Same Game Different Turf

This episode features Frank Brown, CEO of Communities In Schools of Atlanta, one of the nation's leading organizations focused on helping students overcome the barriers that prevent them from succeeding in school and in life.
 
Frank's story is one of education, relationships, and purpose. Growing up in a single-parent household in Charleston, South Carolina, Frank’s brother was sentenced to 15 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter after killing his stepfather. Same house. Same parents. Similar upbringing. Yet their lives took very different paths.
Frank discusses how he experienced firsthand how one opportunity completely changed the trajectory of his life. That opportunity led him to college, law school, Capitol Hill, and ultimately to leading one of Atlanta's most impactful nonprofit organizations. 
 
We discuss why relationships often matter more than talent, how education can alter the course of an entire family, what it takes to lead through complexity, and why solving generational problems requires long-term commitment instead of quick fixes.
 
Themes from this episode:
How one opportunity can change an entire life
The power of education to break generational cycles
Why relationships compound over a lifetime
Growing up in a single-parent household
Leadership lessons from Capitol Hill
Building trust before creating change
The hidden barriers preventing students from succeeding
Why nonprofit leadership should operate like a business
Data, accountability, and measuring impact
Mentorship and changing the trajectory of young lives
Leading with purpose instead of ego
Developing future leaders
Building organizations that outlast you
Why service is one of the highest forms of leadership
Creating pathways to the American Dream
 
Subscribe for more conversations exploring leadership, resilience, purpose, and the transitions that shape extraordinary lives.

This episode features Justin Anthony, founder of Yebo Beach Haus, Lion's Head Private Club, and several of Atlanta's most recognized hospitality concepts.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Justin's life revolved around soccer. From the age of six, he knew he wanted to become a professional player and spent years pursuing that dream. But after a serious knee injury changed the trajectory of his career, he was forced to confront one of the hardest realities athletes face: what happens when the identity you've built your life around begins to disappear?
What followed was a journey of reinvention. Justin went from professional athlete to waiting tables, learning the hospitality business from the ground up before opening the first South African restaurant in America. Over the next three decades, he built a hospitality empire rooted in authenticity, service, resilience, and a willingness to evolve.
This conversation explores transitions, humility, entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, and what it takes to build a meaningful second chapter when life doesn't go according to plan.
Themes from this episode:
Navigating life after sports
The identity challenges athletes face after retirement
Why humility is essential for long-term success
Learning a new industry from the ground up
Building the first South African restaurant in America
Entrepreneurship, risk, and betting on yourself
Ownership versus letting others control your future
Leadership and building high-performing teams
Knowing when to persist and when to pivot
Growing through adversity and uncertainty
Lessons from COVID and leading through crisis
The power of authenticity in business and life
Building culture through hospitality
Why success looks different at every stage of life
The connection between athletics and entrepreneurship
Watch and listen: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Subscribe for more conversations exploring transitions, leadership, resilience, and building a meaningful life beyond the labels we place on ourselves.

From the 1996 Olympics to OutKast, TLC, Usher, Pink, Babyface, T.I., Nike, and Adidas, DL Warfield has spent decades helping shape culture through art and creativity.
In this episode of Same Game Different Turf, I sit down with fine artist and creative director DL Warfield to discuss creativity, resilience, authenticity, relationships, and what it takes to build a career that stands the test of time.
DL shares stories from designing the Olympic album cover, working with some of the biggest names in music, staying culturally relevant across multiple decades, and why approaching creativity like an athlete helped him sustain success.
This conversation is a reminder that success is rarely about one moment. It's about continuing to evolve, staying true to who you are, and doing the work long enough for your gifts to compound.
In this episode:
Designing the 1996 Olympic album cover
Working with OutKast, TLC, Usher, Pink, and T.I.
Creativity, culture, and artistic evolution
Why athletes and artists think more alike than people realize
Staying relevant over multiple decades
Creative instincts and trusting your vision
Building a career through relationships
Authenticity and creative longevity
Finding where your gifts are celebrated
Balancing creativity with business
The importance of resilience and consistency
Why good taste matters
DL's story is a masterclass in staying authentic while continuing to grow.
Hosted by Mohamed Massaquoi 

