The Smart Alec Show

#21 Christo Van Rensburg: A Tennis Life - Playing at Wimbledon, Starting Dropshot Series, ATX Open

Wed, 1 Mar 2023 20:00:00 +0000

BIO:

Christo Van Rensburg is a former pro tennis player, hailing from South Africa.

He was ranked #1 in the world in doubles, won 20 top-level doubles titles during his career, including one Grand Slam men’s doubles title in 85’. Christo ranked as high as #19 in the world in singles, and is one of only two men to beat Pete Sampras in straight sets at Wimbledon.

Christo’s wife, Monica van Rensburg (Reinach) also played at Wimbledon, along with her sister, Elna Reinach, making them a truly elite tennis family — but the most humble, welcoming, and incredible people you’ll meet.

Christo and the fam now run “Dropshot Series”, a tennis tournament promotion company hosting pro tennis events in Austin, TX. They’ve hosted several USTA/ ITF level events and are now hosting the very first WTA Tour event — The ATX Open — which is 1 of only 5 women’s only WTA Tour level events in the USA.

Christo runs Dropshot Series with Bryan Sheffield, Tournament Promoter and Founder of DropShot, who also owns stake in MLS team Austin FC, and founded Parsley Energy.

In addition to all this, Christo also gives back to the game by way of coaching — and coaches elite players like Fernanda Contreras Gomez along with having captained South Africa in the Davis Cup, coaching up players like University of Georgia’s Philip Henning.

Connect with Christo:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christo-van-rensburg-23802511/

Find out more about Dropshot Series:

- Website: https://dropshotseries.com

Find out more about ATX Open:

- Event info: https://atxopen.com/event-info/

- Partners & Sponsors: https://atxopen.com/partners/

- Buy Tickets: https://atxopen.com/tickets/

- To watch the ATX Open on TV or via streaming tune into The Tennis Channel!

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atxopen/

- Twitter: https://twitter.com/AtxOpen

Sponsorship Inquiries for ATX Open:

- Contact Unrivaled Group: https://unrivaledgroup.com

Key Topics:

* Christo’s Playing Career

* Competing with top talent and learning from them

* Coaching

* Remembering those who helped you, and giving back to those coming next

* Christo’s adventure into the Tennis Tournament Promotion business

* Dropshot Series

* ATX Open

* Christo meeting his wife

Recorded in September 2022 in Austin, TX.

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=ulGRaagxSBCHROX0OEQCCA

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

(Also available on ALL major audio platforms within the USA as well as most globally.)

#atxopen #atx #tennis

#20 Florian Hemme: Sports Finance & Optimizing Your Performance

alec@smartalecshow.com (Florian Hemme, Alec Alvarez) — Wed, 4 Jan 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Florian Hemme is an expert within the field of sports management and sports finance. Born in Germany, he now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. He holds a business degree, two masters degrees in Human Resource Management and Sports Management, and a PhD in Sports Management from UT Austin. He now lectures on sports finance and other sports industry related topics. I’m honored to have had “Dr. H” on the podcast and been able to chat with him.

Connect with Florian Hemme:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/florianhemme/

Topics Discussed:

What is Sports Finance?
Return on Investment in Sports; difference from other investment vehicles regarding profits
Accounting and Financial maneuvers used uniquely within sports
Financing of stadiums
Different League Structures
More on College Athletics
How To Perform Better
Parenting
Polarization in America
The value of Contemplative Practices like Meditation
Advice for those wanting to work in sports

Recorded on May 23, 2022

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=ulGRaagxSBCHROX0OEQCCA

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

(Also available on ALL major audio platforms within the USA as well as most globally.)

#19 James Santore: Founding Three Two Strategies, The Story of La Salle Baseball, Working in Sports Venture Capital

alec@smartalecshow.com (James Santore, Alec Alvarez) — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 20:41:19 +0000

James Santore is the founder and CEO of Three Two Strategies — a firm based out of Philadelphia offering marketing services and strategic consulting to venture funds, startups, athletes, and more. James is Philadelphia born and raised, played D1 baseball at La Salle University as pitcher, founded the La Salle Legends Foundation, and served as Director of Marketing & Brand Strategy at SeventySix Capital before moving on to work in Chicago with Fubo Gaming as Strategic Partnerships Manager. James serves on the board of Crypto Curr3ntly and also blogs, skates, lifts heavy, and we’re honored to have a legend in the making like him on as a friend of the show.

Connect with James here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessantore/
IG: @jamessantore

Learn more about Three Two Strategies here:

Website: https://www.threetwostrategies.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/32strategies/

Topics Discussed:

James’ upbringing — how fitness has always been top of mind as a way to stay disciplined
James time playing D1 baseball at La Salle:
James career journey:
Mindset:
Philadelphia Eagles v Dallas Cowboys trash talk, pre-season predictions, James’ favorite Philadelphia sports moments
James’ biggest inspirations, advice for those trying to break into the sports industry or start their own businesses, along with tips for leading a happy life

Recorded on July 29th, 2022

#sportsbiz #threetwostrategies #philly #philadelphia #seventysixcapital #fubo #marketing #sportsmarketing

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=ulGRaagxSBCHROX0OEQCCA

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

#18 Kevin Rodriguez: The Role & Influence of the Sports Information Director in College Athletics, Working with UT Volleyball & Baseball

Thu, 8 Dec 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Kevin Rodriguez is a Sports Information Director at The University of Texas at Austin, highly regarded as one of the most competitive collegiate athletic institutions to not only work at, but also regarded as one of the biggest brands in sports and most successful in college athletics, having won the Learfield Director’s Cup the previous 2 years. Kevin is the lead SID for UT baseball and UT Women’s Volleyball, with the former fielding the NCAA Men’s Player of the Year and the latter being regarded as one of the most prestigious volleyball programs in the history of the sport (they’re the #1 lock to win the NCAA 2022 Women’s Volleyball Title). Kevin has done extensive work with these sports and more, directing information and serving as a key liaison between the players, coaching staff, media, and other key sports stakeholders. Kevin graduated with a degree in Mass Communications from Sam Houston State University, where he also served as an SID there for two years, along with having worked with the National Football Foundation and University of Memphis as a Director of Athletic Communications. Above all, Kevin is not only a savant within the sports communications field, but a hilarious and down-to-earth dude who’s helped me learn more about the sports space and gain experience in collegiate athletics.

