May 7, 2025 • 18 mins
Christina Francis, President of Magic Johnson Enterprises, shares her journey of resilience, leadership, and purpose. She dives into the ‘Three P’s’—Pause, Pray, Proceed—and how this philosophy has shaped her career and success. Christina discusses the challenges of navigating corporate leadership, the importance of mentorship, and how faith plays a role in making major business decisions. She also provides insights on emotional intelligence, team development, and the power of staying adaptable in a constantly evolving business world. This episode is filled with wisdom for aspiring leaders looking to build lasting impact.
Guest: Christina M. Francis
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Music By: Stichiz - Big T. Music / Roj & Twinkie
Guest: Christina M. Francis
| Powered by The House of Joy |
Subscribe & Follow:
Don’t miss an episode of "Stay A While"! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. Stay connected and get the latest updates by following us on Instagram @StayAWhileShow and follow our host Tommi Vincent @cheftommiv. Watch full episodes on our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/@ChefTommiV
Join the Conversation:
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Share your insights and stories with us using #StayAWhilePodcast on social media.
Music By: Stichiz - Big T. Music / Roj & Twinkie
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to a special edition of Stale Wild, recorded live
on Radio Row at Super Bowl fifty nine. I'm your host,
Tommy Vincent, and we are going to be hearing some
dynamic conversations with phenomenal guests here on Radio Row.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
So take a seat, get comfortable in stale Wall.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
This episode is sponsored by the House of Joy. Hey, everyone,
is Tommy Vincent, your host of Stale Wild podcast, and
today I have joining me at the table, Christina Francis.
Christina is the president of Magic Johnson Enterprise.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
She is extremely accomplished.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
She has done many things, but most importantly, she is
a woman that has been on a mission and she
has accomplished great things, and there has been a journey
and in that journey there's a story. So that's what
we're going to be talking to Christina about. Christina, thank
you for joining me today.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Thank you for inviting me. I'm excited absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Like I said, we know that you have accomplished many things,
and all of that information that is going to be
in the show notes.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
So everybody want to learn more about you, they can
read about that.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Okay, we want to talk about the stuff people can't
read about. This journey as someone who has worked her
way with integrity and class to the position you're in.
What was it for you that kept you determined to
keep accelerating in your career.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
You know, that's a tough one because I feel like
it's an eight.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
You know, it was ingrained in me from a child,
from my parents and knowing that I can do and
not to accept anything less. So you know, if you fail,
it's like, just figure it out, learn from the failure, figure.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
It out, keep going.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
So it's a tough one because a lot of it
to me comes from my family, and it comes from
my parents and knowing what they did for me, knowing
what they did for my brothers and sisters, and so
knowing that there's something required of me to now take
that to the next step.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
So if it's working with other people and.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Building myself up to the level that I've gotten to,
to then also mentor other people to help my nieces
and nephews.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
But to create this legacy that keeps going. Let me
ask you this, because you like, for yourself, it's innate.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
You grew up in an environment where it was instilled
in you, yep, that you could do anything.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Everybody does not have that fortune agreed.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
As someone who has worked with other individuals and even
in your position in the organization, you're responsible for training
people up and getting them in alignment with the ability
to bring success to the business. Is that something that
can be taught? And how Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:56):
No, absolutely, I mean you don't give up on somebody.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Now there's people who resist it or some people who
just don't want to do it, and you will see
it because you just can't get them there.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
But it absolutely can be taught. And it's it's once
I see.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Somebody and you know they're smart, and you know they
want to learn, and they may you know, they may fall,
and if you're there to help catch them, and you're
there to just remind them that you're smart, you're talented,
You're the reason you're here. You got here, Yes, you
got into this company, you got into that job. So
step back and it was It's interesting because I was
(03:34):
just listening to a pastor a couple of weeks ago,
and he said, this is a year that when something happens,
you pause, you pray, and then you proceed. And he said,
because you know, sometimes you get into situations and you
immediately just like go like you get mad, you like,
let's text, pause, pray.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
About it, and then proceed the three P three ps.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
And so people who fail, I think sometimes you can
you can e the spiral, or you can step step
back and go why did that happen that way?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
How do I address it? And how do I move forward?
