Minnesota Timberwolves Superstar Anthony Edwards is Boardroom’s December Cover star in light of his new signature shoe, the AE 1 with Adidas. Ant and his business partner Justin Holland join Rich Kleiman to discuss how he connected with the sport of basketball, committing to the University of Georgia to stay close to his family and being drafted to the Timberwolves. Later, they discuss how he compartmentalizes his play and his business, how he doesn’t plan to act again, despite starring alongside Adam Sandler in “Hustle,” and how Kevin Durant inspired him to name sneakers after the people he loves.

In the latest Boardroom Cover Story, Rich Kleiman sits down with Yankees legend CC Sabathia and his wife, CAA Baseball Agent Amber. In this conversation, the trio discuss the responsibility they have to the game of baseball and its players, raising a son who is playing at a high, collegiate level, and the difficulty of breaking into large markets as a young player. Later, they'll discuss how much the trajectory of young players has changed to reward the wealthy, where Amber's career is headed next and whether or not they'll ever own their own MLB franchise.

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu sits with Rich Kleiman as Boardroom's August digital cover star. While her journey in professional sports began in 2020, it was not without a myriad of setbacks. Sabrina is candid about the challenges of her journey from college to the pros — including a historic final collegiate campaign cut short by Covid, technical difficulties on WNBA Draft night, her first season in the "Wubble" and struggles with injury. Ionesco shares some helpful in-game words from superstar Candace Parker, discusses whether she'll have her own signature shoe with Nike, and looks at what may lie on the road ahead.

Ronnie Fieg is the founder and Creative Director of Kith and joins this week's Out Of Office podcast with Rich Kleiman from the Kith headquarters in Brooklyn. Fieg discusses growing up in Queens and how an early passion for fashion and culture shaped his outlook on his life and style. From a young age, Fieg said he learned to understand why people loved what they loved and the idea of that intrigued him even then. Fieg and Kleiman discuss how college wouldn't work for Fieg in the long run, the unconventional way he built the legendary brand, the intentional ways that he has expanded its footprint in the world of fashion, and what's next on the horizon for the streetwear giant. 

Pickup basketball legend and highly acclaimed actor Adam Sandler is no stranger to the NBA, as a lifelong New York Knicks fan and a courtside staple across the league. In this week's Out Of Office podcast, Sandler joins Rich Kleiman to discuss his new movie, Hustle, coming to Netflix June 8. In it, Sandler plays a down and out basketball scout who believes he's struck gold with a Spanish hooper he believes has the potential to be a star. Sandler and Kleiman talk about creating this new movie with NBA superstar LeBron James, how many NBA stars who take to film are one-take wonders, his own basketball aspirations, dribbling through New York City and why he has a love/hate relationship with some of his viral streetball moments. 

The inaugural Veecon conference took over Minnesota last weekend and in this episode of Out Of Office, Rich and Gianni discuss Rich's trip to Minnesota where he took the Veecon stage as a speaker before traveling to landmarks spaces in Minneapolis including a trip to Paisley Park with Spike Lee. Then, the podcast dives into a conversation with none other than Gary Vaynerchuk himself. Gary Vee has lived many lives as an entrepreneur, marketer, and social media dynamo -- physical lives, that is. Meanwhile, in the reality of the virtual, it may be that the 45-year-old is just beginning to hit his futurist stride as the world of Web3 grows in both relevance and resonance. This episode of the inaugural Boardroom cover story includes a wide-ranging conversation in which Vaynerchuk goes deep on how he's managed to be years ahead on technological trends, the popularity and promise of NFT platforms and his broader vision for the future.

On this week's episode of Out Of Office, Rich and Gianni are fresh off their return from the Miami Grand Prix. The duo covers several topics including the atmosphere and starpower around Miami's first-ever F1 event, Kendrick Lamar's breathtaking new music video, HBO's finale of Winning Time, and the current climate of our stock market and NFTs. The duo also discusses which city deserves a new WNBA team, Dave Chapelle being attacked on stage, the NBA playoffs, and what Rich's got planned for an exciting summer. 

Wes Moore is a United States Army veteran, author, entrepreneur, and producer who is now running for Governor of Maryland. He joins Rich Kleiman and Gianni Harrell in this week's Out Of Office podcast to talk about his upbringing, including dealing with the loss of his father as well as going off to military school and the trials, learning curves and ultimate accountability he faced. Moore reflects on his time at Oxford and how, later, his career in finance left him with a sense of obligation to serve his country. Moore draws from his combat experience to analyze what is currently happening in Ukraine. Lastly, Moore touches on how his life's work led him to become CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation and, ultimately, to his new path in politics.

Kevin Durant and his ETCs co-host Eddie Gonzalez join Rich this week in a new episode of Out Of Office heading into the Play-In Tournament. The trio discusses how both athletes and fans recover from tough losses and social media's impact on it all. Kevin speaks on discovering his interest in the NBA in the late '90s and how his player-driven interest still defines how he watches today's game, which causes the guys to each call out their favorite Jason Williams highlight. Also discussed in the pod are NBA fixtures whose legacies are bigger than their stats might suggest. Lastly, Durant reflects on his approach to the postseason, speaks on why it's pointless to hate on the play-in concept and Rich shares why he thinks the pressure in the playoffs doesn't change KD's game day routines.  

Joe De Sena grew up in New York City in a neighborhood and a life reminiscent of the movie "Goodfellas." In the pod, the two native New Yorkers discuss how in the early 70s De Sena's mother's transition into a more zen lifestyle turned his world upside down and how an opportunity to clean a pool made way for one of his first-ever business ventures. His hustle led to an unlikely admittance to Cornell and a career on Wall Street. There he encountered greed that drove a change in his priorities, leading him to create Spartan Race. Finally, De Sena shares the long road to launching a global brand, how he's handled adversity, and what's next, including his new CNBC show “No Retreat: Business Bootcamp.”