Connect with Kevin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krodthesid/

Keep up with UT Athletic Teams Kevin Works With:

Texas Volleyball: https://texassports.com/sports/womens-volleyball
Texas Baseball: https://texassports.com/sports/baseball

OUTLINE:

Intro
What a Sports Information Director is and why Kevin wanted to go into Sports Communications
What is the role of an SID within College Athletics?
How crucial are SIDs to the entire athletic program, and specifically the team?
What it’s like working with one of the biggest brands in sports and most famous college athletics program at UT Austin
What keeps Kevin going in the space despite the travels and at times long hours
Advice for those wanting to break into sports communications
Most memorable moments

Recorded on November 30th, 2022

#Sports #sportscommunications #collegeathletics #sportsinformationdirector #sid #texas #longhorns #hookem #texasvolleyball #texasbaseball

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=ulGRaagxSBCHROX0OEQCCA

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

#17 Jeff Zeller: Working across Music, Sports, & Entertainment, The Harvard MBA, Marketing & Partnerships, & Crypto

alec@smartalecshow.com (Jeff Zeller, Alec Alvarez) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 16:02:10 +0000

Jeff Zeller is the Senior Director of NFT Partnerships and Business Operations at Crypto.com. He’s led a career at the intersection of sports, music, technology, culture, and content. Jeff’s worked with iTunes as a Content Producer, A&R as a Creative Intern working with artists such as the late legend AVICII & also found Marshmello during his rise to stardom, along with serving as CEO of “Dancing Astronaut” which was a media company covering the dance and electronic music scene. Jeff went on to work with Sony as digital strategy Chief of Staff, then to ESPN as Director of Entertainment Marketing & Parternships leading partnerships for many properties such as “The Last Dance” with Peloton and Spotify, before moving into the crypto space. Jeff is a graduate of Stanford (where he played tennis), a Harvard MBA grad, and also the founder of AZ Management. Above all, Jeff is an incredible guy, a family man, and legend in the making — and we’re honored to have pontificated on life with him on this episode and call him a friend of the show.

Connect with Jeff:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffzeller/
IG: @jeffzeller ; https://www.instagram.com/jeffzeller/?hl=en
Twitter: @jaz ; https://twitter.com/jaz?lang=en

OUTLINE:

0:00 Foreword
4:10 Start of Conversation
Topics discussed:
Working with iTunes as a Content Producer
Working with the music industry
Working at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and music with ESPN
New adventure into crypto.com
Much more!

Recorded on November 11th, 2022

#harvardmba #partnerships #sportsbiz #crypto #marketing #harvard #nft

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=ulGRaagxSBCHROX0OEQCCA

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

#16 Brandon Rhodes: How Overtime is Disrupting the Sports Industry, Running Biz Dev @ OT, Marketing @ Gatorade, Starting MSBC

alec@smartalecshow.com (Brandon Rhodes, Alec Alvarez, Smart Alec Show) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Brandon Rhodes is the Vice President of Business Development at Overtime, a Forbes 30 Under 30 Recipient, Co-Founder of “Hella Awkward” card game, and Co-Founder of the Michigan Sports Business Conference where he graduated from The University of Michigan’s business school. Brandon’s a strategic business builder and proven brand marketer with a track record of success across consumer products, tech, sports, and media tied to youth culture and worked in Global Brand Activation & Management, and Digital Strategy at PepsiCo’s Gatorade before joining the industry-disrupting Overtime. Above all, Brandon’s an awesome dude paving the way forward for the next generation of leaders within sports business and beyond — we’re honored to bring y’all this conversation with him.

Connect with Brandon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsrhodes/
IG: @overtimebrandon ; https://www.instagram.com/overtimebrandon/?hl=en
Twitter: @overtimebrandon ; https://twitter.com/overtimebrandon?lang=en
Purchase the Hella Awkward card game:

https://hellawkward.com/products/hella-awk-ward

OUTLINE:

Foreword 0:00 - 05:11
Start of conversation 05:11
How Brandon knew he wanted to go the sports route
Time working at Gatorade
Running Business Development at Overtime
Advice for succeeding in the space, getting your foot in the door, and more

Recorded on November 4th, 2022

#overtime #overtimeelite #sportsbiz #gatorade #michigan #msbc

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=ulGRaagxSBCHROX0OEQCCA

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

#15 Cedric Golden: Sports Journalism, Pursuing Your Calling, Covering the Longhorns, UT Football & Sam Ehlinger Colts Predictions

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 15:30:00 +0000

Cedric Golden is a sports columnist writing for the Austin-American Statesman. Cedric primarily covers Austin and Texas-based sports teams, such as The University of Texas at Austin Longhorns, and has covered various iconic sports moments from Texas’ 2005 National Title victory over USC, Super Bowls, College World Series, Final Fours, Title-fights in Vegas, and much more. Cedric is also an electric podcast host serving as co-host of “On Second Thought” with Kirk Bohls, host of Longhorn Confidential, and Longhorn Unfiltered podcasts. Cedric also serves as a professor of sports journalism at The University of Texas at Austin. Hailing from the piney woods of East Texas, Cedric graduated from UT Tyler, and has since led a legendary career as one of the best sports journalists not only in Texas — where he is adorned by the people — but in all of the USA. Above all, Cedric’s not only an inspiration to many, but an even greater person. We’re honored to call him a friend of the show.

