Same Game Different Turf

Mohamed Massaquoi · samegamedifferentturf.com

Same Game Different Turf Podcast aims to lead the conversation on navigating transitions. Rather than reinventing oneself, it emphasizes building on an existing foundation—growing, adapting, and moving forward. The goal is to evolve into the next version of yourself, whether that means overcoming a challenge or stepping into a new opportunity. New episode and newsletter every other Wednesday. Hosted by Mohamed Massaquoi. www.SameGameDifferentTurf.com

24 episodes

18d ago latest

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English language

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Episodes 25

NFL Athlete Turned Cosm CEO: Jeb Terry on Turning a Big Idea Into the Future of the Fan Experience
3d ago · 38:02
Former NFL player and Cosm CEO Jeb Terry shares his journey from getting cut from the NFL to business school, Goldman Sachs, entrepreneurship, Fox, and eventually building Cosm into a global brand redefining the fan experience. We talk about enduring failure, surrounding yourself with great people, maintaining relationships, building high-performing teams, and how every chapter of your life can prepare you for the next one.
Be Bold Enough to Live Your Dream: Elly Karamoh on Confidence, Authenticity, and Becoming Great
18d ago · 42:18
Celebrity stylist Elly Karamoh shares his journey from growing up outside Paris and moving to Atlanta without speaking English to becoming the creative force behind Steve Harvey’s style transformation and working with some of entertainment’s biggest names. Elly opens up about being different before it was celebrated, developing confidence through criticism, turning his obsession with fashion into a career, and learning how to reinvent someone without changing who they are. He also shares why he refuses to rush his journey, how he handles public criticism, and why authenticity, range, preparati
Can You Become Great Twice? Ronnie Brown on Identity, Growth, and Starting Over
1mo ago · 43:07
Former NFL Pro Bowler Ronnie Brown shares the lessons he’s learned from transitioning from football to finance, navigating identity after sports, and building a meaningful second career. This conversation explores reinvention, financial literacy, relationships, purpose, and why your greatest chapter may still be ahead.
Beating the Odds So Others Can Too: Frank Brown's Mission to Change Lives
1mo ago · 47:43
Frank Brown shares how education, relationships, and mentorship transformed his life. He grew up in a single-parent home in Charleston to leading Communities In Schools of Atlanta. This conversation explores leadership, service, nonprofit innovation, education, economic mobility, and what it takes to create lasting opportunities for the next generation.
Injury → Identity Shift → Hospitality Entrepreneur: Justin Anthony on Reinvention, Resilience, and Success Beyond Sports
2mo ago · 36:26
Justin Anthony shares his journey from professional soccer player to entrepreneur, hospitality leader, and founder of some of Atlanta’s most recognized restaurant and private club concepts. This conversation explores identity, reinvention, humility, resilience, leadership, and what it takes to build a successful second chapter when the original dream changes.
From the Olympics to OutKast: DL Warfield on Building a Career That Shapes Culture
2mo ago · 41:09
DL Warfield shares his journey from athlete and fine artist to becoming one of the creative minds behind some of the most iconic projects in music, culture, and sports. From the 1996 Olympics to OutKast, TLC, Usher, Pink, and major global brands, this conversation explores creativity, resilience, authenticity, relationships, and what it takes to stay relevant while continuing to evolve.
From Government to the Private Sector: Centennial Yards President Brian McGowan on Leadership, Risk, and Building The Impossible
3mo ago · 43:08
This episode features Brian McGowan, President of Centennial Yards Company. We talk about the transformation of downtown Atlanta and what it takes to help lead the world’s largest sports-adjacent entertainment district currently under construction. 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, managing uncertainty, finding opportunity, and why meaningful work often requires resilience, perspective
Confidence Within Myself: Herm Gebreab on Building Roadshow Through Persistence, Integrity, and Relationships
3mo ago · 55:23
Herm shares how he built Roadshow into a globally recognized brand by focusing on relationships, consistency, and trust. This episode breaks down the real journey behind success, navigating high-level clients, and why persistence and authenticity are the keys to long-term growth.
14-Year-Old Mom → Starbucks SVP → Future CEO: Tiffany Willis on Owning Your Narrative
4mo ago · 41:57
Tiffany Willis shares her journey from teenage motherhood and homelessness to leading investor relations at Starbucks. This episode explores resilience, owning your narrative, navigating corporate leadership, and choosing purpose over position while building a life and career on your terms.
Music Executive → Mental Health Wake-Up → Leaving the Dream Job → Mental Health Leader: Silence the Shame's Shanti Das on Alignment, Healing, and Purpose
4mo ago · 43:18
This episode features Shanti Das, founder of Silence the Shame and former music executive at LaFace, Universal, and Universal Records. She helped shape the careers of artists like Outkast, Usher, and Toni Braxton. In this conversation, we talk through her rise in the music industry, the cost that success had on her mental health, and how she turned that experience into her nonprofit, Silence the Shame, which now supports leaders and individuals in prioritizing their mental well-being.
NCAA All-American → NFL Broken Neck → ESPN GameDay → Faith: David Pollack on Making Every Day Count
5mo ago · 49:59
David Pollack shares his journey from Georgia football star to NFL first-round pick, from a career-ending neck injury to building a new chapter in media, speaking, and life. In this conversation, he talks about resilience, faith, intentionality, parenting, leadership, and the mindset behind his book Every Day Counts. It’s a powerful episode for anyone learning how to respond when life takes an unexpected turn.
Small Town → Taking Risk → Beazer Home CMO: Elicia Azali on Marketing, Motherhood, and Leadership
5mo ago · 33:14
About Elicia Azali Elicia Azali is the Chief Marketing Officer of Beazer Homes, a national homebuilder focused on energy-efficient homes and sustainable communities. She has held leadership roles across major organizations including Procter & Gamble, Nationwide Insurance, and The General. Her work focuses on brand building, customer insight, and driving business growth through marketing leadership.
