Yellowhammer News will begin carrying a podcast called “Living Life on Purpose” that features interviews with successful Alabama entrepreneurs and businesspeople whose values and inspiring life stories are encouraging and entertaining.
The podcast is produced by Andrew Wells of Executive Lion, a company dedicated to coaching business owners and providing helpful content for professionals, in partnership with his friend Matt Wilson, owner of Perpetual Lifestyle Planning, a financial planning firm in Birmingham.
Wilson said he was having his teeth cleaned, listening to the voice of a local newscaster on the TV in the exam room, hearing story after story about financial crises and political tension, when he realized how much negative news people are faced with each day.
Reflecting on his own unique relationships with people from all walks of life, Wilson decided to start interviewing successful people around Birmingham. He wanted to deliver a positive message to listeners living in a world with so much negativity.
At the same time, Andrew Wells, owner of Re-Bath, was in the process of creating Executive Lion.
Wells and Wilson, two successful business owners who have known each other for some time, were talking one day about their new ideas. They realized their individual ventures were complementary. Wells and Wilson decided to join forces to create Executive Lion’s Living Life on Purpose, a vlog designed to provide encouragement, advice and support to Alabama professionals.
Since beginning this project a few months ago, they have interviewed a dozen Alabama business owners who have achieved success in their respective fields and plan to interview more. The first episode will be released for viewing next week on the Yellowhammer website.
“This is the kind of inspirational and uplifting content that I enjoy,” said Rachel Blackmon Bryars, managing editor of Yellowhammer News. “I love hearing personal stories about how successful people overcame challenges and relied on faith and persistence to accomplish their goals. I think Yellowhammer’s audience will get a lot out of these interviews with Matt and Andrew.”
In each episode, Wilson and Wells profile a successful entrepreneur. They want to give people a close-up of the life of a business owner, and offer practical advice for surviving the “lion’s den.”
“People don’t understand how hard it can be during the first few years of starting a company. Through our interviews, we want to help people considering entrepreneurship to set realistic expectations while relying on their faith to see them through,” said Wells. “Everyone doesn’t get it right all the time, and we want people to know they’re not alone.”
In addition to education and advice, Wilson and Wells want this show to provide hope to listeners who may be discouraged or facing adversity. As Christians, their goal is to bring glory to God through the show. The interviewees are asked to discuss their faith and God’s provision in their lives and businesses.
“We all have challenges and we all have things we’re trying to overcome. Our faith helps us determine how we face them,” said Wilson.
“Our interviews tell the stories of people who have overcome hardships and setbacks. We want to show a side of people that you might not see in the formal business setting,” said Wilson.
One of the interviews for the show was with BJ Ellis, CEO of Yellowhammer.
“Life is hard. Owning a business is hard. Raising a family is hard. Doing it all together is very hard,” said Ellis. “It sounds like this show will be a cheat sheet for anyone trying to be successful in any of those playing fields.”
Yellowhammer will release the first video interview on Monday, December 18.
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