Connect with Cedric:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedric-golden-57ab3b21/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CedGolden

Austin American-Statesman: https://www.statesman.com/staff/5875395002/cedric-golden/

Topics Discussed:

What inspired Cedric to become a sports journalist
Seek a calling — not just a job
The path to becoming a leading journalist
What it was like covering the Cowboys vs Bills Super Bowl, meeting Stephen A. Smith and Mike Tirico early on in their careers
Keys to succeeding as a sports journalist
Cedric’s favorite moments of his sports journalism career:
What makes University of Texas’ RB Bijan Robinson so special?
Predictions for the rest of the UT Longhorns Football 2022 Season
Thoughts on the current state of the culture and program of UT Football under Coach Steve Sarkisian
Preview of Sam Ehlinger getting his first start in Indianapolis for the Colts this coming Sunday 10-30-22 — Cedric’s big piece he is writing on Ehlinger and his family to come soon
Much more

Recorded on October 28th, 2022 in Austin, TX

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=ulGRaagxSBCHROX0OEQCCA

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

#14 Matthew Collette: Producing Sportscenter, Winning Sports Emmys at FOX, Breaking into the Sports Production World

alec@smartalecshow.com (Alec Alvarez) — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 12:30:00 +0000

#14 Matthew Collette: Producing Sportscenter, Winning Sports Emmys at FOX, Breaking into the Sports Production World | Smart Alec Show

Matthew Collette is an Emmy-winning executive producer with over a decade of experience within the sports media space — from live studio production, original content, show running, and building streaming channels, Matthew is one of the foremost production leaders in the sports media industry. An alum of Virginia Tech, Mathew began his career in production with the greatest TV show off all time — SportsCenter on ESPN —, then produced Olbermann on ESPN, before going on to win multiple Sports Emmy nominations and Awards as a Producer & Showrunner for “Garbage Time with Katie Nolan” on FOX Sports. He then added to the incredible resume having worked as a Coordinating Producer at IMG, a Senior Producer at Yahoo Sports, and now leads sports production as Executive Producer of Sports at the innovative B2B streaming giant coined “the next billion dollar company” at Atmosphere TV. Aside from a legendary career and incredible background of knowledge on production and the sports media space, Matthew is the most humble, easy-going, and incredible dude, that we’re honored to say is a friend of the show.

Check out Atmosphere TV here: https://www.atmosphere.tv

Connect with Matthew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-collette-33b22135

Topics discussed:

The importance of giving people opportunity — how Matt was given an opportunity at Sportscenter and turned it into a very successful career. We never know where the next major talent is going to come from and should give people their shot
How to seize the moment and take advantage of opportunity when you get your foot in the door
Advice for breaking into sports production
What it was like working at ESPN’s HQ Bristol campus — what it was like running around campus to produce SportsCenter, Olbermann, and more
What it felt like to produce Katie Nolan’s “Garbage Time” podcast at FOX Sports and not only get nominated for Sports Emmy’s but WIN multiple Sports Emmy’s
His favorite moments and memories from his time at ESPN
His time at Yahoo Sports, IMG
The growth of Austin as a city
Programming
The evolution of the Sports Media landscape
Atmosphere TV
Much more

Recorded in September 2022

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=ulGRaagxSBCHROX0OEQCCA

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

#13 Giovanni MontesDeOca: The Path to Playing Pro Soccer, Family, Discipline in High-Achievers

alec@smartalecshow.com (giovanni montesdeoca, smart alec show, Alec Alvarez) — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 09:35:00 +0000

#13 Giovanni MontesDeOca: The Path to Playing Pro Soccer, Family, Discipline in All High-Achievers

Giovanni MontesDeOca is a professional footballer/ soccer player for Union Omaha of United States Soccer League (USL), League One. Gio was drafted into the Major League Soccer (MLS) 2021 Draft by his hometown club, FC Dallas — where he played in their academy at the highest level of youth soccer — and completed a life-long dream of making it to the pinnacle of American futbol. Gio — born into a family of soccer — served as team captain of the University of North Carolina men’s soccer team at the Division 1 NCAA level, previously played at the prestigious soccer program at Jesuit College Preparatory High School (Texas UIL 6A State Champions 2010 & 2017) before going on to play FC Dallas Youth Academy, and grew up playing for his family’s independent club, Wizard’s FC.

Connect with Gio:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovannimontesdeoca

IG: https://instagram.com/giovannimdo10?igshid=NTlmMWMyMzg=

Topics discussed:

The path to pro soccer — from the competitive youth level, high school, academy, D1 NCAA, onto the MLS & it’s minor league professional teams in the USL
Importance of support systems allowing one to achieve success
Discipline, grit, passion for success in any human endeavor
Overcoming and persevering through injury
The crossroads every athlete comes to when deciding whether to hang up the cleats; athlete identity
Much more, enjoy!

#12 Mike Peterson: Entrepreneurship, Building Wealth, Overcoming Depression

alec@smartalecshow.com (Michael S Peterson, Alec Alvarez) — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 12:30:00 +0000

Michael S. Peterson — known to as “Mike”— is a Managing Director at Pemberton Economic Group & a Professor at UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business, where he teaches entrepreneurship classes centered on topics like FinTech, Internet of Things, New Venture Creation, & more. Mike graduated from Brigham Young with his MBA & also holds an MS in Technology Commercialization from UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business. Mike has worked on 9+ ventures with market potential upwards of $7B+ & is an entrepreneurship & business theory savant. Above all, Mike is not only a friend of the show, but an inspiration to many in having overcome entrepreneurial obstacles & depression. In his life, classes, & this episode he shows great courage through vulnerably sharing his story & sharing actionable steps for how he overcame these mental health troubles & now leads a fulfilled life.

“Despite the challenges along the way, the journey is still worth it — we are here to become something more, not to just get things or buy things but to really become & go on the journey of becoming the best versions of ourselves” - Mike Peterson

Connect with Mike Peterson:

* mikep.pro/book

* How to Become a Professor from non-traditional path

* michaelspeterson.com

* https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikepetersonmba/

OUTLINE:

0:00 Foreword & Intro

4:12 Mike’s previous businesses & his favorite venture

11:45 Biggest takeaways from Mike’s 9 ventures

- Positives:

- Growth happens during discomfort

- Meeting brilliant people

- Negatives

- 12:55 “Don’t let schooling get in the way of your education”

15:46 "Safe” traditional path guy v college drop-out entrepreneur

- Misunderstandings of risk

- Perception of safety & security in corporate is false

- Side hustle = great hedge against losing 9-5 income, $$$, & transferable skills making you a better employee & shedding spotlight on a project outside of traditional work

- 20:31 You can bring side hustle lessons & perspectives to your 9-5 team or personal life

21:31 Risk orientation of entrepreneurs & “unconscious confidence” that makes them doers

- “Entrepreneurs are people who try to get things done & are oblivious to resources needed to get these things done”

- Tips for success

- The company started at Brigham Young to combat “sudden infant death syndrome” that went public after 10 years & they got rich

27:01 What’s the underlying key ingredient to persevere in entrepreneurship?

