MIRAMAR BEACH, FL — Lady Kendall Hanbery, CEO of Deep South Spirit, is the latest cheerleading-industry leader to land a national business-media spotlight: she is set to appear on Next Level CEO, the entrepreneur-focused series hosted by Shark Tank's Daymond John.

The episode, announced June 26 via an EIN Presswire release, will be distributed through Inside Success Network. A preview page for Hanbery's episode is already live at cast.nextlevelceotv.com/lady-kendall-hanbery.

What the episode covers

According to the announcement, Hanbery's conversation focuses on two threads that have defined her tenure at Deep South Spirit:

  • Authentic branding and customer experience — how trust, consistency, and meaningful event experiences turn one-time attendees into long-term program loyalty.
  • Careers beyond competition — encouraging athletes to explore roles in event production, coaching, judging, and gym ownership after their competitive years end.

"People invest in people, not just products," Hanbery says in the release, summarizing a thesis that has shaped Deep South's approach to branding under her leadership.

From four events to 30+ a season

Hanbery joined Deep South Spirit in 2010 as a former middle school, high school, and collegiate cheerleader. Since then, the company says it has grown from producing four annual events to more than 30 per season, with Hanbery leading brand development, marketing, customer experience, and event innovation.

That growth was recognized industry-wide at the 2025 Cheer Awards, where Deep South Spirit was named Best Event Producer and its Glow Tour took home Top New Event. Hanbery also helped launch the Open Championship Series (OCS), the qualifier circuit that feeds into The Allstar World Championship and recently hosted what organizers describe as the largest cheerleading event in the world.

About Next Level CEO

Next Level CEO is an educational series hosted by entrepreneur and FUBU founder Daymond John that profiles founders and operators across industries. Each episode unpacks the strategy, mindset, and leadership decisions behind a brand's growth — a format that lines up neatly with Hanbery's message that long-term loyalty in cheer is built on relationships, not transactions.

Why it matters for the cheer industry

National business platforms rarely feature event producers from the cheer and dance world. Hanbery's booking — alongside Deep South's recent Cheer Awards sweep and its central role in OCS — is another data point that the cheer industry's business side is being taken seriously outside its own bubble, and that career paths in the sport are widening.

The episode will be available soon on the Inside Success Network distribution platforms. We'll update this story when a release date is confirmed.

Source: EIN Presswire release dated June 26, 2026. Award and event claims are as stated by Deep South Spirit.