Joe is joined by Thomas Panek, President and CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a globally recognized leader in canine development and training. Guiding Eyes has pioneered advancements in the service animal field, including creating the first specialized training program for running guide dogs. Blind since his early twenties, Thomas is also an acco…

Joe is joined by Tamir Goodman, famously dubbed "The Jewish Jordan" by Sports Illustrated in 1999. A former professional basketball player turned entrepreneur, coach, consultant, and motivational speaker, Tamir shares insights from his remarkable journey. He reflects on his basketball career, including playing professionally in Israel for Maccabi T…

In this inspiring episode of On the Cusp, host Rob Pasker sits down with Sonia Flunder McNair, the dynamic President and CEO of SONIA Organics and Founder of Urban Wholistics. Sonia shares her journey of transforming inner-city spaces into vibrant hubs for urban farming, holistic wellness, and community empowerment. Discover how Sonia’s innovative …

Joe and Tom head into the New Year by welcoming Howard Handler to the CUSP Show. Howard has grown some of the biggest brands in the sports and entertainment world - Major League Soccer, Madison Square Garden, The National Football League, MTV and Saturday Night Live among others. He discusses what it takes to be a brand builder and his experience i…

Joe and Tom welcome Bob Broderick, President & Co-Founder at XTECH Protective Equipment. XTECH is a sports protective equipment brand which utilizes advanced plastics and foam production technology to ensure optimal athlete safety, without compromising performance. Bob takes us through his journey as an entrepreneur, with multiple stories and anecd…

In this inspiring episode of On the Cusp, host Rob Pasker sits down with Dr. LaShardae Scott, a trailblazing advocate in the fight against sickle cell disease and the founder of the Scott Center for Observation, Treatment, and Transition. Dr. Scott shares her deeply personal journey of discovering her children’s diagnosis and turning her challenges…

Joe and Tom welcome Ann Liguori, a leader in sports broadcasting, as the first woman to host her own sports talk show on WFAN 660 AM with her “Hey Liguori, What’s the Story?” call-in sports show, which aired for over 25 years. They discuss Ann’s incredible career, starting at USA Today before working with the ABC Radio Sports Network, which brought…

Joe and Tom welcome Matt Hill, CEO of SPAT Media, to discuss how his company is revolutionizing digital imagery. SPAT Media transforms any image on the internet into an interactive, commerce-enabled asset, offering IP holders such as the NFL and MLS innovative ways to deepen fan engagement and monetize their content. Matt also reflects on his exten…

Tom and Mike welcome Michael Dresner, digital media strategy and business development expert and veteran. Michael is the Founder of Forward Media Partners, was COO of CineSport, SVP Media, Sports and Entertainment Marketing at Digitas, and Vice President in various sponsorship and sales roles at the NBA. With Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson capturing milli…

Joe and Tom welcome Amanda Kraus, CEO of USRowing. Amanda details her career journey, and the development of Row New York. She also talks about the progression of olympic success of rowing from 2020 to 2024, and the successes she is proud of as a CEO, and the vision moving forward. Amanda also talks about the structure of a National Governing Body,…

Joe and Mike welcome Marc Riccio, CEO of USA Lacrosse. Marc goes through his sports career, his successes and how it landed him at USA Lacrosse. He also explains the value of NGB’s, and developing the game of lacrosse in the US. Marc also speaks to international lacrosse,the business of it, and getting lacrosse into the Olympics. Marc talks about c…

Joe and Tom welcome Carla Varriale-Barker, Shareholder at Segal McCambridge, and Lecturer at Columbia. Carla talks about the rights of publicity, and the legal issues with NIL. She also talks about the state of trademarks and IP. Carla also speaks to how schools could try and claim rights to players that transfer and the antitrust concerns with tha…

Joe and Tom welcome Jackie Dubrovich, Gold Medalist in Fencing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Entrepreneur, and 2016 Columbia Graduate. Jackie speaks about her memories of Coach Michael Aufrichtig and making fencing a team sport, not individual. She talks about the process of qualifying for the Olympics, the experience and winning Gold. Jackie expands…

Joe and Mike welcome Andrew Maraniss, Best-Selling Author and Special Projects Coordinator at Vanderbilt University. Andrew speaks about how he became an author, the topics he picks and the lessons he learned from his dad David Maraniss. He also speaks about the power of storytelling, the challenges of shorter attention spans and how his books can …

Joe and Tom welcome Megan Griffith. Megan reflects on her 9 seasons at Columbia and preparing for this upcoming season with all of these changes in college basketball. She also speaks to how she positions the program with NIL and the impact NIL has on students. Megan also speaks about the positive attention on women’s basketball, how we got there a…

Joe and Mike welcome Allen Lumpkin, Executive Director of Team Logistics for the Philadelphia 76ers. Allen talks about his unique path to get to his current role, and the evolution of his job over time. He also speaks to his passion for basketball, being in Philly and building authentic relationships. The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of…