28:11 The importance of having equity in building wealth (vs just being on salary or an hourly wage)

- Entrepreneurship enhances the opportunity to impact lives of people on your team i.e. providing job opportunities to people you know

- Alec’s dad: Entrepreneurship is about creating opportunity for not only yourself but OTHER PEOPLE as stated above^

33:17 The dark side of entrepreneurship

- Mike’s struggles with mental health, family life, finances, & more

- Low success probabilities

- Importance of Iteration

- 33:00 Battling deep depression

39:01 Is the source of this rampant depression in many males because of mens’ identity being tied to success & their ability to put food on the table? What are the implications of tying our self-worth to financial success?

- 41:01 Success is not linear.”

- Transcendental theory & detachment theory within this context

43:50 How Mike was able to see the beauty of life again:

- Practical actions to overcome depression

- 46:14 Importance of Writing

- “The Jordan Peterson journaling program —

- What’s life going to be like for me in 5 years if I continue on the path I am on?

- What do you want life to be like?

- The “mental cookie jar”

50:43 “We need you, we need your contributions.”

- empathy & understanding from those who’ve lived it = crucial & inspirational to help those struggling right now

53:00 Value of Practical Natural Tactics to Improve Mental Health before going straight to medication

- practical applications

56:10 Do we delay our happiness too much in the American culture? “Once I have XYZ I’ll be happy….."

- Power of gratitude in Mike overcoming depression

- Utility of the gratitude journal

- Law of Attraction

1:06:42 “Last remarks: despite the challenges along the way, the journey is still worth it…”

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=Zr4Fmx2nR6mqaeWNpFCfQQ&dl_branch=1

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Recorded in January 2022

#11 - Rebecca Feferman: Entertainment PR, Sports Media, Starting SXSports & “The FefCo”

alec@smartalecshow.com (rebecca feferman, alec alvarez) — Tue, 24 May 2022 11:30:00 +0000

Rebecca Feferman has worked at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and culture in PR, strategy, production, content, BD, and brand management for a number of years. She founded her consultancy — “The FefCo” — and has worked with clients like Katie Nolan, MSG Networks, Bill Simmons, SA Spurs, & many more. Prior, she produced a Beto O’Rourke documentary that aired on HBO, worked with SXSW and started SXSports, and before that worked for ID Public Relations in LA representing clients like John Krasinski, Casey Affleck, and more. She first broke into the industry with Warner Bros. Pictures after graduating from University of Michigan. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, she now also serves on the Advisory Council for the UT Austin Center for Sports Communication & Media and also lectures at UT Austin. In addition to her lengthy and outstanding background, she’s a hilarious and witty person, a friend of the show, and an amazing person.

Connect with Rebecca:

Website: thefefco.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccafeferman/

IG: @thefefco; https://www.instagram.com/thefefco/

Timestamps:

0:00 Foreword

2:15 Intro

3:41 How Fef helped produce a Beto O’Rourke Documentary

6:59 How Rebecca started the infamous “blue-out” tradition at The University of Michigan

13:33 What it was like working in Public Relations with companies like Warner Bros. and big names like Casey Affleck and John Krasinski?

Working on epic movies: Oceans 11, Matrix revolutions, Mystic River with Clint Eastwood, + more

24:34 The funniest person Fef worked with and the wildest story of her time working in the industry

27:41 How Fef started SXSports during her time working with SXSW

36:45 What it was like working with names like Ronda Rousey, Megan Rapinoe, and more through SXSports

38:21 How Fef moved to Austin to work on herself after years of focusing more on her career; implications of self-development vs work prioritization in society, advice from Fef

41:59 The one constant in Fef’s career that’s allowed her to accomplish anything she’s been doing
46:01 Value of self-awareness; There is no correct path, there’s only your path

47:30 What Fef wishes she would’ve known earlier in her career

49:18 What The FefCo does, what it’s like having worked with clients like Bill Simmons and Katie Nolan

53:35 What Fef thinks about the future trajectory of the sports media space?

A new culture that wants to feel personally spoken to, niche authentic audiences

55:37 What are some skills that people should work on that want to work in and break into the entertainment space?

56:59 Fef’s thoughts on “Women in Sports”

1:01:16 Last tips for people trying to break into the sports industry

Podcast info:

Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com
RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=Zr4Fmx2nR6mqaeWNpFCfQQ&dl_branch=1
Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268
Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Recorded in November 2020

#10 - Chris Aarons: Digital Marketing, Branding, Consumer Psychology, Celeb Encounters

alec@smartalecshow.com (Alec Alvarez) — Mon, 9 May 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Chris Aarons is a digital marketing expert running his own consultancy — Chris Aarons Strategy + Marketing. He’s a lecturer at UT Austin and St. Edward’s University, has an MBA from Pepperdine Business School, and above all is an incredible guy. Uncannily knowledgable on topics ranging from sports, fashion, music, food, cocktails, and almost anything else, Chris is not only a friend of the show but perhaps the most easy-going and cool professor of all time.

Connect with Chris:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caarons/

Website: https://www.chrisaarons.com

Timestamps real:

0:00 Intro

0:55 Chris’s expertise in Digital Marketing, why he pivoted out of Public Relations and finds Marketing a lot better

4:39 How Chris leveraged influencer marketing in its infancy in the 2000s

7:40 The Evolution of Social Media, “Social Dilemma”, the Kardashians commanding millions of $ per post, is this all good or bad?

9:57 What makes good digital marketing?

“The Right brand, doing the right things at the right time, worthy of evangelism”

12:11 What makes a brand worthy of evangelism?

Brand loyalty and brand persona implications
17:30 iPhone v android, Apple’s investment into psychology and optimization of the Apple experience
18:40 The most powerful brands that don’t even market their product

19:11 How humans being “narcissistic bastards” plays into marketing?

