1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: I'm Will Lucas and this is black Tech, Green Money. 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: Tyree Burks is the founder and CEO Players Health, where 3 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 1: he's transforming how sports organizations approach health, safety, and accountability 4 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: for athletes. As a former collegiate and professional athlete Tis Journey, 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: who shaped by personal experiences with injuries and lack of 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: proper support, inspiring him the creative platform that insures athletes 7 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: at all levels can play and safer and more secure environments. 8 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: Through players Health, he's raised over one hundred million dollars, 9 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: developed innovative risk management tools, and redefine sports insurance by 10 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: focusing on transparency, if use, prevention, and the overall well 11 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: being of athletes. So I was doing research on you, 12 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: and he talked about how you saw players Health like 13 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 1: as a personal calling rather than just like a business. 14 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: And you know, you realize your experiences as an athlete 15 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: could help shape a future for youth. And I think 16 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: about particularly my son who plays football. I wants to 17 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: play football, you know, and my wife is like, you know, 18 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: we could play flag. You know, he's eleven years old, 19 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: but not tackle yet. And so he talked about how 20 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: you see this as you know, a calling versus just 21 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 1: a business opportunity. 22 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, I really appreciate it. Well, thanks for having 23 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 2: me man Man. When when I first started out, I 24 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 2: never intended to start this business. I never intended it 25 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 2: for it to be as big as it is. In 26 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 2: the beginning. My my roots have been in sports, and 27 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: I recognized early on that, you know, the decisions that 28 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: I make will impact my life. And I you know cliches, 29 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 2: old timers always tell you that, But I had a 30 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 2: couple of decisions that I needed to make. I grew 31 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 2: up in Chicago Southside, and you know, I had a choice, 32 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 2: and you know, sports was one of them on the streets, 33 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 2: and luckily, you know, I chose football. I chose wrestling. 34 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: I chose every sport that I could choose to keep 35 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 2: me out of the streets, and that kept me safe. 36 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 2: It kept me out of the streets, kept me out 37 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 2: of trouble. But in that layer to college to professional football, 38 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: there was a whole journey that was begun because I 39 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 2: made the right choice. When I look back over that 40 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 2: career and how all of this led to me creating 41 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 2: this company, I think about every tyree Birks that is 42 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 2: faced with a decision that is looking for positive reinforcement 43 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 2: in their life. And if we can be a positive 44 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 2: force for making sure that these organizations are thinking about 45 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 2: that well being day one, then you know there's a 46 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: massive impact we can make. Another point of that is, 47 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 2: I recognize the transaction between kids in sports can have 48 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 2: a positive or negative impact on them. So we can 49 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 2: make a depositive to our kids things like positivity, things 50 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 2: like inspiration, team building, that's what you get from sports. 51 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 2: Or you can take something from them. You can take 52 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,919 Speaker 2: motivation from them, you can take their innocence from them. 53 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 2: Depending on the trauma, depending on the incident that they 54 00:02:59,919 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 2: have to endure, that could be a withdrawal that you 55 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 2: can take from them that could change their life forever. 56 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:07,839 Speaker 2: And so our focus at playerself has been we want 57 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 2: to make sure that we're only depositing good kids, good 58 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 2: things into our kids, and we want sports to be 59 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 2: a positive force for their lives and not a negative one. 60 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 1: How you just go more into that last point there, 61 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: you know, if we're to be a positive or not 62 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: a negative force, like in what ways do we think 63 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: about how it can be negative or I'm sorry, does 64 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 1: players help It could. 65 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 2: Be absolutely There's a couple of stories I tell what. 66 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 2: We had an incident where this is probably two years 67 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 2: ago high school for I mean a ten U ten 68 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 2: football team in Texas. A coach gets shot at a 69 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 2: game by someone in the stands, and that incident dramatically 70 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: impacted these kids' lives. Something was taken away from them, 71 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 2: whether that be innocence, whether that be a bunch of 72 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 2: things was taken away. But because the environment that these 73 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 2: kids come into are now bringing in all of these 74 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 2: external factors, we need to do our best to make 75 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 2: sure that we control it and put them in the 76 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: best environment. That's an example of the transaction between sports 77 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 2: and kids. Another transaction with negative thing would be like, 78 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: you know, maybe a coach is not a positive coach. 79 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 2: Maybe the coach is telling the kid that they're never 80 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: going to be good. And we respect our coaches, my coaches. 81 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:29,919 Speaker 2: I still talk to my high school football coach to 82 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 2: this day. He was like a father to me. And 83 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 2: this was the first guy I s out of my 84 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 2: mom and told me you can be somebody. He deposited 85 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,720 Speaker 2: something into me and that led to me where I'm 86 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 2: at today. So that's the dynamic. And I think sports 87 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 2: is not just one area of kids life that do that, 88 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 2: but I think it's a massive one because it's such 89 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 2: a big part of our lives. 