In this episode of Truthfully Tracy, Tracy sits down with Heather Wood — mother, leader, and founder of Stupendous Love. In January 2023, Heather lost her 14-year-old daughter Ava to a murder-suicide. Her story reached over a billion people. But this conversation is about what happened when the world stopped watching.

Heather talks openly about grief alongside joy, the messy middle where real life happens, the complicated emotions that don't fit neatly into any box, and why laughter still exists even in the hardest seasons. She also shares how Stupendous Love was born — not as a way to move on, but as a way to move forward.

🌐 stupendouslove.com

This week on Truthfully, Tracy, I sit down with Randall Hon — Central New York entrepreneur, restaurateur, and one of Syracuse's most driven business minds. You know him from Poundtown Burgers, Pavone's Pizza, and the Taphouse on Walton in Armory Square, but this conversation goes way deeper than the food.

Randall opens up about leaving a long corporate career at AT&T to bet on himself, building Poundtown from a pop-up into a regional brand, and what it really takes to run multiple businesses at once in CNY. He's expanding Poundtown into Cicero and Auburn, launching a brand new networking group for local professionals, and doing it all with one thing on his mind — the legacy he's leaving for his two boys.

🎧 LISTEN ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS — Search: Truthfully, Tracy

📲 FOLLOW RANDALL:➡️ @kingof_the_north➡️ @poundtownburgers

📸 Branding photos: @lovingmycompany🛋️ Set design & furniture: @kayleenspicer — everything on set is FOR SALE!🎨 Marketing & logo: @tangosquared

✨ A huge thank you to our 2025 official sponsor Randall Hon — you make Truthfully, Tracy possible every single week!

Truthfully, Tracy is a CNY podcast dedicated to real conversations with real people. New episodes every week.

#TruthfullyTracy #SyracuseNY #CNYPodcast #RandallHon #PoundtownBurgers #Pavones #CNYBusiness #Entrepreneur #StayThePath #Syracuse #Podcast #CNYEats

Season 2, Episode 1

Before she was the Mayor of Syracuse, before she made history as the first Black mayor of this city, Sharon Owens was just a girl from Geneva, New York who came to Syracuse and never left.

In this episode, Tracy sits down with Mayor Owens for the conversation behind the headlines. They talk about family, faith, losing a baby, navigating menopause while running a city, never planning to be in politics, and loving Syracuse like it is her whole heart. They talk about what this community is going to need to truly come together.

This is the woman behind the title. And she is something else.

Truthfully, Tracy. Honest conversations that inspire growth, healing, and connection in CNY.

Welcome to the very first episode of Truthfully, Tracy — where we go beyond the surface and get real about what it means to heal, lead, and live with intention.In this powerful debut, I’m joined by Isaiah Salter — founder of the With a Grain of Salt podcast (WAGOS), mental health advocate, retired Le Moyne basketball player, and someone who shows up with heart and honesty every time.We talk about the emotional pressure men face, the role of spirituality in growth, and what it really looks like to stop numbing and start feeling. This is the kind of conversation that stays with you.Subscribe, leave a comment, and share if it moves you. We’re just getting started.Socials/Links: https://linktr.ee/tracydando#TruthfullyTracy #IsaiahSalter #MentalHealthMatters #SpiritualGrowth #WAGOS #PodcastLaunch #RealTalk #HealingStories

This week on Truthfully, Tracy, we’re stepping into a conversation that shows us what real leadership looks like — not the version people see from the outside, but the truth of what it takes to keep going when life gets heavy.

My guest is Lauren Kochian, President of The MOST — Museum of Science & Technology (@mostscience). Lauren is a leader known for her innovation, her integrity, and her commitment to bringing science, creativity, and opportunity to families across Central New York.

But what makes this conversation powerful isn’t just the work she does — it’s the truth she shares.

Because while she was reaching the peak of her career… she was also walking through one of the darkest seasons of her life.

