♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ HI WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

THIS WEEK WE INTRODUCE YOU TO A LOCAL MULTI-PRENEUR.

TAWANA BAIN.

WHAT DOES DERBY DIVERSITY WEEK AND THE BLACK JACKSON LOUNGE ALL HAVE IN COMMON?

THEY'RE ALL PART OF THE PORTFOLIO AT TBAIN AND CO. AND THEY ARE ALSO ALL VENTURES FOCUSED ON CONNECTING AND LIFTING UP OTHERS, PARTICULARLY MINORITIES.

IT IS A PASSION PROJECT THAT BLOOMED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

RECENTLY TAWANA BAIN STEPPED DOWN TO LEAD A GLOBAL PUBLICLY TRAITED RENEWABLE ENERGY COMPANY BASED IN COLORADO.

THIS WEEK WE TALKED TO HER ABOUT THAT SURPRISING PIVOT, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR HER EXISTING VENTURES HERE IN TOWN AND HER STORY OF PERSEVERANCE.

THE BLACK JOCKEY'S LOUNGE WAS ONE OF MANY VENTURES THAT CAME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND CIVIL UNREST IN 2020.

THE MISSION, TO HELP THE ENDURING SPIRIT OF BLACK JOCKEYS.

SHE WANTED TO UNCOVER THIS IMPORTANT PART OF HORSE RACING HISTORY IN LOUISVILLE AND CREATED THE BLACK JOCKEY'S LOUNGE.

PREVIOUSLY ENCORE, THE BLACK JOBBIE'S LOUNGE OPENED IN FEBRUARY 21 BUT RECENTLY CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS PROMISING A NEW EXPERIENCE THAT WILL ENHANCE THE ESTHETICS AND OFFERINGS OF THE SPACE.

THE BLACK JOCKEY'S LOUNGE WILL REOPEN EARLY THIS YEAR.

TAWANA BAIN AND I SAY A MULTI-PRENEUR.

BECAUSE YOU DO SO MANY THINGS.

TALK TO ABOUT US THE CREATION OF THE BLACK JOCKEY'S LOUNGE.

IT WAS SUCH A BITTERSWEET TIME WHEN THAT CAME ABOUT.

WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID STILL, AND CIVIL UNREST AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE-- >> WHAT A TIME TO START A RESTAURANT DOWNTOWN AND WE WERE BOARDED UP.

AND IF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THE VISUALS, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TROOPS MARCHING, YOU KNOW, IN THE STREETS.

WE HAD VARIOUS ACTIVISTS AND PROTESTS DOWNTOWN.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO COME OUT OF IT.

AND IT WAS DERBY BUT AT THE TIME IT WAS POSTPONED.

BUT WE HAD AN EVENT, ONE OF THE OTHER COMPANIES THAT WE HAVE IS DERBY DIVERSITY WEEK.

AND WE HAD ALREADY RAISED SPONSORSHIPS AND HAD MADE PROMISES AROUND PROMISING.

SO WE WENT INTO PIVOT MODE AND WE CURATED AN EVENT THAT WEEK TO BE VIRTUAL.

AND ONE OF THE CONCEPTS WAS A BLACK JOCKEY'S BOURBON TASTING WHICH WE DECIDED TO DO ON THE ROOF TOP OF THEN WHAT WAS ENCORE ON FOURTH.

AND I DO LAUGH, KELSEY BECAUSE SO MUCH WAS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WERE SHUTTERED WITH COVID.

SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THE NUMBER OF STAFF THAT ARE EMAILING YOU, THE NUMBER OF VARIOUS BANKS AND THINGS.

YOU ARE TRYING TO GET YOUR PPA DOLLARS TO STAY OPEN.

I'VE GOT ALL OF THAT FLYING AROUND MY HEAD AND ON TOP OF IT, I HAVE THIS CONFERENCE THAT HAVE I TO TAKE VIRTUAL SO I HAVE THAT FLYING AROUND MY HEAD AND ALSO ADD THE COMMUNITY WHO WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE BLACK COMMUNITY DURING BREONNA TAYLOR WAS REACHING OUT SO I HAD THAT FLYING AROUND MY HEAD.

SO WHEN I SAID YES, THAT I WOULD HAVE THIS VIRTUAL BLACK JOCKEY'S BOURBON TASTING AS PART OF DERBY DIVERSITY, I DIDN'T DO ANY VETTING.

