Best JT Grounded Podcasts (2025)

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John “JT” Turner: From Google X to Grounded Leadership 59:17

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12d ago59:17

59:17

John “JT” Turner is a sales executive, leadership coach, and team builder with a proven track record of turning good teams into great ones. In this episode, John Barrows and JT explore what authentic sales leadership really looks like—and how to apply it in today’s fast-moving, AI-influenced world. They unpack JT’s formative experiences, including …

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Luke Arno: Building Grit, Passion, and Real Revenue Teams 50:59

5d ago50:59

50:59

In this episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows sits down with Luke Arno, CRO at Transcend and a powerhouse revenue leader who’s scaled growth at companies like Twilio Segment and Box. Luke shares what sets truly great sales teams apart—and why coaching, optimism, and grit are the unteachable qualities every leader should look for. They div…

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#252 Summer Joy with S. Darlene Cheek 29:26

9d ago29:26

29:26

S. Darlene Cheek is an extraordinary Executive Administrator with a gazillion years of administrative experience. She graduated from North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC with a bachelor's in Psychology and a minor in Music. She moved to New York and has held many roles: Caseworker for the Department of Child Abuse and Neglect, Transition…

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Nick Hill: Coaching, Training & The Real Role of Enablement 1:05:13

19d ago1:05:13

1:05:13

Nick Hill is the Director of Sales Enablement at Crunchbase, with a track record of building performance-driven coaching programs at Miro, Sprinklr, and beyond. In this episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows and Nick dive deep into all things enablement—from structure and timing to coaching reps and aligning with RevOps for real impact. Th…

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#251 The Check In: For Black Men’s Health 24:40

23d ago24:40

24:40

Derin Lindsey is an established Branding, Marketing and Creative Entrepreneur. He is the Founder and President of For Black Men's Health Inc. Derin is a wellness advocate dedicated to educating and empowering men of color to prioritize their health.By Pernessa C. Seele

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Mark Raffan: Stop Discounting, Start Negotiating 1:05:59

27d ago1:05:59

1:05:59

Mark Raffan is the founder and CEO of Negotiations Ninja™, a former procurement pro turned sales ally, and one of the sharpest minds in the negotiation game today. In this episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows welcomes Mark back for a tactical, no-fluff conversation on why most sales reps lose deals in the final 10%—not to competition, bu…

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Dan Sperring: Rethinking ICP to Drive Revenue 1:08:45

1M ago1:08:45

1:08:45

John Barrows is joined by Dan Sperring, founder of AlignICP, to unpack one of the most overlooked—but critical—elements of GTM success: your Ideal Customer Profile. Dan has made it his mission to help sales and marketing teams work together to define, refine, and activate a high-impact ICP strategy. The conversation dives into common ICP mistakes (…

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#250 Legacy and Light: Grounding for the Future 29:24

1M ago29:24

29:24

Tyza Brister is the Church Administrator at Beacon Light International Baptist Cathedral in New Orleans, LA where her father Bishop Darryl S. Brister is the pastor. She is a mother, a creative, a former athlete and mental health advocate.By Pernessa C. Seele

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Karen Kelly: Hypothesis Selling and Creating Safe Spaces for Buyers 57:21

1M ago57:21

57:21

Karen Kelly is a sales strategist, speaker, and founder of K2 Performance Consulting, where she helps B2B companies sell with confidence, clarity, and purpose. In this episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows sits down with Karen for a tactical and inspiring conversation that covers everything from her immigrant upbringing and biology backgr…

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#249 Preserving Our Sacred Spaces with Nolly Swan 36:35

1M ago36:35

36:35

Nolly Swan is a recent graduate of the Clemson University Master's of Science in Historic Preservation program at the Clemson Design Center in Charleston, South Carolina. She is originally from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. This May, she published her graduate thesis titled "A Comparative Analysis of Cultural Preservation Focused Land-Use Reg…

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Blair LaCorte: Beyond the Safe Zone—Leading with Awareness 49:42