Investment Banking → → Entrepreneur → Brand Builder: Onward Reserve Founder: TJ Callaway on Process, Controlling Your Destiny, and Legacy
6mo ago · 44:49
TJ Callaway, founder and CEO of Onward Reserve, reflects on his transition from investment banking to launching his own clothing brand. He shares three major lessons: fall in love with the process because the destination won’t satisfy you, build a foundation that creates credibility and leverage, and take control of the key variables that determine your success.
First-Generation → Law → Motherhood → General Counsel, Goodwill of North Georgia: Mariangela Corales
6mo ago · 36:54
Mariangela Corales, General Counsel of Goodwill of North Georgia, shares her journey as the daughter of Cuban immigrants navigating leadership, identity, and ambition. This episode explores Latino pride, designing your own path, redefining “having it all,” and finding purpose through service and giving back.
Creative Artist → Career Transitions → CMO, Atlanta Hawks: Melissa Proctor
7mo ago · 49:49
Melissa Proctor, CMO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, shares lessons on navigating transition without certainty. This episode explores authenticity, leading with strengths, and saying yes to opportunities that stretch you before the path is clear.
NFL Pro Bowl Left Tackle → Life Reset → Oncology Nurse: D’Brickashaw Ferguson
7mo ago · 44:26
This episode of Same Game Different Turf is for anyone navigating: * Life after sports * Career change and reinvention * Identity beyond performance * Therapy, faith, and asking for help * Starting over after 40 * Purpose-driven work in healthcare D’Brickashaw Ferguson, life after the nfl, nfl career transition, former nfl player, nfl player turned nurse, oncology nurse, nursing career change, athlete identity, identity after sports, athlete reinvention, transition after sports, resilience, therapy, faith, divorce recovery, starting over at 40, leadership, high performance
Crossroads → Turner →Coca-Cola → Hawks CEO: Steve Koonin on Change, Adapting, and Principles
7mo ago · 35:36
Steve Koonin’s career spans multiple industries, from the spirits business to Coca-Cola and Turner, and ultimately to becoming CEO of the Atlanta Hawks at 57. We navigate transition when the path has to be created, how we build skills that travel, and how we stay relevant as the world keeps changing. We talk about separating identity from work, using guiding principles to make hard decisions, building reputation through relationships, and why adaptability and continuous learning matter more than any single role. If you’re in a season of transition, this episode offers a grounded way to think a
Junior Tennis Prodigy → Backup Plan → Billion-Dollar Team: Al Parker, One of Barron’s Top Financial Advisors
8mo ago · 44:25
Al Parker went from the #1 junior tennis player in the country to battling injuries on the pro tour, then pivoted into investment banking, and ultimately built a wealth advisory business at Morgan Stanley. But this conversation is not about tennis or finance. It’s about transition, identity, and what to do when the path you trained for starts to change. We talk about the mental side of pressure, the grief that comes with leaving an old life behind, and how to rebuild confidence when you’re starting over with no guarantees. Al shares the real story behind choosing college over going pro, the in
National Champ → Lost Dreams → Prison → Pastor: Mayo Sowell on Redemption, Identity, and Calling
8mo ago · 43:07
Mayo Sowell’s journey is one of the most powerful examples of redemption, identity, and purpose you will ever hear. After an injury ended his football career, Mayo chased instant gratification, turned to fast money, and eventually faced major prison time. But what happened in that season reshaped his entire life.
NFL Quarterback → Identity Reinvention → Gusto Founder: Fast-Growing, Healthy Restaurant: Nate Hybl
9mo ago · 46:37
Former Oklahoma and NFL quarterback Nate Hybl shares how he rebuilt his life after football and created gusto!, a fast-casual brand rooted in optimism and purpose. A conversation about identity, transition, and doing the real work between dream and execution.
Drafted Twice → MLB Dreams Redirected → Coaching 40 MLB Players: Setbacks Into Systems: C.J. Stewart
9mo ago · 1:01:47
This episode reminds us that success does not always manifest the way we imagine. C. J. Stewart was drafted twice into Major League Baseball. Still, his big league playing career ended sooner than he hoped. What did not end was his impact. He went on to coach more than forty major league players. He was chosen as the physical model for the Hank Aaron statue at Truist Park. We explore how structure, self-reflection, and exposure to new ideas shape the lives we are capable of building.
Developer → 09' Financial Collapse → Real Estate Super Agent: Rebuilding a Life: Bonneau Ansley
9mo ago · 42:44
Bonneau shows what it looks like to stay hungry through success, bounce back from failure, and build a team that thrives in high-pressure environments. If you’re navigating transition, chasing a new chapter, or trying to level up your leadership, this episode gives you the mindset and moves to make it happen. Newsletter on Substack. #PersonalGrowth #Careers #Reinvention #Leadership #Change #Entrepreneurship #Podcast
Lawyer → Hospitality Cofounder: Answering the Call When Your Life Shifts Direction: Ryan Wilson
9mo ago · 46:30
Everybody’s got advice, but few have lived the reality of navigating change and chasing a mission to the end. Grateful for this conversation with an amazing human and CEO of @thegatheringspot, Ryan Wilson.
Player → Coach → Operations → Athletic Director: Climbing Every Level of the Same Game: Josh Brooks
9mo ago · 45:29
Josh reminds us that opportunities often lie hidden behind roles that may not seem glamorous at first. What appears to be a detour could become your most significant period of growth. Josh has earned his way to become one of the top leaders and sports executives in the world, not by chance, but through adaptability and effort in turning possibilities into results.
Same Game Different Turf Intro
9mo ago · 2:20
I’m bringing you a new podcast called Same Game, Different Turf. I’m bringing you a new podcast names Same Game Different Turf. I started Same Game, Different Turf after navigating countless transitions on my journey —from NFL athlete to finance professional to amputee, and now to speaker and organizational psychologist. I find myself in conversations with people all over the world, and one thing keeps coming up. No matter the title or background, everyone is adapting to something new and trying to make sense of what’s next. As a former athlete turned organizational psychologist and leadership