90 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, that first, you know instance, you gave there where 91 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: you know the parents got involved and you know it 92 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:57,679 Speaker 1: went real bad. 93 00:04:58,120 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 2: You know. 94 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: I think about, you know, go on to a lot 95 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 1: of kids games because I have kids in sports now, 96 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: and you see how emotional the stands get because in 97 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: so many ways, the parents live through their kids and like, 98 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: this is their shot. This is little Billy's shot at 99 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: the league, and it's like he's nine, you know what 100 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 1: I mean. So but this is little you know, Jane's 101 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: shot at the Olympics, And I think about what opportunities 102 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: are there or how is players health thinking about? It's 103 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 1: not just the kids who need this support, but it's 104 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: the ecosystem around them to where you again, you've got 105 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: people living through them and you know, why is my 106 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: kid not getting enough playing time? It's all of these 107 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: different things. How does players help think about that? 108 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 2: Yeah? Well, I think there's a couple of things that 109 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 2: we've been focused on, specifically around how do we go 110 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 2: about creating safe spaces. Want any adult that's coming in 111 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 2: contact with a minor, we're making sure that they're properly 112 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 2: qualified to do that. Have they gone through a background check, 113 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 2: Have they gone through the proper training to respond in 114 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 2: the right way when they see something, when an injury happens. 115 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 2: You know, how are they responding to when things do happen, 116 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 2: because you know, you could de escalate a situation really 117 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 2: well to a parent that may be arraging someone if 118 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 2: you respond differently. And I think it's a great way 119 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 2: for us to model how our kids are going to 120 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 2: have to deal with adversity in their life as well. 121 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 2: And so we do a lot with training the coaches, 122 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 2: the staff and making sure that they respond properly when 123 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 2: things do happen. And then, of course things will happen, 124 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,280 Speaker 2: and how do we make sure that when they do, 125 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 2: where it's properly documented and that we're doing everything we 126 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 2: can to make sure that there's a protocol that allows 127 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 2: us not to color outside of the line, so to speak. 128 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: So your company, Play your Self came in at a time, 129 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: you started to grow at a time where you know 130 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: safety protocols, changes in safety protocols and rising insurance costs 131 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: is a big conversation and discourse. What gaps in the 132 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,039 Speaker 1: mart did you see that allowed space for this company. 133 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 2: So I was actually at the time, I was actually 134 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: volunteering on a youth and amateur sports organization here in Minnesota, 135 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 2: and our insurance premiums double. Now youth organizations, as you 136 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 2: probably know, they don't have a ton of money. You know, 137 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 2: these are nonprofit organizations. And there are a couple of 138 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 2: factors that led to the increase of those costs. One, 139 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 2: the insurance companies were paying out tons in liability lawsuits, 140 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,679 Speaker 2: specifically around concussions and abuse. Most of it was abuse, 141 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: so your your boy Scouts that was a six hundred 142 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 2: million dollar lawsuits. You know, USA Gymnastics a billion dollar lawsuit. 143 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 2: So just those two incidents, loans over one point five 144 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 2: one point six billion dollars was paid out, and the 145 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 2: carriers are sharing that cost with we all have to 146 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 2: share that cost as a risk, and so they're doing 147 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 2: some actuarial analysis that says, we now have to charge 148 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 2: X to offset you know what we're paying out. And 149 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 2: we just saw that there were some huge gaps in 150 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 2: being proactive about the risk because prior to those incidents, 151 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 2: those organizations were considered good risk and the way that 152 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 2: insurance companies used to look at sports organizations were as 153 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 2: long as you haven't had any claims, you were a 154 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 2: good risk. But they had no internal visibility around what 155 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 2: was happening day in and day out to reduce the 156 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 2: likelihood that a USA Gymnastis could happen or boy Scouts 157 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 2: could happen. And that's the that's the gap that we saw. 158 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 2: We thought there was a huge need for risk management 159 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 2: and visibility of what was actually happening on the boots 160 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 2: on the ground. And then we want to incentivize organizations 161 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 2: to do the right thing, and the best way to 162 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 2: incentivize them is to give them discounts on what is 163 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 2: their largest expense, which happens to be insurance. And so 164 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 2: when when our insurance premiums doubled, I'm asking our broker, hey, 165 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 2: why are we paying all of this? And he's telling 166 00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 2: me that this is happening in the marketplace, and I 167 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 2: have this aha moment around, well, we need to bridge 168 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 2: the gap, provide visibility of risk to our clients, give 169 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 2: them tools to manage it, and then give them affordable 170 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 2: insurance when they do the right things. 171 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 1: You know, you use the visibility there A couple of 172 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: times I think about transparency, which is another way to say. 173 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:17,839 Speaker 2: That and. 174 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: Is it more that the insurance companies don't really know 175 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: what's happening at practice, at the games, et cetera. Or 176 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: is it that the transparency from what goes into the 177 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 1: insurance premium is not clear to the consumer. 