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Right?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
And don't hold.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Onto it because you hold onto it, you freeze and
you get stuck and you get paralyzed.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
And so yes, you can absolutely teach it.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
You can absolutely train people to be better and get
better and to grow.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
When you're working with someone, I know you have your
own experiences, so you actually have lived experience to draw
from where you know that no, there is a solution
to this situation. When you're working with someone and they
aren't solution oriented and they just sit right there in
the problem, how do you get someone to like shift
(04:54):
their their mindset to look at solution. I need you
to Yes, that's accurate, but we need to get right
here real fast.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
How do you get people to make that shift?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
I mean, I think it's just a it's a it's
a conversation, and it's it's it's showing them because to me,
Noah's never an answer. And so there's got to be
the yes, there's got to be the way. There's got
to be something we can figure out. And I'm that way,
and so people that are around me, I think it's
also that environment that you create, it's that energy that
(05:29):
you create, it's that positive mindset, so that if they
do comment, it's like, okay, so what's our options, right, Like,
don't just come with a problem, what's the options?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Give me, give me more, and let's think through it.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
So I mean that's you know, it's funny because a
lot of times people ask us questions and I don't
really think, like I'm like this big thinker. I just
feel like, just sit down and let's talk about it, right,
Like it's not rocket science.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
And even what we do, I mean in the business of.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Sports or marketing or communications, where it's not rocket science.
This is fun So sit down, let's talk about it.
Let's figure out what's the options. So that's how I
live every day.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
You know, I've been really working to be conscious of
there's some things that for me just it's just who
I am as a person, so I don't have to.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Think about it. So I don't. It's not so it's
not a challenge.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
And even when there's a challenge, I kind of get
off on a challenge because I'm solution oriented and I'm like,
we're going to make so I had to like, but
everybody isn't like that, and so what comes easy to
me could be really challenged to other people.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
And so I've had to like, that's been a challenge.
I'm going to tell you.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
For me, that's a challenge because it does feel like
I don't understand.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Yeah, what's the problem.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Let's just but the piece where you know it's important
to develop people requires you to say no, I have
to pull it back. Yeah, and I have to I
have to teach because that's how you make people better.
And then also it helps for me to achieve the
results I desire because I'm equipping them with the information
necessary to be successful.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Help them, help you, Yeah, they say, come on now, y'all.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
No, absolutely, It's those moments where you're in the office
you have to close the door and you're like, what
don't they get And you talk to yourself for a
while and you're like, okay, yeah, right, because you have
to think about it and go, okay, let me meet them.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Where they are. Absolutely know who that audience is. And
there's an article.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
It's called Emotional IQ and it's understanding your emotional IQ
and someone else's emotional I accused, because then you can
figure out how to work with them. So I sometimes
even I have actually printed that article and given it
to my team, and I sometimes put like almost every year,
I pull it out and look at it again and
maybe think about who I am and where I am.
And then because each one of my team members they're different, yes,
(08:20):
and like one team memory will come be like and
I'm like, calm down, they're different from you, and you
have to meet.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Them where they are. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
So yeah, I experienced that all the time. But I
close the door and I'm like, what does happened?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Let me ask you. You are.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
The president of Magic Johnson Enterprises. That's where you are
right now. When you were young and really trying to
figure out what you wanted to do in your.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Life, what was your aspiration back then? Like, what was
the goal? What was the goal?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I was supposed to be a lawyer, and I was
also it was either that or international relations because I
love learning new cultures. I'm from New Orleans and so
when I know that I'm in my hometown, okay. And
I love culture and people and food and living life
to the fullest. So growing up, I you know, I
(09:27):
spent time in Latin America. I lived in Guatemala, Costa Rica.