On this week's Out Of Office podcast, Rich and Gianni discuss a whirlwind trip to SXSW that included a terrifying plane ride, the influx of NBA superstars putting up huge performances this week, and how KD's statements are sometimes misinterpreted across media outlets. The guys also dive into the news of Tom Brady's un-retirement, how Russell Wilson's resurgence will be huge for the Broncos, and what the Giants still need to succeed. With so much buzzing around the documentary space, Rich and Gianni dig into their favorite docs of the past, present, and future. 

On the newest episode of the Out Of Office podcast, co-hosts Rich Kleiman and Gianni Harrell chop it up on all things Jeen-Yuhs, the newest Netflix documentary highlighting the life and rise of Kanye West. The two also dive into other things they're watching from Euphoria and The Gilded Age on HBO Max to debating who the 'real' Batman is ahead of the next feature film's impending release. Also highlighted in the pod is Rich's takes on current events as well as Ja Morant the NBA's next generation of stars, and how there's nothing better than Sundays at Madison Square Garden.

Alan Patricof is a businessman, entrepreneur and one of the American pioneers of venture capital. In the latest episode of Out Of Office, he discusses growing up on the Upper West Side in Manhattan and dipping his toes in entrepreneurship for the first time as a young child selling magazines in the neighborhood. He speaks to Rich Kleiman about starting his early career on Wall Street before the term "venture capital" was even coined and pivoting to investing professionally in the 70s. The two discuss Patricof's new book "No Red Lights," exploring why he decided to write this book now and how writing it in his 80s sends a message that regardless of age, you can still continue to live life to the fullest. 

Bubba Wallace is not only the first Black driver to win a Cup Series race since Wendell Scott in 1963, he’s also the first driver for Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing team. In this episode of Out Of Office, Bubba discusses the roots that led him to the racetrack, how he developed the commitment to the sport, how the sponsorship landscape opened up for him in recent years and how and where NASCAR’s diversity initiatives still have room to grow.

Aryeh Bourkoff is a highly sought-after investor and advisor to CEOs and founders, supporting them with advice, relationships and capital as they seek to build and transform their businesses to succeed in a rapidly evolving, increasingly digital market landscape. In this episode of Out Of Office, Aryeh discusses his approach to entrepreneurship, the future of cryptocurrency, NFTs and the metaverse, and future goals for his life and career on Wall Street.  Aryeh is also the host of the podcast Kindredcast, which fans can check out at Kindredmedia.com.

In this special episode, Rich and co-host Gianni set the tone for 2022 as they discuss getting right for the new year, Rich finally diving into Succession, which new albums they're most excited about, the hype around the Board Ape Yacht Club and more.

Joe Gebbia is the entrepreneur best known for co-founding the company that changed the way we live and vacation - Airbnb. In this episode of Out Of Office, Joe discusses his initial entrepreneurial spirit he possessed from a young age, creating a basketball team at his alma mater RISD that still exists to this day and how the path to creating AirBnB was anything but linear.

In this C13Features podcast movie presentation of Ghostwriter, Kate Mara and Adam Scott star in a psychological thriller about a former journalist who reluctantly accepts a job ghostwriting a new murder mystery novel for an eccentric billionaire. Kate Michaels has been living a solitary life after a traumatic experience, but after pressure from her rational agent and candid best friend, she begrudgingly concedes that she needs the work. As she collaborates with the enigmatic James Webber on the project, she finds herself growing dependent on him and starts to suspect that something is wrong...deeply wrong. Will Kate be able to trust herself with James’ story, or even her own voice? Grab some popcorn, and get lost in your imagination in this gripping and suspenseful podcast movie experience, Ghostwriter, from C13Features.

When Jill Smoller's professional tennis career came to an end, she relied heavily on her ability to connect with people to help take her career to the next level. When Richard Williams gave her an in with working with his daughter Serena, she turned what was then considered a small opportunity into a decades-long partnership with the tennis legend. In this episode, Rich sits with Jill to discuss her storied career in pro sports, how there's more to being an agent than riding the highs and her belief that common sense always wins out. 

Although Daymond John was first known as the founder, president and CEO of the clothing brand FUBU in the 90s, he has since become a media juggernaut, with his hands in everything from business to motivational speaking and most notably investing. In this episode of Out Of Office, he tells the story of his humble beginnings as a young, go-getter in New York City, how LL Cool J gave him the ultimate co-sign and how Shark Tank has established itself as the premiere family-friendly business phenomenon. Plus, Rich and Gianni are joined by another very special guest.

Brian Grazer is a legend in the entertainment space and the powerhouse behind notable film and TV projects such as "8 Mile," "A Beautiful Mind," "Apollo 13," "Friday Night Lights," and "Swagger." Grazer, alongside his producing partner of 40 years Ron Howard, has won 47 Emmy Awards, 10 Golden Globes and 10 Academy Awards. In this episode, Grazer sits with Rich and Gianni to discuss everything from breaking into the entertainment business, coming up with the name "Imagine" for his production company, to putting Tom Hanks in his first starring role and who he'd still love to work with in the future.

Jeanie Buss is the president and owner of the world-renowned Los Angeles Lakers organization, a family business that's been an integral presence in her life since her teenage years. When her father, longtime owner and business tycoon Jerry Buss passed away in 2013, he left 66% of the controlling ownership of the team to his six children. In the 2013-2014 season, the Los Angeles native took over as president in 2013 where she simultaneously oversaw basketball operations. In this episode, Jeanie gets candid with Rich and Gianni in discussing her father's purchase of the Lakers, growing up as a peer of NBA Legend Magic Johnson, what she learned from the “Showtime Lakers” and her relationship with Phil Jackson, the trials of mixing business and family, and what is next for the team’s legacy in the LeBron James era.

Rich Kleiman and Kevin Durant are back for a check-in between seasons of Out of Office to speak with Weedmaps CEO Chris Beals about the growth of the cannabis industry, the intersection between weed and wellness, and the reasons they've partnered together to normalize the conversation around weed. They discuss Chris's path with Weedmaps, starting with developing the company's Government Relationships and Policy Team and spearheading the company's efforts to push legalization, and his current role as the company's CEO and leading the team to a successful IPO. They also discuss the current marijuana rules in major sports leagues, the perception of weed as a recovery tool for athletes, and what fans can look forward to from the Weedmaps and Boardroom partnership.