178 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 2: That's a really good question. Well, the bigger issue specifically 179 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 2: around that is that the carrier is so removed from 180 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 2: the athlete the insurance There's there's a broker which sells 181 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 2: the product, and then there's the insurance carrier that really 182 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:53,959 Speaker 2: just access the bank paying the claims. They're there, they 183 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 2: have the contract and they're managing the insurance coverage. The 184 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 2: broker actually has boots the ground, they're interacting with the 185 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 2: sports organization. They're there as the risk advisor. But what 186 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:09,440 Speaker 2: we've identified is there are a number of brokers that 187 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 2: are just a pedal policies. They're there to sell an 188 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 2: insurance policy and then when the incidents happen because brokers 189 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 2: they're not penalized if there is a claim. They only 190 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 2: get paid when they sell a policy, so they're not 191 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:30,719 Speaker 2: incentivized to ensure that organizations are implementing these policies and protocols. 192 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 2: And I think that's the different business model that we 193 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 2: have and that we've taken a more comprehensive approach around 194 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 2: how we sell the insurance because we are a broker, 195 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 2: but we are also a market. We underwrite and price 196 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 2: our own risk, and we have our own insurance capacity 197 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 2: that we have to protect, so we have the same 198 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:52,199 Speaker 2: responsibility as a carrier to make sure that we're not 199 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 2: paying out a lot of claims. And we also are 200 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 2: broker and we have boots on the ground to work 201 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 2: with these organizations day in and day out. 202 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: Unique value did your background as an athlete give you 203 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: when you started this business? 204 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 2: Honestly, it got me in the room. Like when I 205 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 2: first started the company, I really I didn't know anything 206 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 2: about business. Honestly. I came fresh from playing football and 207 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 2: I was just all passion. I had this idea to 208 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 2: create safe spaces for kids to play sports. It was 209 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 2: really simple and injuries. Because I had so many injuries, 210 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 2: I'm like, you know what, we need to create a 211 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 2: documentation system and a policy and protocol about how we 212 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:37,319 Speaker 2: manage injuries bright youth athletes. That was the simple version 213 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 2: of what we were thinking about doing. And I was 214 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 2: able to get into rooms that you wouldn't normally be 215 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,440 Speaker 2: able to get into you know, I was talking with 216 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 2: you know, the chief medical officer or the NFL. You know, 217 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 2: I got a chance to get a ton of insight 218 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 2: from executives in sports and athletic directors at universities and 219 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 2: high schools and other organizations because I was a professional 220 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 2: and because I can talk to Lango and all of 221 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 2: those other pieces. So it got me. It gave me 222 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 2: a huge opportunity to get in the door. But it 223 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 2: also gave me the resilience on the thousands of no's 224 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 2: that I would get, you know, to you know, to 225 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 2: keep fighting and keep making this thing happen when it 226 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 2: got tough. 227 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: Also, let mean ask a different question with that same foundation, 228 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: is like when you started talking to investors, you know, 229 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: they saw an athlete who's like ready, all passion, you know, Pitbull, 230 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 1: China Shop. I'm just ready to go, let's go. Like 231 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: what makes them rite to check when they see just 232 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,079 Speaker 1: the passion? But to your point, not a whole lot 233 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: of professional experience. 234 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a super Honestly, in the beginning, I can't 235 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 2: tell you. I think people just saw my commitment. In 236 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,439 Speaker 2: the beginning. I've always been a hustler. I wear my 237 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 2: heart on my sleeves. So when I do something, I'm committed, 238 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 2: and I think people feel that when they come in 239 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:00,839 Speaker 2: contact with me. And so my first introduction, my first 240 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 2: investor was my agent. He was my sports agent. So 241 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:06,319 Speaker 2: these are people that knew me. They knew how committed 242 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:08,680 Speaker 2: I was. He knew that, you know, I wasn't a 243 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 2: big name athlete. I used to pay to go to tryouts, 244 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 2: you know where there's three four hundred guys and I'm 245 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 2: the last guy there, you know, making the team. And 246 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 2: so he believed in me. And he was my first investor, 247 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 2: you know, and the first other call it big investors 248 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 2: that I had. Really I think a lot of them 249 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:32,199 Speaker 2: just I didn't take the first known personal Most of 250 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 2: the time I talked with investor that first the first time, 251 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 2: it was like, yeah, we'll talk in six months. But 252 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 2: I always followed up. My follow up game was strong. 