Suiting Up with Paul Rabil

"I operated under this belief that there was no such thing as a nice defenseman." A Princeton University grad, Dave Morrow was a National Champion, two-time defensive player of the year, two-time Team USA player, and two-time world champion. As decorated of an on-field resume as his, Morrow's greatest impact on the sport has been what he's created off of it. He built Warrior Sports -- now the largest sporting goods manufacturer in lacrosse -- from his dorm room his junior year in college. To fund the company, Morrow raised a seed investment from his father and college roommate, and immediately used it to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue in year one. His biggest challenge? He was a starting defender for the USA national team, playing in overtime of the world championship game, trying to defend the best player in the world (Gary Gait), with a gold medal on the line, and the future of his business -- Warrior was the team sponsor. On the show, we talk about what it's like to be a young entrepreneur drinking from the firehose, facing fear, taking on exorbitant risk, finding solutions, and executing. In 2004, New Balance acquired Warrior for an undisclosed amount. Morrow continues to operate as the company's CEO, building the hockey and soccer business, and continuing to innovate with new products and intellectual property. Hosted by professional athlete and entrepreneur, Suiting Up Podcast is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entrepreneurship, and entertainment. Also, thanks to our sponsors, ZipRecruiter, Magic, and Mattress Firm. Try ZipRecruiter for free HERE, get a free phone consultation and priority service with Magic HERE, and head to mattressfirm.com/podcast to get the play-by-play on how you can monumentally improve your sleep today, tonight and tomorrow.

"At some point, your opportunity will hit. At the time when you're least expecting it. You have to be ready. You have to jump." Tiki Barber is one of the best all-purpose running backs in NFL history. He was undersized, under-recruited, and was given his first opportunity to play when the starting running back at UVA got injured. He never looked back. He grew up with his twin brother Ronde (also an NFL star and future hall-of-famer) and single mother who worked two jobs, and taught them what hard work, resiliency, and passion looked like. At UVA, Tiki studied business, and was quick to jump into media after being taken in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft. Like all athletes, Tiki knew that his playing career would end, but life after football could be huge -- as long as he worked hard and took advantage of the league's platform. Quickly, Tiki became versed in media, co-hosting the Today Show and Fox & Friends, while making appearances on a dozen other major properties. While rushing and catching for almost 2,500 yards in one season, Tiki also began his entrepreneurial career, co-founding Thuzio with his UVA classmate, Rick Gerson. Tiki's well-networked, works incredibly hard, and is amazingly articulate in sharing his life story with us -- including tips to becoming a better athlete, and ways to expedite your career in entrepreneurship. Hosted by professional athlete and entrepreneur, Suiting Up Podcast is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entrepreneurship, and entertainment. Also, thanks to our sponsors Beachbody, Bombfell, and Mattress Firm. Get $25 off your first Bombfell purchase HERE, and head to mattressfirm.com/podcast to get the play-by-play on how you can monumentally improve your sleep today, tonight and tomorrow.

"Rook...you've gotta be able to laugh at yourself." Steve Nash is one of the greatest on-floor playmakers in NBA history. He's won back-to-back MVP's, and modernized the way the 2-man game is played. Pretty amazing given his two favorite sports as an amateur were soccer and hockey. Pre-social media era, Steve's one of the few athletes that ventured into entrepreneurship and media while he was still playing. Today, he's part of the Vancouver WhiteCaps and RCD Mallorca ownership groups, he's a consultant for the Golden State Warriors, GM for the Canadian Senior National Team, and architect of the Steve Nash Foundation. On the podcast, Steve and I talk about why and how he became one of the game's greatest players, what he characteristics he looks for in the greatest competitors, and his secret sauce to success (...define "resilience"). His advice to any athlete or entrepreneur? "Declare your intention. Say it out loud and write it down. Then go for it." This is a great show. Hosted by professional athlete and entrepreneur, Suiting Up Podcast is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entrepreneurship, and entertainment.

Randy Hetrick is a fierce competitor. He’s driven to perform at the highest level — in whatever he does. After college, he entered the Navy and joined SEAL Team One, where he had a 14-year career, ending as a Lieutenant Commander, leading a squadron at the SEAL special missions unit. On a mission in Southeast Asia, Randy took his old Jiu-jitsu belt, anchored to a backdrop, and started what we now refer to as "Suspension Training". After his time as a SEAL, he applied and got into the Stanford Graduate School of Business where he learned how to start a company, raise money, and grow. Having learned how to sew as a SEAL, to modify gear, he spent the summer of Stanford perfecting his prototypes and shortly after graduating, incorporated TRX Systems. Today, TRX is in over 40,000 gyms worldwide, and is used by all professional sports leagues and teams. Randy's a dear friend of mine. We went the distance on starting a company, managing people, dealing with failure, acknowledging "gaps", and leaning into the "gots." Hosted by professional athlete and entrepreneur, Suiting Up Podcast is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entrepreneurship, and entertainment. Join the 2018 TRX Training Summit. Also, thanks to our sponsors, ZipRecruiter and Mattress Firm. Try ZipRecruiter for free HERE, and head to mattressfirm.com/podcast to get the play-by-play on how you can monumentally improve your sleep today, tonight and tomorrow.

"Have a passion for the business, have a great management team, and then search for real opportunity." Scott O'Neil is the CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment (HBSE), a group that manages the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and English Premier League's Crystal Palace. Their ongoing vision is to focus on acquiring sports franchises, sports venues, and sports and entertainment properties. Scott and I talk about the state of the teams in his current portfolio, then dive deep into the operational team at HBSE, the culture they've built, and the sales metrics (or what he calls "touches") they study to improve things like season ticket sales, digital impressions, and sponsorship opportunities. I asked Scott two questions that I'm constantly working through, as well as observing others' management techniques. First, what does he look for in a qualified candidate, and second, how he balances oversight of multiple properties, strategy, and interpersonal relationships at the office. What he discloses is fascinating (hint: he's big into mindfulness and gratitude). Hosted by professional athlete and entrepreneur, Suiting Up Podcast is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entrepreneurship, and entertainment.

