Shows
CLIMB by VSCWater Technology is a $4 Trillion Opportunity | EP 074 Peter YollesThe value of water to water security is $4 trillion today and is likely to triple in the next 10 years. [Source: Global Water Intelligence]
To put that $12 trillion into perspective, it is higher than the GDP of every other country other than the US and China.
Meet Peter Yolles, General Partner at Echo River Capital, a seasoned entrepreneur and strategic investor in early-stage water technology companies.
Peter founded WaterSmart Software (acquired by Vertex One), serving 200 water utility customers and reaching over 20 million people.
With a joint MBA and MES from Yale and a BA from the University of Colorado, he...2024-05-2440 min
CLIMB by VSCHow The Best Founders Find Product Market Fit | EP 073 Zach Coelius
As many have attested, there's nothing romantic about being a founder.
It's about doing what has to be done.
And that’s what makes entrepreneurship difficult.
In Episode 073 of CLIMB, Zach Coelius, Managing Partner at Coelius Capital, maintains that being a founder is 10x harder than being a VC.
Talking about an investor’s MO, Zach equates being in the stands, drinking a beer, with the same as being a VC and deciding which companies will survive, and which will die.
Zach is known for his investments in Angel List, HelloSign, Mercury, and more, but what is lesser known abou...2024-05-1551 min
CLIMB by VSCJay Kapoor & Vijay Chattha: Why Climate Startups Fail at Storytelling & More Reflections from 50 Episodes of CLIMBJay Kapoor & Vijay Chattha are the founders and general partners of VSC Ventures, a $21M Seed fund focused on industrial automation and climate adaptation startups.
In their 50th episode of CLIMB, the duo discuss lessons from the past 49 episodes, which guests surprised them, what advice founders should never ignore as well as sectors and trends that are over and under-hyped in 2023 and beyond.
About VSC Ventures:
VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and...2023-10-1958 min
CLIMB by VSCDavid Roberts: Exploring the Transition to Carbon-Free Energy: A Meta Story of Tech, Politics, and Community | EP. 025For over 15 years, David Roberts has been exploring and writing about a variety of topics related to news and culture. From 2015 to 2020, he was with Vox, a news and culture publication for which he still occasionally writes and contributes. Previously, he was with Grist, a publication focused on environmental news, and has also written for Outside.
He has appeared on TV shows, radio programs, and podcasts such as All In with Chris Hayes, On the Media, Pod Save America, and Why Is This Happening? His work has been cited by numerous people, from Al Gore to US s...2023-04-1933 min
CLIMB by VSCCatherine Boudreau: Empowering the Planet Through Sustainability Reporting | EP. 024Catherine Boudreau is senior sustainability reporter at Insider.
She previously spent six years at POLITICO, first covering food and agriculture policy and then helping launch the company's first sustainability beat focused on corporate accountability on environmental and social issues. She started her journalism career at Bloomberg BNA.
Her reporting has also been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek and on WAMU's 1A and WBUR's On Point.
About VSC Ventures:
For 20 years, our award-winning PR agency VSC has worked with innovative startups on positioning, messaging, and awareness and we are bringing that same expertise to...2023-04-1237 min
CLIMB by VSCTom Chi: From Astrophysics to Self-Driving Cars & Fueling Deep Tech for a Greener Planet | EP. 023Tom Chi is the Founding Partner at At One Ventures based in San Francisco. At One Ventures focuses on backing early-stage startups that use deep technology to reduce planetary footprint.
Tom has worked in a wide range of roles from astrophysical researcher to designer to corporate executive developing new hardware/software products and services. He's played a significant role in established projects with global reach (Microsoft Outlook, Yahoo Search, Google), and scaled new projects from conception to significance.
Tom spent several successful years at Google X as Head of Product Experience, where he and his t...2023-04-0555 min
CLIMB by VSCAlex Brown: How Alga Biosciences is Curbing Methane Emissions & Solving the Climate Crisis One Cow Burp at a Time | EP. 022Alex Brown started his career in the tech world and served as a Chief Engineer before turning his attention to science. He is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Alga Biosciences, which has set its sights on transforming the agricultural industry.
With a mission to eliminate methane produced by enteric fermentation, Alga has created a model to stop cattle from burping methane and make a dramatic impact on global methane emissions.
Through collaborations with cattle-owners, ranchers, and scientists, Alga is working to bring their model to the world in the fastest, cheapest, and most scalable...2023-03-2930 min
CLIMB by VSCLeo Banchik: Engineering for a Sustainable Future, An In-Depth Conversation about Climate Tech Investing | EP. 021Leo Banchik is a Partner at Global Founders Capital, leading their early-stage climate tech venture fund. He has a strong passion for sustainable technology and a unique combination of engineering and sustainability consulting experience.
A mechanical engineer by background and graduate of the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Leo has conducted research at two US National Labs and holds a MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on thermofluids. Before Global Founders Capital, Leo was a product manager at an early-stage desalination startup and spent 5 years in a global...2023-03-2235 min
CLIMB by VSCHeather Clancy: Understanding Transformative Technology & the Role of Business Model Innovation for a Clean, Inclusive and Regenerative Economy | EP. 020Heather Clancy is an award-winning journalist specializing in transformative technology and innovation. She started her reporting career on the business news desk of United Press International, and her articles have appeared in Entrepreneur, Fortune, The International Herald Tribune and The New York Times.
Heather was the launch editor for the Fortune Data Sheet, the magazine's newsletter dedicated to the business of technology, and she co-authored the Amazon best-seller for entrepreneurs, "Niche Down, How to Become Legendary By Being Different."
In her role at GreenBiz, Heather chronicles the role of business model innovation and technology in...2023-03-1529 min
CLIMB by VSCDylan Welch: From TV Producer to Sustainability Pioneer & The Journey to a Greener Future | EP. 019Dylan Welch is the Founder & CEO of Green.Org and Dylan Welch Media. He has a long history in television production and business development, having produced over 1,000 TV shows with ABC, NBC, CBS, and Amazon, before starting his own company with a focus on clean technology, renewable energy, and sustainability. Since then, Dylan has interviewed hundreds of scientists, CEOs, and experts in the renewable energy space, and has shared their stories to millions of people.
Dylan’s big picture goal is to build a media and communications company that leads the way to a more environmentally friendly an...2023-03-0830 min
CLIMB by VSCLaurie Menoud: A Dive Into Deep Tech & Uncovering the Remarkable Opportunities in Planet-Positive Industries | EP. 018Laurie Menoud is a Partner at At One Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on investing in a world where humanity becomes a net positive to nature.
A biotechnologist by training, Laurie’s played roles in the chemical industry, she’s built a dozen ventures out of DoD research programs, and she’s currently focused on finding, funding, and growing teams that catalyze planet-positive industries.
Some of At One Venture’s funded companies include robotic indoor farming company Iron Ox, earth digestible foam packaging company Cruz Foam and zero water textile dyeing company Alchemie Technology.
Ab...2023-03-0127 min
CLIMB by VSCMichael Grunwald: A Glimpse Into the Future of Food & Fighting to Feed the World Without Frying the World | EP. 017Michael Grunwald is a Miami-based journalist who fled the mainstream media after three decades with the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, Time Magazine & Politico Magazine. He wrote books for Simon & Schuster called The Swamp (about the Everglades and Florida) and The New New Deal (about the Obama administration), and now is working on another one about how to feed the world without frying the world.
He has won the George Polk Award for national reporting, the Worth Bingham Prize for investigative reporting, and the Society of Environmental Journalists award for in-depth reporting.
