How Stephen Curry Is Building an Empire Beyond Basketball | The Circuit with Emily Chang

Introduction and Rise to Fame

• Stephen Curry has had a lot to celebrate lately, including his success in the gold medal game where he made incredible shots, giving his team a storybook ending (28s).
• Curry is recognized as one of the greatest shooters of all time, known for sinking triples from almost anywhere on the court, with many considering him to be the best shooter in the league (53s).
• He has propelled the Golden State Warriors from a forlorn franchise to the NBA's most valuable team, winning four NBA championships and staking his claim to basketball's Mount Rushmore (1m34s).
• Curry's cultural cachet has given him outside influence in the corridors of power, with him being name-dropped in over a hundred songs, and he has built a sprawling business portfolio that spans brand partnerships, media, investments, and philanthropy (1m57s).

Building a Business Empire

• Curry's business empire includes his Thirty Ink umbrella, which encompasses his sneakers, production company, VC fund, and foundation, and he has been managing these opportunities since around the fourth year of his NBA career (2m49s).
• Being a basketball player has prepared Curry to run his businesses, as it taught him time management, teamwork, and the importance of different roles, which he applies to his various business ventures (3m46s).
• Curry's perspective on being more than a basketball player developed over time, and he began to explore substantial business opportunities around the fourth year of his NBA career (2m37s).
• Curry's success on the court has opened doors to new opportunities, and he emphasizes the importance of finding a sound approach to managing his businesses and choosing the right partners (3m2s).
• Stephen Curry's creativity and imagination as a point guard have helped him off the court as well, allowing him to think outside the box and explore various opportunities (3m56s).

The Golden State Warriors Transformation

• The Golden State Warriors moved to their new arena, the Chase Center, in 2019, marking a significant transformation into one of the NBA's elite teams, with a valuation of over $8 billion (4m11s).
• The team's new owners, Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, brought a Silicon Valley mentality to the team, investing in a golden era where winning became second nature (4m39s).
• Andre Iguodala, a former teammate turned venture capitalist, has played a key role in the team's turnaround and occasionally invests in startups with Curry (4m50s).
• Joe Lacob's VC mentality has influenced his decision-making as an owner, focusing on long-term vision and investing in the team's future (5m13s).
• The team's success is attributed to a combination of winning and how the team is run, with 80% of it credited to Stephen Curry's talent (5m47s).
• Curry's wholesome image and strategic approach to partnerships have limited his total addressable market, but he is expected to build an empire beyond basketball over time (6m8s).
• The introduction of tech and investing into the locker room has created a flow of information and conversations about the latest tech companies and deals (6m31s).
• The influence of Silicon Valley on the Warriors has changed the demographic of fans attending games, with a mix of rich techies and long-time supporters, and has elevated the brand of Warriors basketball (7m16s).
• The team's foundation is based in Oakland, and Curry still has a strong connection to the city, honoring the history of the team (7m42s).

Lessons Learned and Community Engagement

• Stephen Curry wants to continue representing the community that has supported him throughout his career, and acknowledges that business can be tough with its own set of challenges (7m46s).
• Curry learned from his experience with FTX, a deal that went sideways, and notes that he makes decisions based on the facts available and takes calculated risks (8m10s).
• Despite the FTX deal not panning out, Curry takes it as a lesson and moves forward, acknowledging that the legal process is ongoing and the outcome was unfortunate (8m44s).

"Stephenomics" and Media Ventures

• Curry has produced and starred in his own TV show, which features a running joke about "Stephenomics," a term that refers to the business of basketball and his off-court ventures (8m46s).
• Curry acknowledges that there is some truth to the concept of "Stephenomics," which might have been exaggerated or embellished in the show, but understands the business side of basketball and his other pursuits (9m3s).

