For Good

*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:c101d5d5-21a4-4dcd-b94a-6024f4a38973-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-2" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Former NBA player and NCAA champion Rashad McCants joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast to talk about the reality behi...

Licensed therapist and bestselling author Vienna Pharaon joins JoJo Simmons on the For Good podcast to unpack how our childhood experiences shape the way we show up in relationships. Drawing from her book The Origins of You, Vienna explains how "origin wounds" form — and how understanding them can help us break unhealthy patterns in love, family, and life. Why do we keep repeating the same relatio...

Vanessa Simmons officially joins JoJo Simmons as co-host of the For Good Podcast. In this powerful season premiere, they open up about Vanessa's first encounter with racism, the challenges of modern parenting, and why changing your mindset is the foundation for doing good — even on your hardest days. It's a new season and a new chapter. Vanessa Simmons joins her brother JoJo as the official co-hos...

What if the real key to better relationships, stronger leadership, and personal growth isn't grinding harder — but understanding your emotions? This week on the For Good Podcast, JoJo and Vanessa sit down with Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of Permission to Feel, to unpack why emotional intelligence may be the most important skill we're no...

*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:cd1da9f9-3c3b-4838-a03d-3a5db580ec36-3" data-testid= "conversation-turn-8" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Are we truly supporting Black boys emotionally — or just expecting them to be "strong"? Psychologist and researcher Dr. Alvin Thomas...

Psychologist and mental health advocate Dr. Rheeda Walker joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast for an honest conversation about grief, trauma, and the cost of silence in Black communities. Together, they unpack why naming pain is essential to healing, how generational survival shapes emotional health, and what it truly takes to begin healing — individually and collectively. Mental h...

What happens when the cannabis industry promises equity but delivers obstacles instead? Ernest Toney, founder of BIPOCAN, joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast to expose the hidden barriers Black and brown entrepreneurs face in legal cannabis—from predatory practices to impossible tax rates. He breaks down what real equity looks like and how he's creating pathways for communities loc...

What happens when life forces you to grieve, parent through uncertainty, and rebuild your faith at the same time? Joseph "JoJo" Simmons sits down with author and autism mom Alicia Lorde for a powerful conversation about grief, faith, motherhood, and resilience on the For Good Podcast. Life doesn't always unfold the way we imagine — and for Alicia Lorde, survival became a daily act of faith. On thi...

What does success really cost when your mental health isn't protected? Joseph "JoJo" Simmons reflects on MJBizCon and sits down with Vic Mensa for an honest conversation about leadership pressure, mental health, and how fatherhood reshapes purpose, priorities, and legacy on the For Good Podcast. MJBizCon brought together founders, leaders, and visionaries building real businesses — but some of the...

In this solo episode of the For Good Podcast, Joseph "JoJo" Simmons reflects on gratitude as more than a holiday tradition — but a daily practice that reshapes how we move through stress, pressure, and life itself. From slowing down to appreciating the small wins, JoJo shares why gratitude has become one of his most important tools for mental clarity, peace, and growth. In this special solo episod...

From grief and growth to balance and burnout — every guest we've had on The For Good Podcast has shared one common truth: healing starts from within. In this special "For Good Reflections" episode, Joseph "JoJo" Simmons brings together powerful moments from past conversations, featuring guests opening up about how they care for their mental health, protect their peace, and stay grounded when life...

How are psychedelics reshaping mental health, spirituality, and healing? Journalist and author Madison Margolin joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast to explore the intersection of plant medicine, faith, and emotional wellness. She opens up about growing up between traditional Judaism and counterculture, how psychedelics helped her understand her inner world, and why healing often fe...

McKenzi Brooke has spent most of her life in front of a camera — but who is she outside the viral videos? The TikTok star, dancer, actor, and storyteller joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast to talk about growing up online, separating her real identity from her internet persona, navigating pressure at a young age, and turning criticism into fuel. From her close bond with her family...