IT JUST SOUNDED GREAT.

I NEEDED PROGRAMMING AND I WILL NEVER FORGET WE HAD SPENT ALL WEEK AND WE WERE KILLING IT.

WE WERE GOING ALL OVER THE CITY DOING POPUP EVENTS THAT PEOPLE WERE TUNING INTO FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND THEN I GET ON THE ELEVATOR AT ENCORE ON FOURTH AND I'M LIKE OH MY GOD.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M GETTING READY TO BROADCAST TO THE WORLD ON THIS ROOF TOP.

WHAT IS IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

BUT I GOT OFF THE ELEVATOR AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

THERE WAS ARTWORK OF BLACK JOCKEYS, THERE WAS FOOD.

THERE WAS VARIOUS CURATED COCKTAILS, A COUPLE OF GAMES, WE WERE SOCIALLY DISTANT.

WE HAD TABLES THAT WERE SIX FEET APART BUT IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.

AND I JUST REMEMBER EVERYONE WAS SO TAKEN ABACK BY MY REACTION AND HOW JUST BLOWN AWAY THAT I WAS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE GIVE HER MORE OF THIS.

AND SOMEONE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO THIS ONCE A MONTH.

AND I WAS LIKE THIS ISN'T A ONCE A MONTH THING.

THIS IS AN EVERYDAY THING.

AND THIS IS WHAT ENCORE WILL REBOUND AS.

AND WE WILL BECOME THE BLACKJACK JOCKEY'S LOUNGE.

IF YOU CAN MAKE ME FEEL THIS AMAZING AND SPECIAL TO BE A PART OF HISTORY THAT STARTED RIGHT HERE IN KENTUCKY, WERE CAN'T WE GIVE THAT FOR KENTUCKIANS AND ALSO FOR PEOPLE THAT COME TO VISIT.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE HAVE REBRANDED AND REBOOTED IN THE MIDDLE OF CIVIL UNREST AND COVID.

>> IT'S AN AMAZING STORY.

WELL, YOUR WHOLE STORY IS AN AMAZING STORY REALLY.

I WANT TO GO BACK TO, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE NOT FROM LOUISVILLE.

>> I'M NOT.

>> SO TALK ABOUT COMING HERE, CREATING THIS SWELL OF VENTURES THAT YOU HAVE CREATED HERE AND WHAT DREW YOU HERE AND WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO PLANT YOUR ROOTS HERE?

>> THIS IS GOING-- I'M GOING TO BE HONEST.

I DIDN'T WANT TO COME.

>> GOOD PLACE TO BE HONEST.

>> I WAS LIKE YEAH, NO.

I WAS ACTUALLY IN MIAMI.

I WAS IN MIAMI BECAUSE I HAD FAMILY THERE.

AND I HAD-- I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

AND WHEN I WAS LAID OFF FROM MY JOB IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, I WAS-- I JUST FELT LIKE A FAILURE.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW YOU COULD WORK SO HARD AND THEN COME TO THIS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF END OF THE ROAD SORT OF THING.

SO I WAS SEARCHING, YOU KNOW, FOR WHO I WAS GOING TO BE, WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.

AND I HAD FAMILY THERE THAT SAID IF YOU COME DOWN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN STAY WITH US WHILE YOU TRY TO FIGURE THINGS OUT.

AND BEING TAWANA, I DID GET SOME JOB OFFERS.

BUT THEY WEREN'T EXCITING FOR ME.

THEY DIDN'T CHALLENGE ME.

SO MANY OF THEM I TURNED DOWN.

ONE OF THE JOB OFFERS REQUIRED FOR YOU TO SHADOW ON YOUR FIRST DAY, AND THERE WERE THESE, I DON'T KNOW, FIVE OR SIX LATINA WOMEN AND THEY WERE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, RIGHT?

SOME WERE COLOMBIAN, SOME WERE VENEZUELAN, SOME WERE MEXICAN.

WE WERE OUT KNOCKING ON DOORS ALL DAY LONG AND WE WERE ASKING BUSINESSES TO DO BUSINESS WITH US.

AND I WAS JUST SO INSPIRED BY THESE WOMEN THAT WERE WORKING STRAIGHT COMMISSION.

AND THAT'S REALLY HOW IT ALL GOT STARTED FOR ME.