Currently, Michael is...2023-02-2237 min
CLIMB by VSCAreeb Malik: From Facebook to Climate Tech & Building Robots to Revolutionize the Recycling Industry | EP. 016Areeb Malik is the Co-Founder of Glacier, a company using AI & Robotics to fight climate change and extract value from the $123B worth of recyclables that fill landfills and oceans. Before founding Glacier, Areeb worked as a Software Engineer at Facebook.
This episode centers around the complexities of the recycling industry, why it's such an intriguing yet technically challenging space for robotics, and the staggering global waste management market which was valued at USD 989.20 billion in 2021, and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% from 2022 to 2030.
About VSC Ventures:
2023-02-1534 min
CLIMB by VSCStonly Baptiste Blue: On Climate Tech Investing & Accelerating the Transformation of Global Systems to Better Serve Humanity and the Planet | EP. 015Stonly Baptiste Blue is a founding Partner of Third Sphere, a venture platform that works for founders accelerating the transformation of global systems to better serve humanity and the planet now and into the future. At Third Sphere he and his team invest in pre-seed tech for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Stonly previously founded Veddio Cloud Solutions, an enterprise software company, which was acquired after a year of self-funded growth. He is a serial entrepreneur, having built five ventures spanning different sectors from technology to real estate and international markets, including Brazil and Canada. He has...2023-02-0835 min
CLIMB by VSCAndrew Beebe: Moving the Planet Forward By Investing in World Positive Entrepreneurs & Sustainable Systems | EP. 014Andrew Beebe is the Managing Director at Obvious Ventures, a venture capital firm with over $1 billion AUM that invests in early-stage, purpose-driven entrepreneurs reimagining trillion-dollar industries. Andrew joined Obvious Ventures at the firm’s inception to lead investments in climate tech and clean energy solutions, and his investment thesis has led the company to invest in companies, like Proterra (an electric bus company, $PTRA), Lilium, (an electric flight company, $LILM), and Amply (an electric fleet management company).
Prior to Obvious, Andrew was an entrepreneur and built companies around sustainable systems for nearly two decades; first in the In...2023-02-0142 min
CLIMB by VSCGagan Dhillon: How Synop Is Helping Businesses Transition To Commercial Electric Vehicle (EV) Fleets | EP. 013Gagan Dhillon is the CEO & Co-Founder of Synop, creators of an end to end fleet and energy management platform that automates EV operations by helping businesses handle tracking, billing, reporting, and cost management under one unified, data-centric platform.
Prior to co-founding Synop, Gagan witnessed first-hand the challenges that businesses face when transitioning to commercial electric vehicles. Previously at REIN, an InsurTech startup, he worked with major commercial OEMs and global insurance carriers on solutions for the commercial auto space. During that time, he got a first-hand look at the challenges of the commercial EV space and was...2023-01-2528 min
CLIMB by VSCJanelle Kellman: On Building Coastal Resilience & Sustaining Ocean Health through a New Blue Economy | EP. 012Janelle has held numerous leadership positions as a startup CEO and Founder, Mayor of Sausalito, and trusted advisor to startups across a range of technologies. Janelle’s current work focuses on innovation, public service, and climate change leadership.
Her organization, The Center for Sea Rise Solutions (CSRS), is a global nonprofit focused on empowering local decision makers to take action around sea level rise and coastal resilience.
She is currently bringing opportunities around the new blue economy to Sausalito with a focus on decarbonization through the electrification of transportation. She leads Sausalito's sea level rise ta...2023-01-1837 min
CLIMB by VSCLauren Flanagan: How Sesame Solar is Reshaping Emergency Response with the World's First 100% Renewably-Powered Mobile Nanogrids | EP. 011Lauren is a lifelong entrepreneur, strategic advisor and angel investor, and Co-founder & CEO of Sesame Solar. Sesame Solar manufactures the world’s first 100% renewably powered Mobile Nanogrids, which can be set up in 15 minutes with minimal training by one person. Easily transported by a variety of means, the Nanogrids are used in essential services and emergency response around the world by the US Air Force, telcos, and emergency services.
Made in Michigan by a multicultural team, Sesame Solar has won various awards, including Defense TechConnect Innovation Awards for 2019-21, Girl Geek's 30 Women Led Climate- Tech Moonshots, Insider's Cl...2023-01-1140 min
CLIMB by VSCNick Halla: How Impossible Foods Disrupted the Food Industry & Created a Plant-Based Protein Revolution | EP. 010For the past 10 years, Nick Halla has helped build Impossible Foods from the ground up, forming an amazing team and developing and commercializing delicious, sustainable plant-based foods to address many global food production issues - efficiency, scalability, safety, health, food security, and more. Nick was Impossible’s very first employee, and would go on to lead their international strategy, helping to expand Impossible’s global presence and impact.
Impossible Foods is a food technology company that creates plant-based replacements for animal-based protein sources like beef and pork. The company uses a variety of ingredients to recreate the tast...2023-01-0439 min
CLIMB by VSCHarsh Patel: Investing in Health, People and Planet, & Why Decarbonizing the Global Economy is the Most Investable Theme We Will See in our Lifetimes | EP. 009Harsh Patel is the Managing Partner and Co-founder at Wireframe Ventures, where he invests in seed & early-stage startups aiming to improve human health and the planet.
He was an early investor in companies like Palantir, Mammoth Biosciences and Goat. Before that he was Co-founder and CTO of Orbit Commerce, a company that was eventually acquired by Digital River.
Harsh is passionate about empowering startups to grow and scale with the right funding, mentorship and strategic advice. He is committed to helping drive innovation within the ClimateTech space, as he believes that decarbonizing the global economy i...2022-12-2850 min
CLIMB by VSCLevi Tillemann: On the future of electric transportation & the importance of government policy in spurring innovation | EP. 008In our latest episode of CLIMB by VSC, we speak with Levi Tillemann, an American entrepreneur, author, and policy expert. He is the founder and CEO of Valence Strategic, an advisory firm specializing in clean energy, and the author of the book The Great Race: The Global Quest for the Car of the Future.
Levi was appointed as a Distinguished Fellow to the U.S. Secretary of Energy in 2013, and has held positions in the White House and Department of Energy. He has served as a policy advisor to U.S. Senate and House of Representatives members, a...2022-12-1443 min
CLIMB by VSCMeera Clark: On her journey into climate investing & the role of consumer choice in addressing the climate crisis | EP. 007In our latest episode of CLIMB by VSC, we speak with Meera Clark. Meera is an investor at Redpoint Ventures, a firm that has invested in some of the world’s leading technology companies over the past 20 years. Investments include names like Draftkings, Hims, Netflix, Ramp, Snowflake, Stripe, thredUp and many more.
Meera recently joined Redpoint from Obvious Ventures, where she invested in startups through a world positive lens. She also writes a wonderful newsletter called the Conscious Consumer.
Jay speaks with Meera about her journey into climate investing, and the role consumer choice plays in...2022-11-3040 minCLIMB by VSCTommy Leep — Helping Founders Get Access to the People and Resources They Need to Create a Thriving Planet at Jetstream | EP. 006Listen to this episode from CLIMB by VSC on Spotify. In our latest episode of CLIMB by VSC, we speak with Tommy Leep, founding partner of Jetstream, where he invests in pre-seed climate sustainability and biodiversity startups. Tommy previously worked at AngelList, Haystack and Floodgate, and invested in startups like Robinhood, Patreon, Clubhouse and Mercury.
In 2019 Tommy read The Uninhabitable Earth and realized that he needed to do something about climate change. He shifted his investing to focus on founders who were conscious of our society’s impact on the planet and working toward a better future. Thro...2022-11-1635 minCLIMB by VSCAllison Wolff — CEO of Vibrant Planet on Building Climate Resilience by Empowering Public Agencies with Data | EP. 005In our latest episode of CLIMB by VSC, I’m thrilled to be joined by our friend Allison Wolff, co-founder and CEO of Vibrant Planet, a startup that leverages data-driven science and cloud technology to help make communities and ecosystems more resilient in the face of climate change.