253 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:43,559 Speaker 2: And then every time I followed up everything I told 254 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 2: him I was going to do at the time I 255 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 2: met him, I had done. And so I think that 256 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 2: that helped me, you know, get get in the door, 257 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 2: so to speak, because I was consistent with my message 258 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 2: and I held myself accountable to to be who I said. 259 00:13:57,640 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: I was going to be you know you talked about 260 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: you guys are into more than just preventing physical injuries, 261 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: but also the emotional and psychological state in creating safe 262 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: spaces for these athletes. When you think about the landscape 263 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 1: of social media, video cameras, and like, we see so 264 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: much more now negative going on in our world that 265 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: was already here. Because we now have cameras and because 266 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 1: we now have social media, it's a lot. Is the 267 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: growth of these issues or is it real as it's 268 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: really growing, or is that it's more visible to us 269 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: that the issues that we deal with are in existence. 270 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 2: I think there's a hybrid above. They are very real 271 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 2: and they are growing because what was pure about youth 272 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 2: in amateur sports is becoming very business like. Where like 273 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 2: the passion for me playing sports as a sixteen year 274 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 2: old looks dramatically different. And now it's not just yes, 275 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 2: I want to play professional football, but even before I 276 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 2: wanted to play pro football, I just I wanted to 277 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 2: play Division one football. I just wanted to just play 278 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 2: in general. Now, in order for me to be playing 279 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 2: at sixteen, I got to try out. My mom has 280 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 2: to have you know, has to pay you know, thousands 281 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 2: of dollars just for me to be a part of 282 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 2: a team, and we've now it's youth sports is becoming 283 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 2: really much of a business, and I think without call 284 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 2: it the pure nature of it of sports, where you know, 285 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 2: kids are being motivated differently, which they feel like they 286 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 2: have to post content, they have to build a brand 287 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 2: and all of this with Nils, it's forcing them to 288 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 2: have to be a part of the engine as opposed 289 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 2: to just play for the love of it, and they 290 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 2: feel the pressure to become a business, which is what 291 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 2: I think is the biggest problem that you know, that 292 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 2: pressure is going to be is really strong for these athletes. 293 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 2: And you know, I don't know if we're going to 294 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 2: be able to put the genie back in the bottle, 295 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 2: so to speak, but I'm hoping that we have some 296 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 2: brave young athletes that want to do it differently and 297 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,119 Speaker 2: that difference is what's going to help them stand out. 298 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I've seen you talk about how prevention and awareness. 299 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 1: Prevention spikes after issues, especially very public issues, but we 300 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: do have an issue in our community globally in our 301 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: discourse where we it's our state away over time. How 302 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: does players health emphasize and create sustainability with awareness for 303 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: that prevention effort. 304 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, for the first time, I think in twenty 305 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 2: four we leaned into advocacy and legislation for the first 306 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 2: time in year serve of our company. Well, we actually 307 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 2: started to take a more practive role to make sure 308 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 2: that these policies, protocols, the environment that we want to 309 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 2: provide to our customers, that we at least want to 310 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 2: motivate our custom was to lean in on the same 311 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 2: mission that we have that it was that was a 312 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 2: requirement that it was a new standard of care of 313 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 2: how organization did it. So we did this with the 314 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 2: State of Colorado one of our clients and this actually 315 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 2: didn't start with us. One of our clients reached out 316 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 2: to US Inner City to Tackle football program, one of 317 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 2: the largest in Denver, and he's been an administrator for 318 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,679 Speaker 2: ten years now and for the first time in his 319 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 2: and him doing this and this is more of a 320 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:31,680 Speaker 2: mission for him and just helping kids. He didn't want 321 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 2: to have a season because he was just afraid of 322 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 2: what was going to happen next, you know, is there 323 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 2: going to be another fight, is somebody going to get shot? 324 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 2: What's going to like it was just so much happening, 325 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 2: and so he was wondering what policies and protocols could 326 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:51,679 Speaker 2: we draft to require organizations to implement all the things 327 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 2: that he was implementing with us, And so we talked 328 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 2: with Senator Exem Senator Coleman. These are two African American centers. 329 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,640 Speaker 2: They come from the inner city. Senator Xham, he's been 330 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,880 Speaker 2: coaching high school basketball for forty years. He's seen everything, 331 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,959 Speaker 2: and so these were the folks we experienced this stuff. 332 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 2: We see it every day, and we developed through our 333 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 2: policies protocols. We co offer the bill that requires organizations 334 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 2: to do background checks, abuse awareness training, like implement these protocols, 335 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 2: and it's a requirement now in the state of Colorado. 336 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 2: That bill was passed in July, and it's the first 337 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:32,199 Speaker 2: of what will be many. You know, I think we 338 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 2: have a responsibility now with our influence in the marketplace, 339 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 2: where we can now galvanize and bring the right peoples 340 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 2: around the table to create new legislation and do things, 341 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 2: you know, the way we think the future should be. 342 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:46,679 Speaker 1: So let's say you have a son he wants to 343 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: play tackle football. At what age are you letting your 344 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 1: son tackle football? 345 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 2: So masa. 346 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 1: You know the stats, you know the numbers. 