The Origin of TRC Nexus: An Antidote to the Media Landscape

Every lasting endeavor has an origin story. For TRC Nexus, it began in a meeting room in Burlington in 2018, when a group of North Carolina CEOs gathered to compare notes on pressing issues. What struck the group wasn’t just the complexity of the challenges like education reform, economic development, and workforce readiness, but how little of this information was reaching the leaders who needed it most.

As one participant recalled later: “A robust discussion on education initiatives was unfolding, and the problems were stacking up faster than solutions… one by one, people in the room realized the same thing: Information like this isn’t getting out.”

That realization was the spark. Out of that meeting, TRC Nexus was born: a simple, direct, no-spin briefing designed to equip executives with the knowledge they needed to lead with clarity.

Leadership in Its Purest Form
TRC Nexus was never designed as another newsletter for cluttered inboxes. It was, and remains, a product of leadership… leaders stepping up not for themselves, but to elevate others. Watching it happen in real time is very rewarding for us at The Results Company. 

After reconnecting with a former colleague this month, he reminded me of a book we read together about six years ago. “How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge,” was, and is a great read for those hungry to help others. Author and pastor Clay Scroggins unearthed a concept called “kabash leadership” – the kind that resists the easy cynicism of “putting the kibosh” on difficult conversations, and instead embraces the harder, nobler task of creating something that helps others succeed.

As we wrote earlier this year: “TRC Nexus is a direct result of kabash leadership – business leaders stepping up to help other leaders succeed.” That spirit of service continues to guide every edition we send. 

And, consistent with the humility that marks true leadership, Nexus has always been designed to be passed along. Our readers know the refrain: “If you feel it appropriate, please pass this message along to others.” Because wisdom, context, and purpose multiply when shared.

An Antidote to the Media Landscape
We didn’t set out to compete with traditional media. We set out to offer an antidote.

In our launch statement, we put it plainly: “the content is not designed for mass dissemination and is not built to generate clicks. We focus on cultivating information for our core audience of executives.”

That framing has proven more relevant each year. A generation ago, a common set of facts underpinned America’s public life. Leaders might have disagreed about what to do, but they shared a foundation from which to argue, build, and compromise. Today, that common foundation has cracked, and leaders face real risk when decisions must be made based on fragmented, partisan, or incomplete information.

The numbers bear this out. Gallup’s surveys show media trust at historic lows. Their 2025 update confirmed the crisis: just 11% of Americans said they trust television news, while 17% trust newspapers. Pew Research’s September 2025 report says just as much: most Americans generally distrust national news organizations. The one silver lining? Many still express trust in specific outlets or voices. Trust isn’t dead, it’s selective. Leaders, more than ever, need sources they can rely on.

That’s what Nexus is built to be.

Quiet Growth, Real Impact
Nexus has never been splashed across billboards or ad campaigns. It spreads the old-fashioned way: by referral. Leaders read it, find value, and send it to colleagues.

In fact, our biggest growth spikes have always come when we tell our own story. Our January 2024 reflection on Nexus’s history drew a flurry of new subscribers, not because of marketing tricks, but because leaders forwarded it.

As we wrote last year: “TRC Nexus is a below-the-radar newsletter that spreads by referrals. We count on our loyal Nexus subscribers to spread the word and would greatly appreciate you sharing TRC Nexus with like-minded business leaders.”

A Call to Lead
At its heart, Nexus has always been about trust and responsibility. In an era when trust in media is absent, and where misinformation often derails sound decision-making, Nexus offers a steady hand. It’s built by leaders, for leaders. It provides what’s missing elsewhere: clarity, context, and credibility.

But for Nexus to fulfill its mission, it must be shared. That’s where you come in.

If you find value in these words, don’t keep them to yourself. Take one step today that will ripple outward: forward this edition to one colleague you know would benefit. Help build a stronger circle of leaders who are informed, steady, and ready to shape the future of our state and nation. At the intersection of governance and business leadership, the truth matters. This week’s newsletter reminded us why with a blunt assessment of another round of sloppy political reporting:

“A large swath of our state’s political media has missed the mark with this reporting by amplifying half-quotes, anonymous rumors, and sensational headlines instead of presenting the full record. For business leaders, this isn’t just a media gripe, it’s a governance issue. The decisions made by state leadership directly shape the business climate, the workforce pipeline, and the long-term competitiveness of our state. When the coverage distorts reality, leaders risk making decisions based on spin rather than fact. If North Carolina is going to grow and lead, our business community must demand, and share, the full story. We owe it to ourselves, our employees, and our state to cut through the noise, insist on honesty, and keep our focus on leadership that delivers results, not half cooked headlines.“

The challenges ahead are too complex, the stakes too high, and the need for clarity too urgent for any leader to stand alone. Nexus was created to ensure no leader has to.

So today, lead with generosity. Share this newsletter with your contact list, point them to TRCNexus.com, the living archive for all Nexus Saturday pieces. Invite others into the circle. Together, we can restore trust, rebuild perspective, and shape a future where business leadership rises to meet the moment.

Onward, 

Mike Rusher
CCEO, The Results Company