Hey, everybody, it's Kai. Thanks for downloading this episode of the Corner Office podcast.

It is, of course, our series where I talk to the people running some of the biggest and most

influential companies in the global economy. Today, though, something a little bit different.

I'm talking to three people, all in different parts of the country, running businesses that play

key roles in their local economies and who are also essentially the CEOs of those businesses

that they run. I met these three through a series we have been doing on Marketplace called

the United States of Work. We are reimagining the American Labor Force, all 164 million people in it, as 10 real actual

people who could talk to us. How we chose them and why is at marketplace.org slash work. But here on the

podcast, you are going to hear from the director of an independent movie theater, a small town

doctor, and a hairstylist. They are the ones making this economy work,

but the question is,

is this economy working for them?

This is the United States of work.

There's always things that you don't like about your job.

You work hard for what you want.

You know, every job has your ups and downs.

Whatever good job means.

I like the hustle. I like working fast.

That's not a career.

It's a lifestyle.

Our first stop.

Nashville, Tennessee.

...