Taking the "Idea On A Whiteboard" Statewide with Governor Bill Haslam

This week’s episode is a special one.

We are celebrating one year of the At Scale podcast, and we could not imagine a better guest to mark the occasion than the 49th Governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam.

Governor Haslam has been deeply connected to the tnAchieves story from the very beginning. From early skepticism around a small idea sketched on a whiteboard to helping scale it into what became Tennessee Promise, his leadership has shaped opportunities for hundreds of thousands of students across the state.

In this conversation, we cover:

What led him from business into public service
How servant leadership shows up in high-stakes roles
The origin story of Tennessee Promise and Drive to 55
Why defining a clear “North Star” matters for systems change
The importance of connecting K-12, higher education, and workforce
What keeps long-term mission-driven work sustainable

This episode is a reflection on impact, leadership, and what it takes to build something that truly changes lives.