The Curry Brand and Under Armour Partnership

• Building a personal brand is one way for elite athletes to stay relevant beyond retirement, and Curry has done so by launching his own signature footwear and apparel line with Under Armour (9m23s).
• Curry signed with Under Armour in 2013, angling to take on Nike, and has since become a key figure in the brand's success, with his own standalone brand and international footprint (9m32s).
• Curry's decision to leave Nike and join Under Armour was a calculated risk, driven by his underdog mentality and desire to create something on his own (10m1s).
• The success of Curry's brand has been significant, with the launch of his first signature sneaker in 2015 and the opening of his brand's first store in China, which drew overwhelming crowds (10m40s).
• Curry's international tour, which included the launch of his brand in China, was cut short due to security concerns and crowd control problems, but he was still able to experience the enthusiasm of his fans abroad (11m16s).
• Stephen Curry aims to build a presence in the future through creative means, allowing him to do trips and maintain a presence in various locations (11m51s).
• Curry launched the Curry brand with Under Armour, with the ambition to be as big as Air Jordan, but in an authentic way that mirrors his values and what the Curry brand stands for, both in the US and internationally (12m2s).
• To win over sneakerheads, Curry focuses on what he does great, which is creating high-performance shoes that make athletes better, and he believes his shoes are the best in the business for this purpose (12m43s).
• The Curry brand has been doing this for 10 years, almost 11, and for 4 years with the Curry brand, and their strategy is to focus on what they do well and slowly expand from there (13m5s).

Philanthropy and the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation

• The Thirty Ink strategy involves developing a synergy between Curry's businesses, brands, and philanthropy, which includes partnering with the Eat. Learn. Play. foundation that he launched with his wife and business partner Ayesha Curry (13m16s).
• The annual Workday Charity Classic golf tournament brings together Curry's love of golf and his adopted home of Oakland, and it's a culmination of the community coming together to raise awareness and funds for the foundation (13m29s).
• Ayesha Curry believes that impact is more important than legacy, and she wants the lasting impact of their foundation to be lasting change, including kids graduating high school, rising literacy rates, and kids enjoying going to school and feeling safe (14m2s).
• The Eat. Learn. Play. foundation is centered in Oakland, where the Curry family has been embraced by the community, and they believe that starting within their town can make a lasting impact (14m39s).
• The foundation's programs and philosophies have proven beneficial and shown results, and they can point to their community partners and programs as evidence of their success (14m58s).

Golf, Family, and Competition

• Stephen Curry has taken golf lessons from a professional coach to improve his skills and keep his marriage happy, as his wife Ayesha is also an avid golfer (15m51s).
• Curry finds that not every shot in golf is the same and enjoys hitting the ball as far as he can, aiming for a long and straight shot (16m9s).
• He gets the biggest rush from achieving a hole-in-one in golf, having accomplished it twice, including once on TV in a tournament, which he considers a rare and exciting experience (16m28s).
• Curry grew up in a competitive household with a family of athletes, where the desire to win at everything was encouraged, and this competitive spirit continues to the present day (17m34s).
• His wife Ayesha, who doesn't have a sports background, has fit into the competitive family dynamic and has even beaten Curry in a foot race, which he has video footage of (17m51s).

Underrated Golf Tour and Promoting Diversity

• Curry started the Underrated Golf Tour to provide opportunities for young golfers of color, as he believes golf is still an elitist sport that is predominantly male and white (18m13s).
• He thinks golf is stuck in the past due to its historical nature and the high costs associated with playing the sport, but believes it's at an inflection point where kids can gain access to the sport (18m17s).
• Curry aims to create a vision and inspiration for young golfers, providing them with access to clubs, financial support, coaching, and equipment, as well as showcasing talented young black and brown golfers as role models (18m57s).

Future Aspirations and Legacy

• Stephen Curry does not have a secret to his success, and he believes it's about doing what feels right, with the goal of continuously improving and getting better (19m30s).
• Curry has no interest in pursuing a professional golf career after basketball, despite having Olympic gold and a recent contract extension (19m48s).
• He is unsure of how he will know when it's time to retire from basketball, but he hopes to be able to make the decision on his own terms, considering his body and the effort required to prepare for games (20m4s).
• Curry wants to own an NBA or WNBA team one day and believes he can make a unique contribution to an ownership group with his perspective, but he is willing to be patient and wait for the right opportunity (20m45s).
• In 10 years, Curry wants to be known as a true professional, and he hopes to have achieved more success on and off the court, including winning more championships (21m14s).
• Curry believes his 21-year-old self would be proud of his accomplishments, both on and off the court, including his business ventures and family (21m24s).
• Curry's goals for the next 10 years include continuing to achieve success in basketball and beyond, and he hopes to have won more championships and be remembered as one of the greatest shooters of all time (22m18s).
• Curry is committed to working hard and trying his best to achieve his goals, and he believes that with longevity and dedication, he can continue to succeed and make a lasting impact (22m47s).