January 4, 2024 • 27 mins
As seen on the Hulu documentary Grails, see the full interview hosted by Marissa Hill at Fat Joe's UpNYC store in Harlem, New York City. This was a conversation with Eastside Golf founders Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm going down down leg If you're going down down gidget,
someone news.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Put me through hell no baby and copy love, so
save me.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
You'll excuse.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
So up.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
Welcome to my old stopping grounds are all log I'm.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
So happy to have you two with me today. We
are in Bad Joe's store up NYC. Did you get
a chancel a ground? Did you buy like ten thousand
dollars worth of product in here?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Ye?
Speaker 5 (00:50):
I mean a few things. I'm pick up for a leave.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So you do are doing big things right now.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
I cannot believe how much you've accomplished within a short
period of time.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
I know there's a lot of individuals.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Who are inspired by you with your brand east Side Golf.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
First, I want to start off with how did.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
You two meet college?
Speaker 6 (01:12):
Yeah, college House college playing on the same golf team.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
We won a national championship in twenty ten.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
So I really want to know how did the two
of you come together and creating east Side Golf.
Speaker 6 (01:27):
H So, actually I created it and it started from
well after college. I turned pro and golf did that
for a couple of years, but I just couldn't couldn't
afford it anything.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Toss off your shoulder there he just turned pro after college.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Yeah, okay, I mean.
Speaker 6 (01:43):
But you know how professional golf works. You have to
find sponsors and it's very expensive. I was acting anywhere
from one hundred to two hundred thousand dollars for a
year to fund my golf career. I knew they would
cost anywhere from one hundred to two hundred thousand. So
I was actually creating decks, creating you know, sal I mean,
doing sales, pitchers to entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors, I mean, anybody
(02:04):
that would listen.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
You know.
Speaker 6 (02:06):
It got to a point I just couldn't afford it anymore.
So I was in accounting, you know. And actually I
was in commercial finance for about eight years, and uh
was looking to.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Become VP of a finance firm.
Speaker 6 (02:19):
Wow, you know, COVID hit, you know, so ended up
getting let go for my job. But around the same
time that I started that position, I started the company
east Side Golf and started the page east Side. I
started buying, you know, started the company June twenty nineteen,
so I started buying like sweatshirts, T shirts, la pail pins, umbrellas,
(02:40):
and November twenty nineteen, that's when I started selling apparel
and that was the actually the.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
Same month I got let Go.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Yeah, and surprisingly, you know, all.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
The way throughthing else though, Yeah I got that.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
I think if that hadn't occurred, you would have still
started this brand.
Speaker 6 (03:00):
Like I said, I started it when I had the
when I had my new job. But I definitely know
I would've I don't know if I would've put as
much time into the east Side Golf, because I I
would've had a full career, you know. But me getting
let Go, I mean it was a blessing in disguise. Yeah,
you know, it was a tough time, but.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
When everything happens for a reason.
Speaker 6 (03:20):
Tough time, tough time, but end up coming up with
the brand, you know. Uh, I wanted to turn back
pro So I thought, first things first, let me just
make a logo, you know, Jean sweatshirt, Cumuli chain. It
was just supposed to be me. I was gonna put
it on my polo, put it on my bag. But
one thing led into another. Now we have a entire
clothing brand.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
And what does that logo look like?
Speaker 6 (03:40):
I mean, well, I mean, I mean really it look
if it it looks like me? Uh want wanting to
be myself out on a golf course. You know, it
looks like how how often do I just want on
Jean's sweatshirt and a chain?
Speaker 5 (03:56):
And as I'm swinging as hard as.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
I can, it's all that got change.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
The chain is going the other way.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Chain.
Speaker 6 (04:03):
Yeah, I just wanted to feel like myself, so taking
that logo and pushing forward. Everybody else is seen the
same thing we've just taken off like a rocket ship.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
And then you thought Earle would be a great partner
in crime.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
I see, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (04:18):
I mean I felt like we won together in college.
I feel like, you know, we know how to win.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
You know, it's the dream work, as I always say.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah, for sure, for sure. No, it's been nah unbelievable journey.
Like you said, I think it was something that he
saw and you know, move forward on it. And you know,
uh I got a chance to experience it myself and
was kind of you know, I think obviously they're supporting
him from day one. Uh you know, it just has
(04:46):
a friend, you know, not necessarily looking at it like oh,
this is a business opportunity. It's just like whatever you
were doing, they could have been pizza as it. You know,
because I think you raised a good point, and he
did too, like, as far as you know, at that time,
I'm working you know, full time job and responsibilities and
things like that. So it was one of those things
where for me it was a a s h a
(05:07):
transition of working full time but also working on the
east Side. And then you get to the point where
it's like, Okay, this makes sense to start, you know,
start a full transition and then come on full time.
But nah, it's been an unbelievable journey and I'm enjoying
every bit of it.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
I feel very blessed and privileged.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
And you two compliment each other in so many different ways,
so I know that you both kind of have different roles.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Can you talk about each other? Yeah, yeah, explain exactly
what your roles are.
Speaker 6 (05:32):
Yeah, I mean yeah, so me, uh, I do all
the design for east Side.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
I definitely work with a couple of graphic artists.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
But all the ideas that come out, you know, when
we went and got the we have a new Jordan
collab or NBA collab, you know, I ended up coming
out with basically a template just taking you know, golf
and showing it through a different lens. I mean, that's
all We're doing and showing how it connects to so
many of uh different sports and people in different ways.