We love ourselves; it’s hard to buy things that don’t resonate with with us
Social proof that resonates serves as a mental shortcut to purchase

26:53 Russell Westbrook trying to get a triple-double in a charity game

30:59 Chris meeting Colin Kaepernick

Why he started kneeling
36:08 “The simple answer is rarely the best answer”

38:32 Chris’s favorite vodka, admiration for the hard seltzer category’s emergence and marketing in recent years

40:10 NBA 2021 Champion Prediction

42:23 Chris’s advice for those trying to break into digital marketing

Podcast info:

Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com
RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=Zr4Fmx2nR6mqaeWNpFCfQQ&dl_branch=1
Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268
Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Recorded in December 2020

#9 - Mayer Estinville: How to Break Into Banking, Passion for Financial Literacy

alec@smartalecshow.com (mayer estinville, alec alvarez, smart alec show) — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 23:30:00 +0000

Mayer Estinville is currently a business analyst at AT Kearney, and a former two-time intern with Goldman Sachs, along with having interned with Prudential Financial, NABA, and more. Mayer was born in Haiti before moving to NYC as a kid, where he graduated at Baruch College in Manhattan with his Bachelors of Business Administration. Due to his upbringing in Haiti, he’s passionate about financial literacy and bringing more knowledge of the topic to his community, while providing financial stability to his family, his people, and giving back in more ways. Mayer’s incredibly versed in the topics of finance, business, and methods to live fulfilled and happy via optimism and other mental tactics — but above all, he’s a great friend of mine and someone who inspires me to do better everyday. I share a brief conversation of us in hope he inspires you all too.

Connect with Mayer:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayer-estinville-4a7b3b14a/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kingmayster/

Timestamps:

0:00 intro

1:08 NYC in 2020

4:16 Why Mayer chose finance instead of the medical route like his family, how he got to Goldman Sachs

8:18 How to follow up with professionals after hitting it off

10:52 How Mayer became an NBA fan whilst living in Haiti as a child

11:41 LeBron Inc — how Maverick Carter, Rich Paul, and Paul Wachter have aided LBJ in the safer investments of brand monetization vs traditional risky investments (how Arnold Schwarzennager first did this)

17:05 How important college organizations play in helping one break into an industry

20:45 “Show me your friends I’ll show you your future” — you are the sum of who you hang around

23:09 Growing up in Haiti vs living in NYC

25:51 Mayer’s work with Goldman Sachs

29:15 Why banks are so secretive, even internally

32:00 Alec gets honest about ESPN

38:53 The democratization of financial literacy and info in the digital age, how people and corporate players must keep pace

40:05 What do we need to do to push for more financial literacy?

Why Mayer is passionate about financial literacy, and how sees it as the opportunity to provide his other family members with the opportunity to pursue passion by having financial stability

46:13 Why people should really question themselves on what it is they really want to do

47:23 Volatility in the markets in 2020, new trends in investing amidst the digital age

51:55 Be cautious of “investment gurus”

56:16 How Mayer overcame adversity when first stepping into the elite financial sector of Corporate America

Ways to overcome imposter syndrome
Importance of authenticity to self despite potentially making others initially uncomfortable
1:07:01 Mayer’s one discriminatory encounter with a peer during his internship

1:14:00 Rapid fire segment

1:14:32 long Bitcoin?
1:16:47 NBA GOAT = Wilt Chamberlain?
1:17:04 Pineapple on pizza?
1:17:32 Ronaldinho or Pele the GOAT of futbol?

1:19:00 Mayer’s next steps signing with AT Kearney as a management consultant

1:20:31 Why Mayer switched from banking to consulting

Podcast info:

Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com
RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=Zr4Fmx2nR6mqaeWNpFCfQQ&dl_branch=1
Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268
Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Recorded in December 2020

#8 - Deontre Gray: Sports Marketing at NBA on ESPN, Operating with Authenticity

alec@smartalecshow.com (deontre gray, alec alvarez) — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 16:00:00 +0000

Deontre Gray is currently a Creative Ad Solutions Manager at Roku Inc. At the time of this recording, he was working with the NBA on ESPN live sports marketing team, where he’d worked in digital + brand marketing at ESPN for nearly 4 years. Deontre is a former student-athlete from The Ohio State University where he studied business and ran track & field. He also interned with the athletic department there through multiple roles and previously worked with IMG College in marketing. Deontre Gray is an entertainment and sports marketing savant and friend of the show. But above all, he’s someone who’s dedicated to giving back to the community and achieving his definition of success by helping others and carving out his own legacy as such.

“Success is measured by how many people you bless.” - Tre

Connect with Tre:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deontre-gray/

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

0:55 Running Track & Field at Ohio State, other now-famous athletes he interacted with during that era

4:01 What took Deontre from collegiate student-athlete to working in sports marketing at ESPN

9:55 What Deontre did to make sure he landed an ESPN internship

12:10 How authenticity differentiates you when networking; don’t just be transactional

15:24 What Tre did in first ESPN internship role in Consumer Insights & Corporate Citizenship

23:05 How Deontre secured a full-time ESPN role after his internship; How to ensure you get a full-time return offer from your internship

31:46 Biggest factors when weighing whether working at ESPN vs other companies Tre had offers at

33:53 How NYC was for Tre when he first moved there

37:52 Deontre’s work as a marketer for the NBA on ESPN

45:02 Tre’s proudest project from his time on the NBA on ESPN Marketing team:

“More Than Just A Game” campaign amidst the turbulence of summer 2020

49:25 What’s it like working at such a large company (ESPN within the greater Walt Disney Company) in terms of getting things done quickly?

52:19 Tre’s thoughts and perspective on things like imposter syndrome, being the only person of color in a meeting etc. within corporate America, and how to overcome it

56:15 How to leverage being one of the only minorities in a corporate meeting to bring new ideas and your culture’s unique perspectives to what your company is doing

57:46 As a minority, is it an added responsibility to make sure your culture is represented when you’re working within corp. America?

