska of the Fearless Innovator Podcast, I hope you enjoyed this episode.    Grand Ole Opry - Home - Grand Ole Opry Renegades on the River - Home - RENEGADE'S (renegadesontheriver.com) Spirit of the Suwanee River Park - https://www.musicliveshere.com Florida State Fair - Florida State Fair Strawberry Festival - Florida Strawberry Festival

The Emmy nominated, “Queen of Clean” Chonda Pierce talks about her early beginnings at Opryland, dating apps, life on the road, and what is there still left to do?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

J.R. Meyers comes in to discuss The Meyers Group LLC...

Rob Decker was the vice president of Cedar Fair Entertainment company. He has designed hundreds of rides, as well and many parks and buildings. He has had an amazing career and is such a kind and intentional person. We hope you enjoy this conversation with him. Check our website for any new or updates. Razed Typical With a career spanning 35 years, Rob's focus has been to conceive and launch strategic initiatives while improving the overall guest experience by generating excitement for the guests. His career began with a passion to draw and create that grew into a career requiring an exceptional array of design skills ranging from graphic design, architecture, art, and master planning. Throughout his career Rob has leveraged his love to design by applying his skillset to the design and development of resort hotels, restaurants, retail, sporting venues, world's fairs and theme park attractions, most notably over 45 roller coasters, including many of the world's best attractions. In total, Rob's leadership oversaw developments that exceed $2 billion. Rob was once referred to by the New York Times as a “Real-Life Roller-Coaster Tycoon” and has appeared on numerous nationally broadcast interviews including NBC Nightly News, NBC Today Show, ABC's Good Morning America, CBS' The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation, MSNBC Weekends with Alex Witt, FOX News, NPR, plus the Discovery Channel and Travel Channel. Rob and his teams have numerous projects on ‘best of' lists receiving universal acclaim from a broad array of international media, including NY Times, Washington Post, LA Times, USA Today, Popular Science, Time, People, Forbes, Bloomberg, Patch, Travel + Leisure, and regional media outlets. Prior to joining Cedar Fair, he served as an architect and master planner at internationally recognized firms in Maryland and Ohio before taking the position of Director at Jack Rouse & Associates. While at JRA, Rob was the studio director leading master planning, architecture, and creation of attraction development for clients such as Universal Studios, Six Flags, Warner Bros., Opryland, Daytona USA, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Braves, Indiana Pacers, and several international clients such as Kia Motors. With a love to entertain and create, the theme park resort environment became Rob's perfect laboratory. “When I approach a new project, I like to let the guest's voice guide me to create a better experience. The business case and market conditions will shape the project, but ultimately my role is to create wonderment, a strong sense of place, and fun for our guests.”

We're less than a week from kicking off our 46th Annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show! Join us for Part 2 of this series where we discuss the many opportunities to win amazing prizes and adventures, conservation seminars, and some Convention Hacks to help you enjoy your week in Nashville!  

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Mark Johnson for an interview at our Experience Center. Mark is currently the Program Director for Show Production at Full Sail University, but that's just the latest stop on his long career in the AV industry which has spanned over four decades! We had such a great conversation with Mark that we're releasing two episodes with him. This first part of the conversation deals with Mark's early days in the business, including his days at Clark University, 10 years at Opryland, a career marketing Meyer Sound, and his time working with some great performers like Platinum-selling artists and Grammy award-winning singer Anita Baker. Listen and subscribe to the Sound Connections podcast on your favorite podcasting apps including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!

The MRN broadcast of the 1995 Opryland USA 320 from Nashville Fairgrounds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The MRN broadcast of the 1995 Opryland USA 320 from Nashville Fairgrounds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Darkness Radio presents Southern Ghost Stories: Opryland & More with guest Allen Sircy Dave & Tim are spirited away by their guest Allen Sircy as he navigates us through haunted buildings and tourist attractions along Pennington's Bend and the Cumberland River that are now home to many restless spirits. From the Grand Ole Opry to an old theme park and lavish hotel next door, ghost stories are everywhere. With each ghostly tale, Allen Sircy unlocks the dark history of the area and invites you to see what you might find lurking in the shadows. Get the Southern Ghost Stories series here: https://amzn.to/2WeET46 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

*We decided to get our babies together for a play date when we recorded this episode. Sorry for the occasional sounds of babies in the background. They're future enthusiasts that apparently had to share their two cents about Opryland.*In this episode we discuss the history of Opryland USA located in Nashville, TN which opened in 1972 and permanently closed in 1997. We take a look how the park started, some of the rides and attractions featured at the park and our thoughts on what caused the park to go out of business.We hope you join along in the conversation by letting us know your thoughts in the comment section below about Opryland. Did you have the chance to visit the park? If so, what were your impressions of the park? Check us out on Instagram and Twitter: @airtimemisfits.comWe have a selection of awesome defunct coaster/park inspired items for sale in our online shop! Be sure to check them out!www.airtimemisfits.com