Allison brings to Vibrant Planet over 20 years in Silicon Valley across corporate strategy, product strategy, customer experience design, and marketing. I’m excited to dig into how she’s applying that expertise on the important challenge of climate change and building climate resilience.
About VSC Ventures:
For...2022-11-0238 minCLIMB by VSCSundeep Ahuja — Identifying Founder-Market Fit and Creating Value as an Investor in Climate Startups | EP. 004Our guest this week on CLIMB by VSC, is Sundeep Ahuja, who is an investor and syndicate lead of Climate Capital and Duro Ventures. As an investor, Sundeep has invested in businesses ranging from Good Eggs, Substack, and Notable Labs and more recently has back leading climate companies including Mosaic, NCX, Arcadia and many more.
We love talking about scaling challenges for climate startups on this show so I’m excited to dig into Sundeep’s experience as an operator and how it informs the kinds of founders he likes to invest in as an investor. Sundeep is a...2022-10-1933 minCLIMB by VSCRaj Kapoor — Identifying Breakout Startups That Enable Enterprises to Achieve Net-Zero Targets | EP. 003Our guest this week on CLIMB by VSC, is Raj Kapoor, a VC investor and founding partner of the venture capital firm Climactic. Prior to becoming a founding partner alongside Josh Felser, Raj has a depth of experience as both an operator — Raj as CSO at Lyft and previously CEO of Snapfish and Fitmob before that — in addition to his experience as an investor at Mayfield Fund. At Climactic, Raj is focused on helping companies that help enterprises achieve their net-zero goals.
About VSC Ventures:
For 20 years, our award-winning PR agency VSC has worked with innovat...2022-10-0528 min
CLIMB by VSCKatelin Holloway — Essential People Practices For Building and Scaling Climate Tech Startups | EP. 002Our latest guest on CLIMB by VSC, is Katelin Holloway, an investor and founding partner of the venture capital firm Seven Seven Six. Prior to becoming a founding partner alongside Alexis Ohanian, Katelin was the former head of people and culture at Reddit, and an investor at Initialized Capital. At Seven Seven Six, Katelin is focused on helping her companies build inclusive company cultures, working with founders to make that a part of each startup from day one. In this episode we discuss:
(0:01) Introduction to Katelin Holloway and her experience spanning companies like Pixar and Reddit before f...2022-09-2142 min
CLIMB by VSCRob Leclerc — Why Food & AgTech Startups Can't Be Ignored in Climate Innovation | EP. 001We are thrilled to kick off our new show on scaling climate innovation: CLIMB by VSC with an engaging conversation with Rob Leclerc, managing partner of AgFunder. Founded in 2013 and based in Silicon Valley, AgFunder is one of the world’s most active FoodTech and AgTech investors today. In this episode, we discuss:
(00:01) Intro to AgFunder & Rob Leclerc's background as well as what led him to becoming a co-founder of AgFunder
(04:22) key risks to the future of food and agriculture?
(07:23) and where does Venture Capital play in food & ag, plus what AgFunder like to in...2022-09-0742 min
The Game PlanDeShone Kizer — Psychology of Digital Collectibles and Introduction to Vaulting with NFL QB's New Startup: One of NoneHuman beings have been collecting non-utilitarian items for millennia. It just so happens that with the advent of the digital age, we're now able to collect items from around the world and display them digitally for fellow collectors all over the world to admire as well. Add to this Digital Collectibles, like NFTs, and you've got a space ripe for tech innovation.Into this fray comes DeShone Kizer, standout QB at Notre Dame who played 5 years in the NFL before launching his own startup One of None, which uses blockchain technology to launch limited-edition hybrid assets, letting...2022-05-0343 min
The Game PlanSheldon Day & Amir Carlisle — Demystifying DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) & Building Wealth via The Players CompanyIf you listen to this show regularly, you know that the shifting interest of athletes from endorsement to ownership is something we talk about a lot. Well, it turns out that in the last few years, athletes aren’t the only ones that are thinking about how to get ownership in the brands, companies and financial institutions they help build as early adopters, micro-influencers, or simply as customers.You may come across terms like Web3, Creator Economy, or even DAOs as in 'Decentralized Autonomous Organization.'Today’s episode focuses on the latter through the lens...2022-03-1548 min
The Game PlanBennie Fowler — Super Bowl Champion WR turned Best-Selling Author on Leadership & Business CoachingIn many ways, Bennie Fowler's story is the epitome of resilience and exactly the kind of journey we love sharing onThe Game Plan every week. Bennie had tremendous success in college at Michigan State and like many of his fellow players, expected to hear his name called during the NFL Draft. Unfortunately, that announcement never came.Instead, Bennie chose to focus on maximizing his opportunity, fighting to make his way on the roster for the Denver Broncos and catching passes from NFL Legend and Future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. In addition to Peyton, Bennie has also...2022-03-0242 min
The Game PlanShane Monahan — Irish Rugby Pro on Evolution of Social Audio & Building Audio Platform LimorPodcasting and social audio as a viable business has seen explosive growth in the past decade, the last few years especially. With Spotify having spent over $1Bn to acquire both tech and talent, apps like Clubhouse raising at multi-billion valuations, and even platforms like Twitter launching their own social audio Spaces, we felt this topic deserved a deeper dive.Given the global range of social audio, it's only fair that our guide on this journey joins us from across the pond in Ireland. Shane Monahan played at the highest level of professional rugby in both Ireland and...2022-02-1547 min
The Game PlanLuke Bonner — Former Pro Basketball Player Empowers Athletes to Choose Ownership with NFTs via PWRFWDIn this week's episode of The Game Plan, we venture into the wild, wild west of the internet: Digital collectibles, NFTs and Web3. What does it mean for athletes, how is it changing how athletes think about their personal brands and ability to monetize their work on and off the field, and who the key stakeholders in this new tokenized world are and will be.Our guide through this wild and rocky terrain is Luke Bonner, former pro basketball player who has spent his entire career, helping his peers and those that came after he think about...2022-02-0145 min
The Game PlanSteve Mesler — Gold Medal Olympic Bobsledder on Teaching Life Lessons to K-8 with Classroom ChampionsThe essence of an entrepreneur is to recognize a problem, realize you're the best person to solve it, then get to work solving it. With the amazing work he has done over the last decade with Classroom Champions, Steve Mesler is a great example of one such entrepreneur. Despite bringing home a gold medal for the USA in the 2012 Winter Olympics, former Olympic bobsledder Stever Mesler jokes that his job consisted of "running hard for a few seconds then sitting for a minute". He tells us how he went from an injury-filled track career in college to m...2022-01-1847 min
The Game PlanBlaine Scully — US Rugby's "Captain America" on Decade+ of Leadership Lessons and Having Humility to Start OverFor over 10-years Blaine Scully donned the red, white, and blue for Team USA and led the team to 3 World Cup appearances.Blaine says his foray into the sport was almost accidental "Rugby found me. When you find what you want to do, everything just clicks" so we discuss what that feeling was like and how the sport took him down the road less traveled playing for teams in the UK including the Cardiff Blues and Leicester Tigers.We also discussed Blaine's great podcast and video show "Captains Code" where we spoke to leaders across...2022-01-1132 min
The Game PlanBrendon Ayanbadejo — 3x NFL Pro Bowler turned PE Investor Grew Orangetheory Franchises to Multi-$100M ExitWhile it's not uncommon to see two brothers make it to the NFL one after each other, this is a first for The Game Plan. We're thrilled to have Brendon Ayanbadejo, the younger brother of Season 2 Game Plan guest Femi Ayanbadejo. Which brother brought more energy and enthusiasm to the show, it's really hard to say so we'll let you make that call! Brendon knew the NFL stands for "not for long" and started preparing for life after the game much sooner than a lot of his peers. Despite this, he still had a pretty epic 10-year c...2022-01-0440 min
