Stephanie Stuckey in-conversation w/ Russ Franklin w/ UnStuck

Join us as Stephanie Stuckey and Russ Franklin discuss Stuckey’s book UnStuck.

About the Book:

Stephanie Stuckey’s remarkable journey unfolds in UnStuck, a memoir that will inspire and captivate. When she unexpectedly becomes CEO of her family’s company, Stephanie embarks on a mission to revive both the business and her family’s legacy. Armed with her grandfather’s wisdom and fueled by an unbreakable emotional connection, she sets out to turn the company’s fortunes around.Stuckey’s, a roadside oasis for generations of travelers along America’s highways, fell into disrepair after decades of outside ownership. When Stephanie Stuckey, granddaughter of Stuckey’s founder, is offered the chance to buy the business, she takes it, seeing something that isn’t apparent in the bleak financial statements: an emotional connection that she and generations of road trippers had with the brand.UnStuck weaves Stephanie’s compelling narrative with her grandfather’s rich history. Finding inspiration and insight into both business and life in her grandfather’s archives, Stephanie leans on her past to craft a strategy for the future, determined to rebuild the struggling company and leave a legacy for generations to come.This story is a celebration of resilience and overcoming seemingly impossible odds—and, ultimately, coming out on top. For female entrepreneurs, unconventional CEOs, family businesses, and road trip enthusiasts, UnStuck offers hope, practical tips on managing tough situations with grit, and an irresistible comeback story promising that second chances are indeed possible.

About Stephanie Stuckey:

Stephanie Stuckey is Chair of Stuckey’s Corporation, known to generations of travelers as a roadside oasis. She received both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Georgia. Stephanie has worked as a trial lawyer, served 14 years as a state representative, and was Director of Sustainability for the City of Atlanta before purchasing Stuckey’s in 2019. Along with her partners, Stephanie is reviving her family’s business as a pecan snack and candy brand. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys road tripping across America in search of the World’s Largest Ball of Twine.

About Russ Franklin:

Russ Franklin teaches creative writing and American literature. He designed and teaches the Graphic Narrative Workshop, which is an interdisciplinary class for creative writers and artists. His short stories and poetry have appeared in Fiction, Alaska Quarterly, EPOCH, Southern Review and Oxford American and others. He was a Wallace Stegner and Truman Capote fellow at Stanford University and a Kingsbury fellow at FSU. He is the author of the novel, Cosmic Hotel.