Anthony Showtime Pettis & Lisette Pettis: From Champion to CEO

Anthony Showtime Pettis & Lisette Pettis: From Champion to CEO

What happens when you start a business at 16 to pay rent after your father is killed, build a UFC career that wasn't even the original plan, and then turn everything you learned in the cage into a fight promotion, management company, and gym empire that's rewriting the path for the next generation? In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Anthony "Showtime" Pettis, former UFC Lightweight Champion and one of the most electrifying fighters in MMA history, and his wife Lisette Pettis, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the strategic force behind their growing business empire. From opening a taekwondo gym as a teenager out of necessity to becoming the first fighter ever featured on ESPN's Top 10 with the legendary "Showtime Kick," Anthony built a career most fighters only dream about. But the business started long before the fame and will carry on as he fights again this summer. Treating himself as a business from day one, shaped everything that followed. Lisette, with her philanthropic and marketing expertise is a critical component behind the couples success.Together, they launched a management company and APFC (Anthony Pettis Fighting Championship), a fight promotion giving up and coming fighters a real platform. And they're expanding globally with shows across the US, India, and Puerto Rico. This conversation breaks down what it actually takes to build multiple businesses while still competing at the highest level, how to negotiate when you're the product, why self funding saved them from expensive mistakes, and how they've structured their lives around discipline, partnership, and giving back to the community that raised them. Whether you're a UFC fan, navigating a career pivot, building a business from scratch, learning to negotiate your worth, or trying to figure out how to lead with care in a cutthroat industry, this episode proves that discipline, partnership, and staying grounded in your roots will always win. Guests: Anthony "Showtime" Pettis | Former UFC Lightweight Champion | Founder, APFC | Fighter Manager | Gym Owner IG: https://www.instagram.com/showtimepettis/ [https://www.instagram.com/showtimepettis/] Lisette Pettis | Entrepreneur | Philanthropist | Founder, emPOWER YOUth Foundation and Cinderella Project | Co-Founder, APFC IG: https://www.instagram.com/uluvlisette/ [https://www.instagram.com/uluvlisette/] Sponsors: Next Health (Code: Exit) first baseline blood test and consultation, an $850 value for only $250, exclusively for our listeners. Web: https://www.next-health.com/location/calabasas [https://www.next-health.com/location/calabasas] Blue Monkey Realty: https://www.bluemonkeyrealty.com/ [https://www.bluemonkeyrealty.com/] Hosts: Shana Ayabe x Kisha Imani Cameron IG: https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/ [https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/ [https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/ [https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/] Produced by: Grace Media Digital The Exit Interview | On-Air — Real conversations. From the cage to the boardroom, building legacy through discipline and partnership. CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction * 00:02:46 From Tragedy to Business: Starting at 16 * 00:03:33 The Accidental Fighter: Business First, UFC Second * 00:05:04 Building the Path: Creating Infrastructure for Future Fighters * 00:07:43 The Management Problem: No Regulations, No Requirements * 00:09:03 The Power Couple Dynamic: Business Partnership and Marriage * 00:32:25 Learning to Say No: Setting Boundaries and Long-Term Thinking * 00:28:05 The Fighter Mindset: Discipline, Obsession, and Mental Toughness * 00:34:57 Building a Brand: Social Media and Personal Branding for Fighters * 00:53:57 Self-Funded Success: Why Bootstrapping Saved Their Business * 01:13:46 The Showtime Kick and Career Highlights * 01:12:07 What's Next: 2026 Vision and Global Expansion

