Young Professionals Find Perfect Work + Play Balance in Rutherford County

©Journal Communications/Nathan Lambrecht

Rutherford County offers ample opportunities for work and play. For young professionals, finding a balance between work life and home life is increasingly important. Rutherford County is full of resources and support networks that allow professionals to create a work-life balance that allows them to thrive. 

Building a Career 

For young professionals like Rachael Goonan, Rutherford County has proved to be an ideal area for career development while offering plenty of opportunities for recreation. Goonan is a co-owner of two Champy’s Chicken locations in Murfreesboro and Smyrna, with a new one on the way in her home county of Davidson. 

Goonan’s Champy’s Chicken journey began in 2016 when her brother and sister-in-law, Jonathan and Samantha Newson, convinced Goonan and her husband, TJ, to take a risk and jump on board a new venture. With backgrounds in food service and human resources, the Goonans were easy to convince and haven’t looked back. Today, Goonan handles marketing, catering and community outreach for her Champy’s Chicken locations, but isn’t confined to those roles. 

“As owners, you basically do it all,” Goonan says. 

Balancing these professional roles, along with her roles as a wife and mother, can be challenging but manageable. Between getting her kids to school, attending meetings and stopping by her restaurants, Goonan says a detailed calendar has been key to staying organized. 

“I live by the calendar,” Goonan says. “My day is not the same every single day – I like that.” 

Support Networks 

Since starting out in Rutherford County, Goonan has found support from local professional networking groups and other small businesses. Getting involved in the community has been key to forming professional connections; Goonan is a diplomat for the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and serves on the board of Murfreesboro Young Professionals, where she is in charge of professional development. 

Home to Middle Tennessee State University and several local community colleges and technical schools, Rutherford County is full of young professionals starting their own journeys. Goonan takes pride in being able to pay it forward by sharing the lessons she has learned as a business owner. 

“It’s great to have those young professionals come in and learn from somebody who’s been in their shoes before,” Goonan says. 

Goonan encourages those just starting out to get involved in their community. Even volunteer opportunities can lead to other connections that will expand one’s professional network. 

“I think the Chamber is a great place to start,” Goonan says. “Rutherford County as a whole is such a huge county that I think everybody in any business can fit in somewhere.” 

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Work-Life Harmony 

Despite her many professional roles, Goonan recognizes the importance of finding time to relax and spend time with family. Lessons from her working life carry over into home life; Goonan finds that scheduling time for date nights with her husband or outings with her kids helps keep her accountable. 

“Family is very important to me,” Goonan says. “I want my kids to see a working mom, someone that is working hard to give them the life that they want. But I also want to be very present for them.” 

Sometimes this means prioritizing her son’s basketball game over a board meeting. Yet Goonan counts herself fortunate that her family is also part of her business; her kids can be at ease in the family-friendly environment at Champy’s Chicken, and the family frequently goes out to eat or play together after a day at the restaurant. 

The Goonans enjoy local trampoline parks like Sky Zone Murfreesboro, conveniently located next to their Champy’s Chicken restaurant. The family also frequents Main Event Murfreesboro, a family entertainment center complete with bowling, laser tag and more. They also love supporting other local restaurants like Hickory Falls in Smyrna. 

With plenty of opportunities for work and play, Goonan sees Rutherford County as a diverse and supportive community that allows young professionals and their families to thrive. 

“I feel like people in the community are very open to meet you,” Goonan says. “It’s a great place to live.”