2M ago49:42

49:42

On today's episode, John Barrows sits down with Blair LaCorte—a transformational leader whose career has spanned aviation, AI, tech, entertainment, and aerospace. With multiple highly successful exits, Blair brings battle-tested wisdom to the table, but what sets him apart is his focus on people, purpose, and emotional intelligence. They explore ev…

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#248 Aging Vibrantly: A Celebration of Senior Health with Dionne Jones 21:45

2M ago21:45

21:45

Transformation Specialist Dionne Jones is all about that balanced life! Dionne is Founder and Owner of Age with Vibrancy, LLC, based in Cleveland, Ohio. Age with Vibrancy, LLC “meets women where they are, and takes them to where they deserve to be in their lives.” Dionne takes the whole-body approach to helping women thrive. Get ready to strip away…

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Kelly Cheng: Building Buyer Trust Before They’re Ready to Buy 1:00:03

2M ago1:00:03

1:00:03

In this episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows sits down with Kelly Cheng, CMO at Goldcast, for a wide-ranging and insightful conversation on sales, marketing, and the evolving buyer journey. From her early days as a self-proclaimed rebel growing up in Hong Kong to working with top brands like Adobe and Microsoft, Kelly brings a fresh, str…

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#247 Her Health, Her Voice: Strength, Resilience and Wholeness 22:22

2M ago22:22

22:22

Shyla K. Fields is a devoted wife, mother, and dynamic force for change. As a gifted community organizer, she has spent her career fostering inclusivity and collaboration across diverse communities. She currently serves as the Director of the Health Across the Lifecourse (HeAL) Research Area at the Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama…

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Dustin Crawford: How to Motivate Reps and Decode Buyer Behavior 1:06:07

2M ago1:06:07

1:06:07

In today's episode, John Barrows sits down with Dustin Crawford, VP of Sales at Otter.ai, for a deep dive into the intersection of sales, psychology, and modern leadership. While Otter.ai is a sponsor of the show, this conversation goes far beyond the product—it’s about the why behind how salespeople operate and how leaders can unlock their team’s …

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#246 Still She Rises: A Triumphant Lupus Warrior 26:44

2M ago26:44

26:44

Hetlena Johnson is a Patient Advocate, Author, Community Organizer, Retired Educator and Lupus Warrior. She is devoted to helping others face the trials of life with an open mind and energy. A cheerleader for handling life’s challenges with laughter and spirited resilience, she believes in living your best life while living with lupus.…

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Alyssa Merwin: Inside LinkedIn’s $1B Sales Engine 54:13

2M ago54:13

54:13

In this episode, John Barrows is joined with with Alyssa Merwin, Global VP of LinkedIn Sales Solutions, to unpack the findings from LinkedIn’s brand-new ROI of AI Report—a first-of-its-kind look at how AI is truly impacting sales outcomes, not just activity metrics.With over $1 billion in revenue under her leadership and a rich career path shaped b…

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#245 Balance in LEVELS: Mental Health and Faith with Dr. Gregory Marcelle 25:16

2M ago25:16

25:16

Dr. Gregory Marcelle is a Licensed Professional Counselor committed to helping youth, adolescents, and adults learn how to manage their mental and behavioral health. He is the CEO and Clinical Director of L.E.V.E.L.S Mental Health Services LLC providing therapeutic support, behavior management, and skill building to individuals who struggle with me…

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Sam Jacobs: Community, Character, and the Future of Leadership 56:50

3M ago56:50

56:50

John Barrows reconnects with longtime friend and Pavilion CEO, Sam Jacobs. Sam is the author of the bestselling book Kind Folks Finish First, and he’s on a mission to prove that building with integrity and empathy isn’t just good for the soul—it’s good for business.John and Sam dive into the hard lessons learned from the rollercoaster ride of 2023,…

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#244 How to Live Well with Parkinson’s Disease 25:46

3M ago25:46

25:46

In observance of Parkinson's disease awareness month, we are excited to speak with special guests Michael S. Fitts and Dr. Reversa Joseph. Michael S. Fitts recent retiree, served as assistant dean for user access and diversity at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB Libraries). He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2011 at age 38. In…

