The Decision by EO Nashville

Matthew Anderson - Making Better Decisions in Real Estate, Law, and Entrepreneurship

Matthew Anderson is a Partner at Anderson & Harrison, PLLC, a Nashville-based boutique law firm focused on construction and real estate law. The practice represents real estate professionals, investors, developers, and operators in breach-of-contract and tort disputes related to real estate and construction. As a real estate investor and operator, Matthew has approximately $25M of assets under management, consisting primarily of multifamily and office space in Tennessee. In this episode… Entrepreneurship often requires choosing between what's working and what's worth building next. As opportunities expand, the harder decision is not always whether to grow, but what to let go of in order to grow well. How do you know when a difficult season is actually pointing you toward the next right move? Real estate and construction law expert Matthew Anderson built his career at the intersection of legal strategy, investing, and entrepreneurship. After starting out in law while quietly pursuing real estate deals on the side, he eventually stepped into business ownership, learning that growth required more than ambition — it required focus, discipline, and the courage to say no. A deeply personal setback, including grief and a delayed bar exam, became an unexpected turning point that gave Matthew space to study investing and take action. His advice: stop dabbling, make offers, learn through due diligence, and use action to build confidence. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline sits down with Matthew Anderson, Partner at Anderson & Harrison, PLLC, to discuss making difficult decisions in entrepreneurship and real estate investing. Matthew shares how he joined EO, why investor experience shapes his legal advice, and how a major personal setback helped launch his investing journey.

Brian Fisher - How To Find Your True Role in Business and Build a Career That Fits

Brian Fisher is the Co-founder and COO of Jucebox, a digital marketing and sales platform for life insurance agents and advisors. He is also the COO and Chief Compliance Officer at JB Wealth Advisors, an SEC-registered investment advisory services company. With a background in operations and marketing, Brian helps advisors improve performance and client acquisition. In this episode… Success may look like a straight path from passion to achievement, but it rarely unfolds that way. Many professionals find themselves pivoting, reevaluating, and redefining what fulfillment means along the journey. What can you do when the path you've invested in no longer aligns with the life you want to build? Business infrastructure expert Brian Fisher didn't begin his career with spreadsheets or systems, but with a trumpet in hand and a vision of performing. As he moved from music into the restaurant industry, he immersed himself in operations, eventually running multimillion-dollar establishments and launching his own creative dining experiences. Even after achieving his dream of opening a restaurant, an unexpected loss forced Brian to rebuild from scratch. Alongside his twin brother, he found a new path, learning to embrace his strengths behind the scenes — designing systems, scaling operations, and supporting growth rather than chasing the spotlight. Brian's journey demonstrates that success comes from aligning your work with your natural strengths, not forcing yourself into roles that drain you. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with Brian Fisher, Co-founder and COO of Jucebox, to discuss navigating career pivots and finding your role in business. Brian shares his transition from music to restaurants, lessons from building and losing a business, and how defining his strengths reshaped his leadership approach.

Joyce Mehlman - How to Bet on Yourself and Build a Business Through Uncertainty

Joyce Mehlman is the Founder of iLEX Consulting Group, a fintech consulting firm. She is also the President and COO of Spidr, a fintech platform that enables businesses to develop and deliver embedded banking solutions. With over 30 years of experience in financial services and fintech, Joyce held senior leadership roles across operations, compliance, and payments. In this episode… Major career decisions rarely arrive at convenient times. They tend to show up alongside uncertainty, responsibility, and the pressure to choose between stability and something unproven. When the stakes include family, finances, and personal identity, how can you decide which path to take? Seasoned fintech leader and strategist Joyce Mehlman didn't begin her career in finance — she stumbled into it after her plans for law school fell through and a temporary bank job turned into a lifelong endeavor. Over decades, she worked her way through nearly every function in banking, eventually rising to executive leadership before stepping away to build something of her own. Along the way, Joyce faced moments that tested both her resilience and conviction — from supporting her family through uncertainty to navigating a near-collapse of her business during an industry downturn. Through it all, she leaned into adaptability, honesty, and persistence, proving that the willingness to bet on yourself can be the most important decision you make. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with Joyce Mehlman, Founder of iLEX Consulting Group and President and COO of Spidr, to discuss building resilience through uncertainty. Joyce shares how she transitioned from banking into entrepreneurship, navigated financial instability during the pandemic, and evolved her leadership style through honesty and active listening.

Jim Fisher - Lessons in Entrepreneurship, Sales, and Walking Away at the Right Time

Jim Fisher is the Founder and CEO of Jucebox, a digital marketing and sales platform for life insurance agents and advisors. He is also the Managing Director at JB Growth Partners, where he leads retirement planning and financial education initiatives. With years of experience in retirement income planning, Jim focuses on helping financial professionals scale their production to serve clients more effectively. In this episode… Growth often comes from moments that don't look like wins. Entrepreneurs frequently face decisions where holding on feels safer than letting go, even when the path forward is unclear. Sometimes walking away turns out to be the most strategic move you can make. As a sales coach in the financial services industry, Jim Fisher's journey is shaped by a series of calculated risks and hard-earned lessons. Early in his career, he absorbed a customer-first philosophy that emphasized solving problems rather than pushing products, a mindset that later defined how he trained others. Along the way, Jim faced a defining setback when a business partnership unraveled, forcing him to choose between a prolonged legal fight or redirecting his energy elsewhere. He chose to move forward, channeling his focus into refining his craft and helping others master sales through clarity, conviction, and purpose. Jim emphasizes narrowing your focus and committing to where you can create the most value. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with Jim Fisher, Founder and CEO of Jucebox and Managing Director of JB Growth Partners, to discuss entrepreneurship, sales, and decision-making. Jim explains how to niche down for growth, what traits define high-performing salespeople, and why walking away from a business can lead to greater long-term success.

David Waddell - The Power of Vulnerability and Fast Decision-Making in Business Growth

David Waddell is the CEO and Chief Investment Strategist at Waddell & Associates, an SEC-registered investment advisory and wealth management firm. He leads the firm's investment committee, using macroeconomic forecasting, market analysis, and risk assessment to guide clients' portfolio strategies. With over two decades of experience, David is a recognized economic and investment expert and has been featured in major media outlets like Forbes and The Wall Street Journal. In this episode… Success in business often looks like confidence, certainty, and control — but the reality is often far messier. Behind strong outcomes are moments of doubt, difficult decisions, and the willingness to admit what isn't working. Sometimes, the advantage isn't having the answers, but knowing when to question them. As an investment strategist with decades of experience guiding entrepreneurs, David Waddell's journey was shaped as much by missteps as by wins. From humble beginnings — sleeping in a sparse apartment while working at Charles Schwab — to stepping into his father's firm and challenging its core business model, David learned early that conviction comes with risk. Years later, after a long stretch of success, shifting market dynamics exposed flaws in his approach, forcing him into a difficult period of reflection and reinvention. That experience reshaped his leadership style, grounding it in humility and decisiveness. In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with David Waddell, CEO and Chief Investment Strategist at Waddell & Associates, to discuss decision-making and growth as an entrepreneur. David explains the importance of vulnerability in EO forums, lessons from shifting a business model, and how market changes forced a strategic reset.