The Game PlanJoe Hawley — NFL Center Shares Keys To Unlocking Personal Growth on "The Other Side of Fear"Joe Hawley has nothing left to prove to anyone. In fact, he came to this very realization himself standing on the sidelines with his Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates during Week 1 of his last NFL season. Right then he decided that he was finally done proving something in NFL. He was now ready for the challenges waiting for him on the other side of playing professional football.But like any good epic story, Joe first needed to embark on his own hero's journey. A spiritual journey in purpose, but also a literal one. Joe Hawley sold almost all...2021-12-2154 min
The Game PlanChristian Ponder — NFL 1st Round Pick QB on Building a Community for "Forever Athletes"In terms of football, Christian Ponder is probably best known for his three years as the starting quarterback at Florida State under head coach Bobby Bowden. What most people don’t know, however, is that Ponder also won the 2010 Bobby Bowden Award, presented to the top student-athlete among FBS schools, and graduated from Florida State in just two and a half years with a degree in finance and a 3.73 GPA.Today, Ponder is seeking to develop a community of other like-minded former athletes who have taken their drive from sport and converted it into business pursuits and ot...2021-12-1429 min
The Game PlanTony Kanaan — IndyCar's Ironman Shares His Investment Philosophy, Triathlete Training and How He Keeps Passion To Succeed AliveWith 24 seasons spent thrilling crowds and proving doubters wrong in IndyCar, there's little wonder why Tony Kanaan has become such a fan favorite. But one has to wonder why the 46-year-old who moonlights in numerous triathlon and Ironman competitions, keeps coming back for more. What drives IndyCar Champion and Indy 500 Champion to keep coming back for more? We unpack that together in this funny, inspiring, emotional, and life-affirming episode — our first of Season III of The Game Plan.Our thanks to Matt Campagna and the team at Reflexion for putting us together with Tony. Watch Tony in ac...2021-12-081h 00
The Game PlanThe Game Plan Returns for Season IIIOver 60+ episodes, The Game Plan has shared countless stories from the world's greatest athletes that have helped our listeners raise their game in business and in life. Now we are back with an EPIC Season III sharing even more triumphs, setbacks and lessons from on AND off the field. Jay Z famously said, "I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man..." Much in the same way, the greatest athletes in the world are more than just entertainers on the courts and fields—they are brands and enterprises unto themselves. Properly cultivated, athletes can position themselves to t...2021-12-0719 min
The Game PlanSeason 2 Finale — Lessons in Investing, Entrepreneurship and Gratitude: A Look Back at Season 2 of The Game PlanWe’re closing out Season 2 of The Game Plan by looking back on our favorite moments from the past year and pointing out the can’t-miss wisdom from Super Bowl champions, Olympic gold medalists, and an array of talented athletes who found their second callings as entrepreneurs and investors.Hosts Tim Katt and Jay Kapoor will add new commentary as they retrace past conversations full of sharp insights and authentic emotion. Featured guests in this episode include: Rob Dyrdek, a former professional skateboarder who became an entrepreneur and investor. JJ Redick, an NBA shooting guard and the...2021-05-1730 min
The Game PlanVernon Davis — New Routes and Creative Streaks: How Former NFL Tight End Unlocked Full Potential Through Acting and InvestingAs an athlete, Vernon Davis was a dynamic tight end who could line up anywhere and prove to be a mismatch for all three levels of the opponent’s defense.He spent the majority of his career with the San Francisco 49ers before winning a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos in 2015 and finishing his career with the Washington Football Team. Over 14 seasons, Davis appeared in two Pro Bowls and led the league in receiving touchdowns in 2009.Today, Davis has found his footing as both an actor and investor. He is the host of MTV’s Th...2021-05-1036 min
The Game PlanWill Allen — The Rooney Rule for Venture Capital: How A Former NFL Safety Empowers Diversity in StartupsAfter winning a national championship and being a consensus first-team All-America selection at Ohio State, Will Allen was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004 and went on to play in the NFL for 12 years, most notably with the Pittsburgh Steelers.Off the field, Allen has been driven by two things: his desire to help others and to keep learning. In 2008, he established the Will Allen Foundation to provide resources for underprivileged youth around academics and education. Allen has led by example, taking on a number of internships and continuing ed programs at both Harvard and Northwestern.2021-04-2650 min
The Game PlanDave Scatchard — From NHL Hockey Player to Life Coach Transforming the Way People LiveAs a hockey player, Dave Scatchard played more than 650 games in the NHL, and he is best known for his time with the Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders. He delivered when it counted most, recording hat tricks in two postseason games for the Islanders.Hatchard’s career on the ice was cut short due to concussion-related trauma. The physical, mental and emotional toll put him in a downward spiral. After years of therapy at the Mayo Clinic, he was unable to find a way to reconcile the damage that had been done to his body....2021-04-1948 min
The Game PlanDave Anderson — How Former NFL Wideout Turns Data Analytics into "Ballspeak" as CEO of Breakaway DataDave Anderson finished his senior season at Colorado State in 2005 with the most receiving yards in the Mountain West Conference and was later drafted by the Houston Texans in the seventh round. He went on to play in the NFL for six seasons.After football, he went to business school at USC Marshall and earned his MBA in Data Sciences. This launched Anderson into his second act, working with sports properties, athletes, and teams to help them better understand, incorporate and monetize their data.Today, Anderson is CEO of BreakAway Data, a sports analytics company...2021-04-1244 min
The Game PlanJay DeMerit — Underdog Story of Positivity & Perseverance That Fuel This Former EPL Captain's Content AspirationsJay DeMerit was not a household name in American soccer when he first started his professional playing career. As a matter of fact, he was not even drafted or signed by any Major League Soccer clubs following his graduation from college in 2001.When most athletes would have called it quits, DeMerit doubled-down on his professional soccer aspirations and moved to England in an attempt to find a club to play for. Despite this uncommon approach to becoming a professional athlete, DeMerit found his way onto a club in the ninth tier of English soccer.From...2021-04-0549 min
The Game PlanMarques Colston — Super Bowl Champ Shares His "Separation Mindset" and Paving a Path for Retired AthletesMarques Colston made a living as a wide receiver in the NFL by creating separation and getting behind defenses. During his 10-year career with the New Orleans Saints, he became one of Drew Brees’s favorite targets, racking up more than 700 receptions to go with 72 touchdowns. In Super Bowl XLIV, Colston helped bring home the Lombardi Trophy with seven catches for 83-yards.Today, Colston has taken his separation mindset to the classroom. As an adjunct professor at the University of New Orleans, he’s helping the next generation of athletes become business leaders. Colston has gained an enti...2021-03-2939 min
The Game PlanRob Dyrdek — Building a Dyrdek Machine That Helps Turn Startup Ideas into Successful BusinessesRob Dyrdek may be best known as a TV personality for his hit shows Rob & Big, Fantasy Factory and Ridiculousness, but prior to his rise on the small screen, Dyrdek was making money as a professional skateboarder. Dyrdek grew up in a small town in Ohio and began skateboarding at the age of 11. His passion for skating eventually brought him to Los Angeles where his ability to draw sponsorship provided a steady income and set the stage for a career in entertainment.Dyrdek parlayed his ability to draw sponsors into multiple business opportunities, including the ownership of...2021-03-2252 min
The Game PlanRoger Mason Jr. — How this NBA Veteran–Turned–Entrepreneur Uses Content to Empower Athletes On–and–Off The CourtRoger Mason Jr. has always been ahead of his time. As a professional basketball player, he spent time with seven different NBA franchises, most notably the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Hornets. Similar to the way NBA players switch teams frequently today, Mason Jr. bet on himself through short-term deals that maximized his earnings, including stints in Greece and Israel after his rookie deal expired. He also sought out markets that would raise his profile off the court, leading to his signing with the New York Knicks in 2010.While playing, Mason Jr. b...2021-03-1533 min