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Kevin Evers: Taylor Swift’s Masterclass in Brand, Loyalty & Strategy 54:25

3M ago54:25

54:25

Kevin Evers is a senior editor at Harvard Business Review and author of the upcoming book There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift. In this episode, Kevin and John break down what makes Taylor Swift one of the most brilliant business minds of our time. From reclaiming her masters to building an unbreakable bond with fans, Swi…

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#243 Musing on Holy Week with Rev. JT Logan 21:31

3M ago21:31

21:31

JT Logan is a serial entrepreneur, business coach, author, musician, minister, and father. He is the Founder and CEO of FOURDEEP – a full-service advertising and marketing agency founded in 2011 with offices in Richmond, VA and Washington, DC. JT and the FOURDEEP team have built brands for Fortune 500 companies, global non-profit organizations, uni…

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Dale Dupree: Rebellion, Reflection, and the AI Debate 58:40

3M ago58:40

58:40

In this special debrief episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows sits down with Dale Dupree—founder of The Sales Rebellion and one of the standout voices from the recent Sales Play event in NYC. What starts as a post-event reflection quickly turns into a deep, unfiltered conversation on modern sales, personal transformation, and cultural shi…

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The Sales Play: Glengarry Glen Ross After Hours 45:25

3M ago45:25

45:25

In this special Make It Happen Mondays episode, John Barrows takes you inside an intimate, after-hours debrief unlike anything we’ve released before. After a full day of sales content, networking, and roundtable discussions in NYC with 18 of the top minds in sales and tech, the group capped the night with a viewing of the Broadway revival of Glenga…

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#242 Awakened and Aligned: A Journey in Holistic Well-Being 26:12

3M ago26:12

26:12

The Reverend Dr. Mia Hash Sloan focuses on curating spiritual well-being spaces across a broad range of religious and spiritual ideologies. She is a third-generation minister that has worked within the congregation and community for over 20 years. She has truly made a religious, spiritual and social impact in her community. Rev. Dr. Mia specializes…

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The Only Authenticated Episode Ever – Featuring Drift’s David Cancel 1:14:15

3M ago1:14:15

1:14:15

In this special crossover episode, John Barrows is joined by Doug Landis and Jen Allen-Knuth for the one and only recorded session of a pilot project called Authenticated—a podcast experiment designed around unscripted, authentic conversations with inspiring leaders.The guest? None other than David Cancel, Founder and former CEO of Drift. David dro…

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#241 Black Women Bloom: Navigating Health, Healing, and Empowerment 24:32

4M ago24:32

24:32

Kayla Nixon is a Richmond, VA based public health communicator, community builder, and advocate dedicated to empowering Black women through information, connection, and action. A uterine cancer survivor since 2019, she founded Uterine Care Collaborative in 2024 to educate Black women on uterine health conditions, improve access to resources, and am…

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Steve Lucas: Why AI Won’t Replace You—Unless You Let It 56:22

4M ago56:22

56:22

Steve Lucas is a seasoned enterprise software executive and the CEO of Boomi, leading AI-driven digital transformation. In this episode, he and John Barrows dive deep into the evolving role of AI in business, sales, and leadership.They explore insights from Steve’s book, Digital Impact: The Human Element of AI-Driven Tech Transformation, and discus…

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#240 Black Women are Women's History 23:42

4M ago23:42

23:42

In celebration of Women's History Month, we have a special message from our very own Dr. P! Dr. Pernessa C. Seele, Founder and CEO of The Balm In Gilead, Inc., a not-for-profit organization, is a phenomenal trailblazer. Dr. Seele is celebrating over 37 years of providing vision and leadership in areas of technical support to strengthen the capacity…

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#240 Novel Emerging Therapies in the Targeted Protein Degradation space, CELMoDs in Multiple Myeloma Treatment 30:25

4M ago30:25

30:25

Dr. Tania Small joined Bristol Myers Squibb as Senior Vice President, Global Medical Affairs in January 2024. Tania brings a strong scientific track record leading Medical Affairs teams in driving innovation that improves the experience and supports better outcomes of people living with cancer and rare diseases. She has successfully built and led g…