(06:01):
I mean people literally feel like they can move themselves
up that they see are a logo, and.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
I really feel like clothing these days it's almost like
a different language where the craft and the effort that
you put into the clothes and the products themselves speak
so much differently. So when you're walking out on the
golf course, I mean you're literally speaking a language those
who are viewing you.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
So I really.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Appreciate you, know, what you've really done with your logo
and your creativity and your artistic passion because I think
that it really helps those who maybe don't want to
speak about exactly what they're wearing, it's already spoken for
because of what you've created for them.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
Absolutely absolutely well.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Said you girl. Are you artsy two? I know you are.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
I know I'm good at no So I'm running more
of the business side of things, so day to day operations,
you know, raising capital, business development, those sorts of things,
different projects, But like you said, it's it's something that
I really am enjoying kind of create a culture over
the East Side team wise, you know, making sure that
(07:03):
you know Essentially we're here to implement his vision, right,
So I'm more of a uh a s kind of
stand in between, right to make sure that this is
going in a direction that he wants to go. So
we have a lot of conversations and back and forth,
so I can fully cause it evolves, right, like you
started as one thing and now it's a business, right,
(07:23):
and it's not just a thing where it's like this
is O's baby. We have employees, right, so we can't
just jump out the window on certain things. But at
the same time, we still also wanted to create and
maintain that level of authenticity, right, And so I think
that's probably the biggest thing that we just try to
juggle every day. But now that's pretty much our role
(07:44):
and within the business.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
To the perfect puzzle pieces you connect perfectly together. Yeah, yeah,
I mean it's true you've accomplished the two of you.
It's incredible and now you've got an incredible team backing you.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
I wanna get into one of your most recent collaborations
with tell me about the obstacles and just the path
into getting your foot in the door to work with.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Brand like Jordan Brandt.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
I know so many would dream one day just to
work with Jordan brand.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
How did you manage to do it in such a
short period of time.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Well, I think timing had a lot to do with it.
I think we were uniquely positioned, you know, in a
space that wasn't.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Crowded and we were there waiting, right.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
And so when you think about the Jordan brand, what
does m J do and now golf ex so I
think having a brand that can you know, attach to
them and getting in front of the right folks, so,
you know, big shout out to Chris Paul was also
(08:59):
one of our business parts. And there's investors you know,
kind of made some intros that team CJ Paul to
the right folks over there, and I think, you know,
it just resonated and we recognize the fact that you know,
we we jokingly say and maybe one of the fastest
collabse ever with the brand.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
It's crazy, I mean literally with an exclamation point, yeah,
put on it. You two have done this in such
a short period of time. Yeah, I don't honestly know
anyone who's done it right.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
So it is, yeah, it is. It is amazing.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
But I also think, like you know, we've been playing
since we were six years old, and I think it's
important to recognize that, like this brand put ten thousand
hours in right, Like now people know about us cause
we have a Jordan, But it wasn't like we just
started playing golf, right and I don't people don't know
Earland Elijauan prior to the East Side, But that's the
real reason that got us there, right, Like we had
(09:51):
the Jordan before the hype. So you guys have seen
in the year ago. Somebody believed in us the year before,
you know. And so I think that that's very important
because it can be misconscrewed people like, oh, how they
do it?
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Why they do it?
Speaker 2 (10:03):
It just came out of nowhere, And to be honest,
we haven't dropped the ball yet.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
So it's not a thing where we.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Just bought into the hype and we're just like all,
you know what, We're only going to.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Be Yeah, yeah, are you doing it?
Speaker 1 (10:14):
You're authentic to who you are.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
And I think that the brand saw that directly and
they didn't need to tell a story.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
You are the story.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Yeah, how is it?
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Though? Working on a sneaker, did you choose.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Into what it's like to work with Jordan brands and
did you get to actually hang out.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
With Michael Jordan.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (10:40):
So, well, first off, the we didn't get to choose.
I didn't get to choose the shoe. You know, it
was the year to four, so we got retro four
golf shoe and basically thinking about how would I design it?
But I wanted it to basically hit off of the logo,
so being you know, gray Navy didn't have the gold
hints that uh portrays like the gold chain, you know.
(11:03):
But then on top of that, literally uh, I'd say
a month after I made the logo, I came out
with a canvas and the canvas actually depicts how I
thought golf would look in the future, you know, So
that canvas is actually on the bottom of the Jordan
as well. So so I mean, just taking those different things,
(11:24):
you know, telling the story about the logo, telling our
story to the Jordan brand, I mean they wanted to.
They were just like, how do we tell it, you know,
the most authentic way? So I ended up coming back
with about eight or nine different concepts, you know, showed
it to our got Gentry Humphrey, and we went through
the list and came down to probably like possibly two
last ones and that's the one that we went with,
(11:47):
you know, and I just showed him, like, you know,
different things that I had, and he was like, you
should do this this, And really it was already it
was already created to where it was it was fit
to tell a story.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
The east Side Golf story gave you that free will
to just kind of craft it the way that you
wanted to. Because I think a lot of people, maybe
because Jordian Brand is such a big brand, they think
that you come in there and they kind of tell
you exactly what it is that they want.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
You to do with the secret itself.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
But it's incredible to hear that they really just allowed
you to be authentic to you and your brand. I
love the gold accents and the color scheme. I mean,
for me personally when it comes to sneakers, I just
want a good color with.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
The day, get you a good color. That's all I
care about.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
But the color combination, it's so unique, it's different.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
It speaks to who the two of you really.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
Represent when it comes to even the apparel. So that
is another thing. Yeah, not only did you get to
do a sneaker, Jorge Brad's like, why don't you design
some clothes as well.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Do you want to talk about that?
Speaker 6 (12:51):
So, so actually later this year we are going to
be coming out with more Jordan sneakers.
Speaker 5 (12:58):
But but yeah, I think they were.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Pretty happy with the launch and everything. The first time.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Their response is crazy.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
I like to tell people we dominated the sneaker culture
for about forty eight hours.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Yeah, yeah, that's actually a good period of time usually exactly. Yeah,
so you're already working on the future collaborations. I don't
know if you can go into detail with that, but
you will be doing more peril as well.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
As more seekers for golf specifically.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Are you actually going to be maybe potentially branching out
into some other silhouettes.
Speaker 6 (13:31):
I mean, and I would say golf kind of specifically.
You see a lot of golf brands that'll come out
and it's like golf and athletic, where we're more golf
and streetwear.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
It's been great though, it's been great working with the brand.
