MEMPHIS BUILT

30 Years of Work. One City. A Perspective From Both Sides of the Table.

I've spent nearly 30 years working, leading, and building my career in and around Memphis. Sharp. Coors. McKesson. General Motors. I've been the employee, the operator, the leader, and now the recruiter and strategist.

~30years of Memphis-area operations experience

4major operations that shaped the career

2sides of the table: talent and hiring

THE LOCAL PROOF

A Career Built Close to Home.

SharpEngineering and operations
CoorsMemphis brewery operations
McKessonMemphis operations, later moved to Olive Branch
General MotorsMemphis operations leadership

Coors closed its Memphis facility in 2006, and the property was later purchased by Blues City Brewery. McKesson eventually moved its operation roughly 10 miles down the road into Olive Branch, Mississippi. General Motors remains in Memphis. The companies and facilities changed over time. The work kept teaching me the same lesson: pressure reveals leadership.

THE STORY

Memphis Didn't Just Employ Me. It Shaped Me.

I didn't build my career by watching Memphis from the outside. I built it inside the work.

I learned operations when the numbers mattered. I learned leadership when people were counting on me. I learned what pressure does to a team when the operation isn't performing. I learned what happens when a good person gets overlooked. And I learned how much difference the right leader can make.

That's the perspective I bring to The Elevated Edge.

I know what pressure looks like here.

WHO I SERVE

Whether You're Building a Career, Carrying the Pressure, or Hiring the Person Who Will Carry It With You.

THE PROFESSIONAL

I know I'm capable of more.

You've delivered, led, solved problems, and built a career. Now the market needs to understand what that experience actually proves.

Find Your Career Edge →

THE CANDIDATE

I have the interview. I can't afford to blow it.

You don't need 30 memorized answers. You need the right evidence and three stories you can pull when the pressure is on.

Build Your Interview Edge →

THE COMPANY

I need someone who can actually do the job.

A polished interview isn't enough. You need a leader whose demonstrated capabilities match the problems your organization needs solved.

Find the Right Leader →

FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE

I've Been on Both Sides of the Interview.

I've spent my career learning how operations actually work. Today, I also work inside executive search.

I understand what you're trying to say when you're the candidate. And I understand what the hiring side is trying to determine.

That's the gap The Elevated Edge is built to close.

ExperienceWhat happened?
EvidenceWhat does it prove?
PositioningWhy does it matter?
OpportunityWhat's the next move?

MEMPHIS UNDER PRESSURE

Memphis Knows Pressure. So Do I.

Manufacturing doesn't wait for perfect conditions. Distribution doesn't wait until everyone has had a good day. Customers don't care that the problem showed up at 2:00 AM.

Leaders still have to make the call. People still need direction. The operation still has to move.

That's where leadership becomes real.

That's also where careers are tested.

THE ELEVATED EDGE™

Some People Rise When Pressure Comes. Others Break.

The difference isn't always talent. Sometimes it's preparation. Sometimes it's positioning. Sometimes it's knowing what you've already proven and learning how to communicate it when the moment comes.

That's what The Elevated Edge is about.

MEMPHIS TRUST

If You're From Memphis, You Know.

We know what it means to work. We know what it means to show up. We know people. We know relationships matter. We know reputation travels.

And we know you don't get many chances to prove yourself when the stakes are high.

So let's make the next one count.

You Don't Have to Figure Out What's Next Alone.

PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW

Build Your Interview Edge →

HIRING THE LEADER

Find Your Next Leader →

Memphis built me. The Elevated Edge is how I give back.

James Becton, MBA