Independent hospitals are incredibly important to the communities they serve, not only for the health and welfare of the citizens but also due to the fact they create an economic ripple effect. Our guest this week, Ralph Castillo of Morgan Medical Center in Madison, Georgia, has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He discusses how he leads this independent, critical care hospital, how Morgan Medical Center has evolved into what it is today, the fifth anniversary of its current location, and much more. For more than 60 years, Morgan Medical Center has served the people of Morgan County. Morgan Medical Center prides itself on the care they provide through modern technology, enhanced treatment facilities, upgraded amenities, and affordable healthcare.

Brookhaven, the acclaimed metro Atlanta community with small town charm and big city access, became a municipality 11 years ago, and it’s been evolving ever since. This week’s guest shares her frontline insight on how Brookhaven continues to grow and how its citizens and businesses are benefiting from this. In addition to being a member of the Brookhaven City Council, Simmons is also a partner of the law firm Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys. She discusses how her legal background prepared her for her work with Brookhaven, the importance of acquiring and cultivating green spaces, her goals for her next term, upcoming plans for the city, and much more.

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, a Canadian company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world, currently has nearly 4,000 employees representing 80 nationalities. It’s currently presenting more than 45 shows and sells more than 9.5 million tickets annually. Stéphane joined Cirque du Soleil in 2016 as Chief Financial Officer and later served as Chief Operating Officer. He was promoted to CEO in 2021, and he has navigated the company through a challenging transition, while retaining its esteemed brand reputation and success in the world of live entertainment. Stéphane discusses his business philosophy, how Cirque du Soleil faced pandemic-related business challenges, the future of the brand, and other intriguing topics. Cirque du Soleil Echo is now playing at Atlantic Station Atlanta through January 21, 2024.

Business careers often take unorthodox turns, and this week’s guest went from playing soccer in sports arenas to booking concerts in them. After a professional soccer career in the U.K., Andy found his way to Atlanta where eventually began working for legendary concert promoter, Alex Cooley. Cooley took Andy under his wing, and later on Andy became talent booker at the iconic Decatur venue Eddie’s Attic, which Cooley co-owned at the time. After Cooley’s passing in 2015, Hingley became co-owner of Eddie’s Attic. Today, Andy not only runs Eddie’s Attic, but he also books talent for Live Nation, a multinational entertainment company. He books shows of all sizes in Atlanta and Southeast. From Luke Combs to Lizzo to Ween to Sturgill Simpson. Andy returns to the program to talk about the challenges of operating a club like Eddie’s Attic, how the pandemic has changed the live music business, his foray into artist management, and much more.

The Halloween season is upon us, which means it’s time for the Little Five Points Halloween Festival and Parade, which takes place October 21 and 22 in Atlanta. More than 55,000 visitors are expected to attend this annual fundraiser for the Little Five Points Business Association. So it’s the perfect opportunity to explore the business landscape of one of the city’s most unique districts. Located just outside of downtown Atlanta, Little Five Points is known as the “bohemian center of the South” with its counterculture, alternative, artsy vibe and more than 100 independently owned businesses. Stocks and Raab talk about what makes Little Five Points special, its business history, how the neighborhood attempts to balance identity with growth, and much more.

Business and government often intersect, and a wonderful example of that is the City of Brookhaven, the acclaimed metro Atlanta community with small-town charm and big-city access. Just more than a decade ago, Brookhaven became a municipality and it continues to experience notable transformation and growth. Mayor Ernst and Councilman Funny discuss the main priorities Brookhaven had out of the gate, the evolution of their tech-savvy police force, the importance of infrastructure, the upcoming Brookhaven City Centre project and its City Hall, and the inaugural Brookhaven International Festival taking place October 21 and 22.

It’s mid September, but for those in the Halloween business, things are ramping up big time as we head toward October. And this week’s guest is an entrepreneur who operates one of Atlanta’s most successful Halloween-related businesses. Netherworld is one of the most highly acclaimed haunted houses in the world, and it’s currently celebrating its 27th anniversary. Since relocating to Stone Mountain in 2017, Netherworld has expanded its offerings to include year-round escape games, and they just added their fifth game, which has a sci-fi premise. Its seasonal haunted attraction opens September 22 and runs on select dates through November 11. Armstrong talks about the company’s history, how they were able to sustain as a seasonal business, how they transitioned to a new location with year-round offerings, and much more.

Business careers often take unorthodox turns, and this week’s guest went from playing soccer in sports arenas to booking concerts in them. After a professional soccer career in the U.K., Andy found his way to Atlanta where eventually began working for legendary concert promoter, Alex Cooley. Cooley took Andy under his wing, and later on Andy became talent booker at the iconic Decatur venue Eddie’s Attic, which Cooley co-owned at the time. After Cooley’s passing in 2015, Hingley became co-owner of Eddie’s Attic. Today, Andy not only runs Eddie’s Attic, but he also books talent for Live Nation, a multinational entertainment company. He books shows of all sizes in Atlanta and Southeast. From Luke Combs to Lizzo to Ween to Sturgill Simpson. Andy returns to the program to talk about the challenges of operating a club like Eddie’s Attic, how the pandemic has changed the live music business, his foray into artist management, and much more.

National Health Center Week is taking place August 6-12, and this week’s guest will be telling us all about the relevance of community health centers in our country. Wollenzien is CEO of YourTown Health. YourTown Health’s network of seven community health centers serve the communities of Meriwether, Pike, Lamar, Carroll, Coweta, and South Fulton counties. The centers are strategically located in areas facing limited access to affordable, quality healthcare.

YourTown Health offers comprehensive preventative, curative, and life-enhancing services. Everything from primary care to chronic disease management, and much more.