Spectruss Speakeasy Podcast

Dr. Patricia McLelland on Women's Health, Functional Medicine, & Her Upcoming Book

What happens when a doctor with 20+ years of experience stops defaulting to prescriptions and starts looking at the full picture? In this episode of Spectruss Speakeasy, host Sam Silvey, CEO and Founder of Spectruss, sits down with Dr. Patricia McLelland to talk about how functional medicine changed the way she practices and why slowing down often leads to better health outcomes than a quick fix. Dr. McLelland is a board-certified OB/GYN and functional medicine practitioner. In recent years, her approach has focused on treating the whole person through lifestyle changes, nutrition, and education rather than jumping straight to a prescription. Dr. McLelland is currently writing a book on women's health and functional medicine, expected to be published by the end of 2026. --- About Spectruss Speakeasy Spectruss Speakeasy is a podcast hosted by Sam Silvey, CEO and Founder of Spectruss, a full-service marketing and advertising agency based in Chattanooga, TN. Sam sits down with founders, business owners, and experts to talk about the decisions behind the business. New episodes drop regularly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. For more information, visit our website www.spectruss.com

Matt Hullander on Selling Your Business, Post-Exit Identity & Chattanooga's Next Chapter

Matt Hullander sold Hullco to private equity in 2021. He walked into the Westin Hotel, signed the papers, introduced his buyer to 72 employees, then went and ate lunch by himself. Five years later, he has built V2 Strategy to help other home service owners avoid the mistakes he made, joined Legacy Dental Group as a partner across 7 practices in North Georgia, ran for mayor of Chattanooga, and is now designing $4M luxury condos. In this episode of the Spectruss Speakeasy, Matt talks openly about the part of the exit nobody prepares you for: the identity loss, why he signed an LOI without shopping the deal, and what an advisor could have done differently. --- What we cover in this episode: - Why 75% of business owners report regret or a loss of purpose after selling - How Hullco grew from $4M to over $20M, and what a COVID backlog looked like ($9M in sold-but-not-installed jobs) - How V2 Strategy took one HVAC owner from a $4.7M LOI to an $8.2M close - What private equity actually wants, and what nobody tells you before you sign - Why Legacy Dental's model works: acquire the dentist, run the business, let them treat patients - Matt's plan for luxury condos, and his take on the next chapter for Chattanooga - Running for mayor, and Charlie Kirk's advice he didn't take - The three books every business owner should read before they sell --- Connect with Matt 🌐 v2strategy.com --- Hosted by Spectruss, an award-winning marketing and advertising agency. 📍 Based in Chattanooga, TN | Serving businesses nationwide 🌐 spectruss.com For more information, visit our website www.spectruss.com

Banking on Chattanooga: What 40 Years in the Room Actually Teaches You — with Ron Jones of Southeast Bank

Most business owners treat banking like a transaction. Ron Jones has spent 40 years watching that mindset quietly limit — and sometimes kill — otherwise good businesses. In this episode of the Spectruss Speakeasy, Sam Silvey sits down with Ron Jones, Regional President of SouthEast Bank, for one of the most practical money conversations we've ever had on this show. Ron has been in commercial banking since 1987 — through First American National, First Volunteer, and now SouthEast Bank — and he brings the kind of perspective you only get from actually being in the room when the decisions get made. We get into the real stuff: why local banking relationships change outcomes, what bankers see beyond your credit score, how AI is reshaping lending speed, and what Chattanooga's business climate actually looks like from someone who sees the numbers every day. If you're a business owner between $5M and $50M and you're not having real strategy conversations with your banker yet — this episode is your nudge. What we cover: * Community banking vs. big banks — the practical difference * What kills a loan application before it even starts * How to position your business to borrow better 12 months from now * The Chattanooga market outlook from someone who sees it firsthand * AI, M&A, and what the future of banking means for small business owners The Spectruss Speakeasy is produced by Spectruss — a full-service marketing and advertising agency in Chattanooga, TN. We help growth-ready businesses between $5M–$50M get real marketing leadership without the overhead. Learn more at spectruss.com. For more information, visit our website www.spectruss.com

Ben Brown on Succession, Identity & Long-Term Private Equity

In this episode of Spectruss Speakeasy, Ben Brown of Alderman Enterprises joins us to discuss succession, identity, and long-term investing. As the “Silver Tsunami” of retiring Baby Boomer owners builds, many founders are discovering that selling a company is as emotional as it is financial. Ben shares insights from real acquisitions, including a seller who struggled deeply after exiting. We also talk about: * Alderman’s long-term private equity approach * Managing employees through ownership transitions * What due diligence uncovers * The real impact of AI on industrial and white-collar work * Why Chattanooga continues to attract business and talent A candid conversation about building, buying, and sustaining companies for the long haul. Ben Brown is the founder of Alderman Enterprises, a private equity group that has been around for 10 years and owns approximately 6 different companies, mainly in the manufacturing space. Ben was recently featured in a local Business Magazine. For more information, visit our website www.spectruss.com

Winning with Discipline: Isaac Caldiero's American Ninja Warrior Story

In Season 7, Isaac completed the challenge and claimed the prize that had eluded every competitor before him. But the win was just one moment in a much longer journey. In this conversation, we sit down with Isaac to talk about what it really took to get there, the years of preparation, the mental game, the physical grind, and the discipline required to compete at that level. We also dive into what life looked like after the win, how it changed him, and where he's headed now. Whether you're chasing a big goal, trying to stay committed to something hard, or just curious about what it takes to win one of the toughest competitions in the world, this episode is for you. For more information, visit our website www.spectruss.com