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Same Game Different Turf

Episodes 25

NFL Athlete Turned Cosm CEO: Jeb Terry on Turning a Big Idea Into the Future of the Fan Experience

Be Bold Enough to Live Your Dream: Elly Karamoh on Confidence, Authenticity, and Becoming Great

Can You Become Great Twice? Ronnie Brown on Identity, Growth, and Starting Over

Beating the Odds So Others Can Too: Frank Brown's Mission to Change Lives

Injury → Identity Shift → Hospitality Entrepreneur: Justin Anthony on Reinvention, Resilience, and Success Beyond Sports

From the Olympics to OutKast: DL Warfield on Building a Career That Shapes Culture

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

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

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

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

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

Small Town → Taking Risk → Beazer Home CMO: Elicia Azali on Marketing, Motherhood, and Leadership

Investment Banking → → Entrepreneur → Brand Builder: Onward Reserve Founder: TJ Callaway on Process, Controlling Your Destiny, and Legacy

First-Generation → Law → Motherhood → General Counsel, Goodwill of North Georgia: Mariangela Corales

Creative Artist → Career Transitions → CMO, Atlanta Hawks: Melissa Proctor

NFL Pro Bowl Left Tackle → Life Reset → Oncology Nurse: D’Brickashaw Ferguson

Crossroads → Turner →Coca-Cola → Hawks CEO: Steve Koonin on Change, Adapting, and Principles

Junior Tennis Prodigy → Backup Plan → Billion-Dollar Team: Al Parker, One of Barron’s Top Financial Advisors

National Champ → Lost Dreams → Prison → Pastor: Mayo Sowell on Redemption, Identity, and Calling

NFL Quarterback → Identity Reinvention → Gusto Founder: Fast-Growing, Healthy Restaurant: Nate Hybl

Drafted Twice → MLB Dreams Redirected → Coaching 40 MLB Players: Setbacks Into Systems: C.J. Stewart

Developer → 09' Financial Collapse → Real Estate Super Agent: Rebuilding a Life: Bonneau Ansley

Lawyer → Hospitality Cofounder: Answering the Call When Your Life Shifts Direction: Ryan Wilson

Player → Coach → Operations → Athletic Director: Climbing Every Level of the Same Game: Josh Brooks