The Skills You Already Have Are Someone Else’s Competitive Advantage

What happens when the skills you spent years undervaluing turn out to be someone else's competitive advantage? In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Munir Haque, President of Cure8, a cybersecurity and IT firm operating in one of the most complex, fast-moving industries in America: cannabis. From graffiti artist to touring musician to retail leader designing stores selling to the Saudi Royal family, Munir had built a career most people would kill for. He was running the best store in the country, making more money than ever, and then one day he couldn't look in the mirror anymore. So he quit. The same week he was about to propose to his wife. A buddy called with one question: We're about to build the first legal dispensary in Canada. Do you want in? Munir said yes before he had a plan. Today, he runs a 24/7 operation in a market that rewrites itself overnight, navigating constantly shifting state regulations, building stores from blueprints to ribbon cutting, and solving problems most IT companies never touch. And he built his entire company on one hiring filter that has nothing to do with code: You can teach a firewall. You cannot teach empathy. This conversation breaks down what it actually takes to pivot into an entirely new industry with zero technical background, lead through constant regulatory chaos, and build a team culture rooted in transparency, collaboration, and celebration in a space where mistakes can shut down entire facilities. This episode explores: * How creativity and customer experience design translate into completely different industries * The brutal reality of quitting at the height of your success because you can't look in the mirror anymore * Understanding your skills are someone’s competitive advantage and how to transfer them * What it's like to pivot careers with a steep learning curve ahead and Google as your best friend * Why empathy is the one skill you can't teach and the hiring filter that built his entire team * Navigating markets where regulations change overnight * Building a leadership culture rooted in transparency, open communication, and celebrating every win * Why success shifted from hitting KPIs to helping clients cut the ribbon and generate revenue Whether you're navigating a career pivot, leading through constant change, building culture in a high pressure regulated environment, or trying to figure out how to leverage skills you think don't translate, this episode proves skills are absolutely transferrable in different industries. Guest: Munir Haque | President of Cure8 | Cybersecurity & IT Expert | Cannabis Industry Leader IG: https://www.instagram.com/munirhaque/ [https://www.instagram.com/munirhaque/] Hosts: Shana Ayabe x Kisha Imani Cameron IG: https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/ [https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/ [https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/ [https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/] Produced by: Grace Media Digital The Exit Interview | On-Air — Real conversations. The skills you already have are someone else's competitive advantage. CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction * 00:01:34 The Retail Years: Success, Checked Out and Walking Away * 00:03:03 The Leap: Jumping With No Safety Net * 00:04:39 Where Creativity Meets Technology: Designing A User Experience * 00:08:42 Building the Circle: Leadership Through Collaboration and Transparency * 00:20:01 You Can Teach a Firewall, You Cannot Teach Empathy * 00:25:22 Constant Pivoting: Navigating Regulatory Chaos and Market Changes * 00:42:02 Social Equity Programs: The Promise and the Pitfalls * 00:48:54 Cybersecurity in Cannabis: Phishing, Breaches, and Data Protection * 00:51:37 24/7 Operations: Managing Mistakes in a Zero-Error Industry * 00:55:37 Redefining Success: From KPIs to Hugs and Tears

No Margin for Error | What It Takes to Lead Through Higher Scrutiny

What does it take to lead when one mistake could define your entire career? In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown, Nevada's first Black mayor, who is rebuilding North Las Vegas from economic collapse while facing scrutiny most leaders will never experience. From classroom teacher to running a city, Mayor Goynes-Brown shares her leadership journey from never planning to attend college to becoming to ultimately becoming the elected mayor in 2022. This conversation breaks down what it actually takes to lead under pressure when the stakes are impossibly high and the margin for error is nonexistent. This episode explores: * Why being the first means you're always expected to be better but can only be yourself * The invisible pressure of being watched and waiting for you to fail * How to shut down disrespectful meetings and set boundaries without losing authority * Managing a 24/7 job that never turns off and learning when your body says no more * The brutal reality of campaign fundraising and learning to ask for funding without flinching * Strategies for rebuilding and recognizing not all partners are the right partners to fulfill the vision * Why controlling your own narrative matters when negative press comes your way * Why representation matters to build trust and confidence * Building culture around morale, family first policies, and making employees feel valued * The advice from the President that changed how she approached leadership transitions Whether you're navigating leadership under a microscope, building culture in a high pressure environment, managing toxic players or trying to figure out how to stay positive when people are waiting for you to fail, this episode offers unfiltered truth about public service, representation, and rewriting the rules on leadership under pressure. Guest: Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown | Nevada's First Black Mayor | Mayor of North Las Vegas Web:https://www.cityofnorthlasvegas.com/our-city/city-council/mayor [https://www.cityofnorthlasvegas.com/our-city/city-council/mayor] IG: https://www.instagram.com/pagoynes/ [https://www.instagram.com/pagoynes/] Hosts: Shana Ayabe x Kisha Imani Cameron IG: https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/ [https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/ [https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/ [https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/] Produced by: Grace Media Digital The Exit Interview | On-Air — Real conversations. Leading under pressure. CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction * 00:01:38 From Music Teacher to Public Servant: An Unexpected Journey * 00:06:22 The Campaign Trail: Fundraising and Finding Your Voice * 00:10:09 Building a Communications Strategy and Controlling the Narrative * 00:12:29 Executing on Campaign Promises: Economic Growth and Community Development * 00:14:18 Representation Matters: Building a Diverse Workforce * 00:19:23 The Reality of Leadership: Managing Stress, Setting Boundaries, and Staying Positive * 00:36:26 Creating City Culture: Morale, Family First, and Employee Wellbeing * 00:45:29 The Pressure of Being First: Leading as Nevada's First Black Mayor * 00:50:04 Downtown Reimagined: Project Sparkle and Building Community Gathering Spaces * 00:56:16 Advice for Aspiring Leaders and Defining Success