In this episode. Rich and Gianni review their first season of Out of Office and their incredible guests including Twitter’s Jack Dorsey, Netflix CMO, Bozoma St. John, and NBA Analyst, Mark Jackson. They discuss how the NBA’s cultural impact can’t be captured by traditional ratings measurements, how the podcast brought Rich and his mom closer together, and how Lebron’s Space Jam might become a classic for a whole new generation. Gianni also shares an impressive list of his Top Five Olympians.

Dusty Baker is a legend whose trailblazing career transcends baseball, but he’s got unfinished business. The 3x National League Manager of the Year is still chasing a World Series ring to pair with the one he won as a player with the Dodgers. As one of baseball’s most-respected and beloved figures, he was probably the only manager who could’ve successfully taken over the Astros job after the organization came under fire in the wake of a sign-stealing scandal.  Baker’s incredible life journey has been shaped by supportive parents, a stint in the Marines, and a close friendship with former teammate, Hank Aaron, who helped Baker, a California native, adapt to life in the segregated south. In this episode, Baker talks about his life-long love of hoops, what he learned from reading Hank Aaron’s hate mail, how he rates Mike Trout and Jacob DeGrom among baseball's all-time greats, and why America urgently needs to improve its capacity for forgiveness. 

As a four-time All-American, Paul Rabil led Johns Hopkins to two national championships, then became the biggest star in Major League Lacrosse. But Rabil was also a born entrepreneur who envisioned a greater platform for the sport, and better compensation for the players. With his brother Mike as co-founder, he launched the Premier Lacrosse League in 2019. The league fields over 200 of the world’s top lacrosse players in a tour-based system with significant venture backing and distribution on NBC Sports. Entrepreneur Magazine named him one of “Top 40 Most Entrepreneurial Athletes” and Fast Company included the PLL in its "Top Ten Most Innovative Company In Sports” list. Rabil talks to Rich and Gianni about his very humble entrepreneurial beginnings, his foundation work, and why he thinks the PLL will help broaden access and popularity for a sport often associated with rich kids and the Ivy League. He explains why he thinks the PLL can one day be as big as the UFC.

Rich's business partner, longtime friend and 2x NBA champion Kevin Durant joins Out of Office for an off-the-cuff conversation about his mentality coming out of this year's Nets playoff run, the way he approached the series against the Bucks, and what he really sees as the pivotal moments in his life and career. He and Rich talk through the craziness of his injury in Toronto, what he's learned from growing up as a naturally curious person, and his excitement around the Nets culture and the fandom the team has built in New York. Plus, looking ahead to the Olympics and his new obsession with baseball

This is a special episode where Rich and Gianni welcome Mark Ronson, one of Rich's long-time friends and a former business partner. Mark and Rich talk about the early years of their friendship and Mark's trajectory from being a seat filler at the Grammys to the shock of winning his first Grammy (for Amy Winehouse's Back to Black.) Mark discusses the importance of mentorship from icons like John Forte and Q Tip, the record label he and Rich partnered on, Allido, and their strange experience together when Mark DJ'ed Tom Cruise's wedding. Mark also goes deep on how producing for Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen changed the trajectory of his career and transformed him from a "New York DJ" to a "Grammy-award winning producer", ultimately doing work with some of the industry's biggest names, including Adele, Paul McCartney, Bruno Mars, and Lady Gaga (with whom he won an Academy Award & a Golden Globe for "Shallow."  Mark talks about his new project, Watch The Sound with Mark Ronson, a six-part docu-series on Apple TV+ that examines sound creation and revolutionary technology used to shape music and features acclaimed guests like Paul McCartney, King Princess, Dave Grohl, Adrock and Mike D from the Beastie Boys, Charli XCX and more. He also discusses his new podcast, The FADER Uncovered.  Mark is currently based in New York where he operates his record label, Zelig Records, home to Raissa, Issy Wood and King Princess. Ronson’s multiple honors include an Academy Award, seven Grammys, and a Golden Globe. 

Al Harrington was such a basketball late bloomer in high school, his own mother wouldn’t come to his games. What was the point if her son was riding the bench? But hard work and a growth spurt turned Al Harrington from so-so hooper to the nation's top high school player by his senior year. In '98, he was a McDonalds All-American, and the Gatorade and USA Today Player of the Year. Drafted out of high school in the 1st round pick by the Indiana Pacers. Harrington reveals the profane warning that Larry Bird, the Pacers Head Coach, barked at him when he showed up late for his first team meeting. Harrington describes what he learned from veteran teammates like Antonio Davis and Reggie Miller that helped forge professional habits over his 16-year NBA career with multiple teams. Harrington talks to Rich and Gianni about his surprising entry point into the cannabis business, which began with Harrington’s search for ways to help his grandmother, Viola, cope with her glaucoma and diabetes symptoms. Harrington later met with then-NBA commissioner, David Stern, and managed to change Stern’s opinion about the dangers of cannabis. That meeting paved the way for the NBA to set the tone for how pro leagues take a more tolerant stance on marijuana use by players. In this powerful episode, Harrington drops many gems, including his stunning estimate of the number of NBA players who used marijuana when he started in the league in the late ‘90s, a number he believes has held steady to this day.

In this episode, Rich and Gianni have lots to discuss. In a week of major headlines, they get into Naomi Osaka’s decision not to do media interviews at the French Open, which led to a fine, and ultimately to her decision to withdraw. Rich and Gianni tackle the complex sides of her decision, and what it means for one of the world's most influential athletes to declare her mental health a priority over competing in an event. They also give props to super agent, Rich Paul of UTA/Klutch Sports, following the New Yorker’s deep-dive on how he's impacted the business of basketball and helped fuel the player empowerment movement. They also chat about recent developments in the Crypto and collectibles space, and tease a big announcement on Sabrina Ionescu’s collab with Boardroom. Rich also gets personal, talking about challenging periods in his own life that have given him far greater empathy for people, including rich athletes, contending with mental health challenges. And of course, Rich and Gianni marvel at KD's performance in the playoffs, and the Nets tougher matchups going forward.