I traveled around because that's what I loved. So I
wanted to either do international relations and some form of
business and international or be a lawyer.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
My dad's a lawyer, okay.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
And I don't know what happened, but one day I
woke up and said, you know what, I'm gonna go
and get an NBA. And my father was like, what,
what what happened to law school? And I said, now
I'm gonna take the GMAT at the time and he
said no, what about the els AT? And I said no,
and he said just take it.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Nope, I'm not doing it. I'm going to to get NBA.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
I have no idea why to do that, because now
I think, oh gone, and I should have gotten a
lot of green too.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
So I had no idea.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Honestly, I just love life and I love challenges and
working and I knew there's things that I liked, and
so every opportunity that came to me, I just took
it on and did I ever imagine I'd be president
of Magic Johnson Enter Crisis. No, not even when I
met him. It's been over twenty years. I've known him, okay,
(10:31):
And I was working for an ad agency, and I
was this little girl that i'm and I have not
changed to this day.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
But everything has to be right.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
So I had all my stuff, I put on my paperwork,
were like having this meeting, and I went outside to
meet him and bring him in.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
It was this whole thing and he and he was
looking down at me, like what's this little one ever
run around here and around right?
Speaker 3 (10:53):
And for years he tried to get me to work
for him, and I was like, no, I want to
go do this.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
I'm going to do that like I wanted and experiences.
And then finally when he called about eleven years ago is.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
When I went to work for him. So and even
then I never thought about being his president. I was
doing just stuff that I loved. And because of that,
he looked at me and said, you know, you've been
doing the job anyway, so you should be president.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
So never in that in that time period where he
was essentially courting you where his organization and you said
you you did other things before you got there, did
those things that you did prepare you.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
For the role you have?
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Absolutely, yeah, and honestly, and I don't have a rhyme
or reason to it, okay, you know, And I tell
people like, I failed at things, and I succeeded at things,
and I just kept learning and.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Growing and that's what I wanted to do.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
So I worked for I was a CEMO of the
Orange Bowl, and I ran game operations and I oversaw
ticket sales and I did things that I'd.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Never done before and learned them.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
And then I went to the NFLPA and I worked
with athletes and events and doing things like that. So
now I get to him, and I'm doing all of
it right. We have six teams. I'm managing this big brand,
different leagues right, and we have different companies. And he
is that personality too, And he and I are a
lot of life like, don't come with me a problem,
(12:26):
how we meet with a solution or have it organized,
make sure it's like this, don't only have me coming
in is not ready right, So we're a lot of
like on how we look at things.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
So he takes on businesses.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
We have an infrastructure fund, we have a food services business,
like we have teams, there's so many things, and it's
like we can do it all.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
We're smart enough.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
We understand how business works, we understand how finances market,
we understand how it works.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
So you can do anything. And so he's given me
that confidence.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
But I came with so much knowledge and so much
experience and a network.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
That he was like, you're the perfect person.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
So you said something I think is so powerful when
you talked about.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
There was no rhyme or reason, and I have found
I have. You know, my children are young.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Adults, and so they're very much in this space of
wanting to have like a plan and stuff figured out.
And sometimes I believe a plan can be can stifle
your growth, Isabel, when you think about this not having
a rhyme or reason, and then we have a generation
(13:39):
that has such great pressure to deliver on I got
it all together. And also, nobody's going to be anywhere
longer than two years, because that at the two year
mark is when you're supposed to go on to the
next thing. So you could keep climbing up the ladder
and doing your thing. What would you share with a
(13:59):
young person about it's okay to not have a plan
from A to Z in place as you're figuring life out.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Yeah, it's a tough one because you know there's people
who like, let's say, they love animals, so that that's
kind of like that's their thing. But if you just
know in general, like certain things you're good at. I
just tell people to be open because you lay out
that plan and an opportunity comes that you push it
aside that that you were supposed to have, that was.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Meant for you. You know, I did things that.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Now I look back and I go, gosh, that experience
was amazing for me. Or I learned or I went
to a job that I learned from people and it
maybe it wasn't even the job, but it was the
people or the.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Environment that I learned from.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
So I just I tell people all the time, like,
you know, you can have a kind of a little
bit of like I know what I'm good at and
know what I love, but don't just turn way an opportunity,
like really look at it and think like what can
I gain from this? Like who's the manager, Like I
might they might be that right person to train me
the right way, because you can go in the direction
(15:10):
that you think is right and then it's the wrong environment,
it's the wrong manager, it's the wrong team, and then
you're stuck, or you can go somewhere that you're like,
this is a little off from what I want, but
this this person really helped me get to my best self. Right,
And so I think about like I never really thought
(15:31):
I would work for like Burger King, right, but there
were things that I learned in that franchising of businesses
and an operational setup and things like that.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Absolutely, you get on you take on skills.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
And then the people that I met there were very
close to the people that were at the Orange Bowl.
