It’s mid-October, middle of Q4 so let’s draw some inspiration from a list of recent podcast guests, all of whom have ended up in some pretty amazing spots when they chose to take the unconventional path. As always you can listen to all our pods here.
From Walkon to Super Bowl Champ: We first learned of Ben Malcolmson’s story in a post he had on The Athletic a few weeks ago, so we reached out to learn more about how journalism student became a vital staff member of one of the most influential coaches of the past 20 years, Pete Carroll. It is quite a story…one that is in book form and may soon be a movie. Today Ben is Head of Investor Relations at Trinity Capital, but his remarkable journey took him from reporting for the Daily Trojan at USC where he had a thought about trying out for the team…and made it. He then stayed on with Pete Carroll on his journey to the Seattle Seahawks where he spent 14 years doing a host of things, but maybe most interestingly is helping one of the most intuitive and curious leaders in sport develop his voice on social media. Ben shares the pivotal moments from his time in media, sports, and finance, as well as what it was like to be in the room for a Super Bowl win, along with the invaluable life and leadership lessons he’s gathered along the way. Worth a listen here.
Making Business Sense of the Women’s Sports Boom. We caught up with Ann Kletz, a trailblazer in women’s sports and a seasoned leader with 25 years of experience building and scaling mission-driven companies. We explore the surging momentum behind professional women’s sports leagues, diving into the growing investments, expanding audiences, and the broader cultural impact. It’s a conversation about strategy, opportunity, and the business and investor future of the game from a leader who went from the soccer pitch at Harvard to the investment community and is now marrying things that drive her into the best practices of the startup sports business world.
Leadership On and Off The Field: Want to hear from the fittest coach in America? Listen in as we talk to Fred Quartlebaum, who has had a storied career as a coach and advisor with some of the biggest and most successful men’s basketball programs in the country, beginning with his time as an unlikely Officer coaching with the U.S. Naval Academy to stops at the University of North Carolina, St. John’s, Notre Dame and most recently as Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Kansas where he was a key part of Bill Self’s national champions. Coach Q is recognized not only for his leadership and culture-building expertise but also for being an author and continued mentor to some of the biggest and most successful individuals around college and professional basketball. He shares powerful insights on what it truly means to lead, the daily discipline of ‘showing up’, and how consistency shapes winners, on and off the court. Another solid listen from one who gets it done.
Learning OnThe Path Forward This Week; Montclair, Xaverian, Columbia…and Sister Jean