347 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 2: And what we talk about this all the time. So 348 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 2: my son is five, he's playing flag. He'll be playing 349 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,679 Speaker 2: flag probably up until he's twelve thirteen. 350 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 1: Twelve thirteen is a good Why is that a good number? 351 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 2: Honestly? I think the developmental skills depending on how big 352 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:19,120 Speaker 2: he is. And that's the thing that's one I draw 353 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 2: a line understanding that you some big. Some kids are big, 354 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 2: and once they get to a certain size, there is 355 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 2: no there's no flag for an offensive lineman or d lineman, 356 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:34,400 Speaker 2: and so you want them to be competitive enough. If 357 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 2: that's the sport that they love, they need to break 358 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 2: into it somewhere in that like middle school where they 359 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 2: got to go from you know, tackle, I'm going to 360 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 2: go from flag to tackle. You want, you want a 361 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 2: couple of years before they get into high school and 362 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,880 Speaker 2: they're really hidden before before they really you know, take 363 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 2: that transition if football is going to be a sport 364 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 2: that they really want to play. 365 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, it was another line I heard from 366 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: youse a quote where you talking to injuries and you're 367 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:03,680 Speaker 1: saying it's not happening at the collegiate level as much 368 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 1: because you have a medical staff supporting you as an athlete. 369 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: It's definitely not happening at the professional level, but it's 370 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 1: happening often at the youth level. What happens in our 371 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: community systemically pervasively that make youth sports more vulnerable when 372 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: it comes to safer play. 373 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:31,679 Speaker 2: It's honestly, there are no there's no rules or regulations 374 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 2: around how often these kids are playing. I think that's 375 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 2: that's the biggest change that happened from high school to 376 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 2: college and pro. At college and pro, they can't practice 377 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 2: only certain so many times, so many games. At high 378 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 2: school level, we're younger, you got travel, you got school 379 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 2: like they're playing sports literally all year long. And like 380 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 2: my son, we got caught into it. My son plays 381 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 2: a freshman at Northern State, is the Division two basketball player. 382 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:06,760 Speaker 2: This do play twelve months out of the year, like 383 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 2: we'll call it eleven months out of the year. We 384 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 2: forced them to sit one month, but he went from basketball, 385 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 2: call it October to March. Au starts in March, March 386 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 2: to August, he gets a month off, he's back in 387 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 2: in October again. And that's just basketball hockey. Every other 388 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 2: sport has that same cycle. Now because you now have 389 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,879 Speaker 2: spring flag football, where now kids are going from fall 390 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:40,679 Speaker 2: to flag and then they got summer travel that they're doing. 391 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 2: And so it's just the amount of miles that these 392 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 2: kids are putting on their bodies at a very young 393 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 2: age without very little rest. They're probably eating like crap. 394 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:57,119 Speaker 2: Two are increasing the number of the number of injuries 395 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 2: that they see. 396 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 1: I read and I don't know if this is the 397 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 1: latest number, but you know, I will say, congratulations on 398 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 1: the twenty eight million in financing. Is that the latest 399 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 1: that the real is that the number? 400 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 2: No, Well, the latest route we closed was sixty million. 401 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: That was we were closed that at the end of November. 402 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: So the latest is sixty So that sixty plus the 403 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: twenty eight. 404 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, we've raised over one hundred million in the history 405 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 2: of the company today. 406 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 1: Congratulations, brother, congratulations. How do you how do you say 407 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: this is the target? This is the number that we're right? 408 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 2: So that's a really good question. Honestly, we wrestled with 409 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 2: that this year and there's a couple of things that 410 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 2: we've identified when it comes to like, one, are we 411 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:46,400 Speaker 2: going to go for this number? And for the first 412 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 2: the previous first three years with the company, for the 413 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 2: previous three years that we've done and we've been focusing 414 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 2: on really getting clear on our strategy. What are we 415 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 2: going to do, what are we going to be, where 416 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 2: we're going to play, And so we have this playing 417 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 2: to win strategy that helps us understand what our winning 418 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 2: aspiration is, where we're going to play, how we're going 419 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,399 Speaker 2: to win, what capabilities do we need to have in place, 420 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 2: and then what systems do we need to have to 421 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 2: support those capabilities. I think when we finished that whole process, 422 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 2: and we've done multiple iterations, it's been fine tuning over 423 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:22,639 Speaker 2: the years. We realize that we have a right to 424 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 2: win in this space. You know, the market's big enough, 425 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 2: and the incumbents haven't evolved as we've evolved. We've changed 426 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,920 Speaker 2: the industry and they haven't evolved. And so we see 427 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 2: the opportunity for M and A. We've seen the opportunity 428 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 2: for just talent acquisition. 