Michael Rubin

That's not my mentality. That's the truth. And the second I get confident is when it's over. I really feel like the second you get confident- That's why you're so successful. They kill you. And so I feel like I want to run this business like we're a startup. I'm only looking and saying, what are all the things we're doing wrong? And I got to tell you something.

That's not my mentality. That's the truth. And the second I get confident is when it's over. I really feel like the second you get confident- That's why you're so successful. They kill you. And so I feel like I want to run this business like we're a startup. I'm only looking and saying, what are all the things we're doing wrong? And I got to tell you something.

In each business, we have things we're great at. We have things we suck at. We have so many things we need to do to be better. We think, you know, our biggest thing we need to do is keep growing the categories that we're in, keep innovating. Let's take the example of the business that you and I are partners in. Okay. Talk about off-season. Talk about Christensen.

In each business, we have things we're great at. We have things we suck at. We have so many things we need to do to be better. We think, you know, our biggest thing we need to do is keep growing the categories that we're in, keep innovating. Let's take the example of the business that you and I are partners in. Okay. Talk about off-season. Talk about Christensen.

Kristen reached out to our company for years and she couldn't get anyone to kind of respond to her, give her the love because we acted like a big company. Okay. Then one day she did something. She put, she, you know, she dressed Taylor Swift. I saw it all over. I started following her back. I'm like, wow. Like I love what she's about. I love this.

Kristen reached out to our company for years and she couldn't get anyone to kind of respond to her, give her the love because we acted like a big company. Okay. Then one day she did something. She put, she, you know, she dressed Taylor Swift. I saw it all over. I started following her back. I'm like, wow. Like I love what she's about. I love this.

And then small world, I find out that she's partnering with you. And by the way, at that point I had to chase her and chase you to say, let's partner together. That didn't bother me. I didn't mind saying, hey- Quite the opposite, right? You were like, what can I do for you guys? How do we partner together? How do we do something great for sports fans?

And then small world, I find out that she's partnering with you. And by the way, at that point I had to chase her and chase you to say, let's partner together. That didn't bother me. I didn't mind saying, hey- Quite the opposite, right? You were like, what can I do for you guys? How do we partner together? How do we do something great for sports fans?

So like, you know, a lot of people would say like, is the CEO of a 22,000 person, you know, $11 billion revenue company next year going to chase- That is literally what we said. And, you know, I was like, I loved it because I had so much respect for her vision, so much respect for you. I'm like, these guys are killers. Like, what could the three of us do together?

So like, you know, a lot of people would say like, is the CEO of a 22,000 person, you know, $11 billion revenue company next year going to chase- That is literally what we said. And, you know, I was like, I loved it because I had so much respect for her vision, so much respect for you. I'm like, these guys are killers. Like, what could the three of us do together?

And what could we do for sports fans? So the second you get comfortable and think like, look at like all the changes that are happening. in their parallel footwear business today. And you say like, nothing's forever. And you know what? We have to keep figuring out how to do what we do better. And there's so much that we can be better at. And so, you know, one of the mistakes I think I made

And what could we do for sports fans? So the second you get comfortable and think like, look at like all the changes that are happening. in their parallel footwear business today. And you say like, nothing's forever. And you know what? We have to keep figuring out how to do what we do better. And there's so much that we can be better at. And so, you know, one of the mistakes I think I made

you know, in the first decade of the business, we were so worried about competition. We weren't focused enough on how's everything we do going to make it better for the fan. And now, like, we actually, I'll tell you, talk about turning a failure into a success. We had, obviously, it's well known at this point, we had a pretty, you know, tough experience in baseball last year with the jersey.

you know, in the first decade of the business, we were so worried about competition. We weren't focused enough on how's everything we do going to make it better for the fan. And now, like, we actually, I'll tell you, talk about turning a failure into a success. We had, obviously, it's well known at this point, we had a pretty, you know, tough experience in baseball last year with the jersey.

And, you know, as everyone knows, we're partners with Nike, we're partners with MLB. We make the jerseys together and, you know, everyone in the desire to innovate wants to kind of change the baseball jersey. And it's not what fans wanted. And during that period of time, and by the way, we got, you know, Fanatics took the brunt of most of the, and there was a lot of consumer noise.

And, you know, as everyone knows, we're partners with Nike, we're partners with MLB. We make the jerseys together and, you know, everyone in the desire to innovate wants to kind of change the baseball jersey. And it's not what fans wanted. And during that period of time, and by the way, we got, you know, Fanatics took the brunt of most of the, and there was a lot of consumer noise.

You know, hey, these pants are C3, these jerseys suck, this, that. And what did we do? Number one, we listened and we reverted back together with Nike, baseball, and ourselves. We got to revert back to what fans loved. Number one. Number two, how do I use that to make my company better? And literally, we'd been talking about brand purpose. for the last year.

You know, hey, these pants are C3, these jerseys suck, this, that. And what did we do? Number one, we listened and we reverted back together with Nike, baseball, and ourselves. We got to revert back to what fans loved. Number one. Number two, how do I use that to make my company better? And literally, we'd been talking about brand purpose. for the last year.

And I was like, what is this brand purpose bullshit? Like, is this just like, you know, consultant noise? And then it hit us. It's like, we need to relentlessly enhance the fan experience in everything we do. And if you ask us, when you go to do things and we do a lot of things, is this going to relentlessly enhance the fan experience? If the answer is no, don't do it.

And I was like, what is this brand purpose bullshit? Like, is this just like, you know, consultant noise? And then it hit us. It's like, we need to relentlessly enhance the fan experience in everything we do. And if you ask us, when you go to do things and we do a lot of things, is this going to relentlessly enhance the fan experience? If the answer is no, don't do it.