THEY ASKED ME TO DO WHAT I WAS DOING IN MIAMI AND KENTUCKY, DIDN'T WANT TO BUT I ENDED UP, YOU KNOW, COMING.

AND THAT EXPERIENCE OF HAVING TO FIGURE IT OUT AND GENERAL RATE YOUR OWN-- GENERATE YOUR OWN IS WHAT LANDED ME HERE.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY HAVING THE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO SUCCEED IN HAVING TO FIGURE IT OUT ON MY OWN IS WHAT KEPT ME HERE AND WHY I HAVE THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT VENTURES TODAY.

>> SO AND YOU HAVE INSTILLED THAT IN SO MANY PEOPLE HERE, PARTICULARLY WOMEN, MINORITIES,.

LET'S TALK FIRST ABOUT TODAY'S WOMAN MAGAZINE, WHICH YOU ARE STILL A BOARD MEMBER OF?

>> SO I AM PUBLISHER/OWNER.

BUT THE DAY TO DAY IS MANAGED BY A TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT I INSTALLED WHEN I STEPPED DOWN TO TAKE ON A NEW POSITION FOR MY FAMILY BUSINESS LAST SEPTEMBER.

>> OKAY.

SO TALK TO US ABOUT TODAY'S WOMAN'S MAGAZINE.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT OVER?

AND WHAT HAVE YOU TURNED IT INTO BECAUSE OF YOUR MISSION?

LIFTING UP OTHERS.

>> THAT WAS ANOTHER COVID CIVIL UNREST-- >> YOU WERE BUSY.

>> I WAS BUSY.

I WAS IN A PLACE WHERE, AS A SPECIFICALLY AS A BLACK FEMALE, BECAUSE AS A WOMAN, THERE IS A DIFFERENT HAT THAT I WEAR WHEN I'M SITTING WITH MY SISTERS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.

AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER HAT THAT I WEAR AS A BLACK WOMAN THAT HAS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND ME.

AND BEING A BLACK FEMALE THAT GREW UP WITH A MOM THAT, AT THE TIME, HAD A NINTH GRADE EDUCATION, AND UNDERSTOOD THE VARIOUS CLASS SYSTEMS THAT EXIST IN AMERICA.

I STARTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT MY STORY AND MY JOURNEY NEEDED TO START BEING LIVED MORE OUT LOUD.

THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO KNEW WHO I WAS OR WHAT I HAD ACCOMPLISHED.

AND IT WAS IMPORTANT, SPECIFICALLY, TO DEMONSTRATE TO MY COMMUNITY, THAT WE CAN DO THIS.

AND WE SHOULD DO THIS, ALTHOUGH IT CAN BE VERY SCARY AND VERY DAUNTING.

AND THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS FAIR AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT EASY.

BUT I FELT IF I COULD DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS CAN BE DONE, THEN OTHERS WOULD FOLLOW.

AND ALBEIT, I TAKE SO MUCH STUFF.

IT IS NOT EASY AT ALL, BUT I AM EXTREMELY PROUD TO SEE OTHER PEOPLE TAKE THEIR FIRST STEP, MUCH LIKE A MOM DOES WHEN SHE SEES THEIR TODDLER OR DAD TAKE THEIR FIRST STEP FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES IN THIS COUNTRY, IS PEOPLE NEED TO SEE OTHERS SUCCESSFUL AT IT.

OTHERWISE IT CAN REALLY BEGIN TO FEEL LIKE YOU ARE SUFFOCATING AND THINGS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH.

>> AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT YOU HAVE DONE THAT IS WITH JEDI.

TELL US WHAT THAT IS ALL ABOUT?

>> SO JEDI WAS ANOTHER BORN DURING THAT TIME AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I JUST FEEL THAT WE MISSED IN THIS COUNTRY AS IT RELATES TO MINORITY COMMUNITIES OR THE EQUITY GAP IS A SOLID ECONOMIC PLAN, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PROGRAMS OUT THERE.

BUT I DO FEEL AS THOSE PROGRAMS STIFLE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO NOT REACH CERTAIN GOALS OR CERTAIN INHERITANCES THAT THEY CAN PASS ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.

