The Post Game Podcast

#96 - Ben Nichols: Why Padel Is the Next Major U.S. Sport

Ben Nichols is the Founder of Padel 22, the first Communications and Marketing Consultancy dedicated to the fastest growing sport in the world, padel. He shares his journey from sports journalism to working at the World Anti-Doping Agency during the Russian doping scandal, and now to promoting padel - the world's fastest-growing sport. Timestamps: (0:00) – Intro to Ben (0:22) – Ben's Background in Sports Marketing & PR (8:07) – The Move to Padel (11:12) – Social Media & Growth Drivers for Padel (14:15) – What is Padel? (16:45) – Why Padel is Exploding Globally (17:01) – The Investment & Business Opportunity (22:37) – Challenges Expanding in the US Market (25:27) – Storytelling Across Different Demographics (27:16) – The Community Aspect of Padel (31:40) – Padel vs Paddle: Setting the Record Straight! (33:36) – What's Next for Padel (35:51) – Padel as a Sport of Its Time (37:24) – Where to Find Ben Nichols Links: Padel 22 Website [https://www.padel22.com/] Ben Nichols Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thepadelpr/?hl=en] Padel 22 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/padel22global/?hl=en] The Post Game Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://postgamepodcast.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://postgamepodcast.beehiiv.com/⁠] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thepostgame_podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://www.instagram.com/thepostgame_podcast/]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://x.com/JoePod24⁠] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Post Game Podcast (@JoePod24) / X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://x.com/JoePod24] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-post-game-podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-post-game-podcast/] Email me: joe.poduslenko@gmail.com

#95 - Christopher Knowles: Hanging Up the Jersey - Identity, Entrepreneurship, and Starting Over

Christopher Knowles is a former D1 Volleyball player at LIU Brooklyn. He shares his story from college sports to entrepreneurship, content creation, and building a brand for athletes navigating life after sports. We also dive into UnJerseyed, Chris’s platform focused on helping former athletes rebuild routines, mindset, and direction after sports. Timestamps: (0:00) – Intro & Chris’s Volleyball Background (4:00) – Growing Up in a Pro Sports Family (7:00) – Recruiting Reality & College Disappointment (8:15) – Discovering Personal Development on YouTube (10:00) – Dropping Out, Trying Entrepreneurship, and Failing Forward (12:00) – Building Volleyball Growth Coach (247K+ Followers) (14:30) – Viral Content, Growth Explosions, and Branding Lessons (17:15) – Monetization Mistakes & Selling the Account Too Early (20:15) – Playing at LIU Brooklyn & Finally Finishing the Dream (22:30) – Identity Collapse After Sports Ends (25:00) – Why Athletes Struggle After the Jersey Comes Off (27:30) – The Vision Behind UnJerseyed (30:30) – Surveying Athletes Instead of Guessing What They Want (33:30) – Community, Career, and Mindset vs. Just Job Placement (37:00) – Corporate vs. Entrepreneurial Paths for Young Athletes (40:30) – Why Degrees Are Losing Signal (and What Replaces Them) (42:30) – Where to Find Chris & Final Thoughts Links: Unjerseyed [https://unjerseyed.beehiiv.com/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechristopherknowles/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thechristopherknowles/] The Post Game Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://postgamepodcast.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://postgamepodcast.beehiiv.com/⁠] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thepostgame_podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://www.instagram.com/thepostgame_podcast/]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://x.com/JoePod24⁠] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Post Game Podcast (@JoePod24) / X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://x.com/JoePod24] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-post-game-podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-post-game-podcast/] Email me: joe.poduslenko@gmail.com

#94 - Vasu Kulkarni: Being Wrong 90% of the Time, Sports, Startups, and Venture Capital

Vasu Kulkarni is a tech entrepreneur, investor, and lifelong basketball fanatic best known as the founder of Krossover, one of the first sports analytics platforms to bring video breakdown and data insights to high school and collegiate teams. After scaling and exiting Krossover, Vasu moved into venture capital, investing in early-stage sports, media, and technology companies including The Athletic. He has worked closely with high-profile athletes like Larry Fitzgerald, built a reputation for spotting outlier founders, and now spends his time backing innovative startups and advising entrepreneurs. What You’ll Learn: * How Vasu founded Krossover and scaled it from a college project * The underrated lessons sports teach entrepreneurs * Why former athletes often thrive in startups * How venture capitalists choose where to allocate dollars * Why being wrong 90% of the time is part of the job * Behind the scenes of working with Larry Fitzgerald * The art vs. science of venture capital * How top teams prioritize product features * What makes certain founders “outliers” * The story behind the investment in The Athletic and their retention data * Losing a competitive deal to Andreessen Horowitz * The key questions he asks early-stage founders * Vasu’s watch collecting hobby Timestamps: (1:30) – Intro to Vasu, childhood, and love for basketball (5:30) – Getting to Penn & playing JV hoops (9:30) – Entrepreneurship in his blood (11:15) – Breaking down the venture ecosystem (13:00) – Lessons from sports you carry into business (15:45) – The fine line between quitting & persisting (18:30) – Why most venture dollars go toward people (20:30) – Why VCs are wrong 90% of the time (21:30) – PE vs. VC: What’s the difference? (25:15) – Working with Larry Fitzgerald (26:50) – Venture capital: art and science (27:40) – Prioritizing product features as a founder (30:20) – Are there true outlier founders? (31:40) – The Athletic deal & retention numbers (34:00) – Are founders calling them first? (35:30) – Why it’s not hard to go 0 for 30 in VC (37:10) – Early work ethic stories (39:15) – Vasu’s love for watches (42:00) – Michael Jordan vs. Steph Curry Links: Vasu Kulkarni - Athlete, Entrepreneur, Blogger [http://www.vasukulkarni.com/] Courtside Custom [https://www.courtsidevc.com/team-members/vasu-kulkarni] Vasu Kulkarni | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasudevkulkarni/] x.com/Vasu [https://x.com/Vasu] The Post Game Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://postgamepodcast.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://postgamepodcast.beehiiv.com/⁠] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thepostgame_podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://www.instagram.com/thepostgame_podcast/]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://x.com/JoePod24⁠] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Post Game Podcast (@JoePod24) / X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://x.com/JoePod24] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-post-game-podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-post-game-podcast/] Email me: joe.poduslenko@gmail.com