This episode features Brian McGowan, President of Centennial Yards Company, the largest sports adjacent entertainment district underdevelopment in the world. Brian’s career is a masterclass in navigating transitions. His work has spanned the Obama Administration, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office, leading Invest Atlanta, and serving as CEO of the Atlanta BeltLine.
We discuss career reinvention, leading through uncertainty, identifying opportunity, and why meaningful work often requires vision, resilience, and the ability to create belief before results show up.
We also talk about what it takes to lead transformational projects when people doubt the vision, why transferable skills often matter more than perfect credentials, and how great teams create confidence in high-pressure environments.
Themes from this episode:
Transforming downtown Atlanta through Centennial Yards
Why meaningful work creates a different level of commitment
Moving toward difficult problems instead of avoiding them
Leadership during uncertainty and pressure
Transferable skills and career reinvention
Creating belief before results show up
Why culture drives execution
Managing risk on billion-dollar projects
Public service, purpose, and long-term vision
The emotional weight of transformational work
Perspective, resilience, and family priorities
Building teams that create confidence
Why opportunities often come through conversations
Sports-adjacent entertainment districts and the future of development
Balancing ambition, pressure, and personal life
 

This episode features Herm from Roadshow, one of the most trusted names in the high-end automotive world. From selling cars out of Cincinnati to building a globally recognized brand that works with athletes, entertainers, and top executives, Herm’s journey is built on persistence, relationships, and doing business the right way.
We get into how Roadshow was built from the ground up, what it actually takes to earn trust at the highest level, and why most people misunderstand success. This is not a story about overnight wins. It’s about years of consistency, learning on the fly, and staying in the game when most people quit.
We also break down the mindset behind building a brand that people trust, navigating NIL and young athletes with money for the first time, and why focusing on people over transactions is what creates real longevity.
Themes from this episode:
Building Roadshow from nothing to a global brand
Why persistence is the real separator in success
Learning business through experience, not a traditional path
The importance of relationships and referrals in scaling a business
Trust as the foundation of working with elite clients
Balancing risk, capital, and confidence in high-stakes deals
Why focusing on the client always wins long term
NIL, young athletes, and navigating money early
Authenticity and why being yourself scales further than trying to fit in
Turning clients into lifelong relationships, not transactions
The reality behind “overnight success” and the years it actually takes
Watch and listen: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | SpotifySubscribe for more conversations on leadership, transitions, and performance

This episode features Tiffany Willis, former SVP of Investor Relations at Starbucks, whose journey redefines what success actually looks like. From becoming a mother at 14 and facing homelessness to rising through PwC, EY, and leading investor relations at a $130B company, Tiffany’s story is a masterclass in resilience, ownership, and purpose-driven leadership.
We unpack what it really means to own your narrative, how your struggles can become your greatest competitive advantage, and why success is not about a perfect path but about persistence, adaptability, and belief. Tiffany also shares the mindset shifts that helped her navigate corporate leadership, make difficult family decisions, and step into her next chapter with intention.
This is a conversation about identity, leadership, and building a life on your terms, regardless of where you start.
Themes from this episode:
Owning your narrative and embracing your full story
Turning adversity into a competitive advantage
From teenage motherhood and homelessness to corporate leadership
The power of work ethic, curiosity, and raising your hand
Navigating corporate America without a perfect background
Translating business strategy into the “language of numbers”
Building a career through adaptability, not a straight path
Imposter syndrome in high-level leadership rooms
Choosing purpose over position in critical life decisions
Leadership, storytelling, and influencing at scale
Helping others see what’s possible through your journey
 Watch and listen: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, transitions, and performance