AND SO I WANTED TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT EMPOWERED SPECIFICALLY BLACK ENTREPRENEURS TO REACH FOR THEIR DREAMS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE TOOLS AND THE KNOW HOW ON HOW TO BECOME FIERCE ECONOMIC STEWARDS OF THEIR OWN DESTINY.

AND SO I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE MOST PROUD INITIATIVES THAT I'VE EVER STARTED.

ALSO NOT WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES.

YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOUR VIEWS LIE, SOME MAY NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAD TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL AND FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

BUT IT IS EXTREMELY REWARDING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, OVER 100 BUSINESSES THAT WE'VE TOUCHED; WHETHER, YOU KNOW, IT BE THROUGH FINANCIAL GRANTS OR WHETHER IT BE THROUGH TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY'RE APPLYING AND NOW GROWING THEIR BUSINESS AND BECOMING INDEPENDENT FROM BEING TETHERED TO A JOB.

JEDI IS TWO FOLD.

IT IS BOTH A DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE ENTREPRENEURS WITH AN EIGHT-WEEK TRAINING ON HOW TO BUTTON UP THEIR BUSINESS AFFAIRS.

AND SO WE TAKE THEM FOR WHAT WE COINED FROM HUSTLE TO LEGIT.

MANY OF THEM THAT COME INTO THE PROGRAM MAY NOT HAVE HAD A TAX I.D.

NUMBER OR MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE A BANK ACCOUNT OR MAYBE THEY WERE NOT REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OR MAYBE THEY WERE DOING BUSINESS OFF OF CASHAPP.

SOME WERE MUCH MORE SOPHISTICATED AND SOME WERE NOT.

OUR GOAL WAS TO HELP ANYONE WHO HAD ANY AREAS WHERE THEY WERE NOT BUTTONED UP TO DO SO.

THAT REALLY WAS-- THE CATALYST BEHIND THAT WAS THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WAS OUT THERE FOR BUSINESSES DURING COVID THAT SOME OF THEM COULD NOT TAP INTO BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL RECORDS IN PLACE IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR THEM.

SO THEY GO THROUGH THIS EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE AND THEY RECEIVE A CERTIFICATION AT THE COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM CALLED WE GOT BUTTONED UP AND IT SETS THEM ON A PATH TO BEING ABLE TO PROPERLY INVOICE AND PROPERLY FILE, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT FILINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO FILE FOR THEIR BUSINESS AND YOU KNOW, IF GRANTS AND SUCH BECOME AVAILABLE OR IF THERE IS EVER ANOTHER PANDEMIC THAT WE HAVE IN THE WORLD, THEY WILL HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO APPLY FOR THE FUNDING THAT THEIR PEERS WERE RECEIVING AS WELL.

>> WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT-- FIRST OF ALL, YOU CREATED WHAT IS KNOWN AS TBAIN AND COMPANY THAT OVERSEES THE DIFFERENT VENTURES FROM JEDI TO TODAY'S WOMAN, BLACK JOCKEY'S LOUNGE, WE COULD PROBABLY GO ON AND ON.

BUT ALL OF THEM ARE FOCUSED ON LIFTING UP OTHER PEOPLE.

WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU TO DO THAT?

>> I THINK, AS IT RELATES TO THE MISSION OF T BANE AND CO, WE OFTEN WE WE ARE A FOR-PROFIT SOCIAL IMPACT ENTERPRISE.

THE BRANDING AND THE LAUNCH OF T BAIN CAME DURING A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN MY LIFE.

AND THAT WAS A MOMENT WHERE I REALIZE, AND I THINK A LOT OF AMERICANS DID AT THAT TIME, OR HONESTLY, PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, IS THAT SOMETIMES WE GET SO CAUGHT UP IN THE DAILY GRIND, THAT WE FORGET TO FOLLOW OUR DREAMS AND OUR PASSIONS AND HAVE A GOOD TIME; TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, TO UNDERSTAND THAT LOVE CAN EXIST AT WORK.

IT WAS A VERY PIVOTAL MOMENT AND I WANTED TO PROTECT MYSELF IN WHAT WAS HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD BY CREATING SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE ME PROUD TO GO TO WORK FOR EVERY DAY.

AND THAT'S WHAT T BAIN AND CO-REALLY STANDS FOR.

