TVG

I started this blog in early 2016 and have posted 340 stories since then. For the first few years, I published weekly, but around COVID I shifted to an every-other-week schedule. The idea behind this blog was to communicate lessons through real-life stories drawn from business owners as they grapple with the various phases of operating—and eventually selling—their businesses.

Here we are almost ten years later, and every week I still get new ideas for new stories. Literally, I seldom have a discussion with a business owner without hearing something that makes me think to myself, “There’s a lesson there.”

However, all good things eventually come to an end. 2026 is shaping up to be another fantastic year for Tennessee Valley Group, but I am also opening some new doors. For the past couple of years, I’ve been noodling on an idea for a book about chaplains in World War II. In doing some basic reading to get started on this topic, I have been overwhelmed by stories of courage and commitment. While there are thousands of wonderful books about WWII, I have found very little focused on the role of chaplains.

Accordingly, I am working to reallocate my time so I can handle a mountain of M&A work while also researching this book idea. I have truly enjoyed this digital connection with you over the years. I hope you’ve read something along the way that inspired you, helped you, or made you laugh.

God’s blessings on you all.

 

Tennessee Valley Group

Jim is an attorney (non-resident status with the Missouri Bar) and though he no longer practices law, he has read and negotiated enough legal documents to fill a cargo tanker. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and knows how Wall Street and private equity operates. Jim is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 listed general civil mediator with tons of experience helping business owners (large and small) work through sensitive problems to achieve winning results. He is the author of "Home Run, A Pro's Guide to Selling Your Business, Seven Principles to Make Your Company Irresistible."