So when they said hey, they were looking for somebody
and said here she is. Okay, Burger King and Orange
Bowl had no real connection, but it was one of
those things where they're like, she's a talent and she's
the one that you want.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
So you never know where that blessing comes from. You
really don't.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
And so you know, I tell people all the time,
don't be feel bad if you kind.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Of you went this direction, but now you want to
go dis direction. Now.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
If you go too far off the path, sometimes it's
hard to pull back. Yeah, but gain from the knowledge
and be open to the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Yeah, I couldnot agree more.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Before I let you go, I would like for you
to think about young Christina figuring out life, yes, and
what advice would you give her.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Well, I'm so young, Christina, and I'm still figuring out life,
and so I would probably say to her, it's a journey.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Yeah, it's a journey.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
I'm i and I say that kind of jokingly, but
I am still on the journey, yes, And I'm so
young at heart, and I'm so learning about life and
I'm still going because if I if I ever stop
learning and growing, and that's probably the.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
End for me, that's the end of my life.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
I'm done because I always want to keep that going. So,
I mean, there's so many things I could tell her,
but I think that's the biggest one, is to just
continue on the journey and making sure that you're constantly
growing in it and really challenging yourself to be better
(17:39):
and be your best self.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
So that's good. That's good.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Well, listen, Christina, I am grateful, Thank you time.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
And I'm so proud of you.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Thank you because you're doing your thing and I'm super
excited for you.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
I appreciate that, and thank you so much for joining
me on. Stay a while and just know that it
is always room for you at my table.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Thank you, I'm coming back. Yes is fine movie? Thank you.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I hope you felt the love and connection in today's conversation.
Every woman you heard.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
From has faced the impossible and emerged stronger.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
This is your personal invitation to stale while longer at
Tommy V dot com. That's t O M M I
V dot com for more inspiration for your mind, body
and soul and let's not forget your belly. You're always
welcome at my table. Please be sure to subscribe, make
yourself at home and stale wild
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Gone, Stale
Welcome to a special edition of Stale Wild, recorded live
on Radio Row at Super Bowl fifty nine. I'm your host,
Tommy Vincent, and we are going to be hearing some
dynamic conversations with phenomenal guests here on Radio Row.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
So take a seat, get comfortable in stale Wall.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
This episode is sponsored by the House of Joy. Hey, everyone,
is Tommy Vincent, your host of Stale Wild podcast, and
today I have joining me at the table, Christina Francis.
Christina is the president of Magic Johnson Enterprise.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
She is extremely accomplished.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
She has done many things, but most importantly, she is
a woman that has been on a mission and she
has accomplished great things, and there has been a journey
and in that journey there's a story. So that's what
we're going to be talking to Christina about. Christina, thank
you for joining me today.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Thank you for inviting me. I'm excited absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Like I said, we know that you have accomplished many things,
and all of that information that is going to be
in the show notes.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
So everybody want to learn more about you, they can
read about that.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Okay, we want to talk about the stuff people can't
read about. This journey as someone who has worked her
way with integrity and class to the position you're in.