We're excited. I think two One of the things that
sitting here thinking about it, it's like we've been very
fortunate because there isn't history to compare us to, right,
and so, like you had mentioned earlier, like when they
come to the Jordan brand.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
And some people may be like, oh.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Well, how much creative you have, but it's like they've
never really designed.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
You're defining your own lane, which is crazy. There's no
map that can guide you. The two of you are
blindfolded basically going into this space just hoping that your
audience will actually love what you're doing. I mean, I
hate to say it, but the res market speaks for itself.
Yeah my size, guys, my parasel for five grand month ago.
(14:31):
How does that feel to have a shoe on the
resale market going for that price point?
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Man, it's a blessing. It's something that again, people want.
People want this in a real way and I think
as long as we continue to deliver on that, it's
but it's something we can't control either, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
So when people kind of tell us.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Like, man, it's this, it's like, I'm sorry, I can't
you know what I mean. I was just there a
few months, you know what I mean, a year ago.
I know what it is to get on stock at.
I definitely have empathy and understand, but I think more
than more than anything for us and to see that,
you know, with the east Side Golf hat on It's
just it's a blessing that that many people would want
a golf shoe and are excited about the brand, and
(15:14):
so it's also a sense of responsibility.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
So what are some main obstacles do you think as
far as just giving advice to others who are trying
to follow in your footsteps that they should look out for.
Speaker 6 (15:26):
From a a I'd say business standpoint, the story that
you're telling. You know, how does this story, how would
this story change things?
Speaker 5 (15:34):
You know?
Speaker 6 (15:35):
And what are the steps that you're gonna take to
implement I'd say partnerships or even your personal story, the
things that you post on Twitter or the things that
you post on Instagram. How does it tell the story
to where you can change things? I mean, on the page,
I just try to bring light to uh black history
in golf. Whether it's men women, doesn't really matter, you know,
(15:59):
just untold stories, like you know, even the first time
a black person could play golf and Georgia was nineteen
fifty five because of a Supreme Court ruling. So we're
telling those type of stories on our page.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
But then you know, selling.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
Fly apparel with dope, you know, initiatives and dope. I
would say sayings that we want everybody to buy by.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Stories are huge and they're so impactful.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
I feel like the community itself, they want more than
just the secret now.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
They want a story being told.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
They want the package to actually have something to do
with the secret self, even the tissue paper I get
down to tea, everything matters, and your audience is gonna
remember that.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
You know, they're gonna remember that story.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
And so when they look back and somebody's like, man,
those are fire shoes, like, let me tell you the story.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
If he's like golf, yeah, said, it's an experience.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
It is, it really is.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
So we try to definitely provide that.
Speaker 6 (16:51):
Yeah, And well, I guess lastly, you know, I would
say when it comes to following your dreams, I mean,
I know a lot of people hear that time. But
if you can, you know, make a solid plan and
then not be afraid to execute and not being afraid
to fail, you know, if you can go down that road,
felt like there would be a lot more successful entrepreneurs.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
That's how a lot of people even get started.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
Absolutely, but you learned from your.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
Failures, which is, you know, one of the things I've
learned from money times in my life I know, with
working with somebody like the go Michael Jordan, comes a
ton of pressure.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
How do you manage that?
Speaker 6 (17:30):
Well, I'll say this, when we had our first pitch
with MJ, I mean he loved it, you know, and
I feel like that gave us confidence that what we
were doing made since and you know, even moving forward,
he was willing to trust us with whatever we envision.
(17:51):
I mean, with whatever we envision, you know, as long
as it definitely spoke to culture, you know, spoke to
our stories, but and also spoke to golf itself, both
on how to grow it. Originally, you know, he felt
like we could do that, and you know, me spending
individual time with him and me, he believes in the brand,
you know, he he believes that, you know, Jordan brand
(18:12):
is just something that can help us and elevate our story,
you know.
Speaker 5 (18:16):
But he wants our story out.
Speaker 6 (18:18):
There in the forefront to to help change and to
bring I guess attention to to the un to the
unwritten and unspoken things about golf.
Speaker 5 (18:26):
So yeah, yeah, no, I agree.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Nah. I mean when you got to go believing in you,
that just gives you a level of confidence that I
think a lot of times, like you said, people don't
necessarily know the relationship that we have with him, and
I think that right there, just because it's just non traditional,
Like I'm sure people have worked at the brand and
they have never met you know, so our experience has
(18:50):
just been one of difference. But I think a lot
of it is just the power of the game of golf,
Like golf got us there, like golf has allowed us
to be able to leave, and I think we're walking
billboards for what the game of golf as a whole
can do. And then to be able to be on
the other side, to have a brand to kind of
connect that m has been has been fabulous. But yeah, no,
(19:11):
I mean it's definitely pressure, but you kind of, as
he said, to have a conversation with him and to
know that he believes in you and he can do
anything that you know, he could do whatever he doesn't
have to.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
And so inspiring just to know the fact that.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
Yeah, I trust you, yeah, yeah, nah, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
He's not stepping in and saying I don't feel this,
I don't like this, right, guiding you in a different direction,
cause I know that that relationship would feel kind of weird, right,
But if that was the case if it was on
a more.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Negative for sure.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
And I mean and again like it's it's to be
healthy criticism, you know what I mean. We definitely you know, listen,
we're open to you know, not saying we know it all.
But I just think to understand the fact, like one,
like you said, just to have a conversation with him
is unbelievable. But I think for him to really be
like nah, really rock out. And I'll say like this,
the the folks that hang out with him even more,
(20:05):
the feedback that we get from them is even I
guess astonishing, right, And people like man I was with
MJ and he mentioned yeah all the time, you know,
those sorts of things.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
It's just kind of.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Like, wow, did you ever fear actually that the brand
wouldn't actually work out, wouldn't be successful.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
At the beginning?
Speaker 6 (20:26):
For me, definitely, you know, I I got that from
other people that it wouldn't work out?