Kelvin Beachum was born into a blue collar family in Texas. He was a studious undergrad, carrying both a graduate and master’s degree, while setting onfield records at SMU. It didn't stop there, though. Kelvin went on to deliver his collegiate commencement speech, then was drafted to the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Kelvin's been through as many depth chart challenges as injuries, but he kept his head down, and quickly became one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. Not wasting his stellar academic career, Kelvin is long on LinkedIn -- different than most athlete's choice of platform's on social media. He shares musings on portfolio companies he's been pitched to invest in, and shares his experiences from big tech conferences. Kelvin's a limited partner with Next Play Capital, a member of One Team Collective, and has a running list of charitable endeavors that include Bread for the World, World Vision, Feeding America, and STEM. Hosted by professional athlete and entrepreneur, Paul Rabil, Suiting Up Podcast is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entrepreneurship, and entertainment.

Andrew Hawkins was a top slot receiver for the Cleveland Browns, having just retired in 2017 while on the roster of the New England Patriots. If you don’t know who @Hawk (twitter) is, type in his name on YouTube and watch his one-on-one highlights against NFL cornerbacks. If you’re an athlete at any level, and want to emulate great dodgers or route runners, very few do it better than Hawk. That said, his physical attributes and on-field talent are only a part of why he’s a guest on our show. More impressively, Hawk spent most of his NFL career working on his developing his business and media acumen. He received his masters from Columbia University in Sports Management, and took unpaid internships with the Detroit Lions and Uninterrupted. A grueling offseason schedule that included roundtrip flights to NYC for classes and exams (he graduated with a 4.0 gpa), gym and field workouts down in Florida, and most importantly, raising his family. He has an incredible motor. Today, he hosts ESPN’s SportsCenter show on Snapchat, runs his own podcast with All-Pro NFL lineman Joe Thomas, and heads business development with Mav Carter and LeBron James' media company, Uninterrupted. Hawk's long-term goal? General Managing an NFL team. I think he’ll be an owner one day.

Cameron Porter was a four-year all-everything soccer player and computer science major at Princeton. He was drafted to Major League Soccer and immediately made an impact on the pitch, scoring a dramatic final-minute goal, sending his club (Montreal) into the CONCACAF Champions League Semifinals. Uniquely positioned as an top forward in the MLS, Cam also works for MLS's front office -- as a full-stack engineer. A true pro athlete and entrepreneur, Cam writes code and helps the fastest growing team sports league in the world buildout their digital, iOS, and Android platforms. I decided to upload this episode to kickoff our 2018 guest list because of two reasons: 1. Cam’s incredibly thoughtful and articulate. I learned new tactics around sports psychology (like how to dig yourself out of a funk -- or poor play), as well as how a macro trend in new media is not only impacting soccer, but the rest of the field (including lacrosse). 2. Cam’s so talented, that he’s already reached a place in his career where he’s making a decision on sport versus business – or his career after the pitch. The conversation is a buildup, where he breaks unexpected news on Suiting Up. A first for us. Podcaster's note: Cam's latest venture: www.hex.ventures

When we concepted and launched the podcast, I knew it would be fun to engage with my professional peers, but underestimated the value I would receive from sitting back and listening to their expertise and tips. Every guest I've hosted has experienced a certain degree of failure, loss, or trauma, causing them to either "bottom out" or hit "reset". However with every guest and each circumstance, there's been an amazing rebound; a success that they've credited from their learnings in failure. On today's show, we highlight some of the best moments from Suiting Up Podcast guests. It's Part 3 of my Reflection Series, and it's a great one. You'll hear from: 1. Jay Williams 2. Myles Chamley-Watson 3. Matt Hasselbeck 4. Dave Pietramala Enjoy -- and take notes!

When I concepted and launched the podcast, I knew it would be fun to engage with my professional peers, but underestimated the value I would receive from sitting back and listening to their expertise and tips. Every guest I've hosted has been -- at one point or another -- a captain, coach, or seasoned senior executive. Leadership is not for the faint of heart. It's a job on top of another job. There's a commitment to setting a standard, building culture, and most importantly, working to understand, relate and improve your team. The commonality shared between leaders? Humility. By far and away. In Part 2 of my 3-Part Suiting Up Podcast Series, I'm highlighting 6 guests from 2017's class of interviewees, telling you my bottom line to their best sound bites on leadership. You'll hear from: 1. Sam Walker on the captain class 2. Dhani Jones on a leaders core characteristics 3. Jay Williams on the importance of communication 4. Bill Belichick on management, culture, and preparation 5. Mike Rabil on the importance of hiring the right people 6. Drew Brees on motivation Enjoy the show. Next week, we'll discuss Success & Failure.

When I concepted and launched the podcast, I knew it would be fun to engage with my professional peers, but underestimated the value I would receive from sitting back and listening to their expertise and tips. Every guest I've hosted is a world-class high performer. She or he is mechanical, methodical, thoughtful, has high emotional intelligence, and shows incredible leadership traits. That said, I've found the common denominator and shared characteristic of all -- is hard work. Top athletes, entertainers, and entrepreneurs know how to work really hard. In Part 1 of my 3-Part Suiting Up Podcast Musings, I'm going to highlight 5 guests from 2017's class of interviewees, telling you my bottom line to their best sound bites on high performance. You'll hear from: 1. Scott Galloway on Building a Career 2. DeMaurice Smith on Task and Calendar Management 3. Venus Williams on the Importance of Nutrition 4. Lyle Thompson on Training Tips 5. Gary Vaynerchuk on Fighting Unfairly Enjoy the show. And next week, we'll discuss leadership.