What was it for you that kept you determined to
keep accelerating in your career.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
You know, that's a tough one because I feel like
it's an eight.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
You know, it was ingrained in me from a child,
from my parents and knowing that I can do and
not to accept anything less. So you know, if you fail,
it's like, just figure it out, learn from the failure, figure.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
It out, keep going.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
So it's a tough one because a lot of it
to me comes from my family, and it comes from
my parents and knowing what they did for me, knowing
what they did for my brothers and sisters, and so
knowing that there's something required of me to now take
that to the next step.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
So if it's working with other people and.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Building myself up to the level that I've gotten to,
to then also mentor other people to help my nieces
and nephews.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
But to create this legacy that keeps going. Let me
ask you this, because you like, for yourself, it's innate.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
You grew up in an environment where it was instilled
in you, yep, that you could do anything.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Everybody does not have that fortune agreed.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
As someone who has worked with other individuals and even
in your position in the organization, you're responsible for training
people up and getting them in alignment with the ability
to bring success to the business. Is that something that
can be taught? And how Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:56):
No, absolutely, I mean you don't give up on somebody.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Now there's people who resist it or some people who
just don't want to do it, and you will see
it because you just can't get them there.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
But it absolutely can be taught. And it's it's once
I see.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Somebody and you know they're smart, and you know they
want to learn, and they may you know, they may fall,
and if you're there to help catch them, and you're
there to just remind them that you're smart, you're talented,
You're the reason you're here. You got here, Yes, you
got into this company, you got into that job. So
step back and it was It's interesting because I was
(03:34):
just listening to a pastor a couple of weeks ago,
and he said, this is a year that when something happens,
you pause, you pray, and then you proceed. And he said,
because you know, sometimes you get into situations and you
immediately just like go like you get mad, you like,
let's text, pause, pray.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
About it, and then proceed the three P three ps.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
And so people who fail, I think sometimes you can
you can e the spiral, or you can step step
back and go why did that happen that way?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
How do I address it? And how do I move forward?
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Right?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
And don't hold.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Onto it because you hold onto it, you freeze and
you get stuck and you get paralyzed.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
And so yes, you can absolutely teach it.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
You can absolutely train people to be better and get
better and to grow.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
When you're working with someone, I know you have your
own experiences, so you actually have lived experience to draw
from where you know that no, there is a solution
to this situation. When you're working with someone and they
aren't solution oriented and they just sit right there in
the problem, how do you get someone to like shift
(04:54):
their their mindset to look at solution. I need you
to Yes, that's accurate, but we need to get right
here real fast.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
How do you get people to make that shift?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
I mean, I think it's just a it's a it's
a conversation, and it's it's it's showing them because to me,
Noah's never an answer. And so there's got to be
the yes, there's got to be the way. There's got
to be something we can figure out. And I'm that way,
and so people that are around me, I think it's
also that environment that you create, it's that energy that
(05:29):
you create, it's that positive mindset, so that if they
do comment, it's like, okay, so what's our options, right, Like,
don't just come with a problem, what's the options?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Give me, give me more, and let's think through it.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
So I mean that's you know, it's funny because a
lot of times people ask us questions and I don't
really think, like I'm like this big thinker. I just
feel like, just sit down and let's talk about it, right,
Like it's not rocket science.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
And even what we do, I mean in the business of.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Sports or marketing or communications, where it's not rocket science.
This is fun So sit down, let's talk about it.
Let's figure out what's the options. So that's how I
live every day.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
You know, I've been really working to be conscious of
there's some things that for me just it's just who
I am as a person, so I don't have to.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Think about it. So I don't. It's not so it's
not a challenge.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
And even when there's a challenge, I kind of get
off on a challenge because I'm solution oriented and I'm like,
we're going to make so I had to like, but
everybody isn't like that, and so what comes easy to
me could be really challenged to other people.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
And so I've had to like, that's been a challenge.
I'm going to tell you.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
For me, that's a challenge because it does feel like
I don't understand.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Yeah, what's the problem.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Let's just but the piece where you know it's important
to develop people requires you to say no, I have
to pull it back. Yeah, and I have to I
have to teach because that's how you make people better.