#93 - George Boyd: Pro BMX to Video Editor | Creative Risk, Storytelling & Cut The Pod

George Boyd is a former professional BMX rider turned elite video editor. He shares how a career-ending injury pushed him into storytelling, working with the NFL, Disney, Meta, Air Jordan, and several others before launching his podcast editing company Cut The Pod, where he helps transform raw recordings into premium podcasts. What You'll Hear About: * Growing up in the BMX world and getting injured * How filming BMX led to a video-editing career * Creative risk-taking and betting on yourself * The mentor who changed everything * How George landed NFL projects (Jamar Chase, Eagles) * Building Cut The Pod into a storytelling powerhouse * SEO keywords, packaging, and audience clarity * The biggest mistakes podcasters make * Lighting + production tips * Promoting himself on LinkedIn Timestamps: (0:00) - Intro to George Boyd (3:05) - Early days falling in love with BMX (4:50) - The different worlds of BMX (6:50) - Where did BMX come to an end? (9:35) - Filming and BMX (12:35) - Risk taking (16:20) - Aspirations to do something big (18:05) - Mentor that changed his life (21:35) - Doing work for himself + reaching out (24:35) - Jamar Chase’s offseason profile (first NFL job) (28:35) - Working on video for the Eagles (29:50) - George’s first podcast clients (32:50) - Handling packaging for clients (34:40) - Ex-Athletes stories (35:40) - Who am I talking to? (40:35) - Making a story out of anything (42:10) - Short storytelling segments (44:20) - Doing the simple things best (46:20) - Podcast lighting setup (50:05) - Consistency (52:20) - Asking for subscribers (53:40) - Don’t be afraid to ask (54:30) - Fighting the demon to not be yourself (57:50) - Twitter vs. real life (59:35) - Promotion on LinkedIn (1:00:05) - Dillon Gabriel and George’s favorite project (1:04:20) - Dubai Cricket (1:04:40) - Where to find George Links: Cut The Pod - Make Your Podcast Look The Part [https://www.cutthepod.com/] George B. (@cutthepod) / X [https://x.com/cutthepod] GWB Creative - A Video Editing Partner to Help Your Brand Grow [https://www.gwbcreative.com/] The Post Game Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://postgamepodcast.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://postgamepodcast.beehiiv.com/⁠] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thepostgame_podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://www.instagram.com/thepostgame_podcast/]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://x.com/JoePod24⁠] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Post Game Podcast (@JoePod24) / X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://x.com/JoePod24] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-post-game-podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-post-game-podcast/] Email me: joe.poduslenko@gmail.com

#92 - Bela Carrasco: From Marquette Soccer to Real Estate VP - Money, Multifamily Investing & Knowing Your Why

Bela Carrasco is a former soccer player at Marquette University and currently an Assistant VP of Investor Relations at Origin Investments. She is also the host of the "How Do You Know?" podcast where her goal is to help people feel more confident about investing. What You’ll Hear About: * How Bela launched her real estate career after college * The mindset shift from athlete to investor * Whether she would invest the same way again * How to build an emergency fund * The power of understanding your Why before making investment decisions * How multifamily real estate works * Knowing how your advisor is incentivized * Why Bela started her podcast * How she balances a demanding VP role with content creation * Why asking questions is your most underrated advantage Timestamps: (0:00) – Intro to Bela Carrasco (0:50) – Lessons from playing soccer at Marquette (2:30) – First jobs out of school (4:50) – Real estate investing herself (7:00) – Would she invest the same way again? (9:00) – Build an emergency fund first (9:45) – The 50/30/20 rule explained (11:30) – Bela’s podcast (13:50) – Pro athletes’ relationship with money (16:30) – Multifamily investing in the Sun Belt (19:45) – How are advisors incentivized? (22:00) – Confidence in the team investing with you (23:15) – Underwriting a deal (25:15) – Knowing your Why with investment strategy (27:00) – What cities should you be watching? (28:50) – Why asking questions will accelerate your career (30:10) – How Bela balances her time (31:20) – Dream guests for Bela’s podcast (32:30) – What’s next for Bela (33:20) – Where to find her Links: Isabela Carrasco | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabela-carrasco/] How Do You Know? [https://hdyk.buzzsprout.com/] The Post Game Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://postgamepodcast.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://postgamepodcast.beehiiv.com/⁠] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thepostgame_podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://www.instagram.com/thepostgame_podcast/]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://x.com/JoePod24⁠] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Post Game Podcast (@JoePod24) / X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://x.com/JoePod24] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-post-game-podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-post-game-podcast/] Email me: joe.poduslenko@gmail.com