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Larry Kim: Scaling Sales with a Product-First Mindset 56:57

4M ago56:57

56:57

Larry Kim is the founder and CEO of Customers.ai and the visionary behind WordStream, which he scaled to a $150M exit. In this episode, John and Larry dive into the battle between product-driven growth and go-to-market strategy, exploring why Larry believes a strong product trumps traditional sales tactics.Larry shares lessons from scaling two comp…

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John Shulman: Winning with Interest-Based Negotiation 57:57

4M ago57:57

57:57

John Shulman is the Founder and President of Alignor, a negotiation expert with Harvard credentials, and a consultant to business leaders worldwide. This episode is all about the art of negotiation—from handling tough procurement conversations to defending price in a world of price-focused buyers.Learn about the interest-based negotiation approach,…

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#239 Healing Together: Embracing Life and Honoring Love with Rev. Lamont A. Wells in observation of the 37th National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS 33:21

4M ago33:21

33:21

Rev. Lamont Anthony Wells is the Executive Director of the Network of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Colleges and Universities and the President of the African Descent Lutheran Association.By Pernessa C. Seele

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Elina Teboul: Rethinking Capitalism with Feminine Intelligence 1:13:06

4M ago1:13:06

1:13:06

Elina Teboul is a leadership expert, former attorney, and author of Feminine Intelligence: How Visionary Leaders Can Reshape Business for Good. In this episode, Elina and John dive deep into the balance between logic and empathy in leadership, the flaws in modern capitalism, and how embracing feminine intelligence—not feminism—can drive business su…

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#238 Harriet Tubman’s Legacy in Health and Freedom with Victoria Smalls 36:16

5M ago36:16

36:16

Victoria A. Smalls, a Gullah Geechee native of St. Helena Island, SC, is Founder & CEO of Smalls Cultural Resources, where she champions Gullah Geechee communities across the United States and their global ties to Africa’s Diaspora. With more than two decades of experience, she has served as a state Commissioner on the SC African American Heritage …

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Shari Dunn: Uncovering Bias and Redefining Competency at Work 1:15:07

5M ago1:15:07

1:15:07

Shari Dunn is a polymath—an accomplished journalist, attorney, CEO, news anchor, and university professor—who brings a wealth of experience to this powerful conversation. She joins John Barrows to discuss her book, QUALIFIED: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work. Shari explores the hidden biases in hiring and promotion, the concept of “…

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#237 Follow the North Star with Dr. P 34:14

5M ago34:14

34:14

Check out a very special message from our very own Dr. P! Dr. Pernessa C. Seele, Founder and CEO of The Balm In Gilead, Inc., a not-for-profit organization, is a phenomenal trailblazer. Dr. Seele is celebrating over 37 years of providing vision and leadership in areas of technical support to strengthen the capacity of faith institutions in the Unit…

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Sydney Sloan: CMO Insights and Intent 1:13:01

5M ago1:13:01

1:13:01

Sydney Sloan is a seasoned marketing leader and the CMO at G2, the world’s largest software marketplace. In this episode John and Sydney discuss the evolving relationship between sales and marketing, the rise of AI, and how businesses can stay ahead. Sydney shares her personal experience with burnout, the importance of energy management, and how ta…

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#236 My Life is Black History with Dr. P 29:07

5M ago29:07

29:07

Dr. Pernessa C. Seele, Founder and CEO of The Balm In Gilead, Inc., a not-for-profit organization, is a phenomenal trailblazer. Dr. Seele is celebrating over 37 years of providing vision and leadership in areas of technical support to strengthen the capacity of faith institutions in the United States and Africa to eradicate health disparities by pr…

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Partnership ANNOUNCEMENT: Zero-to-Pipeline in 60 Days with Alex Buckles 54:27

5M ago54:27

54:27

Alex Buckles is back! As the CEO of Forecastable, Alex helps sales teams drive more qualified leads by tapping into their partner networks. In this episode, John and Alex dive deep into the tactical strategies reps and sales leaders can use to activate their company’s ecosystem—partners, investors, advisors, and employees—to generate real revenue.J…