In 2012, as a high school junior from Flint, Michigan, Claressa Shields qualified for the Olympics and won a Gold medal in boxing. She won another in 2016, becoming the first US boxer to win gold at consecutive Olympic Games. As a pro, she's undefeated, and widely-regarded as the best female pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Seeking a new challenge, she's signed a deal with the Professional Fighters League and is now training for her MMA debut. On June 3rd, ESPN+ begins streaming a 4-part series about her bid to become an MMA fighter, with a live broadcast of her bout on June 10th.    Her compelling story has also been the subject of a documentary, “T-Rex: Her Fight for Gold" and is being developed into a motion picture written by Oscar Winner, Barry Jenkins, to be directed by Oscar-nominee, Rachel Morrison, the cinematographer of Black Panther.   In this episode, she talks to Rich and Gianni about her tough upbringing in Flint Michigan, her father's role in introducing her to boxing, her admiration for Serena Williams, and the challenges of training in multiple disciplines to prepare for her first MMA fight. 

Haley Rosen was a collegiate soccer star at Stanford University, and went on to play professionally both in the US and Europe. But after an injury-shortened career, she moved back to Silicon Valley to work in tech. But motivated by the dearth of coverage of women's sports -- 44% of athletes are women, yet they only garner 4% of sports coverage -- she kicked off an Instagram page called Just Women's Sports. The page attracted a following, and convinced Rosen it could be scaled into a business. The solo founder and her team have now attracted a rabid fan base and venture investors including Spark, Andreessen Horowitz, Greycroft, and yes, 35 Ventures. Rosen talks to Rich and Gianni about how the rising visibility of women's sports and athletes in 2020 helped fuel her business launch; her appreciation for Kevin Durant's enthusiastic support for the platform, and much more.

On this episode of Out of Office, Rich and Gianni talk to Acorns co-founder Noah Kerner, who has extensive experience in founding and growing start-ups. This episode will cover Noah's career trajectory, including how he and his team have grown Acorns including throughout the challenges of the last year. Previous guests / episodes in line with the overall ethos of this episode include Dan Fleyshman(founder, Elevator Studio), Gary Vaynerchuk, & Dave Grutman (Groot Hospitality), all of whom built their businesses as start ups.

Ionescu, the budding WNBA superstar, and Sabathia, the recently-retired MLB All-star are at opposing junctures of decorated careers. Ionescu is just starting her WNBA career after putting together one of the most-decorated resumes in college basketball history. The child of Romanian immigrants, she shattered multiple college basketball records playing for the University of Oregon, where she ended up a Pac-12 all-time assists leader (breaking Gary Payton’s record), and the only NCAA D1 player ever to record 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds. Named the best collegiate female basketball player in the nation, she was #1 pick in the 2020 WNBA draft, selected by the NY Liberty. Though injuries early in the pandemic-plagued season prevented her from realizing her first-year potential, she's ready to fulfill her promise as the league prepares for its '21 season. On the other side of the career spectrum is CC Sabathia, who helped the NY Yankees win a World Series in 2009, led MLB in wins in both ’09 and ’10, was a 6x All-Star, and struck out over 3,000 in a brilliant career. Now the host of the popular podcast, R2C2, with co-host, Ryan Ruocco, he's also an entrepreneur and philanthropist.    Rich talks to Sabathia and Ionescu about the pressures and joys of playing under the New York spotlight, the special relationship Ionescu had with Kobe Bryant, and how the WNBA Bubble revved up Ionescu's competitive juices. They also get into her career goals and Sabathia's post-career moves.    This episode was recorded on April 22 as part of a live Boardroom University event.

Annastasia Seebohm is the newly appointed CEO of Brilliant Minds Foundation. This marks her second CEO role under the age of 35. Brilliant Minds Foundation was founded in 2015 by Spotify founder and CEO, Daniel Ek, and has brought together the world’s most influential thought leaders at the intersection of humanity and technology. Prior to her current role, Seebohm was the Group CEO of Quintessentially. The first female and millennial to hold the Group CEO role, Seebohm was responsible for the strategy and day-to-day operations of Quintessentially, the world’s leading lifestyle group. She led over 1,000 employees across 50 cities, and spearheaded Quintessentially’s global growth. During her tenure, annual revenues exceeded $100 million. She’s been profiled in publications including Forbes, Vanity Fair, Bloomberg, The CEO Magazine and Harvard Business Review. British GQ listed Seebohm as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in the UK. Seebohm talks to Rich and Gianni about the “70/30 rule” she followed to achieve her dream of becoming a CEO before age 30, illuminates the importance of young entrepreneurs finding their “why,” and talks about the childhood experience that supercharged her maturity, enabling her to lead organizations from a young age. 

Bozoma St. John has been a high-profile brand architect and marketing whiz for some of the world’s most innovative entertainment and tech companies. Her resume includes executive positions at Pepsi, Uber, Endeavor, Apple, and now Netflix. But as an African-American woman of Ghanaian parentage, St. John’s ascent up the corporate ladder has involved numerous struggles for rewards worthy of her contributions. Many of her early successes were created behind the scenes, including her notably arranging, while at Pepsi, Beyonce’s memorable 2013 Super Bowl half-time show. In 2016, as Head of Global Marketing for Apple Music, she hit the stage at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. Her presentation became a viral sensation, with Buzzfeed commenting: “Bozoma St. John is the Coolest Person To Ever Go Onstage At An Apple Event.” It elevated St. John’s public profile, and she's now known in the public consciousness as much for being a style icon as a savvy behind-the-scenes corporate marketer. St. John talks to Rich and Gianni about her fall out with Pepsi after the Beyonce half-time show, getting LeBron James and Kevin Durant in the back seat of an Uber for an award-winning campaign, and why Gianni was such a good intern. [Yes, St. John was Gianni's boss for his 1st corporate internship.] She also talks about how she rebounded from tremendous grief after the death of her husband, why she relates so well to tech founders, and why she's so excited about Netflix's future. 

