Athletes to Entrepreneurs: The Alumni Journey

In this week’s episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurship: Alumni Journey, Rob Finkelstein sits down with former professional basketball standout Keaton Nankivil — a Madison-born Badger who took his game across Europe before stepping into a new arena: venture capital. Keaton’s transition wasn’t a straight shot. From the highs of competing in Germany, Spain, Latvia, and Italy… to the quiet space that...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs: Alumni Journey, Michael Lynch reflects on his early years growing up in a single-parent household and how sports helped shape his identity and purpose. He opens up about lessons learned from his father—who also served as his baseball coach—and how teamwork, character building, and perseverance became guiding principles both on and off the field. From h...

In this powerful episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs: The Alumni Journey , host Rob Finkelstein sits down with William Person , a former nine-year Team USA Bobsled athlete whose career and life were forever changed by CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) . After years of competing at the highest level, William faced the devastating effects of CTE — confusion, depression, and loss of clarity — u...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs: The Alumni Journey, host Rob Finkelstein, Founder & CEO of Alumni Direct, sits down with Brad Ring — former **professional soccer player and MLS 17th overall draft pick, who has successfully transitioned from the pitch to the world of sales and athlete mental health advocacy. A High School and Collegiate All-American and team captain at Indiana Uni...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs: The Alumni Journey, host Rob Finkelstein, Founder & CEO of Alumni Direct, sits down with Adonai Mack — former All-American Triple Jumper from Morehouse College and now CEO of Child Action, Inc. — to explore how athletes can transform the lessons of sport into leadership, purpose, and impact. Adonai shares his journey from chasing Olympic dreams to...

When the cheers fade and the stadium lights dim, what comes next for an athlete? The transition from sports to life beyond the game can be one of the biggest challenges — but also one of the most rewarding transformations. In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs: The Alumni Journey, host Rob Finkelstein, Founder and CEO of Alumni Direct, sits down with Eric Ravotti — former Penn State linebac...

Stepping away from the game is one of the toughest transitions an athlete can face. The routine changes, the identity shifts, and suddenly — the question becomes: who am I beyond the sport? In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs: The Alumni Journey, host Rob Finkelstein, Founder and CEO of Alumni Direct, sits down with Linda Martindale — a former college basketball player, certified mental f...

Making the transition from professional sports to life after the game isn’t easy. The questions are real: What’s next? Where do I channel my drive, discipline, and competitiveness? In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs: The Alumni Journey, host Rob Finkelstein, Founder and CEO of Alumni Direct, sits down with Robert Haar — an award-winning franchise consultant and Top 10 broker nationwide —...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs – The Alumni Journey , Rob Finkelstein sits down with Ben Utecht —a 6’7” Super Bowl Champion tight end, Chief Culture Officer, entrepreneur, award-winning speaker, author, and singer—to explore how athletes can embrace their identity beyond sports and design a meaningful second chapter of life. Ben reflects on his journey from playing at the University...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs – The Alumni Journey, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Darrell Teat—a husband, father, corporate board member, and CEO of **CxORE**—to explore the realities of athlete transition and how networking, mentorship, and leadership can guide athletes toward lasting success beyond the game. Darrell reflects on his own journey as a former athlete who transitioned...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs – The Alumni Journey, Rob Finkelstein sits down with James Toale, a former college baseball player turned entrepreneur, mentor, and Founder & CEO of 47 Inc, to explore how resilience, community, and innovation can transform setbacks into success. James shares his journey from Coral Springs, Florida, where he and his brother both pursued baseball dre...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs – The Alumni Journey, host Rob Finkelstein sits down with Amobi Okugo, former professional soccer player turned entrepreneur, consultant, and business leader. Amobi opens up about his transition from the pitch to business, why “checking in” with your network is a game-changer, and how athletes can redefine NIL to mean Network, Intellectual Property, and...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs – The Alumni Journey, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Evan Marshall, a former Major League Baseball pitcher, to explore his transition from the diamond to life after sports and how athletes can better prepare for the next chapter of their journey. Evan opens up about the challenges of moving on from a professional playing career, the role of networking i...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs – The Alumni Journey, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Mark Koesterer, a former college football player turned Founder & CEO of The Players NIL, to explore how athletes can prepare for life beyond sports while navigating today’s evolving landscape of athlete branding and career development. Mark shares powerful insights on how sports shaped his identi...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs – The Alumni Journey, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Jade Gummer, a former athlete turned sports attorney, to unpack what it really takes for athletes to successfully transition into life beyond the game. Jade shares powerful insights on the evolving world of youth sports, the life-changing impact of great coaching, and the emotional challenge of redefi...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Luke Melms—former collegiate baseball player turned Managing Director at Firm Foundation Family Wealth—to talk about the power of process over outcome, and how athletes can harness that same mentality when stepping into business leadership. --- Luke opens up about his journey from the diamond to the world of finance, and...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein talks with Leonardo Scheinkman—a former college soccer player from Brazil who’s now a mission-driven entrepreneur and co-founder of Triumph Sports Foundation. From chasing goals on the field to building purpose-driven impact off it, Leonardo’s story is a powerful example of turning athletic experience into lasting legacy. --- Rob and Le...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Marco Benitez—a former Taekwondo national champion turned biomedical engineer, health tech innovator, and co-founder of ROOK. From the dojang to data, Marco’s journey is all about using technology to unlock healthier, more empowered lives. --- Rob and Marco dive deep into the challenges athletes face when transitioning ou...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein sits down with John Fremont Smith—a former Boston University football standout turned financial leader and founder of Friends Wealth Management. From the locker room to Wall Street and now the world of NIL, John’s journey is all about building systems that truly support athletes—on and off the field. This isn't about John—it’s about...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Ryan Schachtner—a former college baseball player who transformed a career-ending injury and a tough academic journey into a mission-driven life of impact. Today, Ryan is the Co-Founder of Success Beyond Game Day, where he helps athletes and coaches at all levels navigate the transition out of sports and into thriving care...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Sherman Merricks—a former college basketball player who made an incredible transition from gym owner to Co-Founder of LASSO Framework, a game-changing agency helping fitness businesses master marketing and sales. --- Rob and Sherman dive into the athlete transition experience—from navigating life after the final whistle t...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein sits down with David Weeks—a former college football player who made a dynamic leap from the field to the food industry as a successful entrepreneur. David opens up about how his athletic journey shaped his mindset and how he used the skills he learned on the gridiron to build a thriving career in business. --- Rob and David dive deep i...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Karl Blum—a former college baseball player who pitched for both Duke and Rutgers before transitioning into the world of private equity and sports investment. Today, Karl is a Principal at JDS Sports, where he helps shape the future of sports and entertainment through strategic business leadership. Karl shares how his iden...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Vonn Webb—a former Division I head basketball coach, high school principal, and educator who has taken his life experience and turned it into a powerful mission. Vonn shares his emotional and purpose-driven journey that led him to found StayShaded.org, a nonprofit focused on educating youth, parents, and athletes about th...

In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Jess Cerra—a former professional cyclist, entrepreneur, and current VP of Product Development, Quality & Community at Alete Active Nutrition (makers of SaltStick). Jess shares her powerful story of transitioning out of elite athletics into entrepreneurship, advocacy, and impact-driven leadership. From overcoming injur...