Tennessee Voices, Episode 289: Marcus Whitney, entrepreneur and Nashville SC minority owner
After the murder of George Floyd on Memorial Day 2020, many people and companies expressed their solidarity with racial justice through strong statements and social media posts.
Two years later, however, has a difference been made?
I broached this subject with Marcus Whitney on this episode of the Tennessee Voices video podcast.
Whitney is the founding partner of Jumpstart Health Investors and co-founder and minority owner of the Nashville Soccer Club.
My colleague Brad Schmitt recently profiled his rise from waiter in a Belle Meade restaurant to programmer to venture capitalist.
I remember in 2020 how he shared a video of himself merely breathing deeply as a means to connect with people hurting in the aftermath of the murder of Floyd, who suffocated under a police officer’s knee.
He told me that the moment spurred him to write an open letter to challenge the health care industry to create more space and opportunities for Black entrepreneurs and businesspeople.
The last couple of years have seen changes for him – he stopped drinking, he focused more on his mental wellness, and he fortified himself and his relationship with his family.
We also talked about leadership, imposter syndrome and resilience.
More: Meet Marcus Whitney, a healthcare disrupter who could make Nashville a truly international city
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About Tennessee Voices
The Tennessee Voices videocast is a 20-minute program, which started in March 2020 and invites leaders, thinkers and innovators who have written guest columns for a USA TODAY Network Tennessee publication to share their insights and wisdom with me and our viewers.
Please email your ideas for future guests to me at dplazas@tennessean.com. Thank you for watching.
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David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee and an editorial board member of The Tennessean. Tweet to him at @davidplazas.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Voices: Entrepreneurship and equity with Marcus Whitney