IT WAS BUILT AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR PURPOSE.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW DIVIDED WE CAN BE AS A COUNTRY, WHEN YOU CAN CREATE A PUBLICATION THAT DRIVES WOMEN, REGARDLESS OF RACE, CREED, SOCIAL ECONOMICS TOGETHER, YOU ARE ABLE TO SAY I'M PROUD OF THAT.

WHEN YOU CAN CREATE A RESTAURANT IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN THAT IS ATTRACTING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE AFFLUENT AFRICAN-AMERICAN BUT EVERYONE IS YOUR CUSTOMER, AND WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED BETWEEN THE PALACE AND MERCURY BALLROOM CAUSES THIS ORGANIC FUSION OF ALL CULTURES TO COME TOGETHER, YOU CAN WAKE UP AND SAY I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT.

SAME THING WITH JEDI.

DERBY DIVERSITY WEEK, BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP PEOPLE GOING.

SO WE DECIDED TO DO A FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS THAT WAS DOING GOOD IN THE WORLD AND REMINDING PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN LIVE YOUR PURPOSE OUT LOUD AND MAKE A LIVING.

AND THAT IS TRULY AN OUTLET FOR ME IN HOW T BAIN CAME ABOUT.

>> WHAT INSPIRES YOU, MOTIVATES YOU?

>> OH GOSH, THERE IS SO MUCH THAT INSPIRES AND MOTIVATES ME.

I WANT TO SAY NOTHING INSPIRES ME MORE THAN A GOOD COMEBACK STORY, YOU KNOW.

WATCHING AN UNDERDOG WIN: WATCHING A PERSON FIGHT THROUGH AND NOT GIVE UP BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL BEEN THERE.

I CERTAINLY HAVE THOSE DAYS.

I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.

I TELL MYSELF IT IS OKAY TO QUIT AS LONG AS I SHOW BACK UP.

AND I ALSO THINK THAT AS WE AGE THAT IS NOT AS EASY TO DO BECAUSE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THINGS NOT GOING THE WAY THAT WE PLANNED, DISCUSSED, PROMISED, IS A LOT HARDER FOR US TO DIGEST.

AND SO A GOOD STORY FOR ME IS A GREAT COMEBACK STORY, ANY PERSON, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, RACE, GENDER, WHO IS ABLE TO KEEP GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, ADVERSITY, I'M INSPIRED BY THAT.

>> DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE A COMEBACK STORY?

BECAUSE I KNOW YOU INSPIRE OTHERS.

>> YOU KNOW A CAT HAS NINE LIVES, I HAVE COME BACK SO MANY TIMES THERE ARE DAYS WHEN I SAY LORD, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS TIME.

ARE YOU STILL WITH ME?

BUT, YEAH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, IT IS OFTEN NOT THE EASIEST ROAD TRAVELED.

>> RIGHT.

SO T BAIN AND CO, THIS CREATION OF YOURS, THAT WAS BUILT ON SUCH PASSION, YOU DECIDED TO STEP AWAY RECENTLY.

>> I DID.

I DID.

>> TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> YOU KNOW, IT GOES BACK TO YOU RECOGNIZE THAT IN ORDER TO DO THE GOOD THAT YOU WANT TO DO, IT REQUIRES RESOURCES.

AND IT'S NO, YOU KNOW, SECRET THAT THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY HAS TAKEN A SERIOUS BEATING.

THE PUBLISHING AND PRINTING WORLD NO DIFFERENT.

AND SO THERE IS A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE HAD UNDER OUR PORTFOLIO, YOU KNOW, WITH INFLATION AND JUST THE CHANGES, WITH, YOU KNOW, AND THE WORLD IN GENERAL, THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE, HAVE BEEN VERY TOUGH.

AND SO IT WAS NOT AN EASY DECISION TO STEP DOWN AS C.E.O.

OF T BAIN & CO AND BRING IN NEW MANAGERS TO LEAD THE VARIOUS BUSINESS UNITS, BUT IT WAS NECESSARY AT THAT TIME.

MY FAMILY HAD BEEN ASKING FOR ME TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN AMERICAN CLEAN RESOURCES GROUP FOR SOMETIME.

I HAD NOT BEEN IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPACE IN SO LONG, THAT IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM FUN.

WHY WOULD I GIVE UP-- >> SOUNDS LIKE A BIG SWITCH.

>> IT'S A HUGE SWITCH.