429 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: And that's you buying companies, not the boss. 430 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 2: Correct, But we see these growth opportunities that are green 431 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 2: grass for us because of our value proposition and how 432 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 2: differentiated we are in the marketplace. And so it you know, 433 00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 2: how aggressive you want to grow is going to come 434 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 2: down to the amount of capital, but you have to 435 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:02,959 Speaker 2: know exactly what you want to do with that capital, 436 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 2: and we do and so it wasn't something we just 437 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:09,680 Speaker 2: like picked the number. We went through that analysis, understood 438 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 2: our strategy. We did a competitive landscape, understanding what our 439 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,959 Speaker 2: competitors are doing, how they're growing, how fast we're growing, 440 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 2: how consistent can we be at this growth? And then 441 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 2: what are the fus multipliers that are going to help 442 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,199 Speaker 2: us accelerate that? And then how much is it going 443 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 2: to cost? So it's a top down approach. You really 444 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 2: get to, all right, if we, you know, we could 445 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 2: be a five hundred million dollar premium company. Insurance premium 446 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 2: is is kind of a sales metric for us right now. 447 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 2: You know, we do seventy eighty million dollars this year. 448 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,400 Speaker 2: Our focus is to be you know, five hundred million 449 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:45,120 Speaker 2: XYZ or the next number. 450 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: Of that means what that means, you're covering that you 451 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 1: have that much risk. 452 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 2: Insurance premium is basically what you pay for your insurance. 453 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 2: And so you may have a thousand dollars premium you 454 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:59,400 Speaker 2: have to pay for your liability policy. That's one thousand 455 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 2: dollars in premi for us, and so our role, our 456 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,359 Speaker 2: focus is to generate you know, you know over a 457 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 2: five hundred million, Well what will it take for us 458 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:11,800 Speaker 2: to get to that point? What tools and resources do 459 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:13,879 Speaker 2: we need to have in the people. So that's how 460 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 2: we came up with that. But it takes courage to 461 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:20,880 Speaker 2: go after it, and you got to believe in yourself. 462 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 2: And I think coming from where I came from, and 463 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 2: there's a lot of self doubt that I had going 464 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 2: into this, going ca can I do it? But can 465 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 2: we do it? And yeah, you know, you just got 466 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:33,879 Speaker 2: to you know, don't believe the lies and you know, 467 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 2: take the plunge and make it happen. 468 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 1: Technical question about you know, the business is does that 469 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,120 Speaker 1: mean if you've got five hundred million in premiums you're 470 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:45,199 Speaker 1: potentially if I was like one million dollar policies, how 471 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: does that work? Does that mean you have to have 472 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,639 Speaker 1: you know, hundreds of millions also in the maank in 473 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 1: case somebody as. 474 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 2: So one of the things that we've done and players Health, 475 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,479 Speaker 2: we're a brokerage and we're what we're calling in MGA 476 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 2: or think of us as like a quasi carrier. We 477 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 2: don't have any balance sheet risk with with our market. 478 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:10,160 Speaker 2: We work with a number of carriers that support us 479 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:15,399 Speaker 2: and for every So the average premium for youth and 480 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 2: amateur sports is you know, small organization is probably a 481 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 2: thousand bucks, so that could be thousands of organizations. But 482 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 2: we also write very large organizations, right, We write some 483 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 2: of the largest organizations out you know US youth soccer, 484 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,520 Speaker 2: you know USA football. We write some really large organizations, 485 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 2: three step sports. These are all really big accounts. Those accounts, 486 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,679 Speaker 2: those large organizations could be millions of dollars in premium. 487 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 2: Very few people know that just in youth and amateur 488 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 2: sports alone is over three billion dollars and insurance produced 489 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 2: a year. That's how big the insurance market is in 490 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,000 Speaker 2: youth and amateur sports. You at college, you ad pro, 491 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,760 Speaker 2: you at you add all of those pieces, you looking 492 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 2: at eight to ten billion dollar market. So the market 493 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 2: is massive and our focus is, you know, to be 494 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:09,679 Speaker 2: to be the number one in the US. 495 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 1: You might have just answered this question, but is there 496 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 1: verticals that you could you might consider expanding into. 497 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:21,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, so our core of players health of the past, 498 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 2: we've been an insurancewntionship for about five years now, has 499 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 2: been you the amateur sports and fitness. Fitness has been 500 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:30,919 Speaker 2: a really big division for US has been growing newer 501 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 2: for US. We launched our collegiate division. It'll be a 502 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 2: year in February we launched the collegiate Division. We do 503 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 2: all the NIL policies and stuff now for the college 504 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:46,399 Speaker 2: NIL market, and we will be launching pro in twenty six. 505 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 1: There is you know again, we talked earlier about parents 506 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: in the family, around the friends, even of these young 507 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:02,200 Speaker 1: people who are playing, and how their behavior and their 508 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 1: actions at these games means almost as much as the 509 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 1: people on the court or on the field. What what 510 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: steps do you encourage those families, those parents to take 511 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: to create safer sports environments in their communities, even in 512 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 1: their households and at the games. 