The Game PlanRyan Mundy — Opportunity in Mental Wellness and Raising VC to Build a Category-Defining BusinessRyan Mundy was a hard-hitting safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants and Chicago Bears who played in two Super Bowls and hoisted the Lombardi Trophy with the Steelers in 2009. He didn’t always have the best on-field reputation, having been fined multiple times in his career for illegal hits, but he’s ultimately shown himself to be a mature, innovative and humble person who is working to have a positive impact on the world.Mundy, who retired from the NFL in 2014, was one of the first pro athletes to dip his toes in venture capital, incl...2021-03-0843 min
The Game PlanYael Averbuch — How Former USWNT Member Brings The Beautiful Game to the Masses with Techne FutbolA former National Player of the Year at the University of North Carolina and two-time NCAA Women's College Cup champion, Yael Averbuch went on to have a 16-year professional soccer career, including significant time with the US Women’s National Team.Averbuch took her leadership on the pitch and in the locker room to the board room where she played an instrumental role in the creation of the NWSLPA in 2017, serving as Executive Director until 2020.Today, Averbuch is CEO and founder of Techne Futbol, a soccer training app she launched in 2016. Always looking to incorporate new skills and techniques in th...2021-03-0146 min
The Game PlanJosh Johnson — How NFL Journeyman QB Built The Ultimate Gaming League to Bring People TogetherFor over 12 seasons, Johnson has continued to make a place for himself on NFL rosters, building relationships throughout the league along the way.A fifth-round pick in the 2008 draft out of San Diego, quarterback Josh Johnson has been the ultimate journeyman, appearing on the roster or practice squad for 13 NFL teams. Away from the game, he’s more boss than role player.Johnson, 34, has partnered with fellow NFL players to form the Ultimate Gaming League, a multi-game competitive league with team franchises that brings together athlete and celebrity talent to create unique content and events around gaming. Such talent will fe...2021-02-2232 min
The Game PlanHilary Knight — How This Olympic Gold Medalist Is Building a Sustainable Future for US Women’s HockeyFew professional hockey players have experienced sustained success on the ice like Hilary Knight. A native of Palo Alto, California, Knight followed in the footsteps of her future Team USA teammate and past TGP guest, Angela Ruggiero, when she attended Choate Rosemary Hall. Following boarding school, Knight went on to lead the Wisconsin Badgers to two National Championship games, including an NCAA Championship trophy in her Sophomore season, a year when she became the Badgers record-holder for points, goals and power-play goals in one season. She extended that success into her Olympic career where she won silver medals in 2010...2021-02-1527 min
The Game PlanIsaiah Kacyvenski — The Power of Will: How an NFL Veteran Raised $55M for Will Ventures Against All OddsIsaiah Kacyvenski is one of the most decorated Ivy League football players of all time. While at Harvard, he won Ivy League Rookie of the Year and then followed that up with All-Ivy League first-team honors over his final three seasons. He received the Nils V. “Swede” Nelson Award, which is given to "best, most academically talented" football player in New England, and also the Harvard University Male Athlete of the Year following his senior season.After Harvard, Kacyvenski was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in 2000, becoming the highest draft pick in Harvard history (fourth round, No. 199 over...2021-02-0147 min
The Game PlanApolo Ohno — How America’s Greatest Winter Olympian Perfects His Toolkit and Finds Ways to Win Every DayApolo Anton Ohno is the most decorated winter Olympian in U.S. history. Appearing in three Olympics from 2002-2010, he medaled eight times across four events, including golds in the 1500m and 500m speed skating events. In 2007, Ohno experienced competitive success off the ice too, winning the reality TV show Dancing with the Stars. He was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2019.Today, Ohno finds himself as locked in as ever. Driven by curiosity and hard work, he has explored various endeavors since retiring from speed skating. He’s developed a supplements company, be...2021-01-2553 min
The Game PlanChris Pronger — How Hockey Legend & 2x Gold Medalist Curates Hall of Fame Luxury Travel ExperiencesA legendary defenseman who was inducted into the hockey hall of fame in 2015, Chris Pronger is recognized as one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history. In 2000, Pronger was the first defenseman since Bobby Orr to win the MVP trophy before advancing to the Stanley Cup finals with three different teams (Edmonton, Anaheim, and Philadelphia), winning the Cup with the Ducks in 2007. He complimented his 18-year NHL career with four Olympics appearances with Team Canada, winning Gold Medals in the 2002 and 2010 Winter OlympicsToday Pronger is co-founder and President of Well Inspired Travels, a boutique luxury travel company that caters to...2021-01-1843 min
The Game PlanJon McGraw — Unlocking the Performance Mindset to Make Even Mundane Jobs More Enjoyable with Vision PursueA walk-on at Kansas State who was taken in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft by the New York Jets, Jon McGraw went on to play 10 pro seasons in the NFL, making stops with the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs along the way. For all his success, including winning the prestigious Ed Block Courage Award in 2011, the process of playing football wasn’t always a great experience for the hard-nosed safety. The daily grind took its toll and he felt his focus was suffering.Toward the end of his career, McGraw stumbled across the concept of...2021-01-1142 min
The Game PlanJason Campbell — How Former Quarterback Found Himself Again After NFL RetirementWhen Jason Campbell walked away from football in 2015, it was not for a lack of interest from NFL teams. Instead, Campbell had fallen out of love with the game and was struggling with the idea of being relegated to backup roles on struggling teams that weren’t going to be in Super Bowl contention. Fast forward to today and we see an older, wiser version of Campbell who stands by his decision to retire.While learning from veterans such as Mark Brunell during his playing career, Campbell laid the groundwork for life after football by creating business re...2021-01-0440 min
The Game PlanFemi Ayanbadejo — Leveraging NASA Technology to Personalize Your Fitness and Maximize Performance via HealthReelTo tell Femi Ayanbadejo that he can’t do something is to place a bet on his success. Known for his smash-mouth, do-anything approach to playing running back in the NFL for 11 seasons, Ayanbadejo has carried his tenacity off the playing field into entrepreneurship as founder of HealthReel—a virtual health assessment app powered by NASA technology.During his playing career with five teams, mostly with Baltimore and Arizona, Ayanbadejo connected with the athletic trainers and medical personnel in ways that most players don’t. Those relationships and his obsessiveness about health and achieving optimal performance inspired him to...2020-12-2150 min
The Game PlanRocky & Luke Collis — Athlete Brothers Team Up Off the Field to Bring Elite Training to the MassesAs outside general counsel to the USWNT players’ association, Rocky, the older Collis brother, has led the way in counseling the players in a highly publicized legal battle with U.S. Soccer around equal pay and better playing conditions. His work has led him to also join forces with Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press, Tobin Heath and Meghan Klingenberg (a former guest on the podcast) to create a new for-good apparel company, Re—Inc.Luke, meanwhile, has had a bent for making a societal impact off the field by serving as a field organizer for Stacey Abrams’ Georgia gubern...2020-12-1455 min
The Game PlanLonie Paxton — How a 3x Super Bowl Champion Built Business Relationships That Define His Post-NFL CareerThree Super Bowl Rings, Two Careers, One Approach to Doing Business: How Lonie Paxton Embodies The Patriot WayIn New England, all the Super Bowl trophies, the Hall of Fame players and the stern look on Bill Belichick’s face can be summed up in one mantra: The Patriot Way. Simply put, that means always doing your job at the highest level, whether you get any part of the glory or not. For our guest Lonie Paxton, that was especially true, as no one flies under the radar more than long snappers—unless, of course, you mess up.2020-12-0734 min