When Arianna Huffington co-founded The Huffington Post in 2005, it created a blueprint for a new kind of digital media company at a time news and social conversation were rapidly migrating from traditional to online media outlets. That success led to a $315 million acquisition by AOL, with Huffington remaining as President and Editor in Chief of The Huffington Post Media Group. Five years later, she would start Thrive Global, which helped major companies and their employees build healthy habits through inspirational storytelling and actionable steps to help navigate a stressful world with greater resilience.    Huffington's fascinating backstory is as compelling as her gifts for storytelling. She was born in Greece, but moved to the UK at 16, speaking virtually no english. She earned acceptance to Cambridge, one of the UK's most prestigious universities, where she became a star debater. A prolific author, she penned numerous bestsellers; hired a young Van Jones as her campaign manager in a 2003 bid for California governor against Arnold Schwarzenegger; and then launched her successful media career. Huffington talks to Rich and Gianni about meeting Rich and KD for the first time, and how her unsuccessful campaign for governor led her to the insights that fueled the success of The Huffington Post. She also shares how her relentless entrepreneurial work ethic led to burnout and a 2007 incident that made her realize her work habits were hazardous to her health. The incident inspired the formation of Thrive Global.  

Alex Honnold gained global fame after the release of the film Free Solo, based on his death-defying climb --with no ropes or safety equipment--  of Yosemite Park’s El Capitan. The film captivated audiences, won the 2019 Oscar for Best Documentary, and established Honnold as one of the world's greatest athletes. Though Honnold has not always appeared to revel in the fame the film brought him, he’s made good use of the opportunities. Now, the primary face of his sport, he's expanded the work of his foundation, and has greatly raised awareness for rock climbing. As the upcoming Olympics prepares to feature climbing as an event for the first time, Honnold was likely a big factor in the sport achieving Olympic status. In this episode, Honnold talks to Rich and Gianni about what people get wrong about what motivates elite climbers, why he’s excited about his new podcast series, and the inspiration he's taken from legendary female climber, Lynn Hill. Honnold even invites Rich and Gianni to climb rocks with him in Central Park next time he visits New York City. 

As a Managing Partner at Andreesen Horowitz, one of Silicon Valley's most influential Venture Capital firms, Chris Lyons also runs its Cultural Leadership Fund, the first consisting of 100% African American Limited Partners. To date, CLF has invested in over 65 startups at the intersection of culture and innovation, and across multiple industries including consumer, enterprise, crypto, and fintech. Lyons also created Silicon Valley’s first “influencer network,” establishing numerous strategic partnerships between emerging technology companies and seasoned athletes, entertainers, musicians and corporate executives. In 2019, Lyons was named one of Fast Company's Most Creative People. But Lyons has a very atypical Silicon Valley success story. He started his music business career as a sound engineer for Grammy-winning producer, Jermaine Dupri, and initially went out to Silicon Valley for what he assumed would be a short trip. But in 2013, Lyons landed a position as Chief of Staff to Ben Horowitz, the Andreesen Horowitz co-founder, where his smarts, hustle, and well-developed network accelerated his rise through the ranks. In this episode, Lyons talks to Rich and Gianni about how invaluable his music business background has been to his Silicon Valley success; the seeds of his friendship with Rich and KD; how he ended up founding Italian wine brand, Lyons Wine; and his passion for diversifying the ranks of tech entrepreneurs and VC professionals.

Jimmy Iovine’s legendary story was well-chronicled in HBO's 2017 docu-series, The Defiant Ones, but his impact on modern music, the media business, and technology continues to amaze. From his modest origins in Brooklyn, he worked his way up to legendary status as a music producer, working with artists like Bruce Springsteen and John Lennon, then later co-founding Interscope Records where he nurtured artists like Tupac Shakur, Eminem, as well as a subsidiary label, Death Row Records. Iovine would go on to partner with Dr Dre on Beats by Dre, which evolved into Beats Electronics, which was famously sold to Apple for $3 billion in 2014. In this special episode, previously recorded for Boardroom University, Iovine talks about his first music job as a janitor in a recording studio, the time Steve Jobs diagrammed the hardware business for him on a dinner table, his admiration for former Disney exec, Bob Iger, and why the program he and Dr Dre are launching is poised to empower under-served high school students by emphasizing the importance of both technology and design.    *The Boardroom University event was recorded on March 10, ’21, and co-sponsored by USC Annenberg, and USC Iovine and Young Academy.

Ray McGuire, former Vice Chairman of Citigroup, is a trailblazing African-American Investment Banker who’s currently running as a democratic candidate for mayor of New York City. As an advisor to global corporations and boards, McGuire has worked on an estimated $600 billion in total deals, including Time Warner’s $108 billion merger with ATT in 2018. Though McGuire grew up in a single-parent household in Dayton, Ohio, his smarts, work ethic, and vision for his future landed him at Harvard, where he earned multiple degrees. But last year, McGuire, a committed philanthropist, stepped down from his position at Citigroup to enter the brutal arena of New York City politics. His campaign has emphasized his unique qualifications to lead the city at this critical time: “New York is in a financial crisis that has exploded into a whole bunch of crises — educational, health and criminal justice. If there is a moment in history where my skill set can help lead, this is it.” In this episode, McGuire shares with Rich and Gianni his 4 P-s for success: “prayer, preparation, performance and paranoia”; how he navigated his path as a trailblazing African American banker in ‘80s and ‘90s Wall Street; his pride in his happily-blended family, including stepson, Cole Anthony, the Orlando Magic rookie point guard; and his vision for leading New York City into a brighter future.

Dan Porter and Zack Wiener are co-founders of Overtime, the multi-platform digital sports channel that launched in 2016, then blew up in 2017 when, among other highlights, it posted a block from high school star, Zion Williamson. The Overtime website describes its mission as building the “sports network for the next generation of fans,” but Porter has also revealed the company's ambition to be the biggest global sports network on the planet. Currently, Overtime content has 14 billion views a year, and a global audience of 45 million across all platforms. But in its most audacious effort, the multi-media digital sports juggernaut just announced a new venture that may disrupt the landscape of NCAA basketball. They launched Overtime Elite, a professional basketball league for high school prospects that will pay six-figure salaries, offer equity in the league, and provide college scholarships for players who ultimately opt out of pursuing a career in the NBA. Porter and Wiener talk to Rich and Gianni about the motivations behind launching OT Elite, the advice that KD gave them that helped hone the OTE concept, and what it’s like for the unique co-founder duo (Porter is in his ‘50s, Wiener is in his ‘20s) to combine their generationally-distinct perspectives, experience and networks in forming a dynamic digital brand with global ambitions.  