When Ryan Holiday was 19 years old, he dropped out of college to apprentice under Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power. Next, he went on to become the director of marketing for American Apparel (where you might have seen some of the controversial campaigns he produced). Holiday then opened his own creative agency, called Brass Check, where he’s advised clients like Google and Complex, as well as prominent bestselling authors like Neil Strauss, Tony Robbins, James Altucher and Tim Ferriss (he was also Tim’s 4th ever podcast guest). Holiday's the author of six bestselling books, including The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, The Daily Stoic and Perennial Seller. The Obstacle Is the Way has been translated into more than twenty languages and has developed a loyal following among NFL coaches like Bill Belichick and Nick Saban, world-class athletes, TV personalities, political leaders, and many more. Holiday and I sat together in our NYC recording studios to discuss life, business, sports, and the practice of stoicism. I’m your host Paul Rabil and welcome to “Suiting Up Podcast”, a show where I delve into the stories of some of today’s leading athletes, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and authors, interviewing them, unpacking the psychology of their success, revealing skill sets we can uniquely adopt to improve ourselves.

“Successful people are really stubborn. They won’t take no for an answer. They keep going, and going, and going.” Want to know the science -- check that, odds -- around Ben Roethlisberger's pass that landed in the hands of Santonio Holmes with only seconds left in Super Bowl XLIII? How about the torque and bend that occurs after Alex Ovechkin hits a slap shot? Sports Science will tell you why after making contact with the ball, Giancarlo Stanton’s follow through doesn’t actually matter. I always wanted to know what it felt like to get tackled by Ray Lewis. Sports Science has it covered. John Brenkus is a producer, director, and television personality. He co-founded BASE productions, which specializes in creating television programming for channels such as ESPN, National Geographic, and Spike TV. He’s the creator of Sports Science, and currently hosts his own podcast, The Brink of Midnight. Here’s more about my fascinating friend. He attended UVA and created his own major, Film Rhetoric Communication Studies, graduating with honors in 3 years. When it all began, he told his mother he wanted to do two of the hardest things he could think of: write a novel and make a movie. He did both. He tell us that sports and science are his "two greatest passions." Suiting Up Podcast is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entertainment and business. My job is to navigate the conversation. The guests bring the originality.

“Skating is about putting all of your energy into something that keeps you creative.” This week’s guest is one of the world's top skateboarders, industry entrepreneur, and social media influencer. Torey Pudwill began skating in California when he was 4 years old. At 14, he edited his first video series, "How To Go Pro", and began his trek to stardom. Since then, he's filmed 10 video parts, amassed dozens of sponsors, won X-Games medals and Street League competitions. In 2011, Pudwill won Street Skater of the Year. Professional skateboarder and entrepreneur Jeron Wilson said, "I don't think you can say anything bad about Torey. He's one of those guys that's just one of the greatest skateboarders." On the show, Pudwill and I discuss the world of skateboarding, competitions, preparation, and more. At the start of the show, Pudwill discloses, for the first time publicly, that he has narcolepsy. I’m your host Paul Rabil and welcome to Suiting Up Podcast, a show where I delve into the stories of some of today’s leading athletes, entrepreneurs, and entertainers, interviewing them and unpacking the psychology of their success.

“Storytelling is at the core of human connection.” I’ve been working closely with Samir Chaudry and Colin Rosenblum for the better part of the last 5 years. Together, we created my youtube channel, worked through internal company marketing campaigns, ideated on new projects, and consulted on a number of others. They’re writers, directors, producers, onscreen talent, and entrepreneurs. I’m lucky to have met two guys with vast ingenuity, creativity, and work ethic. On the first half of the episode, we talk about their respective backgrounds in sports, growing up on opposite coasts, and how filmmaking unexpectedly connected them. In the back half of the show, we delve into content development, advice for creators, which platforms you should be targeting, and why audience definition is the most important piece. In today's world, your ability to sell a person, company, product or service relies on your ability to sell. To sell, you need to market. To share. To tell. This requires a strategy, or in some cases a personality, a voice, a camera, a microphone, a pen, or a keyboard. Suiting Up Podcast is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entertainment and business. My job is to navigate the conversation. The guests brings the originality. SHOW NOTES 4:10 Origin story 20:30 The Lacrosse Network 30:00 How Colin and Samir met 41:30 Storytelling 45:00 Ideas for content development 59:10 How to create content

“The first thing I learned from my mom, and applied it to lacrosse…was passion. And I think passion is what leads to happiness.” Lyle Thompson is the all-time leading point scorer in NCAA Division 1 lacrosse history, a Tewaaraton trophy winner (our sport’s Heisman award), a pro lacrosse MVP, and NLL Champion. His legacy of success on the field will live on for generations to come. He grew up in the Onondaga Nation in New York, and was one of five children of Doloris and Jerome Thompson. Today, he and his brothers represent some of the best talent in the professional game, competing in both MLL and NLL, building large digital and social media audiences, and are bringing powerful, cultural awareness of their Native American roots to our sport. Lyle began playing lacrosse at a very early age, and on the show, we discuss how lacrosse carries spiritual and cultural experiences with the Onondaga and Native American communities. He recounts his early years playing in the backyard with his older brothers, accompanied by no net. The Thompson's couldn't afford one. All of Lyle's equipment was refurbished, yet he was the #1 High School recruit in the country...as a sophomore. On the show, Lyle shares with us his favorite workouts, how he fuels his performance, how he's changed his sleep pattern (since listening to our show, actually), and the impact of the traveling professional lacrosse circuit. Perhaps the most intriguing part of the show begins in the back third, where Lyle and I discuss his activism as a Native American professional athlete – specifically his time at the Standing Rock protests during the North Dakota Access Pipeline disputes, as well as his stance on professional sports mascots that are discriminatory the Native American communities. Suiting Up Podcast is a show where I delve into the stories of some of today’s leading athletes, entrepreneurs, and entertainers, interviewing them and unpacking the psychology of their success.