Speaker 5 (20:32):
What is that? Is that? A change? Is that is that?
What is that around his neck? Like goodness gracious? You know?
Speaker 6 (20:39):
So like yeah, yeah, so at the beginning, I was
a little you know, hesitant, I would say, but I
mean why not, you know, it's never been done before
you know, I've I've never seen a black man as
a golf lovego other than Jordan, but doesn't have any
color in it.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
You know, where's his skin.
Speaker 6 (20:59):
So so let's trust something a little bit different. Let's
push the envelope. And that's exactly what we did, and
we do it with even the pieces that we make.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
You know, things that your success.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
You finished the limits you did you and didn't need
to listen to anybody necessarily stand in your way.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
I always say when people tell me I can't do something,
it just makes me more time time starter. So what
about your golf career, What is going on with your
new ambitions in the golf scene.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
I know you're still doing some stuff there.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
Yeah, absolutely, So I played my first pro tournament with
some mini tour tournament, the Jim Thorpe Invitation. It was
in February, place twenty out of about fifty five people.
So finally got out there the first one after eight
years you know of me playing. I missed the game,
but finally, you know, starting to get back into the
group of things.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
So, and what about you, what are you doing outside
of east Side golf?
Speaker 2 (21:50):
I mean definitely still teaching, teaching yeah, that's a big
part of it. But really I've just been focusing a
lot on the brand. You know, right now, understand it.
It's it demands you know, so much time, you know,
it's always it. You got to be able to answer
questions on weekends. It's always something.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Going, so you're able to multi task it so nicely, which.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
You know, yeah, we both, yeah, we both do our best.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
You know, whenever one person kind of needs to take
a couple of days, somebody's driving the ship the other person,
you know, it just just swaps out.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Yeah, you have each other.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
I can't can't imagine on your own.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
That that would be the best thing I would tell somebody,
get a partner. Yeah, I mean, and you know what
I mean, Like, I couldn't. I don't know how people.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
Do it on their own.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
You know, this is especially when you're building something so massive,
because the only way you do it on your own
is literally like you know, micro managing, and then you
can only go so far.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
You know, you got to be able to give the keys.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
To someone and allow them to go because at the
end of the day, if it's all depending on one person,
then they can.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Get the place.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
As they say, right, right, Yeah, and so where do
the two of you see this brand going in the future.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
What are some of your goals and aspirations?
Speaker 6 (23:09):
I mean, well, one of well, of course, my goal
is to you know, the story being told of you know,
a guy wanted to start a company just to fund
his own golf career, but then me turn around and
actually winning a PGA tournament.
Speaker 5 (23:23):
You know.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
I just feel like it'll speak volumes to so many
people that no matter how old you are, whatever your
dream is, whenever in your life, go after it, like
make an attempt. Second thing is an eastside golf country club,
so something where it looks, has simulators, has a place
where you know you can put, but also a bar
(23:44):
and great food and also a place where you can
get lessons.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Experiences are key with brands these days.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
I feel like the more that you can bring to
the table for your audience to really experience a moment
where they're in your product it real, h just takes
it to another level and they'll never forget that moment
in time.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
Correct, correct, No, No, I'm excited. I think you know,
we have an opportunity to really build something special. I
think like everything he's saying is you know, get an
opportunity to change the game.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
You know, I think we.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Can invite so many people into the game in a new,
welcoming way and make them long lasting golfers and just
as that continues to trickle down to their kids the
next generation. It's something that I think we're super excited
about and just having a real impact. I think there's
been a lot of fluff. You know, there's a bunch
of programs, there's billions of dollars been spent in golf,
(24:34):
and diversity.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Hasn't changed, right, inclusion, these are all key words actually
for your brands.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Do you want to extend on that a little bit?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (24:41):
I think again, Like I said, looking where we are today, right,
there's it wasn't a lack of money being spent there,
Like let's go really go back and all these brands
that it existed for how many years? How much money
have they spent and what is the result? Like what
are the KPI like there?
Speaker 3 (25:02):
Exactly, there hasn't.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Been anything that's really pulled somebody into the game, right,
and so now you have this small brand relatively as
of now that's making a huge impact. And I think
one of the things that we're trying to do is
make sure that those dollars are now kind of either
being reallocated right and going about it just a different way.
And diversity and inclusion is something that is very important
(25:27):
to us, and not just again just saying it to
say it, but like I said, what are the numbers, Like,
let's look at the numbers. Let's hold everybody accountable across
the board. You know, what does leadership look like? What
do your executive team look like? You know, positions, all
of those sorts of things, you know, And that's something
that we try to manage our business every day with
that in mind as well, right, Like, that's something that's
(25:49):
important to us.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
You two are making your own yes, oh yeah, and
I can't wait to see. I'm sure so many are
gonna try and follow on your footsteps and create hopefully,
hopefully yeah, similar business concepts that will help grow, you know,
in this new path that you're making.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Yeah, and it's room for all of us, you know
what I mean?
Speaker 4 (26:07):
And I always say yeah, women, it gets competitive in
the secret culture, you know. And what I always say
to the ladies is there's so much space for all
of us. As long as you do you and you're
true to yourself, there's.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Always gonna be more room for sure.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
Don't copy others and you try and mimic exactly what
other people are doing.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
You know.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
It's like you can take cues and you can learn,
but always just be.
Speaker 5 (26:28):
Yourself, you authentic. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Well, you know, we welcome the competition too. That's a
part of leading the pack, right, So when you're out
in front, people are gonna emulate that whoever, whatever sport
it is. You know, it's on the business side when
you're doing that, you know, but it's it's all about
continue to have that special sauce and like you said,
elevating the.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Experience and at the end.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Of the day we can play Like I think that's
why the gap is so far.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Like you're just picking up golf today.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
We picked it up twenty five years ago, you know,
like you said, that's how we came together through golf,
you know, winners and national championship. So I think, to me,
that's our special selves, that's our competitive advantage.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
You can't beat that foundation, Yeah, you really can't.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
Well, I can't wait to see what the two of
you accomplish in the next few years.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
It's going to be on another level, already know
I'm going down down leg If you're going down down gidget,
someone news.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Put me through hell no baby and copy love, so
save me.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
You'll excuse.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
So up.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
Welcome to my old stopping grounds are all log I'm.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
So happy to have you two with me today. We
are in Bad Joe's store up NYC. Did you get
a chancel a ground? Did you buy like ten thousand
dollars worth of product in here?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Ye?