513 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:23,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I think we gotta we gotta build and 514 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:27,680 Speaker 2: raise comprehensive kids. Sports is not there, end all, be all, 515 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 2: and I think we we want to motivate our kids 516 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 2: to be the best at what they do. But I 517 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,400 Speaker 2: think one of the biggest things that I've I've come 518 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 2: I've had to wrestle with this with my son. You 519 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 2: see potential in our kids, we see what they could be, 520 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 2: but they have to develop into that and there's a 521 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:50,080 Speaker 2: there's a hap, there's a very fine balance between us 522 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 2: pushing and allowing them to figure it out along their way, 523 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,719 Speaker 2: and they're gonna we have to do both. And so 524 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 2: I think I don't have a call it the We 525 00:28:58,160 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 2: don't have the magic bullet in terms of what that 526 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 2: looks like. But I think my advice that I would 527 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 2: give to parents as they are developing and raising their 528 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:10,400 Speaker 2: kids is that recognizing that sports as a tool. That's 529 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 2: how we should That's how I've that's how I've raised 530 00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 2: my son to believe that sports as a tool. Yes 531 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:19,720 Speaker 2: there's opportunities where, yes, you could play professionally if that 532 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 2: is a dream that you have, but that dream will 533 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 2: also one day in because you can't play professionally forever. 534 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 2: So see it as a tool, and we want to 535 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 2: make sure that we look at what sports brings to 536 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 2: us comprehensively. Are you being a good leader, are you 537 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,239 Speaker 2: learning how to problem solve? Are you learning how to 538 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 2: overcome adversity? These are the skills, These are the these 539 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 2: are these are the lessons that we want our kids 540 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 2: to learn through sports. And so I'd encourage us to 541 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 2: focus more on those lessons and those skills than we do. 542 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 2: Whether they made it to division one or division two. 543 00:29:54,920 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I have this philosophy about my own businesses, 544 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 1: in my own business, you know, thinking in that like 545 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 1: I'm not romantic about business, Like if something is working, 546 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 1: is working. If it's not, no matter how much I 547 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 1: like it or love it, it's not working. And I 548 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: was reading this quote from you where you said, you know, 549 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 1: in the beginning, you always have hopes and dreams of 550 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 1: what you want the mission to be, and then it 551 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,280 Speaker 1: ends up coming to you more as a calling than 552 00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: it does just building a business. I don't know if 553 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: you remember saying that, but so so with that thought 554 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: I have of like, if it's working, it's working. If 555 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 1: it's not, it's not, you got to cut it off 556 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 1: and move onto something else. Expand on how that sense 557 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 1: of calling that you feel shapes your leadership and approach 558 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: to entrepreneurship in business. 559 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 2: Well, I think in the beginning, man, I was so 560 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:53,480 Speaker 2: focused on external perceptions I want to I was looking 561 00:30:54,080 --> 00:31:00,800 Speaker 2: for examples of what success look like. When what changed 562 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,400 Speaker 2: everything for me was that I'm a one of one. 563 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 2: You are one of one. Your businesses will look dramatically 564 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,760 Speaker 2: different when you running them. Then they'll look dramatically different. 565 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 2: When I'm in them, even if we're in the same industry. 566 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 2: And so, yeah, there are blueprints and people that have 567 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:20,320 Speaker 2: done successful things, but man has change, and your ability 568 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,239 Speaker 2: to adapt to those changes are going to be up 569 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 2: to you and the team you have around you. And 570 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 2: so I had to develop a confidence in myself, but 571 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 2: to be a great listener, not being so focused on 572 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 2: me being right. But I wanted to get it right. 573 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:39,640 Speaker 2: And so like the original idea that I had to 574 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 2: play yourself. You ask anyone that's been part of this 575 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 2: journey with me for past ten years, they know I'm 576 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:47,840 Speaker 2: okay with being wrong. So anytime that I had an 577 00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 2: initial idea round what was what I thought something was 578 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 2: going to be, I was super quick to recognize that 579 00:31:54,360 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 2: that wasn't the right path and we pivoted. And I 580 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 2: really embrace courage. In our company. We have to put 581 00:32:03,360 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 2: ourselves in a position with failures as a possibility, and 582 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 2: the only way we can do that is if we 583 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 2: take risks. And so of course as the company matures, 584 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,480 Speaker 2: your risk get more calculated. But in the beginning, you 585 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 2: got nothing to lose because you don't have there's nothing 586 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 2: really there. You're building it from the ground up. And 587 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:23,800 Speaker 2: the only way for you to learn is to make mistakes, 588 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:28,200 Speaker 2: learn from those mistakes, and iterate. And I think that 589 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:33,480 Speaker 2: has really driven how I lead people. Another thing that 590 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 2: I'm really focused on within our company is that player 591 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 2: Sealth is a calling for me because it is my mission. 