"This is why, how, or what I need to do to be successful, and personally why I relate a lot of business back to the nuances of professional football." This week's Suiting Up Podcast guest is a former NFL linebacker who played 11 seasons professionally, making 2 Super Bowl appearances, college football for the Michigan Wolverines, winning a National Championship, and earned All-Big 10 honors for 3 straight seasons. He's a stud. In addition to his football career, Dhani's had a massively successful television career, which he's supplemented with a career operating companies (he's owned and operated a coffee shop, ad agency, and staffing business), and more recently, investing in them. One of my all-time favorite Dhani shows was his Travel Channel series, "Dhani Tackles the Glove", as well as his VH1 show, "Ton of Cash". Today, Dhani's mirroring the success of "Shark Tank" with his own investor hosting national series hit, "Adventure Capitalists", which is regularly programmed on CNBC. I’m your host Paul Rabil and welcome to “Suiting Up Podcast,” a show where I delve into the stories of some of today’s leading athletes, entrepreneurs, and entertainers, interviewing them and unpacking the psychology of their success. Enjoy the show.

This week’s guest was a tremendous interview! Sam Walker is The Wall Street Journal's deputy editor for enterprise, the unit that oversees the paper's in-depth page-one features and investigative reporting projects. A two-time bestselling author, Walker's latest book, "The Captain Class", set out to answer one of the most hotly debated questions in sports: Who are the greatest teams of all time? He devised a formula, applied it to thousands of teams from leagues all over the world, and when he was done, trimmed the best of the best down to a list of the sixteen most dominant teams in history. With the list in hand, Walker became obsessed with another, more complicated question: What did these freak teams have in common? As Walker dug into their stories, a distinct pattern emerged: Each team had the same type of captain — a singular leader with an unconventional skill set who drove it to achieve sustained, historic greatness. So he wrote a book that delivers to us this exact formula. On today's show, we talk about his discoveries, take a deep dive with into the history of success for each captain and team he highlighted in his book, and much, much more. Walker's ability to identify these counterintuitive leadership qualities of the unconventional women and men who drove their respective team's to success is phenomenal. A must-listen show. Suiting Up is a podcast that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entertainment and business.

"I knew what we were fighting for was way bigger than us...and transcended our sport." Hilary Knight is the top women's hockey player on the planet. She's a multiple-time Olympian, 7-time gold medal winner of the Ice Hockey World Championships, all-time career point scorer and 2-time National Champion at Wisconsin. She has sponsorship deals with Nike, Red Bull, Visa, GoPro, and more. She's even practiced with the NHL's Anaheim Ducks, telling us "cracking a roster spot is next on the list." As impressive as she is on the ice, she's also highly marketable. However, her most impressive quality is her cumulating approach to impacting women's sports and giving back to the next generation of female athletes. In 2016, Knight and her teammates protested USA Hockey, demanding an equal compensation, accommodation, and marketing allocation to their male counterparts. They threatened to hold out of the 2016 Ice Hockey World Championships and the subsequent Olympic Games if they weren't treated equitably. Find out what happened next on this week's episode. I’m your host Paul Rabil and welcome to “Suiting Up Podcast,” a show where I delve into the stories of some of today’s leading athletes, entrepreneurs, and entertainers, interviewing them and unpacking the psychology of their success.

Dave Pietramala is widely regarded as the greatest defenseman in lacrosse history. As a member of the U.S. National Hall of Fame, he’s the only person to have won an NCAA national championship as both a player and coach, and the only person to be named both the NCAA player and coach of the year. Incredible. Pietramala – "Coach Petro" – recruited me to play under him at Johns Hopkins University in 2005, where we competed in three NCAA national championships, and winning two. Coach taught me how to work hard, compete, be humble, and respectful. He always harped on “the little things” – like keeping a clean locker room, hustling in between reps, being the first in line, and making eye contact. Each of these learned tactics translate into professional sports, business, and relationships. On the show, we take a drive down memory lane, revisiting learning moments and major adjustments from my freshman year in college. I was fortunate to step onto the field with one of the best senior classes our sport has ever seen, and one that completed an undefeated season, going 16-0. Coach Petro shares with us his origin story, why he chose to play at Johns Hopkins, and what the one-on-one battles were like with our sport’s greatest player, Gary Gait. In 1990, Pietramala’s coaching career began, taking his first coaching gig as an assistant coach for Gilman high school. From there, he earned a part-time collegiate assistant coaching position that paid him $3,000. To supplement his lower wage, Pietramala worked at an aluminum extrusion factory from 6am to 2pm. His subsequent coaching positions took him through the University of Pennsylvania, Loyola College, and Cornell, where he was named the NCAA Coach of the Year. In 2001, Pietramala took the head coaching position at his alma mater, where he’s helped revitalize the Hopkins program. He’s won two national championships, been to seven Final Fours, sixteen NCAA tournaments, and winner of the 2015 Big 10 conference championship. Other topics from our conversation include: - What makes a high performance competitor - The importance of feedback - Pietramala’s biggest regret - Recruiting: what Pietramala is looking for in a young lacrosse player - I teach him how to use Twitter Enjoy the show.

