Work Heartily | Thanksgiving Edition
If you’ve been around Work Heartily for any amount of time, you know we’re big believers in pausing, reflecting, and celebrating the good. And as we head into Thanksgiving, we can’t help but think about how grateful we are, not just for the work we do, but for the people, partners, and places that make it meaningful.
So in the spirit of gratitude, here are the things we’re especially thankful for this year as fractional executives.
1. A Business Community Rooted in Relationships
Middle Tennessee is special! Not just because of its growth, but because of its culture.
Franklin coffee shops buzzing with brainstorms, Nashville lunch spots filled with familiar faces, early-morning business breakfasts that feel more like reunions than networking events… it’s the relationships that make this place feel like home.
As you probably already know, we are especially grateful for GlassHause in Berry Hill. That’s our go-to meeting place. Great coffee with a side of art!
We’re grateful to work in a region where business is deeply human. Where a handshake still matters. Where people show up for one another. And where genuine connection drives real impact.
2. A Thriving Nashville Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Nashville continues to attract founders, builders, innovators, and visionaries.
Every week, we meet leaders who are starting, scaling, rebuilding, or reimagining their companies.
It’s a city full of momentum and possibility, and we’re honored to be part of the ecosystem shaping the next generation of growth. Helping founders gain clarity, build healthy teams, and create structure that supports their next chapter is work that energizes us every day.
4. Purpose-Driven Work
We’re grateful that our work isn’t just transactional, it’s transformational.
Every day, we get to help people:
- Find alignment
- Reduce chaos
- Build systems
- Solve complex problems
- Strengthen communication
- Improve culture
- Create momentum
At the end of the day, we’re not just supporting businesses, we’re supporting the humans inside them. That’s a gift we never overlook.
5. Founders Who Trust Us (Even When Their Business Feels Like Thanksgiving Leftovers)
Let’s be honest… most businesses don’t call us when things are neat, tidy, and perfectly labeled.
Usually, it’s a little messy.
A little overwhelming.
A little “we’ve got a lot of containers but no idea what’s actually in them.”
And we are here for it.
We’re grateful for founders who let us dig in, organize the moving pieces, create clarity, and build structure that brings things back into alignment. There’s nothing better than seeing chaos turn into confidence.
6. The Ability to Give Founders Their Time Back
If there’s one thing we hear over and over, it’s this:
“I can finally breathe again.”
For us, that’s everything.
Helping founders reclaim time, margin, and peace isn’t just a job; it’s a purpose.
Whether it’s building workflows, strengthening leadership teams, solving operational bottlenecks, or simply taking the 50,000-pound mental load off a founder’s plate… we’re grateful for the chance to make life a little lighter for the people who carry the most.
7. Strategic Partners Who Believe in What We Do
We’re also incredibly grateful for the strategic partners who amplify our work and support the founders we serve. These trusted collaborators bring clarity, depth, and expertise to every engagement:
- Stephen Barnes, Barnes+Law
- Paul Cleckner
- Jarrod Lawson
- Johnny Poole
- Sloane Scott
- Equitas Strategic Partners
- Scale Or Sell Consulting
- Element 47
- Low Code Road
- Strategic Matter
- Kris Kelso
- Untangle Your Biz
- Zak Human Solutions
8. The Executives Who Make Work Heartily What It Is
We are deeply grateful for the Work Heartily executives who carry this mission forward every day. Their experience, heart, and commitment to founders is what makes Work Heartily a team you can trust.
- Jonathan Barnes – Founder
- Connor Botes – Chief of Staff
- Kari Brown – CMO
- Wayne Easterwood – CIO
- Sean Farrell – CRO
- Shane Sloan – COO
- Walt Yates – CMO/CRO
The Bottom Line
We get to walk alongside some of the most inspiring leaders in Nashville and beyond. And as we look back on this year, the growth, the wins, the challenges, the breakthroughs, one thing is clear:
We’re immensely grateful for the people we get to serve and the community we get to serve them with.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends.