Podcast Alert: Keia Clark – New York Liberty
Keia Clarke – CEO of the New York Liberty – joins the show to discuss the bright future of the Liberty and the WNBA as a whole.
She shares with AJ Maestas her career path and how she made the transition from marketing to operations, and now to the role of CEO. They also touch on the Liberty’s investment in custom market research and the work they’re doing with Navigate.
Details:
2:15 – The $75M investment in the WNBA
4:50 – The Tsai Family
9:05 – Following in Keia’s footsteps
14:15 – DEI in Sports
17:45 – YES deal and the Liberty’s star power
28:10 – Rapid Fire Questions
Transcript
+^[00:00:00] Keia Clarke: We want our players, we want this franchise to really own this moment as we are building back up and we’re going to turn that corner, you know, we want to own it. We want to sit in that and we want to really be proud of not only just what we’ve overcome, you know, 25th anniversary, proud of twenty-five years, proud to be an original team in the WNBA and now proud to represent New York City.
Once again, in the boroughs
[00:00:49] AJ Maestas: Hello, and welcome to the Navigating Sports Business podcast. I’m your host, AJ Maestas, founder of Navigate a data-driven consulting firm, guiding major strategies and decisions in [00:01:00] sports and entertainment. We started this podcast hoping to share the interesting stories and experiences of the amazing people we get to work with.
And even though they’re visionaries and famous in many instances, their true stories aren’t often heard since they’re not on the playing field. Our hope is you get to know them better and learn from them as we have
Today, I’m happy to be joined by Keia Clark, Chief Executive Officer of the New York Liberty. Thank you for joining Keia. Really grateful you’re here.
[00:01:31] Keia Clarke: Very glad to be here.
[00:01:33] AJ Maestas: Yeah. And I should go a step further in saying, I’m really grateful that you’ve trusted us to be a business partner with you. We know what the realistic budgets are at the WNBA level.
And I think it’s nothing short of gutsy and visionary to make big investments with big expectations. And this could apply to anything in business, but you just don’t get there right. Without making a bet. And, um, I feel like we’re making a bet together. So thank you.
[00:01:54] Keia Clarke: Yeah, AJ absolutely. We’re really excited about this project.
And, you know, not only as you [00:02:00] call it visionary, I think it’s going to be very impactful for our business. And, you know, that’s really what I’m focused on. Especially in, in my current role, I’m going to think it’s the positivity and the positive trend that we’re all looking for. So again, really excited about what’s to come.
[00:02:15] AJ Maestas: I’m glad to hear you say that. And just for our friends who are listening, it was recently announced that the WNBA is receiving a $75 million investment from some who’s who of investors, Nike, Condoleezza Rice, the NBA hall of Famer, Pau Gasol, the WNBA team owners, including your ownership group that is Joe and Clara Tsai are, have reported this to be the largest investment ever in a women’s sports, did I get that right?
[00:02:40] Keia Clarke: Indeed. It is the largest ever capital raise for a women’s sports property. And, you know, I truly believe, um, I’m excited as, you know, one of the teams that will hopefully ultimately benefit from this, but this is going to fuel the next stage of the WNBA’s growth. You can’t innovate, you can’t grow a league without incremental capital funding.
And I [00:03:00] think this is going to be transformative.
[00:03:01] AJ Maestas: Well, I would love to know from a business perspective, what does this mean for the league? Like what are we going to do with this money?
[00:03:07] Keia Clarke: Well, I think generally speaking, you know, the WNBA is always looking for like-minded, um, people, individuals, organizations, companies to align with and garner support from.
And I think that this outside individual investment is going to provide that opportunity. So, you know, the details of what that looks like for each team across the country are still being worked out. This is still a fairly new announcement for us, but, uh, needless to say, I think it will be positive, whatever way you look at it, because there’s a definite outside interest that will be used for internal good, and ultimately the external masses.
[00:03:46] AJ Maestas: Well, I’m glad to hear that. Honestly, you know, sometimes you lose touch doing what we do for a living with, you know, what the ultimate outcome is thinking about young people aspiring to be an athlete, be healthy, to play all the lessons that come from being an athlete.
And I [00:04:00] think the data which I won’t recite to you here is pretty overwhelming on women in sports. One of the stats, I shared a bunch and I’m sure I’m misquoting it. It says that. And I think it was KPMG that came up with this. 75% of living in the C-suite played high school sports. 50% of women in the corporate C-suite in the United States played collegiate athletics.
As did you, you were a four year basketball player just for those listening, unbelievable to think about, you know, whether it’s chicken or egg or you can, you know, debate on, you know, cause and effect on how that all came to be. It cannot be denied, right? The tie between women rising up in the corporate world, leading, changing the world.
And that connection to sports. And we just, you know, you forget that when you’re working like on a big business transaction for, I don’t know, the NFL or something like that, right. That the WNBA’s mission goes way beyond sport and entertainment, right. It affects generations of young people, young women and girls.
Well, uh, Ally Corbin on our team came back just raving about your new ownership group. You’re one of the few people who’ve survived these generational changes that [00:05:00] date back to, you know, decades beyond right here with MSG and, and the Liberty, and by the way, it sounds like they’re really engaged in our work together.
I just think that’s amazing, right? That that is a real sign of caring where the business is going, where the sport is going. But tell us, I I’d love to know your viewpoint on transitioning to a new ownership. What you see from well from Clara and Joe.
[00:05:20] Keia Clarke: Yeah. You know, I would first say, I consider myself fortunate to, to not just stay with this team for a considerable number of years, but also I’ve worked under, you know, the leadership of two very dynamic, very accomplished, but different ownership groups.
You know, you mentioned MSG and you know, obviously Joe and Clara on the team now I can’t overstate the value of the years. I spent really on my own professional development journey. Under previous ownership who by the way at the time was the longest standing NBA and WNBA team owner. So, um, I’m thankful for those years, I learned a lot about this business.
I learned a lot about myself, but these past three plus years, since Joe and [00:06:00] Clara acquired the team has resulted in, you know, a complete shift. There is impact to the team. There is impact for the fans. There’s impact to my staff. On the business side, there has been impact to the basketball operations staff.
It’s been consistent. It’s been authentic and it’s been from the very start Joe and Clara have made it very clear that they’re going to have a distinct and constant effort to invest in measures that are going to move us toward equity. And I think a lot of times when you think about women’s sports, people think equality, but I’m specifically saying equity in this sense, they’re really diligent about giving us the tools and the resources that we need to be successful.
That’s a welcome sentiment for me, it makes me excited about going to work every day. It makes me really excited to work with the talented folks that are on my team because we have a north star, right. There’s support. There’s a faith about us, ultimately reaching, you know, what we, we hope to be a very successful [00:07:00] business and full arena with flourishing fans.
We’ve got a rabid fan base right now, and we’re working every single day to grow that. There’s concrete examples of that investment in how, you know, they’ve really showed up for the Liberty. Um, not only in just acquiring the team, but the move to Barclays was huge and welcomed by our fans. And obviously our players.
Increased head counts on the business side. We’ve, we’ve nearly doubled the number of people who are working 24 7, 365 on New York Liberty business. There is a shared model support from BSE Global, but there are lots of dedicated, what I would call dedicated Liberty staff, um, who really, you know, have an opportunity to make this their specialty.
Um, and to, like I said, really from an annual basis, focus on how through the on-season the off season, the planning season, all of the above, how are we going to be most prepared to execute? And then I think we’ve alluded to it a few times on this [00:08:00] call, but it investment in custom research in a fan segmentation and understanding.
Who it is that we want to, um, be a part of this ecosystem and what are the right tactics and, you know, where are our barriers and our challenges and how do we overcome them? All of that at the end of the day, those are credited to, you’ve used the word of a really visionary approach where, you know, it’s not about so much tomorrow’s game or just this one season.
And in front of us, it’s about the longterm success.
[00:08:33] AJ Maestas: Well, and that is pretty meaningful by the way, doubling the staff, doubling the head count dedicated to the Liberty. That’s no small move and that’s not common. We’ve worked with some of the best in the WNBA. I’m thinking of the Storm in particular, when I say that, just because they have such a rabid fan base, such a beautiful to have that north star to have that level of commitment to that, and to set those expectations, but to give you the resources to get there.
Right. It’s usually the other way around. There’s either no clear north star or there’s this, [00:09:00] uh, super ambitious goal that, uh, isn’t commensurate with the resources to get you there. So good for you, but just for fun, a young person is listening to you and they want to follow in your footsteps. What would you tell them?
Maybe a lesson or two you could take from all those years, all of that growth, all of that inside one organization.
[00:09:18] Keia Clarke: Yeah, that’s a good question. To keep it short. I would say. There’s two things, a willingness, and that willingness needs to be attached to an open-mindedness. There were several moments in several times in my career where my title was one thing.
And the job description that I agreed to during an interview was one thing, but what I ultimately showed up and did every day just changed. It shifted. I added things. I got better at certain things. I learned what I wasn’t good at. And I think not getting too bogged down in the pressures of like, this is my one job and I’ve got guard rails on is what’s allowed me to sort of [00:10:00] shift.
I was very, very focused in marketing. Um, I majored in marketing in undergrad. My master’s is in sports business with a concentration in marketing. And I thought I would be, you know, strictly and only a marketer forever. And I think operations sort of snuck up on me, but operations only snuck up on me because I was willing and open-minded, and really just attached myself to any and every project that I could get my hands on.
So that is the advice that I would give that, you know, there is nothing. Outside of your job description per se, that you should ever turn down because you just don’t know what you would learn from it.
[00:10:34] AJ Maestas: I like that. Actually. I like that a lot, especially because there’s this poster a friend bought, another friend of mine.
Who’s an entrepreneur. We’ll link to it in the notes that follow this. But basically it says success, what people think, and it has this arrow going straight to the northeast. And then it says what it really is, and it shows this, you know, crazy winding, you know, up and down rollercoaster. Uh, so I really appreciate that perspective.
You have no idea, right. And how you’re going to use that later, when you ran into it, to your point, [00:11:00] like something in operations, you played, as I had mentioned earlier, Division I one college basketball at Canisius College up in Buffalo. And obviously you were studying marketing at the same time there in your undergraduate pursuits.
Anything you can take from that as having been an athlete, having played. Do you think that translates into what you do today?
[00:11:17] Keia Clarke: Yes. There’s no doubt. I would say 100%, many of the lessons I learned in being an addict. And, and even before I was a collegiate student athlete, I played volleyball and basketball.
I ran a season of track. I played softball for a couple of years, um, in high school. And I think there are so many skills that you learn as an athlete from time management to teamwork, to accepting rejection, to being humble. I can’t even list all of the ways that sports has impacted my life. But I think specifically my collegiate years, I’ll be honest.
I wasn’t a star. I was so happy to have [00:12:00] accomplish the opportunity to play college basketball and to play at the Division I level at that, when I got there, um, I realized pretty quickly I wasn’t going to be all MAAC or player of the year or all time leading scorer. And I think it was in that adversity that I learned a lot about myself as a person.
And ultimately those are the lessons that I take with me. And those are lessons that I demonstrate every single day in my professional life, or even in my family life. I strongly support and encourage, you know, youth playing sports. But I’ll tell you when you’re transitioning from 18 years old through those, you know, 19, 20, 21 years and you’re playing a sport.
There is a crucial lesson to be learned and, you know, I’m basing it on my ability. Um, but it was also about my relationship with teammates, my relationship with coaches that I really learned some of the soft skills that I really drawn on over the year. I enjoyed my time in Buffalo. And as I said, [00:13:00] Canisius taught me a time, but, you know, had I not been a student athlete, I don’t even think that, you know, we’d be sitting on this podcast having this conversation.
[00:13:08] AJ Maestas: Wow. I really appreciate you being a little vulnerable there for a moment and sharing, you know, hitting sort of, um, you know, a point of a ceiling or a point of resistance. There’s this dinner question we ask when we’re, you know, getting together with clients, which I hope we’re breaking bread soon in New York city.
Where we’d say, you know, share us your greatest triumph, you know, your, your, you know, what you’re most proud of. And everybody answers the question starting with this valley. This is sort of like form of feedback, uh, you know, that they were fired and then they started their business or whatever it was. I really appreciate you noting that because for whatever reason, we all sort of tell ourselves this hero’s journey story.
At least the people who reach great heights like yourslef. Where you learn more from challenges and failures than you do from easy, natural God given born success. You know, it’s the whole concept of a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset. So thank you for saying that because, uh, if we could all just remember that in that moment, [00:14:00] right.
When we’re struggling, that we’re actually receiving an amazing lesson. I know I struggled to recognize it in the moment. It’s a little bit related to this. I think if you’re willing to share, but as a woman of color, a CEO of a professional sports team here in the United States, it’s something that was incredibly rare until recently.
And it feels like there’s change. It feels like we’re in a moment of change. We’re seeing a lot of. Who’ve been very patient and they’ve paid their dues and they’re sitting there just one step below that, getting that opportunity for the top seed. Do you see this progress? I mean, I’d love to have your perspective.
Do you see that progress and how do you feel
about what’s happening?
[00:14:31] Keia Clarke: Yeah, I think there is definite and absolute progress. You know, I’m a living example of that for certain and as are people that I’m following from afar or even friends that are new. In aggregate, we have seen more women and more women of color in leadership roles, in C-suite positions, taking ownership, stakes in professional sports teams, uh, head coaching jobs, athlete representation, like in every single one of those buckets, you know, within sport.[00:15:00]
Yeah, I can tell you a woman and, or a woman of color over the last three or four years who has received an opportunity. And I think it’s great progress. I think we have to continue in this trajectory. I think, you know, there’s no such thing as becoming complacent. Diversity and inclusion is real and it only improves whatever the industry is, where you’re demonstrating that you can be diverse.
Like you’re actually not getting the most out of everyone. If everyone looks the same and everyone comes from the same cookie cutter background. So the fact that we talk about it so much more now, I think is the most important piece of it though. You know, there was a time where, you know, it was almost unspoken and it was just, you know, I’m not getting an opportunity and I’m hitting my head on a wall with sort of the sentiment.
And I think because now, you know, organizations, companies, governing bodies. Like people are really speaking out and saying like, you [00:16:00] know, we can’t continue this way. That’s important progress. Even in itself.
[00:16:04] AJ Maestas: I, don’t disagree. Our actions quickly follow our words. Well, are you satisfied with that progress?
If you were to grade us as an industry, would you say on the right trajectory or needs more?
[00:16:14] Keia Clarke: I would say on the right trajectory and needs more. Like I said, I mean, there, there, there can’t be a moment of complacency. I think about this. And I mentioned, you know, having the conversation and in some cases it’s a tough conversation, but the more normalized leaders are in being intentional about seeking out top talent from diverse populations, then we will have succeeded when it’s normalized and we’re not drawing so much attention to it because it’s happenstance, then, then we’ve made it. And, you know, I don’t think we’ve made it yet, but I do think there’s light here. There’s light at the end of the tunnel because I’ve witnessed it even in our own organization, real intentional policies, [00:17:00] real intentional encouragement from leadership about what our staff, what our, what our employee population looks like.
That’s part of the journey. I am hopeful that it will continue and one day we’ll get there,
[00:17:13] AJ Maestas: You’ve spent so much time in that world. The WNBA, NBA I can share with you from a perspective of, you know, at Navigate, we get to go everywhere, right? We ‘re working with just about everyone you can name, and that’s not how it looks.
There’s great efforts taking place at other leagues and sports, you know, and you know, depending on ownership and what have you, but the NBA and WNBA lead and, uh, G League they boy. Yeah, it’s noticeable, but I’m glad to hear you say that. It’s one of those things where maybe it’s the timing of social movements across the country, but it feels very real to me for the first time in my career in sports.
So it’s a real positive, a career highlight. I’d love to call out real quick. You negotiated with yes. To get your games on the RSN for first time ever. There are so many of our MLS team clients that [00:18:00] don’t have wide or quality distribution. How did you do that? I’d love to hear the story.
[00:18:04] Keia Clarke: Yeah, well, I’ll first start by saying the YES network has been an amazing broadcast partner. The fact that in New York City, and I think they’re an incredibly quality RSN I almost don’t look at YES network as an RSN their attention in their love for the Liberty was, was welcomed on day one. So I think the fact that there had not been any WNBA games previously on the network, we were welcomed content.
And, um, I was mad about it. I think, you know, in terms of how did I do the deal? You know, if you think back clearly the Liberty games had aired on MSG, I believe since, since the inception of the league, um, previously. So at the time of the team sale, it really just only made sense for us to have a conversation and for us to negotiate since our brother team, the Brooklyn Nets were already on the YES network.
So I [00:19:00] won’t say it was an easy conversation, but I would say it was a very welcome conversation just in terms of, you know, we have great content. We have. Heading into the 2019 season and, and little did we know that we were going to end up with the number one draft pick who everyone knew was going to be Sabrina.
So, you know, it just provided for this backdrop and this opportunity for content that I think, you know, we were excited about as the franchise and YES was really eager to get behind. It was somewhat, you know, challenged by COVID and the fact that we didn’t play in a home arena or in market during that season.
But I think that’s the beauty of, you know, new partnership, fluid partnership. They have, you know, worked with us and they’ve covered off court community activations for us. So, you know, I cannot say enough about what the relationship has become. The WNBA product is of value. It felt like a new day for, you know, [00:20:00] the RSN to really, really be eager about airing our games.
So. We’re continuing with the partnership and I’m really, really excited.
[00:20:06] AJ Maestas: Happy to hear you say that. And it’s very, you know, again, humble of you to say that, you know, in some ways it was easy or not quite easy, but, but if it was easy, everyone would, right. I mean, you know, these MLS teams, some of these things that have higher ratings would also have that kind of distribution and YES network gets crowded New York City’s a crowded marketplace.
I think that’s a really big win. I believe in the product. You know, I I’ve sat courtside at a WNBA game, and seen what I think some people don’t know, don’t realize, you know, those not yet exposed to the physicality and the level of play and what’s taking place. But as much as this is an old world mindset and thought, you know, television is still a gateway to introducing people.
I know that the next generation are using different forms of media, but there’s a legitimacy to turning on your TV and being introduced to it and then saying, you know what, I’m going to go see that in person. So I think it’s a really big win.
[00:20:54] Keia Clarke: Absolutely, and AJ I would even add. I think there’s a level of credibility and sustainability with [00:21:00] continuing to be on a linear network.
Like I hear you and we are knee deep in, you know, what are the digital and short form and, you know, streaming opportunities that that could be out there. But I still think that linear will continue to be like the legitimizer if you will, of pro sports at the end of the day, you know, we still crowd around a TV when it’s time to watch the Superbowl or, you know, the NBA playoffs.
So I think there’s still, there’s still a lot of meat on that bone.
[00:21:30] AJ Maestas: Yeah, I completely agree. And it just happens to be the person who leads your relationship for navigate Ally Corbin is a wonderful person to talk about that because I agree that she is the one that leads our gen alpha and gen Z research.
She’s also engaged in some direct to consumer stuff with other RSNs. There’s no question where the future is, right in short form, social, digital, mobile. But, but wow, big deal, big deal to turn on TVs all around the tri-state area and be able to see your game. So congratulations. You had mentioned something by the way, while we were just [00:22:00] chatting, some superstars you have on the team for those that might not be familiar with Sabrina Ionescu was the number one draft pick in 2020, she’s the top selling Jersey in 21 in the WNBA.
She’s not alone. Right? Betnijah Laney is an all-star, tell me a little bit about how you do take advantage of putting some serious top league talent to work for the growth of the fan base for the growth of the franchise. Cause this is a rare moment. You can do everything right as a marketer, but, uh, you know, if you don’t have a great product, well, you have a great product now.
[00:22:30] Keia Clarke: Absolutely. I, this team looks very differently than it did just a few years ago and it’s actually hard to believe the Liberty had never had a number one draft pick until 2020 and it just so happened to be what many deemed a generational player or the generational player of the W in recent times. So, you know, Sabrina had a celebrated career at Oregon, she’s got her own brand, uh, she, you know, just, you know, outside of the Liberty, she is aligned with [00:23:00] many, many other deals and opportunities. We couldn’t be more excited to have her here on this team. And I think you mentioned the jersey sales even optimizing or capitalizing on these types of opportunities is like everything that a team lead or a marketer would, would dream for hope for. And it’s interesting because we have partners on our jerseys as well.
And that was really, um, I think the coolest part of it, because with partner logos on the jersey. We were still unable to, you know, she was still able to remove jerseys and that’s just a testament, I think, to the power of the athlete. And we’re seeing more and more the athletes impact at the college level and how that crosses over into the pros.
But needless to say, you know, Sabrina, Betnijah, we picked up, uh, Steph Dolson in free agency this year. Natasha Howard. We focused on the stars, certainly, but I think our team has so many gems, uh, DiDi Richards, who just has this bursting big [00:24:00] personality and is such a great off-court story. Her triumph over injury through college to make it to the pros.
You know, we want to tell all of those stories and of course we highlight our stars, but this was about at least in, in 2021, and we will continue it a lot in 2022. Introducing each and every personality. To Brooklyn to New York City. These are athletes. These are players that people will fall in love with.
Because of, you know, they’re off-court, because of their narrative, but most importantly, and you said it, the team’s going to be good. I’m so happy. Like, you know, we made the playoffs for the first time in several years, last season and winning, you know, winning secures a lot, so I’m super excited. We take an approach where our brand campaign and we’ve used a tagline “Own the Crown” this past season.
And that’s really the epitome of what I think we’re focused on representing. We want our players, we want [00:25:00] this franchise to really own this moment. As we are building back up and we’re going to turn that corner, you know, we want to own it. We want to sit in that and we want to really be proud of not only just what we’ve overcome, you know, 25th anniversary, proud of 25 years, proud to be an original team and the WNBA and now proud to represent New York city once again, in the boroughs.
So our strategy, our tactics, everything is really centered around people having this heightened awareness. And, you know, that happens primarily during the season, but we’ve, we’ve been, you know, in the off season we signed both DiDi Richards and Betnajih Laney to off season marketing agreements. So they were here in New York during the entire off season.
Um, making appearances, doing media avail, clinics, and school assemblies. And it’s just been such a blessing for, you know, the franchise to not have that dark window to really [00:26:00] be able to tell our story, um, not just in the summer, but throughout the year. So, like I said, super excited for our star power in, uh, stay tuned for what we have to come to this year.
[00:26:11] AJ Maestas: Well, I’m so excited. Just, I don’t want to put pressure. You’re going to hate me for this because I’m setting expectations that it’s not you, not your fault, but it just feels like a Michael Jordan gets, you know, comfortable in the league for a few years. And then you just go on one of those runs as a dynasty and being in New York City.
You know, just having a roster that’s loaded. So I know it won’t be lost on you as someone who grew up through the marketing side of the business, this will not be lost on you, but what an opportunity, not just for the Liberty, this is for all of the WWII MBA. This is a moment with the social movements going on in our . Country with, you know, awareness, the league.
It takes a couple of decades, right? I mean, I think actually by many measures you could say the WNBA has the most successful first 25 years of any pro sports league, as far as relevance, financially, et cetera. I mean, it is typical even for the sports [00:27:00] we sort of take for granted as being financially successful today, took them a long time to be in the black.
But I, I feel like this is not just the Liberty moment. This is a, this is a moment for the league. So I’m excited, very excited to watch. And I hope that my claims come true.
No pressure, no pressure.
[00:27:18] Keia Clarke: I hope so too. And I’m happy you, you made the remark about. The age of this league at 26, which we’re going into our 26th season, you know, that’s, that’s just hitting a generation. Right. And so many times we were compared to these leagues that are 75 and a hundred years old. That’s difficult. I started my career at the basketball hall of fame. So I’ve always had that in the back of my mindset. It’s always been sitting there, like we’re going ahead of the game actually. And I don’t think that’s spoken about enough.
[00:27:52] AJ Maestas: I agree what is not done as a, like-for-like comparison, right? I think MLS would be an interesting one to really look at because the age being somewhat [00:28:00] similar and I think it’s breakout moment is coming here as they start to pay some of these athletes better to compete on a global basis and with world cup coming to the U.S. But I think the WNBA is the strongest case for those first 25 years.
Well, just to get to know you just a little better, just some quick, rapid fire questions here for you. You probably heard me ask this one before, but, uh, if you could choose a dinner guest of anyone throughout history, uh, long since passed, you know, current known character who would be your, a special dinner date?
[00:28:29] Keia Clarke: Mm I’m going to say Michelle Obama. She just seems so cool and smart. And she’s a mom and could give me advice. She just seems like she engages so well with whoever she’s around.
[00:28:45] AJ Maestas: She’s really interesting to me, you know, I mean, she was a year ahead of Obama, right? At, at a prestigious law firm in Chicago, where I lived for 14 years.
So you could call them peers, but technically she was ahead of him and it is an image of her as a mother. [00:29:00] Right. She really took on that role as a mother, which I think is the right thing to do for your children. A job like that. With those level of demands on the president of the United States. It’s really interesting that, uh, her path was a pretty serious business person.
Right? Pretty serious business transactions. She was a corporate attorney. I think I remember correctly. Do you think she’ll ever run for office?
[00:29:19] Keia Clarke: I have no idea. I think she’d be amazing, but I don’t know if she’d want to take that on. I have no idea.
[00:29:24] AJ Maestas: Really wise people don’t right? They don’t for that reason. Okay.
I’m in New York city. I only have time to visit one restaurant. Where do I go?
[00:29:33] Keia Clarke: Artichoke pizza.
[00:29:35] AJ Maestas: Oh, I’m not familiar. Where is it?
[00:29:39] Keia Clarke: Lower Manhatten. I haven’t been in so long. I never knew that I needed artichokes on a pizza until I had it. It’s not fancy. It comes out quick by the slice. It’s amazing. You should try it.
[00:29:57] AJ Maestas: Not only will I try it, I guess what you’re going to receive [00:30:00] sometime in the next month here at the office. Some artichoke pizza delivered as soon as we figure out the exact location. How about your top passions and hobbies? Just so the people listening can know you better as a person share as much as you’re willing.
[00:30:13] Keia Clarke: Yeah. You know, I have two children they’re nine and eight years old, soon to be 10 and eight. So I love obviously when I’m not working, spending time with them and going on many adventures with them and vacationing with them and my husband. In terms of hobbies, I’m an aspiring DJ, just for fun. I have a controller and equipment in my basement, and I loved to play all different genres of music. And I like to read.
[00:30:42] AJ Maestas: You’re hired as the opening DJ to the Olympics. Tell me about that set.
[00:30:46] Keia Clarke: Ooh, opening that’s tough. They play instrumentals at the opening ceremonies, but
[00:30:54] AJ Maestas: In London they’ve had a DJ. They, they do slip in some DJs. So this is your shot.
[00:30:59] Keia Clarke: Oh [00:31:00] man. I would pump everybody up with some nineties hip hop or like a lot of Tribe Called Quest.
I put some Escape dance Whitney Houston songs was not the R&B ones. Like, yeah, it we’d have a lot of fun, but I’m a lot of old school music for sure.
[00:31:20] AJ Maestas: All right. I’m going to introduce you to a client of ours at Anheuser-Busch that’s a secret DJ. Very cool. Last question I promise here. What is the greatest piece of advice you’ve ever received?
[00:31:31] Keia Clarke: That it’s okay to be afraid, but you can’t let the fear stop you. In not those words, I was given the advice, but then I read that as a quote somewhere once, and it’s really, really resonated with me. I was such a shy kid in, I used to be completely and utterly afraid to speak publicly. So it’s what sort of carried me through early years in presentations.
Yeah, who would have thought that at this point I [00:32:00] speak publicly pretty often now, but that was really the one thing that I always went to. But I think it applies to other areas. Right. A lot of times I think people don’t take chances. They don’t take risks. They don’t put themselves out there simply because they are afraid.
And what the advice really speaks to is that’s normal. Um, it’s okay. Um, but you should still continue on. You should push through, you gotta find a way to dig deep and fight through.
[00:32:26] AJ Maestas: Well, if I could add to that comment to the, I’ve heard, it said that courage is not being without fear, but it is taking action in the face of fear. And I love that.
Because we all do right. Everybody does. I mean, if you’re human, you have those moments. What Keia should I have asked you that I haven’t yet?
[00:32:46] Keia Clarke: You haven’t asked me when the home opener at Barclays Center is.
[00:32:52] AJ Maestas: Uh, the promoter. There’s the marketer.
[00:32:56] Keia Clarke: May 7th at the Barclays center.
We will take on the [00:33:00] Connecticut Sun. So, um, if you’re in New York or the New York area, come check us out.
[00:33:06] AJ Maestas: May 7th, Barclays Center. There should be a pretty meaningful opener by the way, get on the bandwagon. Now let’s be honest. It’s not hard to see what’s coming down the path here for the Liberty now would be the time right to get on the bandwagon.
Well, for all those folks listening, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to us. My email is AJ@NVGT.COM and you can also connect with us on my personal LinkedIn or the Navigate LinkedIn page. I know Keia will answer fun questions, if you ask a good one, we’ll relay it to her.
But again, this is AJ Maestas with Navigate joined by Keia Clark, cEO of the Liberty. Thank you for joining us on Navigating Sports Business.
[00:33:42] Keia Clarke: Very glad to be here.