Lessons From a UCONN Boss w/ Amy Errett

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Fudd Around And Find Out

Episode: Lessons From a UCONN Boss w/ Amy Errett
Date: January 30, 2026
Host: Azzi Fudd (UConn Basketball Star)
Co-host: Ashanti
Guest: Amy Errett (Founder & CEO Madison Reed, UConn Alum)

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Main Theme

This episode centers on the intersection of women’s basketball, business leadership, and personal growth. UConn star Azzi Fudd and her co-host Ashanti welcome Amy Errett—a powerhouse entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and fellow UConn Husky—to discuss Amy’s journey founding Madison Reed, strategies for balancing ambition with authenticity, the power of resilience, and parallels between building teams in business and sports. The conversation is rich with advice for student-athletes preparing for life beyond the court and insight into creating impact in women’s sports.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life & Schedule as a Student-Athlete

Timestamps: 03:03–06:44

• Azzi and Ashanti share snowstorm stories and navigating the college basketball grind.
  • Azzi describes the intensity of the in-season schedule and the importance of prioritizing recovery:

    "Our schedule is almost... off day, two practices or one practice, game, off day, practice, travel, game... no rest. You're just on the grind." (04:46, Azzi)

  • Azzi emphasizes her commitment to recovery: massages, sauna, cold tub, and not overstressing her body.

2. Introducing Amy Errett & Her UConn Connection

Timestamps: 07:29–14:14

• Amy is introduced as the founder/CEO of Madison Reed, True Ventures partner, noted UConn alum, and Business School Hall of Fame member.

• The initial connection with Azzi happened through Madison Reed’s partnership with UConn and subsequent NIL (Name-Image-Likeness) deals.

  • Amy stresses her admiration for Azzi as both an athlete and a person:

    "What an amazing basketball player she is. But first, what an amazing human she is." (11:20, Amy)

• Azzi’s first impression of Amy:

  "When I hear, like, CEO, founder, I think, like, a little bougie... but you were so fun. Full of energy... so excited to be a part of it." (12:18, Azzi)

The Madison Reed Rivian

• Azzi explains she drives a Madison Reed–wrapped Rivian on campus ("the coolest car on campus"), garnering recognition and playful warnings from Amy to "slow down".

3. The Origin & Mission of Madison Reed

Timestamps: 14:15–21:03

• Amy founded Madison Reed out of concern for harsh chemicals in hair dye, inspired by her wife’s need for frequent, safe coloring.
  • Amy’s “aha” moment:

    "I started to research what's in traditional hair color and I got really nervous... my wife... colors her hair every 10 days..." (14:25, Amy)

  • She describes a pivotal Walgreens run (buying 60 boxes of hair dye) and “obsession” with designing a better, empowering product.
  • Company named after her daughter, with the motto:

    "Confident is the new beautiful... I want every person to feel the way that a parent feels about their kid, which is that everything is possible for them." (16:36, Amy)

• Madison Reed launched in 2014 after a challenging product development process driven by persistence ("First 11 manufacturers said no, lucky number 12 said yes").
• Now sold in major retailers and expanding internationally.

4. Azzi’s Madison Reed Internship & the Transition from Sports to Business

Timestamps: 21:17–23:14

• Azzi is interning at Madison Reed for her final MBA credits, working on “real projects,” not fluff.

  "They're not bullshit; they're real projects that we needed somebody to work on and we thought she was uniquely positioned." (21:47, Amy)

• Amy and Azzi discuss the parallels between sports and business:

  "Close to 90% of the women in C-suite positions were athletes... there's a lot of the same characteristics... commitment, dedication, teamwork." (22:40, Amy)

5. Resilience as the Core Leadership Trait

Timestamps: 23:18–26:00

• Amy shares her signature interview question: "Can you tell me something that didn't go well in your life, and how did you respond to that?"
  • Amy:

    "The single most important factor in life is resilience, and your strength comes from that." (23:26, Amy)

  • She seeks authentic, vulnerable answers over canned responses.
  • Madison Reed’s work culture encourages people to bring their full selves.

6. NIL Partnerships, UConn, and Meaningful Sponsorship

Timestamps: 26:12–32:33

• Amy’s rationale for partnering with UConn:
  • “When you bleed blue, you bleed blue for life.”
  • Strategic NIL relationships benefit athletes, schools, and brands.
• Amy prioritizes mutual respect and meaningful engagement:

  "When you're the brand, the sponsor, you have to treat people well... these are human relationships." (29:34, Amy)

• Criticism of brands exploiting NIL without supporting schools/athletes; stresses equitable treatment and wealth-building—Azzi’s deal is 50% cash, 50% equity.