The Game PlanTina Charles — WNBA Superstar Gives A Voice for the Voiceless & Leads a Life That Goes Straight to the HeartHearing Tina Charles recount the emotions she felt when meeting a man whose life had been saved by one of the 425-plus portable AED devices that her foundation has purchased and installed to date, it's easy to forget that she’s in the middle of what is surely a Hall-of-Fame basketball career.Charles, 31, is the Center on the Washington Mystics. A two-time national college champion at UConn, she was the first pick of the 2010 WNBA draft and won Rookie of the Year that season. Two years later, she was league MVP. She’s a seven-time All-Star and two...2020-11-3037 min
The Game PlanJJ Redick — How Curiosity Built the Podcast Star and His Growing Media EmpireThis week's episode of The Game Plan features New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard JJ Redick, who is also the co-founder of ThreeFourTwo Productions.In our conversation . . . Redick explains how he had to move his off-season training session to 7 a.m. to accommodate a busy day that included speaking to a Stanford Business School class in the morning and hosting two guests of his own later in the day—not to mention making sure that his sons, 4-year-old Kai and 6-year-old Knox, got enough dad time. Redick tells the story behind him becoming the fi...2020-11-2342 min
The Game PlanThe Game Plan Returns for an Epic Season 2Years ahead of his time, Jay-Z declared, “I'm not a businessman; I'm a business, man.”Much in the same way, the greatest athletes in the world are more than just entertainers on the courts and fields—they are brands and enterprises unto themselves. Properly cultivated, athletes can position themselves to turn the millions they make playing sports into potentially billions in generational wealth. Those are the crossover names we remember long after they’ve stopped playing. The Magic Johnsons. The Roger Staubachs. The Michael Jordans.SUBSCRIBE HERE: Don’t Miss an Episode of The Game Plan2020-11-2301 min
The Game PlanSeason 1 Finale — The Game Plan: Greatest HitsBe sure to tune into the final episode of Season 1 of "The Game Plan" as Jay and Tim take a look back and highlight some of their favorite moments from the past year including audio clips from Super Bowl Champions, Olympic Gold Medalists, All-NBA team honorees and Hall of Famers.Listeners new and old will enjoy listening to these highlights, as well as the color commentary of The Game Plan hosts Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. We explore why these moments really stood out in a season full of insight, authenticity, and emotion.Featured guests...2020-09-3043 min
The Game PlanMatthew Dellavedova — Lessons from Investing in Venture Capital, Angel Syndicates, and Trading CardsNBA World Champion and host of "The Delly Podcast" Matthew Dellavedova joins The Game Plan to discuss his off-court leap into tech investing and podcasting including:😇Forming his own investment syndicate on Angel List🎴 Investing in store-of-value assets like cryptocurrency and trading cards🇦🇺 Australia as a hotbed for sport science innovation💸The one thing he wishes he had done differently at the start of his investment careerDellavedova shares with Tim and Jay how he first started to learn about venture investing in Milwaukee of all places (while playing for the Milwauk...2020-09-2346 min
The Game PlanShareef Abdur-Rahim – NBA G League President shares how the G League grew into the NBA's Secret WeaponPresident of the NBA G League and 12-year NBA Veteran Shareef Abdur-Rahim join Tim and Jay on this week's episode of The Game Plan to discuss his journey from pro athlete to league executive. This episode places a special focus on the evolution of the NBA G League over the past decade including:🏗 Strengthening League Structure; realignment with NBA markets and team owners🔁Two-way contracts; enabling a greater development capacity for NBA teams🇲🇽Mexico City; the G League's expansion into a foreign market✨G League Ignite; the G League's select team for high school...2020-09-1649 min
The Game PlanEric Winston — Blocking & Tackling of Negotiating the CBA as NFLPA PresidentThis week former NFLPA President, Eric Winston, joins The Game Plan to give listeners a peek behind the curtain on the most recent NFL CBA negotiation. Winston is an 11-year NFL veteran where he is best known on the field for his role as an offensive tackle for the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, and Cincinnati Bengals.Winston served as President of the NFLPA from 2014-2020 where he played a critical role in negotiations with the NFL around player health and safety, financial literacy, and workplace conditions, especially in the locker room. Most recently, Winston...2020-09-0956 min
The Game PlanChris Dickerson — Combating Climate Change and Inspiring Environmental Justice via Players for The PlanetIn our most raw and emotional episode of The Game Plan yet, former Major League Baseball player Chris Dickerson shares his perspective with Tim and Jay on the many things plaguing our world right now including climate change and the fight against racism and social injustice.Dickerson put in service time as an outfielder for five different Major League clubs including the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and Cleveland Indians, but is best known off the field for starting "Players for the Planet", a non-profit organization launched in 2011 to make sustainability and environmental...2020-09-021h 07
The Game PlanBrendan Harris — Tapping into Major League Players' Full Earning Potential with X10 CapitalFormer Major League Baseball player Brendan Harris joins Jay and Tim to discuss his role with X10 Capital, a private equity fund that provides athletes with the ability to start tapping into future earnings today.X10 Capital is headquartered in San Francisco and led by former professional athletes, pro scouts, GMs, global executives, professional investors, and data scientists. We discuss the X10 Capital model and why it makes sense for superstar athletes to partner with a private equity fund early in their careers.On this episode, Harris takes us through his decision to go to...2020-08-2658 min
The Game PlanDan Kennedy — Breaking Down MLS' Expansion Strategy & Building Up a Commercial Real Estate EmpireThis episode of The Game Plan features Dan Kennedy, former Major League Soccer goalkeeper turned real estate investor.Dan is now Managing Partner at Driven Capital Partners in Long Beach, CA where he focuses on commercial real estate development and property management, working with other professional athletes to help them generate a passive income that will pay off well beyond the prime of their career.We start this episode by exploring the evolution of Major League Soccer and the role that rapid league expansion has played over the years. Dan shares his perspective as a...2020-08-191h 06
The Game PlanAlex Magleby — US Rugby Legend and "Full Contact CEO" on Building & Sustaining an Emerging SportUS Rugby legend and CEO of the New England Free Jacks, Alex Magleby, joins The Game Plan to give listeners an in-depth look at the state of rugby in the US and where the game goes from here.On this episode our guest shines a light on the history of rugby coming to the US and shares what drew him to the game at a young age. After sustained success on the field, including three national championships at Dartmouth, our guest went on to drastically improve the US Men's National Rugby Team as head coach....2020-08-1246 min
The Game PlanStewart Bradley — NFL Linebacker turned B2B-Investor Shares Alternatives to Venture CapitalSaaS investor and former NFL linebacker Stewart Bradley joins The Game Plan to share his life journey and evolution from football player to sophisticated tech investor.Shortly after his seven-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, and Denver Broncos came to an end, our guest chose a different path; joining Goldman Sachs as an investment banking analyst in their esteemed technology media and telecom (TMT) group. Stew shares with us his decision process in choosing this path, and why he ultimately opted to go into banking versus pursuing an MBA.Today, our guest is...2020-08-0550 min
The Game PlanDhani Jones — The Art of Storytelling in Entrepreneurship, Investing, Media and the NFLTV personality and NFL alum Dhani Jones joins The Game Plan to share his perspective on all things media, technology, and storytelling.Dhani Jones played 11 years as a linebacker in the NFL, including time with the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cincinnati Bengals. During his NFL career, Dhani became the first active player to be featured on the NFL Network as an analyst. Dhani details those early days of the NFL Network where he did everything from interviewing players on the sideline of playoff games to helping pack up the cable truck after games....2020-07-2959 min