"You have to work your ass off. I don't know anyone very successful who doesn't have some talent -- but that's not the differentiating feature -- it's grit and working your ass off." I'm often asked who I look up to in sports and business. For the latter, Scott Galloway nears the top of the list. I feel fortunate to have booked him as a guest on our show -- actually, I'm feeling somewhat bewildered, but thankful nonetheless he agreed to a sit-down. Galloway's a 9-time entrepreneur, he's raised close to one $1 billion in venture capital, private equity, and hedge fund capital, he's the head of marketing at NYU Stern School of Business, a New York Times best-selling author for his new book called, "The Four: The Hidden DNA of Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google", he's a YouTuber, and former rower at UCLA. By accident in 2010, Galloway founded digital intelligence firm L2 Inc., which was acquired in 2017 by Gartner. In 1997, he founded Red Envelope, one of the earliest e-commerce sites, and in 1992, Galloway built Prophet, a brand and marketing consultancy firm that employs over 400 professionals in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He's been elected to the World Economic Forum's "Global Leaders of Tomorrow", where he was recognized as an individual whose accomplishments have had an impact on a global level. Galloway's served on the board of directors of The New York Times Companies, Eddie Bauer, Gateway Computer, Urban Outfitters, and others. On October 3rd, he released his first book, "The Four", which studies the impacts and advancements of four behemoths in the business world: Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google. On our show, Galloway and I discuss how each business appeals to a human organ, emphasizing the psychology and utilities of each -- like why we share our status and photos on Facebook, why people trust Google search more than any other person or figure on earth, how Amazon has capitalized on thin margins and scale, and how Apple became the newest (and baddest) luxury brand. It doesn't stop there, sports fans. Galloway and I discuss major sports broadcasting rights. He predicts Amazon, Apple and/or Facebook will purchase the rights to the world's largest sporting events like the Super Bowl, World Cup, and March Madness. We also talk about the impact Amazon has on sporting goods, via upward trends in e-commerce and private labeling. Galloway is an avid proponent of public education. He's donated $4.4 million to UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, created the Galloway Fellows Fund where he designates scholarships to students from immigrant families, and has announced gifts to both UCLA and NYU. If you enjoy the show as much as I did, you'll listen to it at least two times through.

Zach Leonsis is the Vice President and General Manager of Monumental Sports Network (MSN), a first-of-its-kind regional network for digital, mobile and over-the-top platforms. MSN is co-owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) and NBC Sports Group. MSE was founded and chaired by Zach’s father, Ted Leonsis. Ted’s a co-founder of AOL and one of the most decorated and sophisticated sports and tech operators and investors on the planet. The Leonsis’ own the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Capital One Arena, two Arena Football League teams, and controlling interest in Team Liquid – one of the most successful Esports franchises in the world. Also, they're founding members in one of the more successful private equity and venture capital groups in the US, called Revolution Growth Fund. I traveled down to DC to sit in Zach’s office and talk shop. We cover everything from team operations, to new media in sports, NBA free agency, defining Esports, and Ted's purchase of the Washington Capitals in 1999. There are some wonderful stories Zach shares with us, including his take on how you can secure a job in the sports industry. That bit is toward the end. Suiting Up Podcast is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entertainment and business.

"It was the worst decision I made, but the best thing that's ever happened to me." Jason Williams is a former basketball player for the Duke University Blue Devils and Chicago Bulls. After tragically crashing his motorcycle, effectively ending his playing career, Williams transformed his life and is positioned to positively impact sports, business, and social issues more than ever. While at Duke, Williams was a two-time college basketball Player of the Year, National Champion, and three-year graduate. Moreover, on senior day of his graduating junior year, Duke University retired his jersey. After being drafted to the Chicago Bulls with the second overall pick, things went downhill. Williams was in a devastating motorcycle accident, which led to him spending the next year on a hospital bed. Shortly thereafter, he began his battle with depression, which was compounded by the loss of his grandmother, dog, and a health scare from his mother - Jay's caretaker at the time. Cumulatively, this kicked Williams into an upswing, taking care of those who looked after him, getting his life back on track, and striving for greatness. I’m your host Paul Rabil and welcome to Suiting Up Podcast. On this show I delve into the stories of some of today’s leading athletes, entrepreneurs, and entertainers, interviewing them and unpacking the psychology of their success.

"The reason most entrepreneurs can't beat me is they want to compete with me in math and I beat them in coloring." Gary Vaynerchuk's a serial entrepreneur and investor. He committed to early rounds, investing in Twitter, Uber, Venmo, Tumblr, and more. Gary's the CEO and co-founder of VaynerMedia and Vaynersports; both are agencies that service Fortune 500 companies and world-class athletes around the globe. Gary's rise to prominence began in the late 90’s after building the Wine Library, helping his father grow the family business from $4M to $60MM in sales. Today, he’s one of the most sought after public speakers, an active venture capitalist, and four-time New York Times bestselling author. On this episode we dive into the state of competition in sports, how Gary manages his employees, his latest move to sports agency representation, how he trades on people with energy, what he looks for in entrepreneurs, and his hatred for Michael Jordan. Additionally, Gary gives us two major 2018 predictions for media and sports. And I almost forgot, Gary wants to own the New York Jets. Suiting Up is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entertainment and business. Navigating each conversation, I do my best to unpack how world-class performers think, compete, improve, operate, invest, train, eat and sleep.

“Winning requires your spirit, mind, body and attitude.” Chile's Francisco "Coco" Zurita is a world-class action sports athlete. Recalling a scene from the 2017 X-Games, Coco is remembered on the vert ramp for a number of reasons: his bike is set up like a modern street rider's machine -- no brakes -- and he blasts some of the highest airs of the entire field while riding the halfpipe like a flowing set of trails. His bike control results in airs that are so stylish, he doesn't need to do tricks to capture attention. Coco told me he wins when he's having fun, saying “often the guys that smile are the ones who win.” Zurita's one of the most talented riders on tour, maintaining this high performance for over a decade. He's 32 and focuses on his training and nutrition, where his focus lies on plyometric workouts and periodical juicing diets. Through different improvement vehicles, Coco's won the BMX world championship, became the first rider in the world to land a triple tail-ship, has competed in more than 11 X-Games, and won Rider of the Year at the Dew Tour Series. What I love about Coco is his introspection. His personal and professional growth are dedicated to embracing the uncomfortable. He calls it change – telling me that most people hate change, yet the only thing constant in life is change. Finally, if you’re like me and have always dreamed of adopting and speaking another language, Zurita will tell you how. His native speaking language is Spanish, but he became fluent in English in a short 9-month window. Suiting Up is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entertainment and business. Navigating each conversation, I strive to unpack how world-class performers think, compete, improve, operate, train, eat and sleep.