AND YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST HAVING FUN WITH T BAIN & CO, BUT IT WAS THE RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO AT THE TIME.

IT WAS A SMART DECISION TO DO AT THE TIME.

NOT THAT IT IS EASIER.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT IS WAY MORE CHALLENGING AND WAY MORE RIGOROUS.

BUT I UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO STEP UP TO THE ASSIGNMENT AND HELP LEAD AN EFFORT THAT I ALSO THINK IS GOING TO HAVE A SERIOUS IMPACT ON WOMEN AND MINORITIES WHO WANT TO GET INTO THE SPACE IN THE MINING AND RECLAMATION WORLD BUT I ALSO THINK IT IS GOING TO HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE ENERGY TRANSITION THAT WE ARE IN AS WELL AS WHERE WE ARE HEADING AS A COUNTRY AND HOW WE UTILIZE OUR OWN NATURAL RESOURCES.

>> TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT AMERICAN CLEAN RESOURCES GROUP.

YOU ARE THE NEWLY NAMED C.E.O.

OF THIS ORGANIZATION.

IT'S BASED IN COLORADO.

THIS DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE LEAVING US, DOES IT?

>> IT DOESN'T.

I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO.

WHAT I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, SO AMERICAN CLEAN RESOURCES GROUP IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY PLATFORM THAT HAS A NICHE IN RENEWABLE ENERGY AND RECLAMATION OF PRECIOUS MINERALS AND METALS IN THE MINING SPACE.

WE HAVE A PROPERTY IN NEVADA THAT WE OWN OUTRIGHT, 1200 ACRES, WHERE WE WANT TO BUILD ONE OF THE LARGEST INDUSTRIAL RENEWABLE ENERGY PARKS DUE TO ADJACENT LAND THAT WE HAVE RIGHTS TO OUTSIDE OF THE PROPERTY THAT WE OWN.

AND ON THIS PROPERTY, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TO REPROCESS MINING TAILINGS, MINING WASTE, FROM VARIOUS MINING ASSETS THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE U.S.

IN A CARBON NEUTRAL MANNER.

AND WHY THAT IS UNIQUE IS THAT WITH THE ENERGY TRANSITION THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH, MOST OF THE FOSSIL FUEL PROCESS HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED.

AND BEING ABLE TO ONLY EXPEND ABOUT 10% OF ENERGY AND THEN PROCESSING THEM IN A CARBON NEUTRAL MANNER, AND REINTRODUCING THEM INTO THE AMERICAN SUPPLY CHAIN, HELPS AMERICA BECOME SELF RELIANT AGAIN ON ASSETS THAT WE HAVE THROUGH RECLAMATION PROCESS.

>> WELL, THIS SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE BENEFICIAL IN KENTUCKY.

IS THAT AN OPTION?

>> WELL, THE ASSET ITSELF IS IN NEVADA, SO-- BUT DO I BELIEVE THAT-- I DO BELIEVE THAT WHETHER IT'S KENTUCKY OR ANY STATE THAT WANTS TO BUILD A WORLD CLASS TALENT PIPELINE, THAT WE HAVE A REAL PROJECT OF CRITICAL MASS THAT CAN DEVELOP THE NEXT WORLD LEADERS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND RECLAMATION OF PRECIOUS METALS.

>> THIS IS THE NEXT CHAPTER FOR YOU.

WHAT IS STILL A GOAL?

WHAT IS STILL YOUR-- I KNOW YOU ARE ALWAYS SETTING GOALS AND LOOKING AHEAD.

SO WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOU?

>> MY HOPE IS THAT WITHIN 15 YEARS, I CAN LOOK OUT IN TONABA AND SEE ONE OF THE LARGEST RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS AND SAY I DID THAT AND THEN ENJOY MY GRAND BABIES.

>> PRETTY GOOD GOAL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ DON'T FORGET YOU CAN WATCH STREAM AND SHARE THIS EPISODE ANY TIME AT KET.ORG/INSIDELOUISVILLE AND BE SURE TO GIVE US A FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM.

THAT'S WHERE YOU GET A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT OUR CONVERSATION WITH TAWANA INCLUDING SOME OF HER MOST SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS AND MEMORIES IN LOUISVILLE.

THANKS FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW OUR CITY.

I HOPE WE WILL SEE YOU HERE NEXT TIME.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.

♪ ♪ ♪