Speaker 5 (00:50):
I mean a few things. I'm pick up for a leave.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So you do are doing big things right now.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
I cannot believe how much you've accomplished within a short
period of time.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
I know there's a lot of individuals.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Who are inspired by you with your brand east Side Golf.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
First, I want to start off with how did.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
You two meet college?
Speaker 6 (01:12):
Yeah, college House college playing on the same golf team.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
We won a national championship in twenty ten.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
So I really want to know how did the two
of you come together and creating east Side Golf.
Speaker 6 (01:27):
H So, actually I created it and it started from
well after college. I turned pro and golf did that
for a couple of years, but I just couldn't couldn't
afford it anything.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Toss off your shoulder there he just turned pro after college.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Yeah, okay, I mean.
Speaker 6 (01:43):
But you know how professional golf works. You have to
find sponsors and it's very expensive. I was acting anywhere
from one hundred to two hundred thousand dollars for a
year to fund my golf career. I knew they would
cost anywhere from one hundred to two hundred thousand. So
I was actually creating decks, creating you know, sal I mean,
doing sales, pitchers to entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors, I mean, anybody
(02:04):
that would listen.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
You know.
Speaker 6 (02:06):
It got to a point I just couldn't afford it anymore.
So I was in accounting, you know. And actually I
was in commercial finance for about eight years, and uh
was looking to.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Become VP of a finance firm.
Speaker 6 (02:19):
Wow, you know, COVID hit, you know, so ended up
getting let go for my job. But around the same
time that I started that position, I started the company
east Side Golf and started the page east Side. I
started buying, you know, started the company June twenty nineteen,
so I started buying like sweatshirts, T shirts, la pail pins, umbrellas,
(02:40):
and November twenty nineteen, that's when I started selling apparel
and that was the actually the.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
Same month I got let Go.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Yeah, and surprisingly, you know, all.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
The way throughthing else though, Yeah I got that.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
I think if that hadn't occurred, you would have still
started this brand.
Speaker 6 (03:00):
Like I said, I started it when I had the
when I had my new job. But I definitely know
I would've I don't know if I would've put as
much time into the east Side Golf, because I I
would've had a full career, you know. But me getting
let Go, I mean it was a blessing in disguise. Yeah,
you know, it was a tough time, but.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
When everything happens for a reason.
Speaker 6 (03:20):
Tough time, tough time, but end up coming up with
the brand, you know. Uh, I wanted to turn back
pro So I thought, first things first, let me just
make a logo, you know, Jean sweatshirt, Cumuli chain. It
was just supposed to be me. I was gonna put
it on my polo, put it on my bag. But
one thing led into another. Now we have a entire
clothing brand.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
And what does that logo look like?
Speaker 6 (03:40):
I mean, well, I mean, I mean really it look
if it it looks like me? Uh want wanting to
be myself out on a golf course. You know, it
looks like how how often do I just want on
Jean's sweatshirt and a chain?
Speaker 5 (03:56):
And as I'm swinging as hard as.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
I can, it's all that got change.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
The chain is going the other way.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Chain.
Speaker 6 (04:03):
Yeah, I just wanted to feel like myself, so taking
that logo and pushing forward. Everybody else is seen the
same thing we've just taken off like a rocket ship.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
And then you thought Earle would be a great partner
in crime.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
I see, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (04:18):
I mean I felt like we won together in college.
I feel like, you know, we know how to win.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
You know, it's the dream work, as I always say.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah, for sure, for sure. No, it's been nah unbelievable journey.
Like you said, I think it was something that he
saw and you know, move forward on it. And you know,
uh I got a chance to experience it myself and
was kind of you know, I think obviously they're supporting
him from day one. Uh you know, it just has
(04:46):
a friend, you know, not necessarily looking at it like oh,
this is a business opportunity. It's just like whatever you
were doing, they could have been pizza as it. You know,
because I think you raised a good point, and he
did too, like, as far as you know, at that time,
I'm working you know, full time job and responsibilities and
things like that. So it was one of those things
where for me it was a a s h a
(05:07):
transition of working full time but also working on the
east Side. And then you get to the point where
it's like, Okay, this makes sense to start, you know,
start a full transition and then come on full time.
But nah, it's been an unbelievable journey and I'm enjoying
every bit of it.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
I feel very blessed and privileged.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
And you two compliment each other in so many different ways,
so I know that you both kind of have different roles.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Can you talk about each other? Yeah, yeah, explain exactly
what your roles are.
Speaker 6 (05:32):
Yeah, I mean yeah, so me, uh, I do all
the design for east Side.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
I definitely work with a couple of graphic artists.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
But all the ideas that come out, you know, when
we went and got the we have a new Jordan
collab or NBA collab, you know, I ended up coming
out with basically a template just taking you know, golf
and showing it through a different lens. I mean, that's
all We're doing and showing how it connects to so
many of uh different sports and people in different ways.