Josh Luber is an entrepreneur, long-time trading card collector, and co-founder of StockX, the on-line sneaker and collectibles marketplace he co-founded with Cleveland Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert. Luber talks to Rich and Gianni about his early entrepreneurial leanings, alternating between corporate jobs and startups after getting his MBA/JD from Emory University, creating Campless, a sneaker data company, while working at IBM, and his life-changing meeting with Dan Gilbert where they decided to create a “stock market for sneakers.” Luber also dives into why he thinks it’s a golden age for trading cards, and how that’s led him to the creation of his new venture, Six Forks Kids Club, an alternative asset management company focused on trading cards.

Justin Tuck is a 2x Super Bowl champion and former 2x Pro Bowl Defensive End for the NY Giants. A graduate of Notre Dame, Tuck earned his MBA from Wharton before landing in the Goldman Sachs C-suite. Tuck talks to his good friend, Rich, and Gianni about why he felt so well prepared for a successful career after the NFL, his favorite memories from his Super Bowl victories, what the public gets wrong about why some athletes go broke, and why his former teammate, Eli Manning, absolutely merits induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  

Mark Jackson is one of television’s best NBA analysts, calling multiple finals for ESPN and ABC, alongside his good friend and former coach, Jeff Van Gundy. A native of New York City, Jackson was a star at St Johns before being selected in the 1st round by the New York Knicks. A 1988 NBA rookie of the year and an All-Star, the elite point guard led several NBA title contenders during a 17-year NBA career. He’s the NBA’s 4th all-time assists leader, ranked right behind Steve Nash, and right ahead of Magic Johnson. Jackson talks to Rich and Gianni about his pride in building a winning foundation as coach of the Golden State Warriors from ’11-’14; his feelings about getting fired by the Warriors before the team went on to win multiple championships; whether he believes there remains an unflattering narrative that’s kept him from getting hired again; and how his father’s example inspired his leadership qualities, resilience and deep faith. 

Jamie Patricof is an accomplished independent film, tv, and documentary producer, and co-founder of Electric City Entertainment. His projects include the films Captain Fantastic (Viggo Mortensen); Blue Valentine (Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling); and The Place Beyond the Pines (Bradley Cooper). Early in the pandemic, Patricof kicked off Lunch With Jamie, a popular Zoom lecture series featuring luminaries from the worlds of politics, sports and Hollywood. In this episode, Patricof talks to Rich (they’ve been best friends since childhood) and Gianni about striking work/life balance; emerging trends in the tv and film business; the entrepreneurial inspiration he gets from his 86-year-old father who recently started a new venture; and his possible plans for running for political office.

Omar Raja was a college student when he started an Instagram account to pay tribute to his beloved Miami Heat, and especially his favorite player, Dwyane Wade. That was House of Highlights, the IG account which mastered the creation of viral NBA-related clips, and transformed social media content for a new generation of sports fans. Bleacher Report hired Raja out of University of Central Florida, and acquired House of Highlights. After greatly expanding its content across multiple sports, House of Highlights under Bleacher became the most followed sports social media brand. Raja’s success caught the attention of ESPN, who hired Raja in '20 to run the social accounts for Sports Center, and work as a digital and social talent commentator. In this episode, the 26-year-old talks about catching the entrepreneurial bug from his father, why he started creating content in high school, the tears he shed walking away from House of Highlights, his goals for the future, and much more.

Lawrence Taylor, the NY Giants equally famous and notorious #56, is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, and one of the most dominant and influential athletes in the history of American sports. A fearsome linebacker, he was a defensive superstar of the ‘80s and early '90s whose impact on pro football is still strongly felt. The evolution of the modern Left Tackle (bigger, faster, more agile) was a tactical adaptation developed to help NFL teams protect their QB’s from a Lawrence Taylor pass rush. In this episode, LT talks to Rich and Gianni about winning two Super Bowls with the Giants, why he initially went ballistic when Parcells promoted Bill Belichick as Giants Defensive Coordinator, and his satisfaction in conquering his demons. He also talks about a recent round of golf with Michael Jordan where they debated which QB will win the ’21 Super Bowl, Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes. 

Jason Koonce is founder and CEO of Detroit-based OTIA Sports, a major player in the sports card and memorabilia industry, with ties to sports legends, including Magic Johnson, Hulk Hogan, and Joe Montana. The self-described “poker degenerate” is also a poker whiz, who once won over a million dollars in a single tournament. In this special episode of Out of Office, Eddie Gonzalez, co-host of the ETCs podcast with Kevin Durant, joins Rich and Gianni in this conversation about Jason’s start in trading cards, and his belief that trading cards have become a serious investment, as potentially valuable a long-term asset as gold or bitcoin.

Josh Richards is an 18-year-old digital media entrepreneur, angel investor and social media personality, with over 25M followers across platforms. He’s also Chief Strategy Officer for Triller, the video and social media app company, and competitor with TikTok. In just a few years, Richards has co-founded digital talent management firm TalentX, co-founded Ani Energy, an energy drink business, and signed a record deal with Warner Records. He also co-hosts the podcast, BFFs, with Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports. In this episode, the Canadian teen talks to Rich and Gianni about his early attraction to business; squashing beefs between the content creator camps, Sway House and Hype House; his admiration for Mark Wahlberg; and his aspirations for growing his business, both as an entrepreneur and entertainer.   You can find Josh at:   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joshrichards/?hl=en   BFFs podcast with Dave Portnoy and Josh Richards https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRz6HSllkQKmFxaPk8IViw

Jason Strauss is a co-founder and co-owner of the Tao Group, the world-renowned luxury hospitality company best known for its restaurant/nightclub brands: Tao, Lavo, Marquee and Avenue. Strauss talks to Rich (they've been friends since high school) about launching a nightlife business with long-time business partner, Noah Tepperberg. In 2003, the duo launched Marquee, the Manhattan restaurant/nightclub famous for its endless stream of celebrities and world-class hospitality. The club's success became the subject of a 2009 Harvard Business School case study, and led the duo to expand to Las Vegas where they opened Tao at the Venetian hotel, one of the country's highest-grossing restaurants and nightclubs. In 2017, the Madison Square Garden Company acquired a majority stake in Tao Group. Strauss talks about staying relevant in a youth-driven industry, his bullish expectations for post-covid nightlife, and the MSG Sphere, his group's upcoming music and entertainment arena in Vegas, one he believes will set a new bar for the nightlife experience. 