And then also it helps for me to achieve the
results I desire because I'm equipping them with the information
necessary to be successful.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Help them, help you, Yeah, they say, come on now, y'all.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
No, absolutely, It's those moments where you're in the office
you have to close the door and you're like, what
don't they get And you talk to yourself for a
while and you're like, okay, yeah, right, because you have
to think about it and go, okay, let me meet them.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Where they are. Absolutely know who that audience is. And
there's an article.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
It's called Emotional IQ and it's understanding your emotional IQ
and someone else's emotional I accused, because then you can
figure out how to work with them. So I sometimes
even I have actually printed that article and given it
to my team, and I sometimes put like almost every year,
I pull it out and look at it again and
maybe think about who I am and where I am.
And then because each one of my team members they're different, yes,
(08:20):
and like one team memory will come be like and
I'm like, calm down, they're different from you, and you
have to meet.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Them where they are. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
So yeah, I experienced that all the time. But I
close the door and I'm like, what does happened?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Let me ask you. You are.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
The president of Magic Johnson Enterprises. That's where you are
right now. When you were young and really trying to
figure out what you wanted to do in your.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Life, what was your aspiration back then? Like, what was
the goal? What was the goal?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I was supposed to be a lawyer, and I was
also it was either that or international relations because I
love learning new cultures. I'm from New Orleans and so
when I know that I'm in my hometown, okay. And
I love culture and people and food and living life
to the fullest. So growing up, I you know, I
(09:27):
spent time in Latin America. I lived in Guatemala, Costa Rica.
I traveled around because that's what I loved. So I
wanted to either do international relations and some form of
business and international or be a lawyer.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
My dad's a lawyer, okay.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
And I don't know what happened, but one day I
woke up and said, you know what, I'm gonna go
and get an NBA. And my father was like, what,
what what happened to law school? And I said, now
I'm gonna take the GMAT at the time and he
said no, what about the els AT? And I said no,
and he said just take it.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Nope, I'm not doing it. I'm going to to get NBA.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
I have no idea why to do that, because now
I think, oh gone, and I should have gotten a
lot of green too.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
So I had no idea.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Honestly, I just love life and I love challenges and
working and I knew there's things that I liked, and
so every opportunity that came to me, I just took
it on and did I ever imagine I'd be president
of Magic Johnson Enter Crisis. No, not even when I
met him. It's been over twenty years. I've known him, okay,
(10:31):
And I was working for an ad agency, and I
was this little girl that i'm and I have not
changed to this day.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
But everything has to be right.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
So I had all my stuff, I put on my paperwork,
were like having this meeting, and I went outside to
meet him and bring him in.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
It was this whole thing and he and he was
looking down at me, like what's this little one ever
run around here and around right?
Speaker 3 (10:53):
And for years he tried to get me to work
for him, and I was like, no, I want to
go do this.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
I'm going to do that like I wanted and experiences.
And then finally when he called about eleven years ago is.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
When I went to work for him. So and even
then I never thought about being his president. I was
doing just stuff that I loved. And because of that,
he looked at me and said, you know, you've been
doing the job anyway, so you should be president.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
So never in that in that time period where he
was essentially courting you where his organization and you said
you you did other things before you got there, did
those things that you did prepare you.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
For the role you have?
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Absolutely, yeah, and honestly, and I don't have a rhyme
or reason to it, okay, you know, And I tell
people like, I failed at things, and I succeeded at things,
and I just kept learning and.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Growing and that's what I wanted to do.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
So I worked for I was a CEMO of the
Orange Bowl, and I ran game operations and I oversaw
ticket sales and I did things that I'd.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Never done before and learned them.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
And then I went to the NFLPA and I worked
with athletes and events and doing things like that. So
now I get to him, and I'm doing all of
it right. We have six teams. I'm managing this big brand,
different leagues right, and we have different companies. And he
is that personality too, And he and I are a
lot of life like, don't come with me a problem,
(12:26):
how we meet with a solution or have it organized,
make sure it's like this, don't only have me coming
in is not ready right, So we're a lot of
like on how we look at things.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
So he takes on businesses.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
We have an infrastructure fund, we have a food services business,
like we have teams, there's so many things, and it's
like we can do it all.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
We're smart enough.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
We understand how business works, we understand how finances market,
we understand how it works.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
So you can do anything. And so he's given me
that confidence.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
But I came with so much knowledge and so much
experience and a network.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
That he was like, you're the perfect person.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
So you said something I think is so powerful when
you talked about.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
There was no rhyme or reason, and I have found
I have. You know, my children are young.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Adults, and so they're very much in this space of
wanting to have like a plan and stuff figured out.