The Game PlanHaley Rosen — Elevating Media Coverage of Female Athletes with Just Women's SportsFormer international soccer player, Stanford alum, and media entrepreneur Haley Rosen joins The Game Plan to discuss her journey which started with her as one of the top soccer recruits in the country to where she is today as Founder of Just Women's Sports.On this episode, our guest shares how a realization that just 4% of sports coverage is dedicated to women's sports led her to pave her own entrepreneurial path. We dig into the launch of Just Women's Sports and how our guest plans to carve out a niche in a world saturated with sports content...2020-07-2247 min
The Game PlanPat Connaughton — Building Foundations for a Real Estate Development Career after the NBAPat Connaughton, Small Forward for the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks, joins Tim and Jay on The Game Plan live from a job site(!!) in Milwaukee as he prepares for the NBA to restart at the end of this month.In this episode, we explore Pat's foray into real estate development, and how he is turning heads around the NBA not just for his explosive vertical on the court, but also the path to wealth he is building outside the game.Pat goes deep on the real estate investment and development expertise he has gained over the...2020-07-1559 min
The Game PlanMason Plumlee — Succeeding in Healthcare Investing as an Active NBA PlayerFrom buying custom oversized mattresses for his Brooklyn Nets teammates to launching a tech-focused interview series during a global pandemic, we cover it all on this episode of The Game Plan.Mason Plumlee of the NBA's Denver Nuggets joins us to share his perspective on investing, and how his hometown of Warsaw, Indiana played a key role in why he likes to focus on healthcare for his alternative asset exposure. In this episode, we talk to our guest about the NBA hiatus and its upcoming return. This includes learning more about what has drawn him t...2020-07-0848 min
The Game PlanMichael Redd — How Venture Capital & Private Equity Can "Empower Through Economics"Former All-NBA Shooting Guard and Team USA Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Redd joins The Game Plan to discuss his approach to venture investing and to share with us what he's doing to make a lasting difference in his hometown of Columbus, OH.In this episode, we discuss with our guest how today's game differs to the NBA of the early 2000s. Listeners will appreciate Redd's humility as he shares his perspective after being removed from the NBA for over 8 years. Today our guest is an active venture investor which includes his own fund, Twenty-Two Ventures, as well...2020-07-0150 min
The Game PlanJerome "Junkyard Dog" Williams — Creating and Monetizing Intellectual Property as a Retired PlayerJYD! The "Junkyard Dog" Jerome Williams joins The Game Plan to share how the hard work and hustle he demonstrated during his 9-year NBA career with the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, and New York Knicks has translated to the many successes he has had off the court.Listeners won't want to miss JYD tell his story about the time NBA Commissioner David Stern told Michael Jordan off in response to Jordan's pushback about the NBA lockout in 1997. We also dig in on the differences between today's game and the NBA of the late 90's and...2020-06-2458 min
The Game PlanBaron Davis — NBA All-Star on Power of Athletes Owning Their Own Media BrandsFormer NBA All-Star Baron Davis joins The Game Plan to discuss his success both on and off the court, including his development as an investor long before it became in vogue to see athletes playing that role.Best known for his early investment in Vitamin Water (a company which eventually achieved unicorn status and a multi-billion dollar exit), Davis also discusses his recent investments in Kitu Super Coffee, Overtime, and Sleeper.Listeners will enjoy hearing how our guest bet on himself early in his career. We take a look at how he continues to pave...2020-06-1751 min
The Game PlanCliff Avril - Building a Winning Team Around You As Both a Pass Rusher and Private Equity InvestorThis week's episode of The Game Plan features Cliff Avril, Super Bowl XLVIII Champion with the Seattle Seahawks.Cliff Avril is a 10-year NFL vet and is best known for his role as a Defensive End on the "Legion of Boom". During his football career, Cliff was also recognized as a nominee of both the Walter Payton Man of the Year award and Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.In this episode, Cliff talks about what it was like transitioning from his rookie year as part of one of the worst team seasons in NFL history (0-16...2020-06-1042 min
The Game PlanAngela Ruggiero — 4X Hockey Olympian on Lack of Independent Research in Entertainment IndustryJay and Tim welcome their first Hall of Fame inductee to The Game Plan as Olympic Gold Medalist and Sports Innovation Lab Co-Founder Angela Ruggiero joins the show to share her relentless passion for sports and innovation.On this episode, our guest shares her experience as an Executive Member of the International Olympic Committee and provides perspective on the decision to postpone this year's Winter Olympic Games in Tokyo.We discuss Angela's storied professional hockey career and her transition to the corporate world as the Co-Founder and CEO of Sports Innovation Lab. The Sports Innovation...2020-06-031h 05
The Game PlanSpencer Hawes — Evolving NBA Playing Styles While Learning VC Investing PlaybookNBA journeyman and proud Seattleite Spencer Hawes joins The Game Plan to discuss his interests on and off the basketball court, and life today as he contemplates retirement during the uncertainty of a global pandemic.On this episode we discuss the evolution of the NBA game and how our guest adapted his skillset in the middle of his NBA career to be seen as a player that could stretch the floor; ultimately leading to his big payday.Spencer also shares what initially drove his curiosity in investing, including a reality check courtesy of Warren Buffet's...2020-05-2752 min
The Game PlanMeghan Klingenberg — World Cup Winner on Speaking Truth to Power & Re-imagining the "Lifestyle" BrandFIFA Women's World Cup Champion Meghan Klingenberg joins The Game Plan to share her experience as a key member of the electric 2015 US Women's National Team, and how bonds made on the pitch led to the founding of an apparel and lifestyle brand built to challenge the status quo.On this episode, "Kling" shares the founding story of re-inc alongside her USWNT teammates Christen Press, Tobin Heath, & Megan Rapinoe. Listeners will enjoy hearing Meghan's unvarnished perspective on the challenges she faced when starting the company, including everything from supply chain management to navigating a fundraising process that...2020-05-2058 min
The Game PlanDetlef Schrempf — Seattle Supersonic Legend on Finding Success in VC & Wealth Management16-year NBA veteran, cult favorite, and former Seattle Supersonic Detlef Schrempf joins The Game Plan to discuss life after basketball and his role leading Business Development at Coldstream Wealth Management.In this episode, we discuss how the game of basketball has evolved since Schrempf's time in the league in the 80s and 90s. We also take a look at how our guest built a support system of trusted advisors and was able to parlay his network and success as a professional athlete into a fulfilling career in wealth management.Fans of "The Last Dance" Michael...2020-05-1333 min
The Game PlanHeather Mitts — Empowering the Next-Gen of Soccer Stars as a 3x-Olympic Gold Medalist3-time Olympic gold medalist and former member of the US Women's National Team Heather Mitts joins The Game Plan to cover everything from what it takes to have the heart of a champion to the transition of life after professional soccer.Listeners will enjoy hearing how Heather first started her career in media from sideline reporter to studio analyst, overcoming her injuries and adversity, and what it was like to be a key part of the evolution of professional women's soccer in the USA.Heather also shares her entrepreneurial journey and excitement for what's in...2020-05-0642 min
The Game PlanWill Blackmon — The NFL Wine Guy's Journey from Super Bowl Winning Safety to SommelierThis special weekend addition pod comes on the heels of our guest's official launch of his latest business endeavor, The Wine MVP.Will Blackmon played 14 years in the NFL, including time with the Packers, Giants, Seahawks, and Redskins. His ability to learn new defensive schemes while in the NFL has translated well to his interests off the field as he has become a quick study in the world of wine. He is one of the first NFL veterans to achieve Level 2 Sommelier Certification.Listen in as Will shares the story of how he first got...2020-05-0358 min