Joe and Tom welcome Scott Lewis, Vice President of Business Intelligence at NYCFC and Faculty Member at Columbia. Scott talks about his current role at NYCFC, the history of business intelligence in sports, and their purpose at sports organizations. He also speaks about what this department looks like for different teams. Scott also discusses the d…

Joe and Tom welcome Beth Marshall, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for Augusta National. Beth details her career and the evolution of his career through working at organizations like the Atlanta Braves. She speaks to what excited her Augusta. Beth discusses the size of her staff, and gearing up for an event like the Masters. She als…

In this episode of On the Cusp, we have a powerful conversation with Dr. Tiffany Whitman, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the City of Toledo. Dr. Whitman shares her journey from education to public service and how she is working to create equitable opportunities for all Toledoans. We discuss her role in driving systemic change, the…

Joe and Mike welcome Adam Tropper, Co-Host of Motorsports Today Podcast and current graduate student at Columbia to talk about his NASCAR media journey. Adam talks about how he got involved in doing a NASCAR Show, his co-hosts idea to create a show and his fandom of NASCAR. He also talks about the things he learned from getting media access, and cr…

In this powerful episode of On the Cusp, Rob Pasker sits down with Ebony Carter, Director of the Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC) and Vice President of Minority Business Services. Together, they explore the critical role of minority-owned businesses in building generational wealth, breaking economic barriers, and revitalizing communities.…

Joe and Mike welcome Carlos Fuentes, student in the incoming class for Columbia's Sports Management Graduate Program. Carlos talks about his unique basketball journey including playing for FC Barcelona when he was 13 and traveling to the USA alone to play basketball when he was 15. He expands on his successful high school career and the adversity h…

Joe and Tom welcome Mary Scott, Senior Associate Director-Career Services at Columbia Sports Management to speak about her career and transition to Columbia. Mary gives insight into her background and how she found a passion for education and career guidance for students. She also talks about what she learned as a student-athlete at the University …

Joe and Tom welcome Ricardo Fort, Founder of Sport by Fort Consulting and one of the top voices and thinkers in brand marketing and innovation. Ricardo Fort talks about his passion for marketing, his transition to brand marketing in sports, and how his background helped him get a holistic view of sports. He expands on how the sponsorship business h…

Joe and Tom welcome Corey Leff of JohnWallStreet. Corey talks about his transition from finance into sports, and the creation of JohnWallStreet. He also expands on how he found a passion for sports finance and startup space, and the importance of bringing a focus on quality over quantity with his content. He also discusses the four pillars of his b…

Joe and Mike welcome Chris Petroff, Founder of the Glove Lab. Chris discusses the origin of Glove Lab and how he got the passion for repairing, lacing up gloves and how the business took off. He discusses how his business is a niche, what makes Glove Lab so unique and the growth of the company. Chris expands on his passion for entrepreneurship and …

Joe and Mike welcome Ben Kaplan, Co-Author of Pipeline to the Pros. Ben dives into the success former Division 3 basketball players and coaches now have in the NBA, specifically Brad Stevens, Jeff Van Gundy, and Sam Presti. He also talks about the value of playing Division 3 basketball and the success of retired Amherst Coach David Hixon. He also d…

Joe and Mike welcome Dedra DeLilli, Group Manager of Sponsorships for Toyota-North America. Dedra dives into her career journey and how she ended up at Toyota. She discusses how creating the first sports sponsorship practice at TD Ameritrade helped her at Toyota. Dedra goes into Toyota’s partnership with the NFL, Flag Football, and what goes into t…

Joe and Mike welcome RJ Kranz. They discuss RJ’s experience growing up in Guam, the state of Guam sports, and his passion for basketball. RJ discusses being a member of their national team and how it led to Yale, where he managed the team. He dives more into the skills he picked up at Yale, and how he wants to use sports to give back to Guam. The C…

Joe and Tom welcome Bronwen O’Keefe, Head of Global Brand Marketing and Content at the Harlem Globetrotters. Bronwen walks through her unique path to get to the Harlem Globetrotters. She discusses how she led in the accelerated world of content distribution and media and delivering entertainment value. Bronwen discusses Nickelodeon's jump into spor…

Joe and Mike welcome Taylor Esoldi, Master’s Student at Columbia, Former Navy Officer and intern for Williams Racing. Taylor speaks to his background, the lessons he learned in the Navy, and what he brings to a job like Williams. Lastly, he talks about keeping an open mind with his career change and the mentors he had that got him to where he is to…

Joe and Tom welcome Joshua Schuab, the Comissioner of the American Association of Professional Baseball. Joshua Schuab speaks about his journey and affiliate baseball. He speaks more about stadium construction, the increased media content with Fubo partnership, ownership structure and entertaining fans. Josh also speaks about expansion. Lastly, he …

Joe and Scott welcome Vince Papale and Eric Swann to the CUSP Show. They both begin to speak about their journeys with football and to the NFL. They also discuss their upbringings and how it drove them to be around sports. They also talk about never letting others tell you that it isn't possible to be successful. The CUSP Show is a production by th…

