From Government to the Private Sector: Centennial Yards President Brian McGowan on Leadership, Risk, and Building The Impossible

From Government to the Private Sector: Centennial Yards President Brian McGowan on Leadership, Risk, and Building The Impossible

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

Confidence Within Myself: Herm Gebreab on Building Roadshow Through Persistence, Integrity, and Relationships

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 | Spotify Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, transitions, and performance

14-Year-Old Mom → Starbucks SVP → Future CEO: Tiffany Willis on Owning Your Narrative

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

Music Executive → Mental Health Wake-Up → Leaving the Dream Job → Mental Health Leader: Silence the Shame's Shanti Das on Alignment, Healing, and Purpose

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/ [https://silencetheshame.com/]

NCAA All-American → NFL Broken Neck → ESPN GameDay → Faith: David Pollack on Making Every Day Count

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.   #DavidPollack #SameGameDifferentTurf #NFL #GeorgiaFootball #Faith #Resilience #Leadership #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #EveryDayCounts #CareerTransition #Adversity #SportsPodcast #Motivation #SuccessMindset