Some people view it as a con:
You can flip this into a pro:
59:45 Articulate your perspective for those who can’t see from that lens

1:00:16 How NBA will evolve over the next decade — international growth, the future of “One and Done”

1:04:04 Three skills someone needs to wield to succeed in sports marketing

1:05:58 Top 3 NBA players of all time

1:08:44 LeBron Inc book, how GOAT debates are hard due to evolution of modern sports medicine and increased player longevity

1:10:15 Will Luka or Zion have a better career

1:12:29 Who the best rapper in sports is

1:14:02 The Three Biggest Motivators in Tre’s Life

1:15:32 “Success is measured by how many people you bless.”
1:16:09 Overlooked forms of currency that are paramount to life

1:16:39 conclusion

Podcast info:

Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com
RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=Zr4Fmx2nR6mqaeWNpFCfQQ&dl_branch=1
Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268
Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Recorded in February 2021

#7 - Xavi Acosta: Working at Austin FC, Soccer Ops, Sports Management Studies

alec@smartalecshow.com (alec alvarez, xavi acosta, smart alec show) — Fri, 8 Apr 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Xavi Acosta is a Membership Service Executive at Austin FC of Major League Soccer. He’s a current graduate student of Sport Management at UT Austin, where he also graduated at age 19 with his bachelor’s degree in Sport Management. He holds multiple tactical certifications in the soccer/ fútbol operations space from FC Barcelona’s Innovation Hub University as well as Nacsport. Xavi is not only a good friend of the show, but an awesome teammate on the soccer pitch and a great person well on his way to accomplishing his dreams at an early stage in his career and life.

TRANSCRIPT/ TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Introduction

2:34 - How Xavi graduated college at age 19

7:03 - What Xavi learned in sports management studies that help in his role at Austin FC now

10:45 - Austin FC anticipation before 1st season

16:28 - Structure of MLS expansion & operations vs European models of promotion/ relegation, talk on Liga MX & soccer politics

20:25 - Xavi’s favorite soccer teams & coach across MX, Europe, South America

31:37 - Xavi’s recommendations for people trying to break into the sports/ soccer industry

41:15 - How Xavi feels living out his childhood dream of working in pro soccer

“There’s a difference between having a goal and having a dream”

44:41 - What is soccer ops and how does one transition into this side of the industry?

49:10 - Impact working within his passion has on his work ethic

52:50 - How Xavi got into the Masters of Science in Sports Management program at UT and what it’s like

58:18 - Who’s the soccer GOAT

1:05:36 - 3 things someone working in sports ops has to have to succeed

Recorded Feb. 2021

#6 - David Quintanilla: Ethics in Business, Education System Flaws, Law School

alec@smartalecshow.com (alec alvarez, david quintanilla, smart alec show) — Mon, 4 Apr 2022 11:25:00 +0000

David Quintanilla is a lecturer of Business Law & Ethics at The University of Texas and co-owner of Cavanaugh Quintanilla PLLC. “Mr. Q” has served as a VP of Legal & Finance in the healthcare industry, CFO of his family’s business in the restaurant industry, as well as having worked within the non-profit space. He received his BA in Government at UT, his law degree from St. Mary’s University, and his Masters in Public Policy & Philosophy from the London School of Economics. Above all, Mr. Q is not only a friend of the show but an amazing person dedicated to making the world a better place.

Connect with Mr. Q here:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-quintanilla-8b666784/

TRANSCRIPT:

0:00- 1:09 Intro

1:09 Mr. Q being Alec’s first and only Latino professor in college — what does that say about where we need to go as a country, state, community?

3:03 Mr. Q’s legal expertise in helping people create businesses and plan estates; Moving from working with the family business to discovering his passion for teaching

8:19 What’s important to know for someone trying to find what their meant to do?

Difficulty of being young & not knowing
Implications of school systems making kids specialize as early as 12 years old

15:38 Find what you’re good at & enjoy, makes you money, and what makes the world a better place — imagine a Venn diagram

16:16 The daunting decision 18 year olds are tasked with — what do I want to do with my studies and my life

17:30 Process of elimination and looking at intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation to aid decision making

18:10 Is there a problem with the education system steering kids towards specializing and pigeon-holing themselves into a specific career path as early as age 12?

21:32 Mr. Q’s perspective on how coming from places of privilege/ financial stability allow certain parents to tell their kids to go pursue happiness and passion

24:04 The utility and power of seeing different perspectives and being empathetic towards multiple

25:28 The world isn’t just black and white — there’s plenty of grey area. Why it’s important to ask what’s around the corner

28:29 The importance of unity as human beings despite differences in perspectives and belief systems

30:15 The toughest things Mr. Q teaches with regards to ethics and morality in his business law teachings

Loyalty vs honesty
Walking through everything
Shitty answers vs a shitty answers
“The best answer is rarely the easiest answer”

38:51 The effects of GroupThink, Conformity Bias, and Self-Confirmation Bias

Benefits to thinking for yourself

44:23 The 50s-70s responding to hippie culture by saying “no everything exists within this strict box”; Boxed in ideology and the flaws of this way of thinking

The benefits of putting ideas/ beliefs through analysis

45:40 Gone Baby Gone’s ethical dilemma: 2 tough decisions making us question where we draw the line in society on certain issues and who gets to make those choices

50:45 The importance of recognizing that our way of life isn’t the only way of life; Dangers of saying that “my world view should be someone else’s reality”

52:00 The slippery slope of making bad choices = “Incrementalism”

53:00 Alec’s journey of walking through the perspective of pessimism/ baggage and coming back to his belief in resiliency and optimism, how putting his ideology through the gauntlet yielded more confidence in his original belief than prior

We must think of issues at an individual level AND at a macro level

58:21 What is law school really like

1:09:12 Dallas vs Austin

1:12:35 Characteristics of a good lawyer

Integrity on integrity on integrity

1:14:35 Mr. Q’s 3 biggest motivators in life

Podcast info:

Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com
RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=Zr4Fmx2nR6mqaeWNpFCfQQ&dl_branch=1
Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268
Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

Connect with Alec on Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realsmartalec/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/1alecalvarez
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesmartalec/