Jesse Farrar (Your Kickstarter Sucks, The Go Off Kings) joins us to discuss Opryland USA. The now closed Nashville park that became a big mall.  PTR Gazette: Rhode Retires, Super Nintendo World Opening Details episode up at The Second Gate: Patreon.com/PodcastTheRide Listen to Podcast: The Ride Ad-Free on Forever Dog Plus: http://foreverdogpodcasts.com/plus FOLLOW PODCAST: THE RIDE: https://twitter.com/PodcastTheRide https://www.instagram.com/podcasttheride BUY PODCAST: THE RIDE MERCH: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/podcast-the-ride PODCAST THE RIDE IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/podcast-the-ride Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's talk about the Teachers Pay Teachers conference & Social Media Marketing World! Are conferences worth it? Two weeks after attending Social Media Marketing World, Angie and I are discussing our experience. In this episode, we also talk about how to get the most value out of conferences, and why you should attend the Teachers Pay Teachers conference. Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. You don't have to purchase them through our links, but if you do, it's much appreciated!  Social Media Marketing World It was my second time, and Angie's first, attending SMMW 2018. Our conclusion was that it's a good conference to attend if you are already at the point in your business where you are running ads and utilizing a website and/or mailing list. The conference gave us motivation to refine what we were already doing in our businesses. Angie flew across country for this conference. With conference ticket, flight, and hotel, it was pricey. She concluded that it was a lot of money to spend for just one conference. I drove to the conference, and thought it was worth the money just to attend in order to network with other TpT sellers and get motivated to refine the systems she already has in place. Her favorite session was put on by Leslie Samuel, who has a great podcast on Blogging. The price averages around $900 for the conference tickets, but you can save money by buying it early. Another good option if you don't want to pay for travel expenses is the virtual ticket. With the virtual ticket, you get every session recorded to watch whenever you want. Go here to get the details.  Teachers Pay Teachers Conference The main takeaway from this conversation was that you should do whatever it takes to attend this annual conference. It's very motivating, and you will learn things specific to selling on Teachers Pay Teachers. Even if the sessions aren't what you're looking for, collaboration with other sellers during this conference is highly valuable. The 2018 conference is in Nashville, TN at the Opryland. Angie suggests finding a cheaper hotel to stay at if you're attending on a budget. We both agreed that it's a nice convenience to stay where the conference is taking place, but the venue is on the pricier side. Click here for more TpT conference information. Make sure to join our Teacher Seller Facebook group!

Stephen Bargatze joins us today. If that name sounds familiar it may be because you saw him in Las Vegas, caught him at Opryland, perhaps he visited your school or maybe because he is the father of Nate Bargatze. Regardless of whether you knew him before or not, you will love his generous and insightful interview. Stephen ran away from home in his teens, escaping an alcoholic father and other family issues. After being bit by a dog he was left with a bit of a lisp that also forced him into a bit of shyness. A few chance encounters reshaped his entire life and he headed off in a much better direction. With encouragement from a clown - yes, a clown, Stephen began to learn magic and perform shows. Later on he left the makeup behind and let his comedy and magic stand on its own. Today he shares with us his story and some great insights into the world of magic. We cover many things, including... How Ronald McDonald changed his life How being singled out by a drama teacher played a role in becoming accepted Why it took a year to talk to his girlfriend Why he wanted to get fired from his Opryland gig How he used a log flume to make  huge splash in his magic show What he learned from Robin Williams about performing How magicians buy and share tricks Having other magicians call you to ask if they can do your trick on TV How utilizing jokes help magicians engage the crowd during the process of magic Why “playing dumb” can help endear an audience to you Why having a DVD called “I hate kids” kind of backfired His friendship with two other magicians who all grew up in the same area in Louisville How he is able to use magic to engage and influence school kids to make better decisions How him and his wife compete to get a joke in Nate's routine And a lot more. Really, a lot more! You've got to listen to Stephen Bargatze describe some of his tricks and hear for yourself. You'll quickly learn why he has been able to spend decades doing what he really loves. For a primer, check out this video clip with Dick Butkus called the “Straight Jacket of Death." Or visit his web site: MagicofStephen.com  ==   You can contact us anytime at schooloflaughs@gmail.com . Guest Blog Posts If you are blogging about your comedy journey or have written articles about your experience we'd love to share them. Send a link to the post and any other info you would like us to know and I'll consider posting it and promoting from our site. Sponsor An Episode Do you have something you' like to promote? A new CD, big show, or your very own podcast? Contact us for sponsorship options. You can promote on one or multiple episodes. Fix a Joke We want to help as many comics as possible. If you have a short joke (100 words or less) that you would like some feedback on please send it in! You can email the joke written out or send us an audio clip, or even a link to a YouTube video. We will get it on the show and get feedback for you, give out your web site and / or twitter handle to help you get your name out there. Our show is PG so please take that into consideration when selecting a joke. Insider Tip Sheet Better yet, subscribe to the bi-monthly School of Laughs “Insider Tips” email and get exclusive information delivered right to your inbox. It's fast, free useful and fun. Email: SchoolOfLaughs@gmail.com and put “insider tip sheet” in the subject header. I'll make sure you get the official tip sheet and I promise to keep your email anonymous and spam free. @SCHOOLOFLAUGHS  on Twitter