In this inspiring episode of The Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast, host Jim sits down with licensed psychotherapist and mindset mentor Dilyse Diaz for a deep dive into the power of positive thinking, resilience, and intentional living. Dilyse shares her compelling journey from a challenging upbringing in California to building a thriving practice and wellness retreat in Tennessee. Together, they explore strategies for pausing and pivoting during adversity, harnessing the law of attraction, and cultivating gratitude and mindfulness for long-term success in life and business.

Highlights include:
How to pause, pivot, and choose purposeful responses when facing challenges

The role of disciplined thoughts and beliefs in shaping your reality

Real stories about building a business through vision, self-care, and empathy
Actionable advice on setting meaningful goals, overcoming setbacks, and fostering daily gratitude

The importance of self-compassion, growth mindset, and connecting authentically with others

Plus, Dilyse offers exclusive access to a complimentary masterclass for listeners who mention the podcast. Tune in for practical tools and heartfelt inspiration to create the business—and the life—you truly want.

Follow Dilyse:
https://www.dilysediaz.com/

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****SUBSCRIBE/RATE/FOLLOW the Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast:

www.mmtbp.com

www.instagram.com/mostlymiddletnbusinespodcast

www.instagram.com/jimmccarthyvos

Tiktok: @jimmccarthyvos
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Shoutout to Matt Wilson for lending his voice to the new intro of MMTBP.

Follow him and his podcast from which I may have borrowed the *mostly* concept:

https://linktr.ee/mamwmw

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If you like Jim's Boston Scallys, click here to shop and order yours!
https://www.bostonscally.com/a/refer-a-friend/redeem/mqgpwi3u0zgm89vaxnv5crzvlolevo82rvcygsn5/1668
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***You hear Jim mention it on almost every episode, ME vs. WE and how 2023 will be 1943 all over again….order “PENDULUM:How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future”:
https://a.co/d/7oKK7Ip
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The co-author of Pendulum wrote a myriad of other books and started a non-profit 21st Century Non-Traditional Business School that you should really check out:
Wizard Academy - www.wizardacademy.org
______________________________________________________________________

Curious about podcasting? This podcast (and many others) is produced by www.itsyourshow.co

Episode Title: "Real Estate & Real Connections w/ Art Kelly"

Show Description & Highlights: Join us for a compelling episode of The Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast, featuring local realtor and entrepreneur Art Kelly of Realty One Group. Art and host Jim dive deep into how genuine relationships and authenticity are the bedrock of success in Middle Tennessee’s ever-evolving business landscape.

Key highlights include:
Art’s candid business journey: from various odd jobs to thriving in real estate.

How the pandemic forever changed the Middle Tennessee housing market—and how both buyers and agents have adapted.

Sage advice for business owners and sales professionals on nurturing a referral-based business, the “Friend Maker Challenge,” and the long-term benefits of authentic, recurring connections.

Open discussion on overcoming market fear, volatility, and industry misconceptions.

Why empathy, trust, and friendship—not just sales tactics—lead to lasting community impact.

The importance of personal touch and imperfect human connection amidst a digital, AI-driven world.

Tune in for inspiring stories, local wisdom, and practical strategies to help your business thrive in today’s Middle Tennessee marketplace.

Follow Art:
https://artkellyrealtor.com/

_____________________________________________________________________
****SUBSCRIBE/RATE/FOLLOW the Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast:

www.mmtbp.com

www.instagram.com/mostlymiddletnbusinespodcast

www.instagram.com/jimmccarthyvos

Tiktok: @jimmccarthyvos
__________________________________________________________

Shoutout to Matt Wilson for lending his voice to the new intro of MMTBP.