Recorded in January 2021

#5 - Walter Tchougoue: How to Land Internships in Sports, Industry Trends, How Curiosity & Ambition Open Doors

alec@smartalecshow.com (walter tchougoue, alec alvarez) — Tue, 8 Feb 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Walter Tchougoue is an MBA & MS of Sports Management Candidate at UMass Amherst. Walter’s already had an illustrious background in the world of sports business having worked with Under Armor, Morgan Stanley, Must Love Sports, Blue Wire Podcasts, Wassermann, the NBA, Thirty Five Ventures, CSM Sport & Entertainment, & currently serves as a grad research assistant at the Laboratory for Inclusion & Diversity in Sport at the Mark H. McCormack Dept. of Sport Management. Walt is an avid fan & savant of sports, particularly basketball, is extremely well-acclimated in the field of sports business, & is a hilarious & authentic guy. Connect with Walter & follow his career/ personal journey at: Instagram: https://instagram.com/walt.tt?utm_medium=copy_link Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waltertchougoue/ OUTLINE: - 0:00 Intro - 1:22 How Walter has used curiosity, ambition, & networking as his recipe for continuously finding opportunities within the business world since a young age - 3:43 Walt’s studies, being born in Cameroon, speaking French, & his parents pushing for him to go the traditional path (i.e. being a doctor or lawyer) - 6:45 Walter’s thoughts on Wasserman & Under Armour after interning at both; Fro consumer of a product to working with the business behind that same product - 9:07 Walt’s role with Wasserman as a “brands & properties intern” working on the AT&T brand retainer account - 12:23 Walt’s participation in the “Must Love Sports (MLS)” Program that was started by Raleigh Anne Grey - Panels & projects with major sports brands - 13:40 When Jay Williams spoke to MLS - 18:04 How the brands & partnerships space has evolved in today’s digitally connected world - 20:00 People are more multidimensional now - 20:35 Walt’s Brand Ambassadorship with 35 Ventures (KD’s venture capital firm with arms in media, tech, sports, & more), what Kevin Durant & his agent Rich Kleiman are doing in the industry - 26:06 DMV & PG County area NBA talent - 27:16 Fandom of players not only for their skill but for their personality in today’s world; panel at Wassermann talking about getting away from the notion of looking at athletes as machines & people without emotions & experiences - 31:03 Movement towards appreciation for authenticity & letting people be themselves - 31:29 Rich Kleiman’s story & journey as business mogul - 33:30 Future growth for the sports industry around: betting, memorabilia, & awareness of business opportunities & back-end roles - 34:00 How sports helped Alec grow as a person - 35:40 Leveraging unpaid internships - Depends on finances but for him it wasn’t about the $ but about fun & learning - 38:06 Importance of enjoying the process, prioritizing purpose and intrinsic motivation over solely profit & extrinsic gain - 40:22 NBA Future Sales Stars Program Experience - 42:10 How Walt balances all these internships - 43:20 Do you have to hustle more than your counterparts if you’re a minority in the space? - 44:45 Nepotism in the industry - 45:20 “The Victory Machine” — most feared GMs in NBA = the self-made club; didn’t make it through nepotism but instead by hard work - 46:45 Importance of having a driving force behind why we do things, it’s bigger than ourselves - 48:15 Walt’s Bluewire internship - 51:00 What’s AJ Vaynerchuck (Gary Vee’s brother) like as opposed to his brother Gary V? - 53:45 “People will accept nostalgia if you make it contemporary & cool” - 55:00 What Kobe’s future as a business mogul would’ve been — an eclipse of his basketball career; plans to go head2head with Nike before passing away - 58:20 The Mamba Mentality, how things learned on the field/ court can be carried into other contexts of life (family, school, work, etc.) - Kobe approached life with the same intensity everywhere - basketball - business - family - going to war - but also having self-love & self-respect - competition but with love - 1:00:00 “greatness has a cost” - 1:00:48 How Walter got the Under Armour internship, testing Embiid prototypes - 1:06:22 Imposter Syndrome - 1:07:13 What it was like for him being an HR intern at Under Armor - 1:09:35 The Power of Networking - How curiosity & open-mindedness lead to opened doors - 1:11:23 Rapid fire basketball questions - 1:20:50 Was the NBA bubble ring easier or tougher to achieve? - 1:25:39 Wrap-up - 1:27:08 outro Podcast info: - Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com - RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=Zr4Fmx2nR6mqaeWNpFCfQQ&dl_branch=1 - Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268 - Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99 Connect with Alec on Social: - Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec Recorded in February 2021

#4 - Joel Lulla: Sports Law, ESPN's deals, Cable to DTC, Negotiating Winning Deals

alec@smartalecshow.com (joel lulla, alec alvarez) — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 17:40:00 +0000

Joel Lulla is a professor at The University of Texas at Austin where he lectures on topics around the business of sports and entertainment. Joel graduated law school with honors from UNC, worked with ABC Sports during their peak as the head of their Dept. of Legal & Business Affairs, worked with IMG as lead counsel selling sports media rights, and then ran his own consultancy with clients within the intercollegiate sports media space (among many) such as the Big 12 conference. He also served as the former Chairman of the Committee on Professional Sports of the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, has made appearances on several sports broadcast panels, and has been quoted as a sports media industry expert by numerous publications ranging from ESPN, The New York Times, CBS Sports, the Sports Business Journal, and many more.

OUTLINE:

0:00 Intro

1:45 Different roles Joel has worked in within the sports world

3:07 ABC Sports as the dominant sports broadcast network before ESPN took over

4:41 is ESPN still the sports industry leader in today’s changing marketplace?

They still make by far the most money
From cable to DTC bundles

5:58 Shift towards digital, how ESPN may monetize DTC space with ESPN+

8:05 What it’s really like for a sports lawyer to negotiate big deals

NF is so powerful that there’s not much negotiation, it’s almost like they’re too important and demand their (somewhat) reasonable number

10:52 Things you can do to sway negotiations in your favor and win deals

Look at similar deals elsewhere
Look at the revenue you want to generate
There are really no secrets ie how much your selling commercials for and making money w those rights
You’re just trying to come to reasonable understanding with other sides without pulling any fast ones

13:40 How bringing integrity and objective facts to deals and operating in good faith leads to landing better deals for the long-term

preparation and dedication to your position/ interests + fairness, honesty and facts = you land good deals

15:14 How to not only break into the sports space but stay and lead a successful career

18:16 Characteristics a lawyer in sports space must have to succeed

20:06 Will the NBA be bigger than the NFL in 20 years?

NFL = better TV

23:08 Joel’s favorite experience working in sports — the LA Olympics

24:34 outro

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW...

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/969...