✨ This episode is sponsored by @mostscience — The Museum of Science & Technology in Syracuse.
Discover. Learn. Play.
Bring your curiosity to life at The MOST and explore hands-on exhibits designed to spark imagination at every age.
Visit most.org for hours, pricing, and the latest updates on exhibits and programs.

✨ This entire season of Truthfully, Tracy is also brought to you by Tully Building Supply (@tullybuildingsupply) — building community and strong foundations, one project at a time.
📲 Visit tullybuildingsupply.com

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts
🔎 Search Truthfully, Tracy wherever you get your podcasts

#TruthfullyTracy #PodcastEpisode13 #LaurenKochian #TheMOST #MuseumOfScienceAndTechnology #DiscoverLearnPlay #WomenInLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #Vulnerability #CentralNewYork #TracyDandoPodcast #TullyBuildingSupply

This week on Truthfully, Tracy, we’re shining a light on what too many people endure in silence — harassment, discrimination, and the quiet harm that happens behind workplace doors every day.

My guest is Megan Thomas, founder of Megan Thomas Law PLLC — a plaintiff’s employment attorney who represents individuals who have been mistreated, harassed, or pushed out of their careers for simply trying to feel safe.

Megan doesn’t minimize pain.
She doesn’t sugarcoat systems.
She stands with the people who’ve been ignored, dismissed, or retaliated against — and she does it with honesty, clarity, and fierce advocacy.

This episode is direct, compassionate, and rooted in truth. Together, we talk about the realities people face at work, the emotional and professional impact of harassment, and what you can do if you find yourself in this situation.

– What workplace harassment actually looks like today — beyond the stereotypes– How harassment impacts a person’s confidence, career path, and mental health– The fear of retaliation and why so many people stay quiet– What true accountability in the workplace requires from leadership– How victims can access support — legally, personally, and emotionally– Why empathy, awareness, and community action are essential for culture change

✨ This season of Truthfully, Tracy is brought to you by Tully Building Supply — building community and strong foundations, one project at a time.
📲 Learn more at tullybuildingsupply.com

📸 Follow them on Instagram: @tullybuildingsupply

📲 Learn more about Megan’s work at mkt-law.com

📸 Connect with her on LinkedIn: @megan-thomas

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts
🔗 Search Truthfully, Tracy wherever you get your podcasts

#TruthfullyTracy #PodcastEpisode12 #MeganThomas #EmploymentLaw #WorkplaceSafety #SexualHarassmentAwareness #SurvivorSupport #LeadershipCulture #TracyDandoPodcast #TullyBuildingSupply

This week on Truthfully, Tracy, we’re shining a light on the work being done every single day to create safety, healing, and hope right here in Central New York.

My guests are Rebecca Shiroff and Tricia Matthews from Vera House, Inc. — a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing, responding to, and partnering to end domestic and sexual violence. For more than 45 years, Vera House has been a lifeline for survivors, offering shelter, advocacy, education, and support for those rebuilding their lives after abuse.

This episode is raw, real, and rooted in courage. Together, we talk about the ongoing work happening behind the scenes, the strength of survivors, and how the community can unite to build an inspiring future free from violence.

In this episode, we explore:
– The critical services Vera House provides and how they reach over 20,000 people each year
– What it truly looks like to hold space for survivors with empathy and accountability
– The importance of prevention work — and how education changes culture
– The collective responsibility we all share in ending violence and supporting healing
– Why hope, compassion, and community action are the driving forces behind lasting change

This conversation isn’t about the past. It’s about the future — one where every person feels safe, seen, and supported.

✨ This season of Truthfully, Tracy is brought to you by Tully Building Supply — building community and strong foundations, one project at a time.
📲 Learn more at tullybuildingsupply.com
📸 Follow them on Instagram: @tullybuildingsupply

📲 Learn more about Vera House at verahouse.org
📸 Follow them on Instagram: @verahouseinc

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts

#TruthfullyTracy #PodcastEpisode11 #VeraHouse #RebeccaShiroff #TrishaMathews #DomesticViolenceAwareness #SexualAssaultPrevention #SurvivorVoices #CommunityHealing #TracyDandoPodcast #TullyBuildingSupply

This week on Truthfully, Tracy, we’re sitting with a story that is both heartbreaking and deeply human — a story about love, loss, and the legacy we carry forward.