What happens when a lifetime journalist turns the camera inward? Award-winning CNN editor and author John DeDakis joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast to talk about truth, grief, mental health, and the painful losses that shaped him as a man, husband, and writer. He opens up about losing his sister and son, why men need to cry more, and how storytelling became his path toward healin...

Dreka Gates didn't set out to build a wellness empire — it found her. When COVID forced her into isolation on 60 acres of Mississippi land, just miles from where her great-grandmother once farmed, everything shifted. One day, while working the soil, she fell to her knees in tears — not because she bought the land, but because she realized: "This really belongs to me." In this powerful conversation...

What really goes into writing the stories that define hip hop? Journalist, author, and NYU professor Kathy Iandoli joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast to talk about her new book The Diary of a Recovering Madman with Gucci Mane, the pressure of documenting cultural icons, and how storytelling can save lives. She opens up about vulnerability in hip hop, the role of mental health in t...

Transformation coach and author Alechia Reese joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the for good podcast to share how she went from surviving domestic violence and suicidal thoughts to discovering her purpose — helping others create lives that not only look good, but feel good. On the outside, Alechia Reese had everything — a successful career, a beautiful home, and a loving family. But behind the image...

Hollywood has long struggled with representation — and Natasha Ward Shaw has spent more than 20 years fighting to change that. The casting director, producer, and acting coach sits down with Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on The For Good Podcast for a powerful conversation about diversity, colorism, and what it really takes to open doors for Black women in entertainment. From interning on Fat Albert to cas...

Short Description Turning 36 isn't just another year—it's a checkpoint. In this special birthday edition, JoJo Simmons opens up about growth, fatherhood, and redefining what legacy means beyond fame. From faith and family to business and purpose, he reflects on how far he's come and the lessons that keep him grounded. Full Description In this Just JoJo: Birthday Edition, JoJo Simmons steps into hi...

What happens when chasing success costs you your health? Business leader and executive coach John Thompson III joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast to share how burnout at 25 reshaped his life, why being passed over for promotion became a turning point, and how his ACES framework helps people stack their deck for success. John Thompson III spent over 20 years leading teams at GE and...

What happens when your childhood best friend also becomes your partner in music, TV, and life? For JoJo Simmons and his day one, Zach, the answer is a journey that spans from first grade classrooms to middle school rap battles, to forming Team Blackout and appearing together on Run's House. In this episode of the For Good Podcast, JoJo and Zach revisit the funny, heartfelt, and sometimes wild stor...

From producing platinum records to surviving bankruptcy — twice — Dr. Sahpreem A. King has lived a life of highs, lows, and powerful transformation. A hip-hop producer for legends like SWV and Wyclef Jean, he went from the top of the music industry to losing everything, rebuilding himself not once but twice, and ultimately finding purpose as an author, educator, and founder of Soular Astronauts. I...

Bryant McKinnie spent over a decade dominating the NFL, becoming a Super Bowl champion and Pro Bowler. But after the game, he discovered that true strength has nothing to do with size or speed—it's about being vulnerable, telling your story, and creating safe spaces for others to share theirs. Now, through his B Major Foundation and events like Cocktails and Conversations, Bryant is changing how m...

Angela Simmons sits down with her brother Joseph "JoJo" Simmons for Part 2 of their conversation on the For Good Podcast, and this time they're getting into the real—relationships, dating, and navigating life in the public eye. Angela addresses why she's attracted to "protectors," explaining that she sees people past their reputation and judges them by their character, not street gossip. She opens...

When Jay-Z rapped "in the kitchen like a Simmons whipping Pastry" about their family business in "Empire State of Mind" Angela Simmons knew she made it. She sits down with her brother Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good podcast to reveal what really happened behind the scenes of Run's House, how she and Vanessa Simmons built the Pastry empire that got Jay-Z's attention, and why Rev Run saying "n...