592 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 2: Everyone in our company has our own personal mission statement, 593 00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 2: and people talk about mission statements. It seems like a cliche, 594 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 2: but I am here today because I've had this mission 595 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:54,640 Speaker 2: to create a word of love, acceptance, and safety. Everything 596 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:58,240 Speaker 2: about my life represents that. When you come in contact 597 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 2: with me, you should feel that because that is who 598 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 2: I say I am, that is that is what I 599 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:05,120 Speaker 2: want to be held accountable to. So everyone in our 600 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 2: company has their own personal mission and every week we 601 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:10,719 Speaker 2: check in on it. Are you on mission or are 602 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 2: you not? And so? And if you consistently be on mission, 603 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 2: you're gonna wake up ten years from now and you 604 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 2: are going to have started to materialize what you set 605 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 2: out to do. And that's exactly what has happened with me. 606 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:28,360 Speaker 2: I had a vision and a mission to create a 607 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 2: world of love, acceptance, and safety through this business. This 608 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 2: is one way that I go about doing that outside 609 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:36,080 Speaker 2: of my family and all of these other things. But 610 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 2: being missions driven is really important because it allows you 611 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:42,560 Speaker 2: to have focus and it just keeps you It keeps 612 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:45,720 Speaker 2: you motivated when things get tough, because things will get tough. 613 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 1: Man, that was a great place to end, But I 614 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:51,200 Speaker 1: got one more question. I was like, shoot, I should 615 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 1: ask that ass that I got one more You know, 616 00:33:56,960 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: I think about urban areas and they're often underfunded and 617 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 1: many families struggle with insurance already. Many of these teams, 618 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,400 Speaker 1: you know, they just may be neighborhood teams put together 619 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:11,359 Speaker 1: because you know, we wanted to keep the kids off 620 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:17,239 Speaker 1: the street. So like, what position does players have have 621 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:21,080 Speaker 1: to ensure that all communities, especially those that are in underserved, 622 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 1: underfunded communities, have access to resources to keep kids safe 623 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:25,800 Speaker 1: on and off the field. 624 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:30,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. Man, that's something I've leaned into over the years, 625 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:35,279 Speaker 2: and that specifically within urban communities, especially communities where I 626 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:39,600 Speaker 2: grew up, we have to approach sports differently and that 627 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:42,800 Speaker 2: the challenges that an administrator face on a day in 628 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:47,400 Speaker 2: and day out running a sports organization and Inglewood, Chicago 629 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 2: is going to be dramatically different than someone running a 630 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:55,360 Speaker 2: program here in you know, Eton Prairie, Minnesota, And so 631 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,360 Speaker 2: even just how we even look at staff a background 632 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 2: check a background in Eden Prairie. I can run a 633 00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 2: background check on every coach their dads and may not 634 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:10,719 Speaker 2: have any issues. I run a background check on volunteers 635 00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 2: and members in the urban community, and they they may 636 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:17,239 Speaker 2: have a history that if we treat if we use 637 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:21,239 Speaker 2: the same way we adjudicate background checks for all of 638 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 2: these organizations the same, we won't have any coaches in 639 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:26,200 Speaker 2: those urban communities. So we got to get creative, and 640 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:28,439 Speaker 2: that's what we've done. We've leaned in with our inner 641 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:30,200 Speaker 2: city programs going, you know what, you guys got to 642 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:33,279 Speaker 2: got coaches, but you guys have to have coaches, but 643 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 2: we still need to make sure we credential them. If 644 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:38,279 Speaker 2: they've had a history, how long has it been, are 645 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 2: they truly have they rehabilitated their life and are they 646 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:43,640 Speaker 2: passing a story back to our kids around how they 647 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:45,960 Speaker 2: need to do what they need to do differently And 648 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 2: so we've leaned in differently in that way, and that 649 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:51,880 Speaker 2: our background check adjudication has to look dramatically different for 650 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:56,319 Speaker 2: inner city program where we have way different you know, 651 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:59,759 Speaker 2: demographic of parents or volunteers that are leaning in the 652 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:04,839 Speaker 2: for their kids cost savings like we do. We do 653 00:36:05,239 --> 00:36:08,319 Speaker 2: we have our foundation. We do a single Mother's give 654 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:12,360 Speaker 2: back between Mother's Mother's Day and Father's Day where we 655 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:14,880 Speaker 2: give six hundred and ninety five dollars back to single 656 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:17,600 Speaker 2: mothers for their kids to play sports. So that's a 657 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 2: big part of accessibility. My mom, she's a lunchroal manager. 658 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:23,359 Speaker 2: She made thirty thousand dollars a year. There's no way 659 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:25,759 Speaker 2: she would have been able to afford with these parents 660 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:28,400 Speaker 2: paying today. And so these are just a couple of 661 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:33,239 Speaker 2: ways that we you know, it's my journey. You know, 662 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:36,359 Speaker 2: I have not forgotten where I come from, and you know, 663 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:40,360 Speaker 2: I just want to make sure that we reduced to 664 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 2: have and to have not and we make sure that 665 00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 2: all kids, regardless of where they live, have a great 666 00:36:46,239 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 2: opportunity for them to experience the goodness that sports can 667 00:36:50,239 --> 00:36:52,279 Speaker 2: bring to their life and give them an opportunity where 668 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:55,200 Speaker 2: a coach like Coach Ward tell me, man, you can 669 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:57,960 Speaker 2: be somebody, and they for the first time they believe 670 00:36:58,000 --> 00:36:59,279 Speaker 2: that and go and do something with it. 671 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:02,480 Speaker 1: Tech Green Money is a production of Blavity Afro Tech 672 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:05,279 Speaker 1: on the Black Effect podcast Networking Night High Media, and 673 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:08,440 Speaker 1: it's produced by Morgan Debonne and me Well Lucas, with 674 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 1: the additional production support by Kate McDonald, Sayah Ergan, and 675 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 1: Jada McGee. Special thank you to Michael Davis and Love Beach. 676 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:16,720 Speaker 1: Learn more about my guests and other tech this shoup 677 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:19,919 Speaker 1: as an Innovator's at afrotech dot com. The video version 678 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:22,000 Speaker 1: of this episode will drop to Black Tech, Green Money 679 00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:25,319 Speaker 1: on YouTube, so tap in, enjoy your Black Tech Green money, 680 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 1: share us to somebody go get your money. Peace and love,