Brian Koppelman is the co-creator, showrunner and Executive Producer of Billions, Showtime’s acclaimed dramatic series exploring the high-stakes, cut-throat world of a hedge fund tycoon and the prosecutor trying to take him down. He also hosts the podcast, The Moment with Brian Koppelman. A Long Island, New York native, Koppelman followed his father’s footsteps into the music business, playing pivotal roles in the recording careers of both Eddie Murphy and Tracy Chapman, the multi-platinum and multi-grammy-winning artist. Koppelman ultimately stepped away from a successful career as a music industry A & R exec, to pursue his passion of being a writer. A self-described “poker degenerate,” Koppelman and his writing partner, David Levien, immersed themselves in underground poker clubs, the setting which inspired Rounders, the ’98 poker-themed film starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton. Koppelman shares with Rich and Gianni how he’s been able to maintain his child-like enthusiasm for his work, and tips his hand on the future of the hit series, Billions. 

Los Angeles Lakers point guard, Quinn Cook, has had a fascinating career. Coming out of high school as a McDonalds All-American, he led the Blue Devils to a national championship in college, then shockingly went undrafted coming out of Duke. But after years battling in the G League to get to the NBA, he’s made the most of it, garnering two championship rings, and now a new deal with the Lakers. Cook’s story has been defined by his resilience, charisma, work ethic, and a commitment to learning from prized mentors, starting with his entrepreneurial parents. Cook also credits Kevin Durant, Coach Krzyzewski, LeBron James, and, our host, Rich Kleiman for providing support, guidance and tough love during his journey. Taking nothing for granted, the 27-year-old has developed a veteran’s wisdom about building his business network and entrepreneurial skillset while he’s still in the NBA. 

When investor and innovator Dan Fleyshman trademarked the phrase "Who's Your Daddy" in high school & turned a merchandise play into an energy drink business that made him the youngest founder of a publicly traded company at age 23, it was just the beginning of his story. On this episode of Out of Office, Fleyshman talks about his investment strategy, his early ventures including the boom and bust of the online poker industry, and what "influencer marketing" meant to him in the pre-social media world. Now, he's leveraged that knowledge as founder of Elevator Studios, managing an army of social media influencers and brand campaigns for large businesses. Fleyshman also reveals what's next in the booming trading cards industry and why he co-founded the trading card shop Cards and Coffee and the social-commerce platform Coffee Breakers with Steve Aoki and DJ Skee, turning the "old school" trading card shop model on its head. 

Restaurateur and nightlife mogul Dave Grutman joins Rich Kleiman to talk about how he built Miami-based Groot Hospitality from the ground up, including the legendary LIV nightclub, and restaurants including Papi Steak, Komodo, & Planta. He talks about his approach to finding partners, how he identifies workers who have the "X factor," why he evaluates employees' potential by how professionally they do the "little things," and how he chooses celebrity collaborators, including his newest partnership with Pharrell. The hospitality guru also gets candid about his early career, including his days as a bartender and what he learned about failure from his ill-fated first nightclub. Plus, his thoughts on New York as a nightlife market, future aspirations in the sports business, and more. 

Curtis Martin, NFL Hall of Famer and former running back for the NY Jets and New England Patriots, shares what still nags him about losing the ’96 Super Bowl; explains why he set aside 12% to 15% of his annual NFL salary for charity; and names both his top five active running backs and the all-time best at the position. Martin also reveals his aspirations to own an NFL team, and much more. 

In this episode, Rich and Gianni have a wide-ranging conversation. Rich shares the story of how his early-career business with music virtuoso, Mark Ronson, prepared him for his current partnership with sports star, Kevin Durant. They discuss their favorite lifestyle brands, rank the top influencers in sports, music and fashion, and explore how Gen Z is currently consuming sports content.

Gary Vaynerchuk, the digital media visionary, angel investor, and CEO of VaynerMedia, talks to Rich and Gianni about why he often values street smarts over Ivy-League degrees in business, the perils of lacking self-awareness, the key lessons he learned as a teen working in his family’s wine business, and the technology he’s confident will revolutionize the consumer experience.

Rich talks to Nick Kyrgios, the ATP Tour tennis pro who’s accomplished the rare feat of beating each of “The Big 3” (Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic). One of the sport’s biggest personalities and most polarizing figures, Kyrgios talks about his obsession with his favorite sport (basketball); what the sport's "old guard" misunderstands about him; and why he’s so impressed with Naomi Osaka. He also reveals how he managed to overcome a serious bout with depression, and why he feels ready to have his best-ever season in 2021.

Rich talks to Brandon Marshall, former NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver, and co-host of Fox Sports One’s studio show, First Things First. Marshall discusses the highs and lows of his NFL career, and why his business, House of Athlete, is focusing on expanding elite athletic training to the general population. He shares his vision for changing the conversation around “mental fitness” so physical and mental wellness are given equal importance on the sports field and in the larger society. Marshall also admits he hasn’t completely ruled out a return to the NFL.

In this episode, Rich talks to Maria Sharapova, a former tennis world #1, and champion of each of the sport’s four Grand Slam events. During her career, she won nearly $40 million in prize money, while also building the foundation for sustainable wealth through savvy endorsement choices, visionary equity deals, and tireless hard work. In 2020, when Forbes Magazine listed the top 10 highest-paid female athletes, nine of them were current tennis pros. This is in part a legacy of the business road map Sharapova paved. But you don’t need to be a tennis pro to benefit from her insights. In 2010, a Harvard Business School course “Maria Sharapova: Marketing a Champion” examined the strategy of “Team Sharapova.” And on this podcast, the former tennis star talks openly about the tough transition to the US after emigrating from Russia as a child, how winning Wimbledon changed the trajectory of her off-court business, and how she evaluates potential brand partners.