"The best athletes in the world train for a higher purpose, not for the money." Joe DeFranco is the founder and owner of the world-famous DeFranco’s Gym. For the past two decades, athletes from around the world have hired Joe because of his remarkable ability to improve strength, speed, power, mobility, agility and sport-specific endurance. Joe’s training techniques have been featured in and on ESPN, Spike TV, NFL Network, WWE Network, Men’s Health Magazine, Men’s Fitness Magazine and in the NY Times best-selling book, The 4-Hour Body. His resume includes NFL players from all 32 teams, MLB & NBA players, UFC fighters, Olympic athletes, MLL players, WWE superstars, and college All-Americans. In 2015, Joe was inducted into the Personal Trainer Hall of Fame (an international organization) in the Trend Setter division. He is recognized as an individual who has had a significant contribution to the personal training industry, specifically by creating trends which have dramatically influenced the world of fitness. Joe co-created the Certified Physical Preparation Specialist (CPPS) course, DeFrancoInsider.com membership site, as well as a series of best-selling DVD’s and manuals. He also hosts the Industrial Strength Show – a top-ranked weekly podcast dedicated to training for peak performance, mindset and living your passion. I’m your host Paul Rabil and welcome to Suiting Up Podcast, where I interview athletes, media executives, team owners, and other key stakeholders about the performance attributes acquired through the vehicle of sports.Today’s athlete, whether active or retired, is continuously redefining what it means to be a professional on and off the field. You can find more info on DeFranco's podcast, links to his social media and businesses, by visiting http://suitinguppodcast.com.

"People build businesses, not excel spreadsheets." It's my favorite quote coming from this week's multi-talented guest: my older brother, Mike Rabil. There are many layers to how this saying can be interpreted, especially in sports. An easy translation could be "people win championships, not statistics." However, I think unpacking which type of person who wins championships should be our core focus. Mike believes the emotional intelligence of an individual has become the core ingredient to business and sports success. Mike's senior to me by 23 months. We did everything together growing up, are best friends, and business partners today. We started our professional relationship by opening a franchise gym together in 2008. That gym, called Snap Fitness, turned into a portfolio of 7, followed by the development of our own concept, a hybrid spin, TRX and group training business called TurnStyle Cycle. Along the way, we won and lost, learned valuable lessons, made relationships with new operators and business partners, built new properties, and began our own venture investment portfolio company, Rabil Ventures. This is by far and away my most personal and intimate interview yet. The former Dartmouth football lineman, all-Ivy League captain, now multiple-time entrepreneur, investor, and most importantly, operator, has a lot of wisdom to embark on us. I’m your host Paul Rabil and welcome to Suiting Up Podcast, where I interview athletes, media executives, team owners, and other key stakeholders about the duality of the modern professional athlete. From player startup investing appetite, NewCos, social media influencing, creative marketing and digital strategy, today’s athlete, whether active or retired, is continuously redefining what it means to be a professional on and off the field.

Nikki and Brie Bella are the next Kardashians. They're professional wrestlers in the WWE, massive social media influencers, women’s inclusion and health activists, and co-founders of Birdee Bee, a women's health clothing line. From a stat-staggering standpoint, the Bella's represent the largest aggregate social media following of any female athlete or sister duo in professional sports. Throughout the show, I look to unpack how they’ve built their audience, what platforms they’re investing in, how they curate differently on each, and how Total Divas and Total Bella's on E! Network has impacted their career. When their first WWE tryout didn’t meet their expectations (they weren't given the chance to wrestle), as former college soccer standouts, they plead to executives to give them a chance in the ring. They earned that contract and since their entrance into the WWE, the women’s division has blossomed, with main events at PPV’s, and its own Women's Championship Division. The Bella Twins are gearing up for Season 6 of Total Divas and Season 2 of their second reality TV show on E!, Total Bella's – which premiers on September 6th. We’ll have all their links, social media handles, and show notes on www.suitinguppodcast.com. I’m your host Paul Rabil and welcome to Suiting Up, where I interview athletes, media executives, team owners, and other key stakeholders about the duality of the modern professional athlete, their startup investing appetite, other strategic investments, NewCos, social media influencing, creative marketing and digital strategy. Today’s athlete, whether active or retired, is continuously redefining what it means to be a professional on and off the field, or in this case, the ring.

He's a motorsports competitor and stunt performer, winning championships and X Games gold medals in major events like supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, and rally racing. Never a challenge too daring, Travis Pastrana also competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing and the Global RallyCross Championship for Subaru Rally Team USA, where he strung together a number of Top 10 finishes. Pastrana's a household name in sports. He's amassed over 10 million followers across his social media platforms. Yet even more impressive than the wins and social influence, Pastrana co-founded Nitro Circus, which in 2013 merged with the Raine Group, and is considered a billion dollar sports franchise, according to Forbes. Talk about the modern athlete. Pastrana is the best in the world, creates premium content, launched an event circuit, hired employees, raised money, and is now taking his sport to all new heights. In this episode, we’ll talk about “the flow state” of action sports athletes, how they put their lives on the line, and how Travis is a man of "commitment to the task". Pastrana lets us into his world of fitness and nutrition, injury recovery (there has been a lot), and how to start a sports league.

When he was 9, he set a goal for himself to play in the NFL. He hung up a sign in his room that read, “let no one outwork you today." After 9 successful seasons in the NFL, Isaiah Kacyvenski entered into his second career, entrepreneurship. Isaiah earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and is now the Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Sports Innovation Lab. Previously, he was one of the first employees to join early stage startup, Mc10 Inc., a cutting-edge conformal electronics company, as their Global Head of Business Development. He’s an investor in, and advisor to, several companies in technology, sports, biotech, consumer, media and sports medicine. "Working hard, and aligning that work ethic with your passion is an unbelievable thing." Isaiah grew up in poverty. He struggled to find his identity, especially with a volatile parental upbringing. During some of his teen years, he was homeless. An incredible success story, Isaiah’s both a fascinating and inspiring individual. Welcome to Suiting Up Podcast, where I interview athletes, media executives, team owners, and other key stakeholders about the duality of the modern professional athlete, their startup investing appetite, other strategic investments, NewCos, social media influencing, creative marketing and digital strategy. Today’s athlete, whether active or retired, is continuously redefining what it means to be a professional on and off the field.

