The 9% Edge

CHAPTER 9The Players on Your Profit Team

“In both sports and business, you have to play to win. It’s about strategy, execution, and never giving up.”

— Alex Rodriguez

I had just walked out of a private venture capital meeting with a Middle Eastern prince, the owner of an MLB team, and an owner of an NBA team. Just as we stood up from the table to leave the meeting, Seth Gorgon and the Dalai Lama walked by.

You’d think I was setting up a joke with that opener, but that actually happened. There were owners of major media networks, celebrities, and billionaire tech founders at this meeting, among others.

The first few minutes I was thinking, how on earth am I sitting here? If they knew I grew up in a trailer with zero formal education, I’d surely be asked to leave. Yet there I sat – with a friend who is a champion athlete, investor and businessman with $800M assets under management.

After the meeting, everyone went back to a house in the hills of LA. The views from the back of the house went on for miles. The water from the infinity pool spilled over the edge and sent serene sounds into the air as the fire feature created the ambience of a sanctuary. As the large glass pocket door opened, the inside met with the outside, as did smells from the kitchen as a chef prepared a gorgeous dinner.

Again, the same thought that I had from our business meeting earlier in the day entered my mind as I looked out at the view one more time: How on earth am I sitting here?

The Game of Sports ...