Follow him and his podcast from which I may have borrowed the *mostly* concept:

https://linktr.ee/mamwmw

___________________________________________________________
If you like Jim's Boston Scallys, click here to shop and order yours!
https://www.bostonscally.com/a/refer-a-friend/redeem/mqgpwi3u0zgm89vaxnv5crzvlolevo82rvcygsn5/1668
___________________________________________________________
***You hear Jim mention it on almost every episode, ME vs. WE and how 2023 will be 1943 all over again….order “PENDULUM:How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future”:
https://a.co/d/7oKK7Ip
_________________________________________________________________
The co-author of Pendulum wrote a myriad of other books and started a non-profit 21st Century Non-Traditional Business School that you should really check out:
Wizard Academy - www.wizardacademy.org
______________________________________________________________________

Curious about podcasting? This podcast (and many others) is produced by www.itsyourshow.co

Teaching, Trades & College Myths w/ Greg Svihlik :: Ep 267 Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast

Podcast Title: "Teaching, Trades & College Myths"

What happens when a veteran Middle Tennessee teacher gets brutally honest about grades, test scores, college, and what kids actually need to succeed? In this episode of The Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast, host Jim sits down with Williamson County educator Greg Svihlik for a raw, wide‑ranging conversation on modern education—and why it matters to parents, business owners, and the next generation of workers.

Greg shares the seventh‑grade moment that changed his life, when a math teacher told him he’d be “flipping burgers” for not understanding algebra. That wound became a mission: never making a student feel small as a person, even while being brutally direct about effort, responsibility, and results. From there, Jim and Greg dig into the pendulum swings of education—test retakes, grade inflation, and the pressure to chase test scores while trying to build actual humans.

Together, they unpack the stigma around blue‑collar work, the push that “everyone must go to college,” and why Greg believes we’re failing kids by not championing trades, vocational paths, and real‑world skills. They also explore how AI, social media, and declining trust in institutions are reshaping how students see work, authority, and truth—and why Greg calls his social studies class a “life skills class in disguise.”

If you’re a parent wondering how to guide your kids, a business owner frustrated with the workforce pipeline, or a young person trying to figure out your path, this episode offers perspective, challenge, and a lot of heart. From propaganda and the American Revolution to college debt, trade school success stories, and parenting in the age of iPads, Greg and Jim cover the hard questions most people avoid.

Episode Highlights:

The brutal comment from a seventh‑grade teacher that pushed Greg into education

Why Greg insists on seeing students as people first, kids second, students third

How test retakes, safety nets, and grade inflation changed student motivation

Greg’s case for failing early and safely in middle school instead of in college

Why he tells parents that state standards are low on his priority list

The argument for trade schools, HVAC, mechanics, and blue‑collar paths

A former struggling student now flipping cars and making more than many grads

Why Greg believes AI can’t replace teachers: the irreplaceable human element

Teacher burnout, stress, pay—and why 100+ kids’ lives are on your mind at night

How social media and 24/7 news drive cynicism and distrust in the next generation

Teaching propaganda through the American Revolution and modern media examples

Greg’s budgeting project using his real paycheck to teach money and life

How parents unintentionally rob kids of struggle by over‑protecting them

The difference between working hard and “working smart” as an excuse for laziness

Why Greg calls his classroom a place to build confidence, communication, and grit

_____________________________________________________________________

****SUBSCRIBE/RATE/FOLLOW the Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast:

www.mmtbp.com

www.instagram.com/mostlymiddletnbusinespodcast

www.instagram.com/jimmccarthyvos

Tiktok: @jimmccarthyvos

__________________________________________________________

Shoutout to Matt Wilson for lending his voice to the new intro of MMTBP.

Follow him and his podcast from which I may have borrowed the *mostly* concept:

https://linktr.ee/mamwmw

___________________________________________________________

If you like Jim's Boston Scallys, click here to shop and order yours!

https://www.bostonscally.com/a/refer-a-friend/redeem/mqgpwi3u0zgm89vaxnv5crzvlolevo82rvcygsn5/1668

___________________________________________________________

***You hear Jim mention it on almost every episode, ME vs. WE and how 2023 will be 1943 all over again….order “PENDULUM:How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future”:

https://a.co/d/7oKK7Ip

_________________________________________________________________

The co-author of Pendulum wrote a myriad of other books and started a non-profit 21st Century Non-Traditional Business School that you should really check out:

Wizard Academy - www.wizardacademy.org

______________________________________________________________________

Curious about podcasting? This podcast (and many others) is produced by www.itsyourshow.co