  "When this company gets to be worth a ton of money... I want these athletes to have something that they were part of, that they can build wealth." (32:05, Amy)

7. The Importance of Role Models & The UConn Legacy

Timestamps: 32:58–37:56

• Amy celebrates legendary UConn players (Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Rebecca Lobo, Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong).

  "Geno and CD and all the staff should feel very proud of everything they've built." (37:41, Amy)

• She hopes to create company culture that transforms lives, sparking “a ripple effect of goodness.”

8. Basketball & Business: Culture and Leadership Parallels

Timestamps: 40:45–44:02

• Building successful teams in both arenas requires empathy, knowing strengths/weaknesses, and seeking help when needed.

  "The problem with most businesses is a CEO or a founder doesn't recognize where they're not strong... ego gap." (42:33, Amy)

• Amy advises finding and cultivating your unique “genius” and happiness:

  "Find that genius and don't do anything else... You is perfect the way it is." (43:23, Amy)

9. Friendship Stories & Team Bonding

Timestamps: 37:56–40:24

• Heartwarming anecdote: Amy and her wife Claire gift Azzi an original painting that now inspires Azzi daily.

10. Food & Fun: Cottage Cheese Love

Timestamps: 44:39–47:22

• Azzi and Amy bond over their love for cottage cheese; try to persuade Ashanti to try it.
  • Amy: "It's the perfect food."

11. What the Fud of the Week

Timestamps: 49:04–51:30

• Segment where the hosts and Amy share “What the Fud” moments from their week—ranging from a stubborn restaurant server, enjoying snow with teammates, to the somber anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s passing.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On recovery and self-care:

  "I don't play about my recovery... you just go down that list." —Azzi (05:49)

• On launching Madison Reed:

  "I was a VC at the time... and I just started researching, like, how hard would it be to make hair color and take the harsh chemicals out... then it turned into an obsession.” —Amy (14:25)

• On confidence as beauty:

  "Confident is the new beautiful... it's how you feel about yourself and how you treat others." —Amy (16:39)

• On the centrality of resilience:

  "Life is made up of not just the great moments, but I think we really show who we are when the not great moments happen." —Amy (23:26)

• On thoughtful sponsorship:

  “You have to treat people well... These are human relationships. They have to matter more than just the compensation both ways.” —Amy (29:34)

• On equity in deals:

  "Our deals have been 50% compensation in cash and 50% equity in the company. So, Az. AZs of Madison Reed." —Amy (31:53)

• On finding your “genius”:

  "Life is all about one thing. Find that genius and don't do anything else... When you find you... just be you." —Amy (43:23)

• On leadership advice:

  "The problem with most businesses is a CEO or a founder doesn't recognize where they're not strong. So it's what I call the ego gap." —Amy (42:33)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Life as a Student-Athlete & Snowstorm Stories: 03:03–06:44
• Meeting Amy & Madison Reed Partnership: 10:08–14:14
• Founding Madison Reed — Inspiration & Early Days: 14:15–21:03
• Interning & Transitioning to Business: 21:17–23:14
• Leadership, Failure, and Resilience: 23:18–26:00
• NIL, Sponsorship, and Mutual Respect: 26:12–32:33
• UConn Legacy & Building Culture: 32:58–37:56
• Art Story & Bonding Moments: 37:56–40:24
• Basketball vs. Business Leadership: 40:45–44:02
• Cottage Cheese Love: 44:39–47:22
• What the Fud of the Week: 49:04–51:30

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Tone & Style

The episode is warm, candid, funny, and forthright—full of encouragement, practical wisdom, and genuine rapport between the hosts and guest. Amy’s directness and big-hearted leadership philosophy stands out, while Azzi and Ashanti bring playful, relatable banter and thoughtful questions.

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For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode will resonate with student-athletes pondering life after sports, fans of women’s basketball, aspiring entrepreneurs, or anyone drawn to stories of resilience and authentic leadership. Amy Errett’s personal and professional journey offers lessons on building impact-driven companies, empowering women, and leading with vulnerability and vision.

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Transcript

[Capital One Announcer]

This sports spotlight is brought to you by Capital One VentureXCart, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. Did you know that the first modern Olympic Games to feature female athletes was the Paris Games in 1900. 22 women competed at those Games, just 2.2% of all the competitors in sailing, croquet, tennis, and golf. Tennis and golf were the only sports in which women could compete in individual disciplines. With Venture X, enjoy easy to use premium benefits like a $300 annual Capital One travel credit. Plus you can earn unlimited double miles on every purchase terms apply. See capitalone.com for details.

[Betrayal Podcast Narrator]

In the middle of the night, Saskia awoke in a haze. Her husband Mike was on his laptop. What was on his screen would change Saskia's life forever.

[Amy Ehrett]

I said, I need you to tell.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Me exactly what you're doing.