"I want to be the best football player I can be for as long as I can be." Drew Brees is a man of football records. For starters, he's the Big Ten record-holder in virtually every passing category. Since 2006, he has more touchdowns, passing yards, and 300-yard games than any other NFL quarterback, he's eclipsed the 5,000 passing yard season-marker five times in his career, where no other NFL quarterback has achieved this more than once. He's a Super Bowl Champion, MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, and the list goes on. Off the field, Brees owns dozens of franchises, including Dunkin' Donuts, Jimmy John's, Title Boxing Club, and others. He's invested in tech startups, most recently leading a $10mm seed round with a Louisiana-based food delivery startup, Waitr. His investment thesis is tight. In Episode 13, Drew and I talk about recovering from career-threatening injuries, his crossover skill sets from NFL captain and quarterback to business operator and investor, and what characteristics he looks for from founders in pitch meetings as well as rookies in the NFL. Welcome to Suiting Up Podcast, where I interview athletes, media executives, team owners, and other key stakeholders about the duality of the modern professional athlete, their startup investing appetite, other strategic investments, NewCos, social media influencing, creative marketing and digital strategy. Today’s athlete, whether active or retired, is continuously redefining what it means to be a professional on and off the field.

“Athletes are crossover stars in business, fashion, media, news, you name it.” The business of sports has changed. Athletes have more leverage than ever, ownership groups and labor lawyers are restructuring their Collective Bargaining Agreements, brands are paying more in endorsement dollars, and media spends are being governed by social media influence. In Episode 12, I sit down with the head of Bloomberg Sports Business to discuss the overarching landscape. Bloomberg Media is the largest global business news platform, powered by 2,700 journalists and analysts across 120 countries. Scott Soshnick has written major breaking and news headlines for over 120 publications, and we discuss some of his favorites on the show. Welcome to Suiting Up Podcast, where I interview athletes, media executives, team owners, and other key stakeholders about the duality of the modern professional athlete, their startup investing appetite, other strategic investments, NewCos, social media influencing, creative marketing and digital strategy. Today’s athlete, whether active or retired, is continuously redefining what it means to be a professional on and off the field.

"We spend hours in prep and research for each guest on our show." Last week, we published our 10th episode of Suiting Up. It's been a year since my co-creator, Tyler Steinhardt, and I first ideated a podcast theme, built a plan, and began to take our first measured steps towards execution. No matter the business, taking your concept to actionable steps is challenging. Funding the product creation cycle is risky. Going to market is rare. Acquiring customers (or in our case, listeners) is hard. In episode 11, Tyler and I invite you behind-the-scenes to talk about when, why and how we created the show, what we've learned, and the challenges that lie ahead. From founding tech-centric startups, to deploying strategic investments to leveraging social media and building a digital brand, today’s athlete, whether active or retired, is continuously redefining what it means to be a professional off the playing surface. Welcome to Suiting Up with Paul Rabil.

One of the best goal scorers of the modern era, this 6'5 250 pound attackman has played professionally in Colorado, Maryland, Philadelphia, and New York. He won a Gold Medal at the 2010 Federation of International Lacrosse World Championships, and co-founded Hex Performance, a athleisure detergent designed for the active person. As a pro lacrosse player and entrepreneur, Drew Westervelt spends close to half of his time in transit; from playing in games, to raising money for his business, testing product, and meeting with retailers. In between, Drew discovered that traditional detergent was no longer effective for cleaning our synthetic workout fabrics - so he found a solution. I love the ingenuity of athletes that crossover into business. They attack a concept much like they would their physical training or opposition's defensive schemes. Drew gives us an inside look at the ebbs and flows of entrepreneurship, and which acquired skillsets in sports have aided his entrepreneurial spirit. Welcome to Suiting Up, where professional lacrosse player, operator and investor, Paul Rabil, talks to influencers within the world of sports to examine the modern duality of a professional athlete.

"I want to be real. I want to be authentic. I don't want to endorse something that I don't do myself." Many know our next guest from turning around the NBA's 2012 New York Knicks Season. Growing up in Palo Alto, he was the Northern California HS Basketball Player of the Year, graduated as a four-year starter from Harvard, and went undrafted in the NBA. Now playing for the Brooklyn Nets, Jeremy Lin, is the NBA's first player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent. Lin's social media audience amasses over 20 million followers, he's an investor in several startups, has a participatory stake in esports, and runs the Jeremy Lin Foundation, which loves and serves children, by providing hope, empowerment and leadership development. In this episode, Jeremy and I talk about how he prepares for games in the most traveled pro sports league on the planet, why he does business with family, as well as the media and endorsement frenzy that ensued from Linsanity. He sold more jerseys and appeared on more consecutive Sports Illustrated covers than any other NBA player not named Michael Jordan. Even the Global Language Monitor declared 'Linsanity' had met it’s criteria to be considered an English-language word. Welcome to Suiting Up, where professional lacrosse player, operator and investor, Paul Rabil, talks to influencers within the world of sports to examine the modern duality of a professional athlete.

"When you're challenged, you find out the most about yourself." Angela Ruggiero is one of the most decorated American Olympians of all time. She competed in four Olympics, playing defense for the women's ice hockey team. Today, she's a member of the International Olympic Committee, serving on the Executive Board as its Chairperson of the Athletes' Commission. Angela Co-Founded and is a Managing Partner of the Sports Innovation Lab, a market research and advisory firm focused on the intersection of sports and innovation. She's the exemplary modern athlete. During the episode we discuss Olympic selection, gender disparity in sports, her decision to go to Harvard Business School, and how that's positioned her well in business. Also, find out the mobile apps on her home screen, and why she strives for 9 hours of rest and still trains regularly. Welcome to Suiting Up, where professional lacrosse player, operator and investor, Paul Rabil, talks to influencers within the world of sports to examine the modern duality of a professional athlete.