And sometimes I believe a plan can be can stifle
your growth, Isabel, when you think about this not having
a rhyme or reason, and then we have a generation
(13:39):
that has such great pressure to deliver on I got
it all together. And also, nobody's going to be anywhere
longer than two years, because that at the two year
mark is when you're supposed to go on to the
next thing. So you could keep climbing up the ladder
and doing your thing. What would you share with a
(13:59):
young person about it's okay to not have a plan
from A to Z in place as you're figuring life out.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Yeah, it's a tough one because you know there's people
who like, let's say, they love animals, so that that's
kind of like that's their thing. But if you just
know in general, like certain things you're good at. I
just tell people to be open because you lay out
that plan and an opportunity comes that you push it
aside that that you were supposed to have, that was.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Meant for you. You know, I did things that.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Now I look back and I go, gosh, that experience
was amazing for me. Or I learned or I went
to a job that I learned from people and it
maybe it wasn't even the job, but it was the
people or the.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Environment that I learned from.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
So I just I tell people all the time, like,
you know, you can have a kind of a little
bit of like I know what I'm good at and
know what I love, but don't just turn way an opportunity,
like really look at it and think like what can
I gain from this? Like who's the manager, Like I
might they might be that right person to train me
the right way, because you can go in the direction
(15:10):
that you think is right and then it's the wrong environment,
it's the wrong manager, it's the wrong team, and then
you're stuck, or you can go somewhere that you're like,
this is a little off from what I want, but
this this person really helped me get to my best self. Right,
And so I think about like I never really thought
(15:31):
I would work for like Burger King, right, but there
were things that I learned in that franchising of businesses
and an operational setup and things like that.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Absolutely, you get on you take on skills.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
And then the people that I met there were very
close to the people that were at the Orange Bowl.
So when they said hey, they were looking for somebody
and said here she is. Okay, Burger King and Orange
Bowl had no real connection, but it was one of
those things where they're like, she's a talent and she's
the one that you want.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
So you never know where that blessing comes from. You
really don't.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
And so you know, I tell people all the time,
don't be feel bad if you kind.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Of you went this direction, but now you want to
go dis direction. Now.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
If you go too far off the path, sometimes it's
hard to pull back. Yeah, but gain from the knowledge
and be open to the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Yeah, I couldnot agree more.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Before I let you go, I would like for you
to think about young Christina figuring out life, yes, and
what advice would you give her.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Well, I'm so young, Christina, and I'm still figuring out life,
and so I would probably say to her, it's a journey.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Yeah, it's a journey.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
I'm i and I say that kind of jokingly, but
I am still on the journey, yes, And I'm so
young at heart, and I'm so learning about life and
I'm still going because if I if I ever stop
learning and growing, and that's probably the.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
End for me, that's the end of my life.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
I'm done because I always want to keep that going. So,
I mean, there's so many things I could tell her,
but I think that's the biggest one, is to just
continue on the journey and making sure that you're constantly
growing in it and really challenging yourself to be better
(17:39):
and be your best self.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
So that's good. That's good.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Well, listen, Christina, I am grateful, Thank you time.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
And I'm so proud of you.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Thank you because you're doing your thing and I'm super
excited for you.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
I appreciate that, and thank you so much for joining
me on. Stay a while and just know that it
is always room for you at my table.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Thank you, I'm coming back. Yes is fine movie? Thank you.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I hope you felt the love and connection in today's conversation.
Every woman you heard.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
From has faced the impossible and emerged stronger.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
This is your personal invitation to stale while longer at
Tommy V dot com. That's t O M M I
V dot com for more inspiration for your mind, body
and soul and let's not forget your belly. You're always
welcome at my table. Please be sure to subscribe, make
yourself at home and stale wild
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Gone, Stale
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