(06:01):
I mean people literally feel like they can move themselves
up that they see are a logo, and.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
I really feel like clothing these days it's almost like
a different language where the craft and the effort that
you put into the clothes and the products themselves speak
so much differently. So when you're walking out on the
golf course, I mean you're literally speaking a language those
who are viewing you.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
So I really.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Appreciate you, know, what you've really done with your logo
and your creativity and your artistic passion because I think
that it really helps those who maybe don't want to
speak about exactly what they're wearing, it's already spoken for
because of what you've created for them.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
Absolutely absolutely well.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Said you girl. Are you artsy two? I know you are.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
I know I'm good at no So I'm running more
of the business side of things, so day to day operations,
you know, raising capital, business development, those sorts of things,
different projects, But like you said, it's it's something that
I really am enjoying kind of create a culture over
the East Side team wise, you know, making sure that
(07:03):
you know Essentially we're here to implement his vision, right,
So I'm more of a uh a s kind of
stand in between, right to make sure that this is
going in a direction that he wants to go. So
we have a lot of conversations and back and forth,
so I can fully cause it evolves, right, like you
started as one thing and now it's a business, right,
(07:23):
and it's not just a thing where it's like this
is O's baby. We have employees, right, so we can't
just jump out the window on certain things. But at
the same time, we still also wanted to create and
maintain that level of authenticity, right, And so I think
that's probably the biggest thing that we just try to
juggle every day. But now that's pretty much our role
(07:44):
and within the business.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
To the perfect puzzle pieces you connect perfectly together. Yeah, yeah,
I mean it's true you've accomplished the two of you.
It's incredible and now you've got an incredible team backing you.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
I wanna get into one of your most recent collaborations
with tell me about the obstacles and just the path
into getting your foot in the door to work with.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Brand like Jordan Brandt.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
I know so many would dream one day just to
work with Jordan brand.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
How did you manage to do it in such a
short period of time.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Well, I think timing had a lot to do with it.
I think we were uniquely positioned, you know, in a
space that wasn't.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Crowded and we were there waiting, right.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
And so when you think about the Jordan brand, what
does m J do and now golf ex so I
think having a brand that can you know, attach to
them and getting in front of the right folks, so,
you know, big shout out to Chris Paul was also
(08:59):
one of our business parts. And there's investors you know,
kind of made some intros that team CJ Paul to
the right folks over there, and I think, you know,
it just resonated and we recognize the fact that you know,
we we jokingly say and maybe one of the fastest
collabse ever with the brand.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
It's crazy, I mean literally with an exclamation point, yeah,
put on it. You two have done this in such
a short period of time. Yeah, I don't honestly know
anyone who's done it right.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
So it is, yeah, it is. It is amazing.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
But I also think, like you know, we've been playing
since we were six years old, and I think it's
important to recognize that, like this brand put ten thousand
hours in right, Like now people know about us cause
we have a Jordan, But it wasn't like we just
started playing golf, right and I don't people don't know
Earland Elijauan prior to the East Side, But that's the
real reason that got us there, right, Like we had
(09:51):
the Jordan before the hype. So you guys have seen
in the year ago. Somebody believed in us the year before,
you know. And so I think that that's very important
because it can be misconscrewed people like, oh, how they
do it?
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Why they do it?
Speaker 2 (10:03):
It just came out of nowhere, And to be honest,
we haven't dropped the ball yet.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
So it's not a thing where we.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Just bought into the hype and we're just like all,
you know what, We're only going to.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Be Yeah, yeah, are you doing it?
Speaker 1 (10:14):
You're authentic to who you are.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
And I think that the brand saw that directly and
they didn't need to tell a story.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
You are the story.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Yeah, how is it?
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Though? Working on a sneaker, did you choose.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Into what it's like to work with Jordan brands and
did you get to actually hang out.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
With Michael Jordan.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (10:40):
So, well, first off, the we didn't get to choose.
I didn't get to choose the shoe. You know, it
was the year to four, so we got retro four
golf shoe and basically thinking about how would I design it?
But I wanted it to basically hit off of the logo,
so being you know, gray Navy didn't have the gold
hints that uh portrays like the gold chain, you know.
(11:03):
But then on top of that, literally uh, I'd say
a month after I made the logo, I came out
with a canvas and the canvas actually depicts how I
thought golf would look in the future, you know, So
that canvas is actually on the bottom of the Jordan
as well. So so I mean, just taking those different things,
(11:24):
you know, telling the story about the logo, telling our
story to the Jordan brand, I mean they wanted to.
They were just like, how do we tell it, you know,
the most authentic way? So I ended up coming back
with about eight or nine different concepts, you know, showed
it to our got Gentry Humphrey, and we went through
the list and came down to probably like possibly two
last ones and that's the one that we went with,
(11:47):
you know, and I just showed him, like, you know,
different things that I had, and he was like, you
should do this this, And really it was already it
was already created to where it was it was fit
to tell a story.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
The east Side Golf story gave you that free will
to just kind of craft it the way that you
wanted to. Because I think a lot of people, maybe
because Jordian Brand is such a big brand, they think
that you come in there and they kind of tell
you exactly what it is that they want.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
You to do with the secret itself.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
But it's incredible to hear that they really just allowed
you to be authentic to you and your brand. I
love the gold accents and the color scheme. I mean,
for me personally when it comes to sneakers, I just
want a good color with.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
The day, get you a good color. That's all I
care about.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
But the color combination, it's so unique, it's different.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
It speaks to who the two of you really.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
Represent when it comes to even the apparel. So that
is another thing. Yeah, not only did you get to
do a sneaker, Jorge Brad's like, why don't you design
some clothes as well.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Do you want to talk about that?
Speaker 6 (12:51):
So, so actually later this year we are going to
be coming out with more Jordan sneakers.
Speaker 5 (12:58):
But but yeah, I think they were.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Pretty happy with the launch and everything. The first time.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Their response is crazy.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
I like to tell people we dominated the sneaker culture
for about forty eight hours.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Yeah, yeah, that's actually a good period of time usually exactly. Yeah,
so you're already working on the future collaborations. I don't
know if you can go into detail with that, but
you will be doing more peril as well.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
As more seekers for golf specifically.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Are you actually going to be maybe potentially branching out
into some other silhouettes.
Speaker 6 (13:31):
I mean, and I would say golf kind of specifically.
You see a lot of golf brands that'll come out
and it's like golf and athletic, where we're more golf
and streetwear.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
It's been great though, it's been great working with the brand.