[Amy Ehrett]

And immediately the mask came off.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

You're supposed to be safe.

[Amy Ehrett]

That's your home. That's your husband.

[Betrayal Podcast Narrator]

Listen to Betrayal Season 5 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Capital One Announcer]

RingCentral knows that businesses run on communication and juggling separate systems for team collaboration and customer service creates confusion, missed opportunities and frustrated customers. RingCentral changes everything with RingEx and Ring CX, one powerful platform that connects your entire organization. RingEx keeps your team connected with seamless calling, messaging and video meetings, whether they're in the office or working remotely. Meanwhile, Ring CX transforms your customer experience with AI powered center capabilities that root calls intelligently and provide real time insights. The magic happens when they work together. Your customer service agents can instantly collaborate with experts across your company to solve problems faster. No more transferring customers between systems or losing context. With over 500,000 businesses trusting RingCentral and 99.999% uptime reliability, you're in good company. Visit RingCentral.com that's RingCentral.com RingCentral Voice of your business.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Hey everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Fut around and find out. I'm here with my girl Ashanti. Hey Ashanti.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Hey. How you doing, girl?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I'm great. So excited to be back on the pod. How are you doing?

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

I'm cold. I'm cold because why would New York City have one of the biggest snowstorms ever since forever?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Why not? Did you go play in the snow?

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Play? Girl, I was hiding. Are you kidding?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

You're so lame.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Let me say something. Listen, even on my way here to record this, I got stuck in my Uber. No, I'm. Yo, I kid you not. It was so Bad that the people on the street came to help us get out of the snow. I was like, the community is surrounding me in ways that I didn't expect.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

That's actually really funny.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

It's insane. So, no, I didn't play in the snow. This go around.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

You missed out.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Listen, how was it for you? Because I know, like, your game changed.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Yes. So we had our game moved from Sunday to Saturday because they're like, oh, we might not be able to get home. We don't be stuck in New Jersey. And we would have been stuck. There's no way. The way it was coming down yesterday. There's no way we would have been able to make it home. So that was. It was a lot of fun to have, like an actual. We had an off day. We could enjoy the snow.

[Amy Ehrett]

That's cute.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I went to go shoot in the morning and we came back and it was just so winter wonderland. And my Christmas tree is still up. So Loki was giving Christmas vibes.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Girl, not the Christmas tree is. Khaleesa said that.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

She was like, it feels like Christmas is coming.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Well, you had an extra white Christmas again, because that's. No, was insane. Now, when I used to live closer, when I used to live in Manhattan, I used to go to Central park and take like a little. What do you call those things that you, like, go down the hill with a sled? No, it's not a sled, but it's like. It's like a big. I guess it kind of is like a sled, but it's like a big piece of plastic and you sit on it and you go down like, the hill. But anyways, those days are over. Now I go down the hill and hurt something. Girl, I'm be out of commission for life.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

You're so lame.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Listen, I'll be that I'll be healthy and lame.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Girl, you can be healthy and sled. You know, just be responsible. I wouldn't. I wouldn't know because I don't do that. Obviously.

[Amy Ehrett]

Never.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

No, would never. Especially not during season.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Absolutely not. No.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

So you're in conference. You're like, you know, deeper in conference play now. Does it feel different than like, preseason or not preseason, early season, non conference play?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Oh, yeah, for sure. I just. I feel like when you hit this point mid January, it's like when the grind starts to hit, it's like you're in conference. It's almost. Our schedule is almost. It's basically like off day. Either two practices or one practice game. Off day, practice, travel game, off day, game. Like It's. It's so everything is back, back to back. No rest. You're just on the grind. So I feel like this is the time where you start to get tired. It's easy to fall into that. Like you're just like, you're tired. Yeah. So I feel like that's been our goal. We've been really trying to make sure we're still having fun, competing and getting better.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Well, as usual, super fun to watch and I'm excited for you.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Thank you.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

You guys are still undefeated. I know you're still taking it one day at a time or one game.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

At a time, one practice at a time.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

I know. Listen, how do you like. It can be a very long season, especially when it's like back to back to back. How do you rest or how do you take time to recover in between all this?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Oh, you don't. I don't play about my recovery period. I don't play about that. So, honestly, the game change was really nice that we could have this off day, but it was tough because we went from Georgetown, we stayed the night there, and then we drove to New Jersey the next morning. Literally drove right to the gym, practiced, went to the hotel, dinner, went to bed at an early wake up, no shoot around, had the game. The lack of recovery we got definitely hit me. I'm old, my body's old, it hurts. I'm old and I didn't pack. I didn't pack thinking we were going to not go home. So I would have brought more recovery stuff with me, but I think making sure that especially at this time, recovery is such a priority. Like, usually an off day, it's like, okay, well, let me go get my own shots in, let me do my own workout. This time of the season, it's like, no, that doesn't make any sense. Like, I need to sauna, I need a massage, I need a cold tub, I need to roll out, I need to do my soft tissue, I need to get treatment. Like, you just go down that list.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Heavy on the sauna. Oh, I love a good sauna session.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Do you really?