My guest is Sara Russo, owner of Sara Russo Photography, a gifted photographer whose work captures life’s most honest moments — the raw, the joyful, and the in-between.

Sara’s father died by suicide after becoming sober from alcohol — a loss that has reshaped the way she sees her work, her relationships, and the conversations we have (and don’t have) about men’s mental health.

In this episode, we explore:
– What Sara’s dad meant to her, and the presence he held in her life before his passing
– How her grief has changed the way she photographs families and captures connection
– The moments behind the lens that have become part of her own healing
– Why suicide loss is so misunderstood, and what she wishes people knew
– How grief continues to teach her — about love, resilience, and seeing beauty in the impermanent
– The message she hopes to share with anyone who has lost a parent or loved one to suicide

This conversation is tender, honest, and full of grace — a reminder that healing isn’t about forgetting the people we’ve lost, but learning how to keep their light alive within us.

✨ This season of Truthfully, Tracy is brought to you by Tully Building Supply — building community and strong foundations, one project at a time.
📲 Learn more at tullybuildingsupply.com
📸 Follow them on Instagram: @tullybuildingsupply

📸 Follow Sara’s work: @sararussophotography
🌐 Visit her website: https://sararussophoto.mypixieset.com/
🎥 Watch on YouTube:

🎧 Also available on Apple Podcasts — just search Truthfully, Tracy

#TruthfullyTracy #PodcastEpisode10 #SaraRusso #GriefAndHealing #SuicideLoss #MensMentalHealth #PhotographyAsHealing #TracyDandoPodcast #TullyBuildingSupply

Today’s episode is real, raw, and deeply human.

Sean Kelsey opens up about his journey through the foster care system, surviving childhood abuse, and growing up without a safe space — only to spend his adult life creating one.

As CEO of Nave Law, an avid community supporter, dad, husband, and friend, Sean lives by the rule of turning challenges into opportunities. His story reminds us that healing doesn’t just come from where we’ve been — it’s built by who we choose to become.

This conversation is powerful, emotional, and a must-listen for all the men in your life.

🎧 Truthfully, Tracy — streaming everywhere.
👉 Follow, share, and subscribe to keep these conversations going.

Special thank you to Tully Building Supply for sponsoring this season and helping bring these voices to life.

🔗 https://youtu.be/3Ds5_OKelBU

#TruthfullyTracy #SeanKelsey #SafeSpaceCNY #MenWhoHeal #Leadership #Resilience #HealingJourney #FosterCare #TraumaToTriumph #PodcastCommunity #TullyBuildingSupply

This week on Truthfully, Tracy, we’re diving into a conversation that could quite literally save your life. My guest is Caron Grossman — a registered nurse, TEDx speaker, breathwork facilitator, and the author of Listen to Your Heart Song: Navigating the Unexpected.

After surviving a heart attack, Caron discovered what so many women still don’t know: the signs of heart disease often show up silently, subtly, and dangerously overlooked. Her story is one of survival, but also of healing — blending medical expertise with holistic practices like breathwork to help others reconnect to themselves.

In this episode, Caron opens up about the roadmap back to self — recognizing the whispers of your body, the courage it takes to reclaim your health, and the fierce clarity that comes with choosing life again.

✨ Season One of Truthfully, Tracy is proudly brought to you by Tully Building Supply — a family business serving our community for over 100 years.

📲 Learn more at tullybuildingsupply.com📸 Follow them on Instagram: @tullybuildingsupply

📚 About Caron’s work & where to find her:

• Her memoir Listen to Your Heart Song: Navigating the Unexpected is available now. Amazon+2carongrossman.com+2

• Visit carongrossman.com for more on her mission, offerings, and story. carongrossman.com

• Connect with her on Instagram: @carongrossman