We're excited. I think two One of the things that
sitting here thinking about it, it's like we've been very
fortunate because there isn't history to compare us to, right,
and so, like you had mentioned earlier, like when they
come to the Jordan brand.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
And some people may be like, oh.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Well, how much creative you have, but it's like they've
never really designed.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
You're defining your own lane, which is crazy. There's no
map that can guide you. The two of you are
blindfolded basically going into this space just hoping that your
audience will actually love what you're doing. I mean, I
hate to say it, but the res market speaks for itself.
Yeah my size, guys, my parasel for five grand month ago.
(14:31):
How does that feel to have a shoe on the
resale market going for that price point?
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Man, it's a blessing. It's something that again, people want.
People want this in a real way and I think
as long as we continue to deliver on that, it's
but it's something we can't control either, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
So when people kind of tell us.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Like, man, it's this, it's like, I'm sorry, I can't
you know what I mean. I was just there a
few months, you know what I mean, a year ago.
I know what it is to get on stock at.
I definitely have empathy and understand, but I think more
than more than anything for us and to see that,
you know, with the east Side Golf hat on It's
just it's a blessing that that many people would want
a golf shoe and are excited about the brand, and
(15:14):
so it's also a sense of responsibility.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
So what are some main obstacles do you think as
far as just giving advice to others who are trying
to follow in your footsteps that they should look out for.
Speaker 6 (15:26):
From a a I'd say business standpoint, the story that
you're telling. You know, how does this story, how would
this story change things?
Speaker 5 (15:34):
You know?
Speaker 6 (15:35):
And what are the steps that you're gonna take to
implement I'd say partnerships or even your personal story, the
things that you post on Twitter or the things that
you post on Instagram. How does it tell the story
to where you can change things? I mean, on the page,
I just try to bring light to uh black history
in golf. Whether it's men women, doesn't really matter, you know,
(15:59):
just untold stories, like you know, even the first time
a black person could play golf and Georgia was nineteen
fifty five because of a Supreme Court ruling. So we're
telling those type of stories on our page.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
But then you know, selling.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
Fly apparel with dope, you know, initiatives and dope. I
would say sayings that we want everybody to buy by.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Stories are huge and they're so impactful.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
I feel like the community itself, they want more than
just the secret now.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
They want a story being told.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
They want the package to actually have something to do
with the secret self, even the tissue paper I get
down to tea, everything matters, and your audience is gonna
remember that.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
You know, they're gonna remember that story.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
And so when they look back and somebody's like, man,
those are fire shoes, like, let me tell you the story.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
If he's like golf, yeah, said, it's an experience.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
It is, it really is.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
So we try to definitely provide that.
Speaker 6 (16:51):
Yeah, And well, I guess lastly, you know, I would
say when it comes to following your dreams, I mean,
I know a lot of people hear that time. But
if you can, you know, make a solid plan and
then not be afraid to execute and not being afraid
to fail, you know, if you can go down that road,
felt like there would be a lot more successful entrepreneurs.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
That's how a lot of people even get started.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
Absolutely, but you learned from your.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
Failures, which is, you know, one of the things I've
learned from money times in my life I know, with
working with somebody like the go Michael Jordan, comes a
ton of pressure.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
How do you manage that?
Speaker 6 (17:30):
Well, I'll say this, when we had our first pitch
with MJ, I mean he loved it, you know, and
I feel like that gave us confidence that what we
were doing made since and you know, even moving forward,
he was willing to trust us with whatever we envision.
(17:51):
I mean, with whatever we envision, you know, as long
as it definitely spoke to culture, you know, spoke to
our stories, but and also spoke to golf itself, both
on how to grow it. Originally, you know, he felt
like we could do that, and you know, me spending
individual time with him and me, he believes in the brand,
you know, he he believes that, you know, Jordan brand
(18:12):
is just something that can help us and elevate our story,
you know.
Speaker 5 (18:16):
But he wants our story out.
Speaker 6 (18:18):
There in the forefront to to help change and to
bring I guess attention to to the un to the
unwritten and unspoken things about golf.
Speaker 5 (18:26):
So yeah, yeah, no, I agree.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Nah. I mean when you got to go believing in you,
that just gives you a level of confidence that I
think a lot of times, like you said, people don't
necessarily know the relationship that we have with him, and
I think that right there, just because it's just non traditional,
Like I'm sure people have worked at the brand and
they have never met you know, so our experience has
(18:50):
just been one of difference. But I think a lot
of it is just the power of the game of golf,
Like golf got us there, like golf has allowed us
to be able to leave, and I think we're walking
billboards for what the game of golf as a whole
can do. And then to be able to be on
the other side, to have a brand to kind of
connect that m has been has been fabulous. But yeah, no,
(19:11):
I mean it's definitely pressure, but you kind of, as
he said, to have a conversation with him and to
know that he believes in you and he can do
anything that you know, he could do whatever he doesn't
have to.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
And so inspiring just to know the fact that.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
Yeah, I trust you, yeah, yeah, nah, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
He's not stepping in and saying I don't feel this,
I don't like this, right, guiding you in a different direction,
cause I know that that relationship would feel kind of weird, right,
But if that was the case if it was on
a more.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Negative for sure.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
And I mean and again like it's it's to be
healthy criticism, you know what I mean. We definitely you know, listen,
we're open to you know, not saying we know it all.
But I just think to understand the fact, like one,
like you said, just to have a conversation with him
is unbelievable. But I think for him to really be
like nah, really rock out. And I'll say like this,
the the folks that hang out with him even more,
(20:05):
the feedback that we get from them is even I
guess astonishing, right, And people like man I was with
MJ and he mentioned yeah all the time, you know,
those sorts of things.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
It's just kind of.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Like, wow, did you ever fear actually that the brand
wouldn't actually work out, wouldn't be successful.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
At the beginning?
Speaker 6 (20:26):
For me, definitely, you know, I I got that from
other people that it wouldn't work out?
Speaker 5 (20:32):
What is that? Is that? A change? Is that is that?
What is that around his neck? Like goodness gracious? You know?