Bleeding Heart, Capitalist Mind: Laurel Mintz on Diversity and VC Alpha

In this episode of The Exit Interview, Laurel Mintz, Founder of Elevate Your Brand and Fabric VC, joins Kisha and Shana to discuss her unconventional path from a corporate M&A lawyer to an interim CEO at 26, and finally to a venture capitalist. Laurel breaks down why "investing in diversity isn't a charity" and shares the raw, "sad boxing" moments of building a $10M fund from the ground up. We explore her unique "Sweat + Cash" equity model, her decision to turn her agency into an ESOP, and why she believes success in 2026 is defined by one thing: Freedom. This episode explores: * The 25% Edge: Why investing in diverse founders is a calculated financial strategy, not a social experiment. * Scaling Through Systems: How an internal "Wiki" and a flat organizational structure allowed Laurel to step away from her agency's day-to-day. * The "Sweat Equity" Model: How Fabric VC uses its marketing expertise to "make" winners instead of just picking them. * Mindset Shifts: Moving from "Bad Lady Syndrome" and money trauma to managing a billion-dollar vision. Hosts: Shana Ayabe x Kisha Imani Cameron IG: https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/ [https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/ [https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/ [https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/] Produced by: Grace Media Digital The Exit Interview | On-Air — Real conversations. Navigating invisible labor, burnout, and rest as resistance in higher education. *Legal Disclosure:* The content provided in this episode of _The Exit Interview_ is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, legal, or tax advice. The views and opinions expressed by Laurel Mintz and the hosts are their own as of the date of recording (January 16, 2026) and are subject to change without notice based on market and other conditions. *No Offer of Securities:* This content does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any interest in any investment fund or vehicle managed by Fabric VC or its affiliates. Any such offer or solicitation will be made only by means of official offering documents, which will be furnished only to qualified investors. *Performance & Forward-Looking Statements:* References to "alpha," "outperformance," or returns data are historical or aspirational in nature. *Past performance is not indicative of future results.* There is no guarantee that any investment strategy discussed will achieve its objectives or avoid losses. *Risk Warning:* Venture capital and alternative investments involve significant risks, including illiquidity, valuation uncertainties, long holding periods, and the potential for total loss of principal. Any discussion of market trends or sector performance reflects the speaker's opinion and should not be relied upon as a predictor of market movements. *Affiliation:* Laurel Mintz is the Founder of Fabric VC, a venture capital firm. Its investment offerings are made only to qualified investors through official private placement materials. *Note:* Grace Media Digital and The _Exit Interview | On Air_ are not registered investment advisers or broker-dealers and do not provide investment services.

The Ugly Truth About Invisible Labor

What happens when the institutions you devoted your career to building up were never actually built for you — and the only way forward is to admit the invisible labor is crushing you, the burnout is real, and rest isn't weakness, it's resistance? In this raw and unfiltered episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Dr. Zaibis Muñoz-Isme and Dr. Alicia Bates, two scholar practitioners who built careers in higher education to change things from the inside. There struggles in higher education mirror professionals navigating today’s corporate culture. From navigating the brutal reality of being the only Latina or Black woman in senior leadership to the invisible labor of mentoring every student of color who walks through your door without it counting toward tenure or promotion, to the breaking point where you realize the institution recruited you for diversity but built zero infrastructure to retain you, this conversation unpacks what it actually costs to show up every day in spaces that weren't built for you. This episode explores: * Why your career feels like a toxic relationship that doesn't love you back * The invisible labor of being the go-to person without recognition or compensation * How institutions spend money recruiting women of color but build no infrastructure to retain them * Why COVID exposed the true colors of colleagues and forced impossible choices between grief, work, and survival * The reality that to move up in your career you almost always have to move out * How Gen Z is teaching millennials about boundaries, rest, and redefining success * Why FMLA and rest without regret should be normalized, not stigmatized * The truth about being thanked for "coordinating" when you actually did all the work * How success shifted from climbing the ladder to investing in family, community, and a calm nervous system Whether you're navigating burnout, trying to figure out if it's time to stay or go, reconciling with the fact that the job you worked so hard for isn't reciprocating opportunities or redefining what success means when your nervous system is screaming for rest, this episode offers unvarnished truth about identity, labor, and what it takes to survive when the system was never designed with you in mind. Guests: Dr. Zaibis Muñoz-Isme | Scholar Practitioner | https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaibis/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaibis/] Dr. Alicia Bates | Scholar Practitioner | https://www.linkedin.com/in/draliciabates/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/draliciabates/] Hosts: Shana Ayabe x Kisha Imani Cameron IG: https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/ [https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/ [https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/ [https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/] Produced by: Grace Media Digital The Exit Interview | On-Air — Real conversations. Navigating invisible labor, burnout, and rest as resistance in higher education. CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction * 00:01:52 Meet Dr. Zaibis Muñoz-Isme and Dr. Alicia Bates * 00:04:20 The Semester at Sea Effect: Finding Your Path * 00:08:50 Living in Qatar and Moving for Career Growth * 00:10:53 Grief, Loss, and Navigating COVID While Working * 00:15:13 The Current DEI Landscape: Doing the Work Without the Words * 00:23:39 The Invisible Labor of Women of Color in Higher Ed * 00:21:53 The 24/7 Reality: Retention, Boundaries, and Burnout * 00:40:07 COVID Revealed True Colors: Navigating Unprecedented Loss * 00:42:00 Learning Boundaries from Gen Z * 00:45:20 The Leadership Gap: Why Millennials Are Leaving Higher Ed * 00:48:36 When Do You Stay and When Do You Go? * 00:54:29 Rest as Resistance: FMLA, Stigma, and Taking Time * 01:02:20 Redefining Success: From Titles to Time with Family * 01:10:35 What Gives Us Hope: Students and the Next Generation