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Recorded in February 2021

#3 - Sandy Leeds: Student-Debt, Is College Worth It, Investing, Loving What You Do

alec@smartalecshow.com (Alec Alvarez, Sandy Leeds) — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 07:05:00 +0000

Sanford Leeds is Distinguished Senior Lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin's premier business school where he lectures on topics in finance, is a lawyer & former prosecutor, an MBA, & aside from being a finance & economics wizard, he's an incredibly funny & great person who cares about making the world a better & more equitable place. Connect with Sandy & follow his market updates at:

OUTLINE:

0:00 Intro

2:10 Sandy’s journey from law school, getting his MBA, working in finance , to teaching at UT

3:38 Sandy’s biggest lesson = most of us have no idea where we’re going to end up

5:00 How important is finding the right thing?; What are the benefits & advantages of liking what you’re doing?

9:09 Does the prosecution lifestyle leak into other parts of your life when you’re a lawyer? He prosecuted the case for the movie “Boiler Room”

13:00 What does it take to work in wealth management

16:19 What do the common people need to be aware of economically & financially to know what to do with their hard-earned money?

1. Stocks grow as economy grows over time

2. Most managers don’t beat the market; just invest in the overall market

3. You shouldn’t time the market or guess when the market is gonna go up or down (Talks about this & the stock market amidst the pandemic); lessons learned throughout this time

23:47 The Wallstreet Bets saga & digital revolution in finance — retail investors vs hedge funds, smart money vs the common people

27:41 What is does it mean to short- sell a stock?

31:00 What is a gamma squeeze?

31:36 Unfairness & collusion in the financial markets; Is it a disingenuous argument of hypocrisy for hedge funds to say that the common retail investor can’t come together via social media platforms to invest in a stock?

35:42 New ways of valuation that have grey areas — extreme bullishness, SPACs, social media

38:06 Timing the market is a fools game; When the Consumer Price Index (CPI) = 4% inflation or is over 4% = That’s a dangerous sign when the fed says it’s time to slow shit down; More Fed inflation talk

41:09 The student debt crisis; is college worth it with today’s prices? Fool's game or necessary for success?

- Best insurance policy to guarantee a middle class lifestyle at least

- College is a winning bet for most people but not as much of a winning bet as it used to be because its more expensive

- Signaling effect

- We want people to go into fields with lower pay because they have value so how do we balance all that?

- 18 year olds are faced with daunting decisions that will influence their careers & lives for years to come

48:15 Pressure from external figures causing someone to go down a certain path (i.e. guidance counselor says you’re good at math so be an engineer, or dad says do this)

51:42 Why the cost of college has gone up so much

57:48 How debt obligations create limitations & an inability to take bigger risks; brain power being missed & inability for people to go be entrepreneurs because of things like student debt = killer for society because this kills innovation

59:29 Variables & considerations before taking debt to go to college that one must understand

* True total costs

* Perceived benefits

* Intrinsic value of being educated

* Impact on future lifestyle

“Public universities = best bargain & bang for your buck”

1:07:19 What’s going to happen with all of this student debt?

* = 3% of gov. debt

1:09:11 Socioeconomics of college being so expensive that people think “oh well it ain’t for me”; the problems with kids counting themselves out too early

1:11:41 How to not only be financially successful but be fulfilled & happy

1:17:14 Pursuit of extrinsic motivators such as status aren’t fulfilling long term

1:18:25 Groupthink, competitiveness, & toxicity at top business schools, narrow perspectives of only certain types of people in the world (consultants, bankers, losers) for students of certain majors (finance, etc.)

* School wants ppl to make highest starting salary so they can make more money & students get more money

* Top 1% of smart kids being made to compete against one another

* “Focus on learning, not grades!”

1:21:38 Where you can find Sandy’s content

Podcast info:

- Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com

- RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW...

- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

- Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/969...

Connect with Alec on Social:

- Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/smartalec

Recorded in May 2021

#2 - Justin Cotten: Being an NBA Agent, College Hoops, Power of Being a Good Person

alec@smartalecshow.com (Justin Cotten, Alec Alvarez) — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 06:05:00 +0000

Justin Cotten is a National Basketball Players Association Certified Sports Agent, a masters graduate, Big East Champion, and former basketball manager under Patrick Ewing at Georgetown University, a graduate and former D1 College Hoops player at Howard University, a classy young man with superior sports business knowledge, and above all a great human being. Connect with Justin at - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-cotten-93115b194 - Instagram: https://instagram.com/juscotten?utm_medium=copy_link ; @juscotten

#1 - Amobi Okugo: Playing in MLS, Financial Literacy for Athletes, Values

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Amobi Okugo is a professional soccer player, serial entrepreneur, learned academic, and sports biz professional. His startup "A Frugal Athlete" is helping athletes by educating them on financial literacy and prudence along with ways to monetize off their skillsets, brand, and much more. Check out his startup at www.afrugathlete.com

OUTLINE:

0:00 - Intro

2:05 - Amobi’s journey getting to the MLS & USL

3:57 - Responsibility & leadership from being a 1st born child

6:38 - What is “A Frugal Athlete” & why Amobi founded it

8:40 - Humility & Frugality; Know yourself & your goals 1st, then get to the topic of $

10:51 - Importance of multiple streams of income for athletes

14:20 - Priority management & championing the schedule of a pro soccer athlete

19:23 - What playing in the MLS is like

21:20 - Sports as a microcosm of society, values learned from sport that can be applied across personal & professional life

23:58 - What it was like being an MLS Players Association Rep, navigating a new CBA & avoiding strike

27:00 - The many opportunities to work in the Sports world/ business side for people interested in working in sports

30:55 - Post-career for athletes — finding passion outside of your Sport

33:25 - Being authentic and genuine

35:33 - Austin Bold & Austin FC bringing more soccer to the region

37:17 - Outro

Podcast info:

Podcast website: https://smartalecshow.com
RSS feed: feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/ngBH2BfM
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/634MOIW582k2STgC06Rvl9?si=Zr4Fmx2nR6mqaeWNpFCfQQ&dl_branch=1
Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-alec-show/id1577614268
Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/96993c84-1664-4a67-921d-9b731fbdca99

Connect with Alec on Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realsmartalec/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/1alecalvarez
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesmartalec/

Connect with Amobi on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amobisays/ ; @amobisays
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/okugo
Website: https://www.amobiokugo.com

Quotes — “When it’s all said and done do you want to be remembered as the warning or do you want to be remembered as the example.” — Amobi Okugo

Recorded in November 2020