Speaker 6 (20:39):
So like yeah, yeah, so at the beginning, I was
a little you know, hesitant, I would say, but I
mean why not, you know, it's never been done before
you know, I've I've never seen a black man as
a golf lovego other than Jordan, but doesn't have any
color in it.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
You know, where's his skin.
Speaker 6 (20:59):
So so let's trust something a little bit different. Let's
push the envelope. And that's exactly what we did, and
we do it with even the pieces that we make.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
You know, things that your success.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
You finished the limits you did you and didn't need
to listen to anybody necessarily stand in your way.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
I always say when people tell me I can't do something,
it just makes me more time time starter. So what
about your golf career, What is going on with your
new ambitions in the golf scene.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
I know you're still doing some stuff there.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
Yeah, absolutely, So I played my first pro tournament with
some mini tour tournament, the Jim Thorpe Invitation. It was
in February, place twenty out of about fifty five people.
So finally got out there the first one after eight
years you know of me playing. I missed the game,
but finally, you know, starting to get back into the
group of things.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
So, and what about you, what are you doing outside
of east Side golf?
Speaker 2 (21:50):
I mean definitely still teaching, teaching yeah, that's a big
part of it. But really I've just been focusing a
lot on the brand. You know, right now, understand it.
It's it demands you know, so much time, you know,
it's always it. You got to be able to answer
questions on weekends. It's always something.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Going, so you're able to multi task it so nicely, which.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
You know, yeah, we both, yeah, we both do our best.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
You know, whenever one person kind of needs to take
a couple of days, somebody's driving the ship the other person,
you know, it just just swaps out.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Yeah, you have each other.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
I can't can't imagine on your own.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
That that would be the best thing I would tell somebody,
get a partner. Yeah, I mean, and you know what
I mean, Like, I couldn't. I don't know how people.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
Do it on their own.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
You know, this is especially when you're building something so massive,
because the only way you do it on your own
is literally like you know, micro managing, and then you
can only go so far.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
You know, you got to be able to give the keys.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
To someone and allow them to go because at the
end of the day, if it's all depending on one person,
then they can.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Get the place.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
As they say, right, right, Yeah, and so where do
the two of you see this brand going in the future.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
What are some of your goals and aspirations?
Speaker 6 (23:09):
I mean, well, one of well, of course, my goal
is to you know, the story being told of you know,
a guy wanted to start a company just to fund
his own golf career, but then me turn around and
actually winning a PGA tournament.
Speaker 5 (23:23):
You know.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
I just feel like it'll speak volumes to so many
people that no matter how old you are, whatever your
dream is, whenever in your life, go after it, like
make an attempt. Second thing is an eastside golf country club,
so something where it looks, has simulators, has a place
where you know you can put, but also a bar
(23:44):
and great food and also a place where you can
get lessons.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Experiences are key with brands these days.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
I feel like the more that you can bring to
the table for your audience to really experience a moment
where they're in your product it real, h just takes
it to another level and they'll never forget that moment
in time.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
Correct, correct, No, No, I'm excited. I think you know,
we have an opportunity to really build something special. I
think like everything he's saying is you know, get an
opportunity to change the game.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
You know, I think we.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Can invite so many people into the game in a new,
welcoming way and make them long lasting golfers and just
as that continues to trickle down to their kids the
next generation. It's something that I think we're super excited
about and just having a real impact. I think there's
been a lot of fluff. You know, there's a bunch
of programs, there's billions of dollars been spent in golf,
(24:34):
and diversity.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Hasn't changed, right, inclusion, these are all key words actually
for your brands.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Do you want to extend on that a little bit?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (24:41):
I think again, Like I said, looking where we are today, right,
there's it wasn't a lack of money being spent there,
Like let's go really go back and all these brands
that it existed for how many years? How much money
have they spent and what is the result? Like what
are the KPI like there?
Speaker 3 (25:02):
Exactly, there hasn't.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Been anything that's really pulled somebody into the game, right,
and so now you have this small brand relatively as
of now that's making a huge impact. And I think
one of the things that we're trying to do is
make sure that those dollars are now kind of either
being reallocated right and going about it just a different way.
And diversity and inclusion is something that is very important
(25:27):
to us, and not just again just saying it to
say it, but like I said, what are the numbers, Like,
let's look at the numbers. Let's hold everybody accountable across
the board. You know, what does leadership look like? What
do your executive team look like? You know, positions, all
of those sorts of things, you know, And that's something
that we try to manage our business every day with
that in mind as well, right, Like, that's something that's
(25:49):
important to us.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
You two are making your own yes, oh yeah, and
I can't wait to see. I'm sure so many are
gonna try and follow on your footsteps and create hopefully,
hopefully yeah, similar business concepts that will help grow, you know,
in this new path that you're making.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Yeah, and it's room for all of us, you know
what I mean?
Speaker 4 (26:07):
And I always say yeah, women, it gets competitive in
the secret culture, you know. And what I always say
to the ladies is there's so much space for all
of us. As long as you do you and you're
true to yourself, there's.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Always gonna be more room for sure.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
Don't copy others and you try and mimic exactly what
other people are doing.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
You know.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
It's like you can take cues and you can learn,
but always just be.
Speaker 5 (26:28):
Yourself, you authentic. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Well, you know, we welcome the competition too. That's a
part of leading the pack, right, So when you're out
in front, people are gonna emulate that whoever, whatever sport
it is. You know, it's on the business side when
you're doing that, you know, but it's it's all about
continue to have that special sauce and like you said,
elevating the.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Experience and at the end.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Of the day we can play Like I think that's
why the gap is so far.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Like you're just picking up golf today.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
We picked it up twenty five years ago, you know,
like you said, that's how we came together through golf,
you know, winners and national championship. So I think, to me,
that's our special selves, that's our competitive advantage.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
You can't beat that foundation, Yeah, you really can't.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
Well, I can't wait to see what the two of
you accomplish in the next few years.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
It's going to be on another level, already know
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