What does success really cost, and what happens when you finally choose yourself?
In this episode, I sit down with my good friend Shanti Das. Shanti is a music industry powerhouse turned mental health advocate. She helped build the legendary careers of Outkast, Usher, and Toni Braxton as a music execute at LaFace, Columbia, and Universal Records. Shanti shares the untold truth behind climbing to the top and what it took from her along the way.
At the height of her career, everything looked right on paper. What followed was a powerful pivot from corporate success to purpose-driven impact through her nonprofit, Silence the Shame.
This conversation is about leadership, sacrifice, mental health, and learning how to create a life that actually aligns with you.
In this episode, we cover:
The reality behind high-level success and hidden sacrifices
Why “work-life balance” is a myth—and what to focus on instead
The concept of work-life rhythm and how to navigate it
Mental health in leadership and why it can’t be ignored
How to recognize when you (or someone else) is struggling
Shanti's RAP framework: Recognize, Acknowledge, Process
Building your “starting five” support system
The power of saying no and protecting your peace
Turning pain into purpose through Silence the Shame
https://silencetheshame.com/
 

In this episode of Same Game Different Turf, I sit down with David Pollack, former University of Georgia player, three-time All-American, first-round NFL Draft pick, former ESPN analyst, speaker, author, and host of the See Ball Get Ball podcast.
David shares a powerful story of identity, transition, faith, resilience, and learning how to make every day count. From becoming under-recruited, to elite football player, to suffering a career-ending neck injury in the NFL, to rebuilding through broadcasting, speaking, writing, and family life. Our conversation is full of perspective for anyone navigating change.
We talk about what it really means to be great where you’re at, how to stay present instead of living in the rearview mirror, how to grow through adversity, and why some of life’s hardest moments can shape you into the strongest version of yourself. David also opens up about faith, his wife’s battle with brain cancer, parenting, personal discipline, leadership, and the mindset behind his book Every Day Counts.
This is a conversation about more than football. It’s about purpose, suffering, grit, service, and how to respond when life changes faster than you expected.
In this episode, we discuss:
* David Pollack’s journey from Georgia football to the NFL
* The mindset that helped him become great after changing positions multiple times
* What happened after his broken neck ended his NFL career
* Transitioning from pro sports to local radio and eventually ESPN
* Why feedback, accountability, and self-evaluation matter
* How faith shaped the way he handled adversity and uncertainty
* Lessons from his wife’s brain cancer journey
* The message behind his book Every Day Counts
* Parenting, youth sports, resilience, and letting kids own their journey
* What success looks like now in speaking, media, and life
 
If you’re in a season of transition, rebuilding, leadership, loss, or growth, this episode will challenge and encourage you.
Subscribe for more conversations with leaders, athletes, founders, and high performers navigating life and career transitions on Same Game Different Turf.
 
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In the latest episode of Same Game Different Turf, I sit down with Elicia Azali, Chief Marketing Officer at Beazer Homes, to talk about leadership, marketing, and building a career that aligns with who you truly are.
Elicia’s journey from Oberlin, Ohio to the C-suite is a powerful reminder that success isn’t just about where you start.
It’s about work ethic, mentorship, and the courage to be yourself in rooms where you may feel different.
In this conversation:
• The work ethic lessons that shaped her growing up in Ohio• How mentorship helped launch her career in marketing• Early career experiences at Procter & Gamble• Navigating imposter syndrome and authenticity in leadership• Why marketing is really about understanding people• How brand strategy drives business growth• Lessons from leading across multiple industries• Building alignment and vision as a C-suite executive• Balancing motherhood and executive leadership• The evolving meaning of purpose and success
This episode is a powerful conversation about leadership, resilience, motherhood, career development, and building brands that last.

In this episode, I sit down with TJ Callaway, founder and CEO of Onward Reserve, to unpack what building something real actually takes.
TJ shares his journey from investment banking to entrepreneurship and how that experience gave him confidence in rooms where big financial decisions are made. More importantly, he explains why lasting success isn’t about hype or chasing fast exits. It is about discipline, ownership, and playing the long game.
We cover
Why loving the process matters more than chasing the exit
How credibility gives you leverage in rooms most people feel intimidated in
The risk of building a business you don’t control
When to pivot from selling other brands to owning your own
Why the grind never really stops, and why that is a good thing
This conversation is grounded in patience, discipline, and building for the long term. TJ also shares how making thoughtful, deliberate decisions along the way allows you to control the variables that shape your future.
If you are building something, a company, a career, or your life, this episode will challenge how you think about control, preparation, and what success actually feels like.
 
If this episode resonated, subscribe and share it with someone navigating their own transition.