The Game PlanTrevor Booker — NBA Veteran's Reflections on Retirement Day and his Next Career as an InvestorNBA veteran and Clemson alum Trevor Booker joins The Game Plan to share his perspective on investing, and the importance of surrounding yourself with a team you can count on.On this episode, we caught up with Trevor moments before he officially announced his retirement from the NBA. Conversation topics include his role as a partner at JB Fitzgerald Venture Capital, thoughts on why college basketball players should be paid, and which teammate Trevor learned the most from during his NBA career. We also discover our guest to have been the first active NBA player to own p...2020-04-2937 min
The Game PlanMark Schlereth — NFL's Renaissance Man on Sacrifice & Building an Enduring Culture in BusinessJust in time for the NFL draft, 12-year NFL veteran and TV football analyst, Mark Schlereth, joins The Game Plan from Denver, CO to discuss everything from why the NFL Combine is flawed, to the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur and investor.3x Super Bowl Champion, Mark “Stink” Schlereth is best known for his esteemed career in both professional football (Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins) and sports media (ESPN, FS1), but did you know he once negotiated his way out of the grocery store stocking fee for his “Stinkin’ Good” brand green chile sauce? Listen in as Mark re...2020-04-221h 08
The Game PlanLangston Galloway — NBA's Custom Sneaker King on Turning Passion into a BusinessDetroit Pistons guard Langston Galloway joins The Game Plan to discuss how his passion for sneakers has helped him make his own mark on the game. The 6-year NBA veteran also shares how he is making the most of the suspended season due to the Coronavirus to sharpen his business skills and grow his company, LG Kicks.In this episode we explore what it takes to balance interests on and off the court as an active player, and how an experimental mindset can lead to success. Our guest also details the unique partnership he has with Q4...2020-04-1555 min
The Game PlanShawn Green - Pitching to VCs and Swinging for the Fences with GreenflyThe Game Plan welcomes its first Major League Baseball veteran; Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award winner and Chairman & Co-Founder of Greenfly, Shawn Green.Shawn Green spent 15 years as a Major Leaguer, including time with the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets. In this episode, we discuss how Shawn showed an early interest in technology during his playing career, and how he would use that passion to develop skills off-the-diamond each offseason. We also explore how someone who made over $100M during his playing career finds the drive and motivation to...2020-04-0848 min
The Game PlanGaizka Mendieta — Restaurant Investing during Coronavirus, and Journey from Int'l Soccer Star to Club DJThe Game Plan welcomes its first international guest! a 17-year football icon and La Liga legend, Gaizka Mendieta, to talk about life after football and the challenges his businesses are experiencing in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.We discuss a range of topics including the differences between professional sport in the US and Europe, and what it was like to garner one of the largest transfer fees of all time (€48m in 2001). Mendieta talks about the rise of his playing career during the “golden era” of Valencia FC, and his experience playing in both Seria A in Ita...2020-04-0148 min
The Game PlanJustin Forsett — Managing an Ethical Brand with Integrity During the COVID-19 CrisisNine-year NFL veteran and Pro Bowl Running back, Justin Forsett, joins us on The Game Plan to discuss why he believes all the CPG brands price gouging during the coronavirus crisis are destroying their long term brand equity for short term gain, and why his brand, Hustle Clean, has a very different approach to generating strong customer LTV.Along the way, we discuss Justin's journey in the NFL, players he looked up to as mentors for life off the field, what it's like being cut or fired multiple seasons in a row until you find a breakout...2020-03-2533 min
The Game PlanMatt Stover — Unseen Side of Philanthropy and Building Businesses after 20 Years in the NFLTWENTY-year NFL veteran Matt Stover joins The Game Plan to share the story of his transition from two-time Super Bowl Champion to empowering athletes, entertainers, and other philanthropists to easily set up and administer their own charitable organizations.In this episode, we’ll hear what it’s like to move with an NFL franchise in the dark of the night (Cleveland Browns) to a new city (Baltimore Ravens). Matt also talks about how the role of a placekicker is often an isolated position, and how that independent sense of diligence and drive has carried him to success in t...2020-03-1843 min
The Game PlanDerrick Morgan — Impact Investing, Opportunity Zones, and Finding New Purpose after FootballNine-year NFL veteran Derrick Morgan joins The Game Plan to share with us the impact investing he is doing in his hometown of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, his NFL home of Nashville, Tennessee, and other metro areas throughout the US.In this episode, we discuss how a season-ending ACL injury his rookie season prepared Derrick for life after football, and just how ahead of the game Derrick was by developing a diverse, well thought out investment portfolio early in his career. We’ll also learn how early investment mistakes drove Derrick to educate himself, leading to th...2020-03-1144 min
The Game PlanMatt Flanagan — Undrafted Careers and Making the Most of Every OpportunityThis episode of The Game Plan features 24-year-old Matt Flanagan, a second-year tight end in the NFL, who is keen on commercializing medical technologies when his football career comes to an end. Flanagan went undrafted in 2018 but signed with the Washington Redskins where he played alongside great tight ends like Vernon Davis and Jordan Reed. Before the NFL, Matt played at the University of Pittsburgh and Rutgers University before that, where he studied biology and biotechnology. This offseason, Matt is finishing his MBA at the University of Pittsburgh focused on tech commercialization. With Tim away th...2020-03-0435 min
The Game PlanPatrick Ianni — Mental Health Awareness and Changing the Culture in Youth SportsThis episode of The Game Plan features Patrick Ianni, former Major League Soccer pro and Olympic Soccer Player.Patrick founded Ianni Training after a playing career that spanned 9 years in MLS, the Olympics in Bejing, and being an All-American at UCLA. Through his journey of mindfulness and self-discovery, Pat realized a massive culture change is needed in youth soccer that focuses on the whole athlete: mind, body, and spirit. Patrick brings his story of personal transformation as he works with players from all walks of life - and we're grateful to hear him share that s...2020-02-2647 min
The Game PlanEllis Wyms — Versatility on the Defensive Line and in Starting Education Non-ProfitsOur next episode of The Game Plan features Ellis Wyms, Super Bowl XXXVII Champion with the Tampa Bay BuccaneersEllis Wyms played Defensive End in the NFL for 8 seasons, primarily with Tampa Bay where he played with Hall of Famers like Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks. In the NFL, Ellis carved a name for himself for his versatility and work ethic, qualities that serve him well as a founder today.In this episode, Ellis remembers the challenges of growing up in a rural community, how he felt on Draft Day when the Buccaneers called him, w...2020-02-1948 min
The Game PlanJake "The Snake" Plummer — Building a Playbook For Success After Life in the NFLOur very first episode of The Game Plan features NFL Legend Jake "The Snake" Plummer!Jake Plummer played Quarterback in the NFL for 10 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos, after breaking countless records as a college player at Arizona State University. In the NFL, Jake broke several franchise records, many that still stand to this day. Despite having the option to keep playing in the NFL, Jake decided to step away from football in 2007. Last year, Jake was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame.In this episode, Jake remembers the exact m...2020-02-1251 min
The Game PlanWhat's The Game Plan?WHAT IS THE GAME PLAN?THE GAME PLAN is a new podcast highlighting athletes’ business ventures beyond the field of play. We will speak with professional athletes past and present to discover the ways they leverage their public platform to unlock the value of their cultural influence outside the world of sports.In addition to chatting with retired players about the transition into their post-playing careers, we’ll speak with current athletes, from rookies to veterans, about how they prepare for the days after they hang up their cleats, and how they plan...2020-01-2001 min