Joe and Tom welcome Yussuf Khan, CEO and Founder of the Khante Group and First and Pen. Yussuf speaks about his career, specifically, starting at ESPN and taking more of an entrepreneurial path later on. Khan further explains the importance of learning sales after transitioning from a banking background and the basic DNA of sales. He then speaks ab…

Joe and Scott welcome Mason Gordon, Co-Founder of Slam Ball. Mason goes through his career development to end up at Slam Ball. He talks about how he chose to present the league to build its popularity, and reinvent himself as a storyteller for people to invest in him and his team. He speaks about what he learned from season one of Slam Ball. Mason …

Joe and Tom welcome Stephanie Marciano, Head of Sports and Entertainment at Ally. Stephanie Marciano speaks to the success and frenzy of women’s sports and goes into her successful career to get to Ally. She speaks to growing the brand of Ally and the athletes she partners with, including her thoughts about NIL. Stephanie also speaks to social medi…

Joe and Tom welcome Todd Ehrlich, Founder and President of T-Line TV, 5-time Emmy Award Winning and Author of the Book, The 20 Greatest Moments in New York Sports History. Todd speaks to the concepts of debate being the inspiration of his new book and his desire to expand the book into the media sphere. He expands on the process of writing and his …

Joe and Tom welcome Sandrine Nzeukou, Founder of Playbook. Sandrine speaks about her background in sports and her success in basketball and how it led to her current status as an entrepreneur in sports. She also talks about the size and scope of BAL, and the status of their league. Sandrine expands on the growth and education side of sports in Afri…

Description: Joe and Tom welcome Gary Warech, Global Leader, AI for Sports & Entertainment to speak more about sports and AI. Gary goes through his career and the diverse experiences he has been a part of. He speaks about AI and the education side of it. Gary speaks about AI’s impact on the business and the consumer side with AI technology in sport…

Tom and Mike welcome back Layden Williams, Senior Manager of Athlete Marketing at LIFT Sports Management. Layden gives his background and how he ended up joining LIFT. He also discusses marketing the different athletes he works with and the parallels from his brand marketing work to athlete marketing. Layden goes on to discuss more about LIFT, thei…

Joe and Scott welcome Brian Michael Cooper, President and COO of American Flag Football. Brian Michael Cooper talks about his career journey and becoming the President of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA G-league, being in the XFL, and Flag Football. He also talks about learning the different components of running and league and the status o…

Joe and Tom welcome back Matt Restivo, CEO of OddsJam to talk about OddsJam and the growth of the company. Matt expands on how he got to work with the guys at OddsJam, how Oddsjam works and their work to educate sports betters. He explains how he gets users and how OddsJam monetizes. Matt gives his take on the status of the sports betting space at …

Joe and Tom welcome Ryan Duke, Founder of Crossover Culture. Ryan dives into his background and the development of Crossover Culture. He discusses the size of the company and how they pick the athletes they partner with. Ryan further explains what success looks with the athletes they partner with, and the nature of the deals. He expands on marketin…

Joe welcomes Adrienne Smith, Creator of Blitz Champz and wide receiver for the Boston Renegades. She speaks about the development of Blitz Champz and her desire to create this company. Adrienne continues speaking about her passion, and success in tackle and flag football. She discusses her excitement about the acceleration of flag football. Adrienn…

Title: Professional Chess Player, Chess Boxer, Entrepreneur and Content Creator Joe and Mike Schretter welcome James Canty III. Joe speaks about his background and how he was able to market himself as a content creator and a chess player. He also speaks about his viewers and his preparation process. James also speaks about chess boxing and what goe…

Joe and Mike Schretter welcome Erin Matson, decorated field hockey star, and current national championship head coach at North Carolina. Erin speaks about her background as a player, her leadership style, and the lessons she learned from Karen Shelton. Erin also speaks to the culture at North Carolina, navigating NIL as a player and a coach and bei…

Joe and Tom welcome back Lyle Adams, Founder, Chief Dreamer and CEO of Spry. Lyle talks about the idea behind Spry’s development and the ways he evolved Spry over the last couple of years. He speaks to the state of NIL, the skills of an entrepreneur, and the future of Spry. The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@Conv…

Joe and Scott welcome Claude Molinari, President and CEO of Visit Detroit. He speaks about what Visit Detroit is. Claude speaks about the evolution of the city of Detroit since he has worked there and how he was able to secure the NFL Draft. Claude speaks about Visit’s role in the NFL Draft. Molinari also speaks about the significance of the Lions …

Joe and Tom welcome Rob Carolla, VP of Publics Relations of the Professional Volleyball Federation. Rob introduces his whole career path within college sports. Rob talks about the importance of media distribution, specifically with live and streaming broadcasts. He also speaks about the presentation of the league, their value proposition and the st…

Joe and Tom welcome Jon Klein, co-founder of Hang Media and former President of CNN. Jon introduces his career and the concept of Hang Media, and the impact the company has on Gen Z and Millennials. He speaks about the versatility of Hang when it comes to the content they stream. Jon also speaks about the importance of timing for a startup and the …