Miles Chamley-Watson (MCW) was born in London in 1989. He's taken a non-traditional route to a Top 10 world ranking fencer, now Team USA member, and competitor in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. He's 6'5, 185 lbs, an African British-American, with dyed blonde hair and tattoos head-to-toe. Definitely not your stereotypical fencer. That's what makes MCW stand out to us. He's pushing an archaic sport to all new heights, leveraging mass sponsorship deals with Nike, Red Bull, GoPro, and now approaching Japanese-based brands, where fencing is considered a mainstream sport. MCW has vision. He's grown his social media presence by 10x over the past 18 months, far beyond his fencing peers (follow him on instagram @MChamleyWatson). His duality? MCW is also a model, represented by IMG Modeling Agency. He's done global campaigns and has been featured on a 300 foot Times Square Billboard. We discuss all of the aforementioned, including time management, training schedules, and the complex of winning and losing amidst promotional growth.

“Make sure you have the right teammates and trust them to do their job.” In 2009, DeMaurice Smith was unanimously elected as the NFL Players’ Associations Executive Director. Since then, he’s structured a new league CBA, created a $160M annual marketing division, co-founded ACE Media, and engineered the first athlete-driven accelerator, One Team Collective. Smith is empowering the modern day athlete and entrepreneur through education, new platforms, and better working conditions. Throughout our conversation, Smith dives deep into the transactional trenches of negotiations with Roger Goodell, but it’s his advice on mentorship and transformational teaching that’s most impressive. Welcome to Suiting Up, where professional lacrosse player, operator and investor, Paul Rabil, talks to influencers within the world of sports to examine the modern duality of a professional athlete.

"Be courageous enough to stop worrying about being perfect." In this episode, we talk about leadership through adversity, playing in the moment, avoiding underselling yourself, and focusing on the significance of what you do - rather than calculating your success in wins and losses. Julie Foudy is a two-time FIFA Women's World Cup Champion and Olympic gold medalist. She played for Team USA for 17 years, registering 271 caps (on-field appearances). She captained the teams' she played for, was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, and became the first female ever to be awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award. Today, Julie's a lead color commentator for men's and women's soccer on ESPN, a SportsCenter anchor, and best-selling author of her new book, Choose to Matter: Being Courageously and Fabulously YOU. She's energetic, articulate, intellectually curious, and funny. Welcome to Suiting Up, where professional lacrosse player, operator and investor, Paul Rabil, talks to influencers within the world of sports to examine the modern duality of a professional athlete.

“Scared money doesn’t make money.” Forsett was undersized by most NFL standards, especially for one of the most grueling positions in the league. He's disciplined, motivated, thoughtful, and intelligent. Yet these are only a few of the characteristics that helped the 5 foot 8 running back cut, duck, and spin through NFL defenses. Forsett led a dual life as an NFL running back and co-founder of Shower Pill - athletic body wipes developed for post-workout cleansing when showers aren't readily available. Now fresh off retirement, Forsett and I discuss the challenges of building a business, raising money, marketing, and product sell-through. His approach and mindset is fascinating. Notable, and former all-everything San Francisco 49er, Ronnie Lott, is his business mentor. Welcome to Suiting Up, where professional lacrosse player, operator and investor, Paul Rabil, talks to influencers within the world of sports to examine the modern duality of a professional athlete.

She’s widely regarded as one of the all-time greats in tennis. With her younger sister, Serena Williams in a best supporting role, she’s helped usher in a new era of power, athleticism and marketability to the women's professional circuit. Her duality as a successful athlete and entrepreneur can be measured by championships and sales figures, but she would tell you her greatest impact has been made through her activism for gender equality in professional sports. Venus Williams is one of the busiest people in sports business. She’s the CEO of her own athleisure company, Eleven by Venus Williams, and CEO of her commercial interior design business, VStarr Interiors (she’s also a minority owner in the Miami Dolphins). For her, it’s important to have life balance, where she’s committed to a plant-based diet, and loves to dance. Welcome to Suiting Up, where professional lacrosse player, operator and investor, Paul Rabil, talks to influencers within the world of sports to examine the modern duality of a professional athlete.

Matt Hasselbeck is the first NFL player on Twitter. Why? We’ll dig into what makes the former 41-year-old quarterback tick. Three characteristics that stood out: his intellectual curiosity, risk aggression and leadership. He was curious about Twitter, sure. However, how the BC grad got drafted to the Green Bay Packers is another story. In this episode, we’ll talk franchise tagging, contract negotiations, and specific techniques Hasselbeck uses to train his mind and body. Hasselbeck’s now a lead anchor for ESPN’s football coverage. He’s also on the advisory board for wearable tech company, Mc10 Inc. Welcome to Suiting Up, where professional lacrosse player, operator and investor, Paul Rabil, talks to influencers within the world of sports to examine the modern duality of a professional athlete.

“Cutting at the right time is more important than being fast.” Coach Belichick is a man of few words – and very few interviews. Actually, this may be his first podcast ever. He runs the New England Patriots like a lean startup. Belichick is at the top of an org chart that employs the fewest number of staffers of any NFL team, he invests in players’ that fit their winning culture, and focuses team efforts on compartmentalizing tasks – or how he famously puts it: “Do Your Job.” Belichick talks about why Lawrence Taylor was the best football player he’s ever seen. And when it’s all said and done, I think Belichick very well may be considered the best coach of all-time. Welcome to Suiting Up, where professional lacrosse player, operator and investor, Paul Rabil, talks to influencers within the world of sports to examine the modern duality of a professional athlete.

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