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#235 New Year’s Musing with Pamela D. Price, RN 35:53

5M ago35:53

35:53

Pamela D. Price currently serves as the Deputy Director for The Balm In Gilead, Inc., managing the various health initiatives of the organization. Under her leadership, the organization provides support to faith institutions in areas of program design, implementation and evaluation, which strengthen their capacity to deliver programs and services t…

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Jonathan Lister: Building Billion-Dollar Organizations with Curiosity 54:41

5M ago54:41

54:41

John Barrows is joined by Jonathan Lister, COO of Vidyard and former VP of Global Sales Solutions at LinkedIn. With over 25 years of experience in B2B tech and SaaS, Jonathan shares his journey of building billion-dollar organizations and explains the critical role of curiosity in leadership and hiring.Jonathan breaks down the evolving role of sale…

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Alex Newmann: Breaking Free from Founder-Led Sales 1:00:26

6M ago1:00:26

1:00:26

John Barrows sits down with Alex Newmann, founder and CEO of Newmann Consulting Group. Alex specializes in helping B2B companies transition from founder-led sales to scalable, repeatable sales systems. Together, they unpack the challenges founders face when building a sales team, share actionable strategies for avoiding common pitfalls, and discuss…

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Fabiana Lacerca-Allen: Crisis Management and Building Resilient Teams 59:57

6M ago59:57

59:57

In this episode, John Barrows sits down with Fabiana Lacerca-Allen, a global compliance expert with over 30 years of experience leading Fortune 100 companies through complex challenges. Fabiana shares insights from her new book, Crisis Capable: Building Your Capacity to Survive and Succeed in Every Environment.They discuss practical strategies for …

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Geoff Coutts: Big Company Lessons for Small Business Growth 52:40

6M ago52:40

52:40

In this episode, Geoff Coutts, SVP of Sales and Customer Operations at Unbounce, shares his unique journey from leading sales in global corporations like HP, Verizon, and Samsung to scaling startups through transformative growth. Geoff reveals what drove him to pivot to the startup world, the lessons he’s learned in hiring and scaling teams, and hi…

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RERUN SPECIAL: Guy Kawasaki - What’s The Point? 51:39

6M ago51:39

51:39

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2025! To kick off what promises to be a pivotal year for innovation, we’re revisiting John’s favorite episode of 2024—a conversation with none other than Guy Kawasaki. Guy is a legend in Silicon Valley, known for being Steve Jobs’ right-hand man at Apple, launching the iconic Macintosh, and writing 17 incredible books…

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Topaz Adizes: The Impact Questions 58:27

6M ago58:27

58:27

Topaz Adizes, founder and CEO of the Emmy award-winning experience design studio The Skin Deep, joins John Barrows for a thought-provoking discussion about the transformative power of human connection. As an expert in asking better questions, Topaz shares insights on how relationships are shifting in the digital age, the art of listening, and the i…

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Adam Carroll: Sales Masterclass on Deal Health Checks and Champion 50:46

7M ago50:46

50:46

Adam Carroll, founder of Carroll Sales Consulting, specializes in helping clients adopt actionable sales playbooks and accelerate growth. With 12 years of leadership experience in SaaS sales, Adam has built sales teams from scratch, spearheaded international expansions, and driven revenue growth resulting in multiple successful exits. In this episo…

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Christina Brady: The Power of Empathy and AIs Impact on Enablement 55:29

7M ago55:29

55:29

Christina Brady, CEO of Luster AI and former Chief Strategy Officer at Sales Assembly, brings a unique blend of artistry and strategy to this episode. Growing up immersed in the arts—learning piano at age two and majoring in theater—Christina shares how her creative foundation shaped her problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills. Tune i…

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#234 The Holiday Blues with D. Lamar Handy 28:56

7M ago28:56

28:56

D. Lamar Handy, a native of Athens, GA, founded The DL Handy Foundation to be a change agent for the community and to lend a helping hand for empowerment and mental health awareness. The DL Handy Foundation provides supportive outreach services and vital resources to those in need in the Northeast Georgia and surrounding metro Atlanta area through …