In this episode, Rich talks to Michael Vick, the Fox NFL Analyst and former Pro Bowl QB, who largely re-defined the quarterback position…and the perception of what constitutes a franchise NFL QB. They discuss his close relationships with Ravens QB, Lamar Jackson, and Chiefs Head Coach, Andy Reid. They talk about the Atlanta glory days in the early ‘00s when Vick shared center stage in the culture with local hip hop stars, including Outkast, TI, Jeezy and Gucci Mane. Vick shares a candid self-assessment of past mistakes, as well as the hard work he’s put in the last decade to find personal and professional success off the field. He also gives his feedback on Rich’s list of top five NFL QB’s.

In this episode Rich talks to Larry Jackson, Global Creative Director of Apple Music. The self-described “conduit of culture” is one of the music industry’s most influential behind-the-scenes savants. Jackson helped launch Apple's game-changing entertainment service, Apple Music. Along his ground-breaking journey, he’s worked alongside music giants like Clive Davis, Jimmy Iovine and Doctor Dre; championed artist-hosted radio (including L’il Wayne’s Young Money Radio); and produced legendary artists like Whitney Houston and Jennifer Hudson. But perhaps the most unlikely early chapter of Jackson’s story involves him running one of the country’s top radio stations while still in high school. A good friend of Rich’s and a former boss of Gianni's, Jackson is a quintessential Out of Office guest—dropping inspiration, never-before-told music biz anecdotes, and sage business insights.  

Rich talks to Carli Lloyd, US Women’s National Soccer Team icon, about her childhood sports idols, her growing off-the-pitch business, and what she hopes to accomplish before hanging up her cleats.

For this episode, we switched it up. With no guest, Rich Kleiman and Gianni Harrell sit in the new 35 Ventures boardroom, socially distanced of course, to discuss the launch of KD’s new podcast, the ETCs, how Rich parlayed an early stint as a sports bookie into a successful career in the music business, what he learned about leadership from Jay Z, and how that Roc Nation experience helped him transition back to sports and the creation of 35 Ventures with Durant. And Gianni steps up and shows serious skills as an interviewer.

In this episode Rich talks to David Solomon, the CEO of Goldman Sachs, a titan among global banking firms. Among the many financial services Goldman offers, it manages over 2 trillion dollars in assets for governments, corporations and institutional investors. For 2019, Goldman reported $35 billion in revenues. And while the firm manages the fortunes of 10,000 of the world's 70,000 wealthiest individuals, it's now expanding the scope of its business, partnering with companies like Walmart and Apple to enter consumer banking. This is one of many big changes Solomon is spearheading as its CEO. He's relaxed the dress code (which garnered headlines) and pushed company executives to bring their authentic selves to work. It's not just talk. He walks the walk. Solomon enjoys a side career as a music producer and DJ under the moniker, DJ D-Sol. The story of his rise to lead Goldman Sachs holds inspiring lessons about leadership, relationship-building, work/life balance, and patience. 

Rich talks to Bill Duffy, a former NBA player and one of basketball’s most influential sports agents. His client list boasts Luka Doncic, one of the NBA’s budding superstars, and Steve Nash, the Hall of Fame point guard and recently-named head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. In a trailblazing career, Duffy also represented Yao Ming, the top pick in the ’02 NBA draft, a move that helped pave the league’s business expansion into China. 

On today's special Cadence13 crossover episode, Rich and Kevin are joined by JJ Redick and Tommy Alter from “The Old Man and the Three” podcast for a wide-ranging discussion on the NBA and much more.

On today’s show, Rich talks to his long-time friend, Jesse Itzler, a successful entrepreneur, author, ultra marathon runner, and rapper. Early in his career, Itzler wrote jingles for sports franchises, including the NY Knicks hype song “Go, New York, Go.” Now, he’s a co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks with his wife, Sarah Blakely, the billionaire founder of Spanx, the apparel brand. The serial entrepreneur has also sold companies to Warren Buffet and The Coca-Cola Company. Throughout the podcast, Itzler dispenses wisdom about the qualities required to excel as an entrepreneur, how he maintains life balance, and his recipe for staying hungry in spite of all his business success.

On today's show, Rich talks to LeVelle Moton, head coach for North Carolina Central University, a powerhouse in HBCU basketball, and widely regarded as one of the nation's most inspiring and successful coaches. Moton's life story, a testament to beating the odds, deep faith, and seizing opportunities, has the plot points of a Hollywood movie. Moton talks about growing up in a rough Boston neighborhood, the life-changing moment in his childhood when he saw a local musical group, New Edition, perform on national television, and the life lessons he's learned from mentors, including coaches John Calipari and Mike Krzyzewski.

On today’s show, Rich talks to his co-founder of 35 Ventures, Kevin Durant, and his long-time friend Steve Stoute, an iconic marketing executive who’s been a trailblazer across the sports, music and technology industries. The candid, no-holds-barred discussion covers the struggles and rewards of the entrepreneur’s life, the ascendance of Luka Doncic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and who’s likely to emerge as Hip Hop’s next big star.

On today's show, Rich talks to the legendary Doc Rivers about his inspiration to play basketball, mentorship by Pat Riley, making his name as a coach with the Celtics, and his transition to coaching the Clippers. He details the saga behind the Donald Sterling fallout, and how new owner Steve Ballmer was able to transform a long-mismanaged franchise into a model organization.

On today’s episode, Rich catches up with his friend, Jack Dorsey, Founder and CEO of Twitter and Square, to discuss his career path and much more. 

Bringing you the best of The Boardroom, now in podcast form. Rich Kleiman, entrepreneur and co-founder of Thirty Five Ventures with Kevin Durant, will be interviewing athletes, executives, and entrepreneurs about their day to day life and career trajectories, and much more. Kleiman and his right-hand man Gianni Harrell are bringing you Out of Office weekly starting soon.