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Yes. What? Listen, next time I'm at UConn, I'm coming for the sauna in the cottage, okay? Okay, I'm locked in, but yeah, I love a good sauna. But look, good luck to you and the rest of your season. You keep staying locked in. I'm gonna be right there watching. I'm sad I couldn't pull up to Jersey, but, you know, a storm was a brewing and listen, and I was taking Public transportation. Cause can you imagine me stuck on there? Girl, I would. Exactly. I would be like everybody, pray. But anyways, we have an exciting guest coming on.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

We have a super exciting and special guest today. We have Amy Ehrett, who is the. Let's go through her long list of accomplishments and boss lady Ness, the founder and CEO of Madison Reed. She's a partner at True Ventures, a board member of the Wild Salmon Center. She got her MBA from the Wharton School. And her biggest flex, obviously not being a founder and CEO, but she's a UConn alum who was inducted to the UConn School of Business hall of Fame. The one and only Amy Ehrett.

[Capital One Announcer]

This sports spotlight is brought to you by Capital One. Capital One offers no fees or minimums on checking accounts. Did you know that the first modern Olympic games to feature female athletes was the Paris Games in 1900? 22 women competed at those Games. Just 2.2% of all the competitors in sailing, croquet, tennis, and golf. Tennis and golf were the only sports in which women could compete in individual disciplines. Capital One, what's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capital1.combank for details. Capital1, NA Member, FDIC.

[Betrayal Podcast Narrator]

In the middle of the night, Saskia awoke in a haze. Her husband Mike was on his laptop. What was on his screen would change Saskia's life forever.

[Amy Ehrett]

I said, I need you to tell me exactly what you're doing. And immediately, the mask came off. You're supposed to be safe. That's your home. That's your husband.

[Betrayal Podcast Narrator]

To keep this secret for so many years, he's like a seasoned pro. This is a story about the end of a marriage, but it's also the story of one woman who was done living in the dark.

[Amy Ehrett]

You're a dangerous person who preys on vulnerable and trusting people.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

You're a creditor.

[Amy Ehrett]

Michael Levengood.

[Betrayal Podcast Narrator]

Listen to Betrayal Season 5 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Hey, guys, have you heard of Goldbelly?

[Amy Ehrett]

Oh, my God.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

It's the coolest thing ever. It's this amazing site where they ship.

[Amy Ehrett]

The most iconic famous foods from restaurants across the country, anywhere nationwide. I've never found a more perfect Valentine's gift.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

They ship Chicago deep dish pizza, New.

[Capital One Announcer]

York bagels, Maine lobster rolls, and even.

[Amy Ehrett]

Ina Garten's famous cakes. Seriously.

[Capital One Announcer]

So if you're looking for a Valentine's Day gift for the food lover in your Life, head to goldbelly.com and get 20% off your first order with Promo code, gift.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Today we have a super, super special guest, the one and only Amy Ehren.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yes.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Welcome, Amy.

[Amy Ehrett]

Thank you for having me. I'm excited.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Thanks for joining us. Amy is a UConn alum, which I think is so amazing. Run deep. I didn't even know there was a business school hall of fame.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah, you could be in it one day.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Oh, I could. I know that would be crazy to have my name next year, so just. I have a lot more boss lady. I got a long way to go before I'm. I reach that status, I think.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah, I think the boss lady is in there, definitely. I see it.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

You're gonna help me bring her out?

[Amy Ehrett]

No. No question.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Okay. So, Amy, how did you and AZ meet?

[Amy Ehrett]

Well, first thing I want to say, I'm just really honored to be on the show, so thank you for having me. I met Az through the strategic partnership that we have with UConn, which is. We have our name of the company, Madison Reed on the court, the basketball court of Yukon, both courts, Gampel, and the court in Hartford. And through that, we started to explore nil deals as well. So we reached out to AZ's agent, and then we just got to know her a little bit, and, of course, fell in love with who she is and what she stands for and what an amazing basketball player she is. But first, what an amazing human she is.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Aww.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Oh, my goodness.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Aw, he's too sweet to me.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Well, I was gonna ask what your first impression was, but I think you said quite a bit.

[Amy Ehrett]

I saw the. Of course, the accolades that she gets for her athleticism, which are amazing. And she's playing great this year. Happy for her. Thank you. And I also saw a lot of other potential. Her potential for wanting to be in business, her potential for AZ is just a kind person. And so I gravitate towards people that like people.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Well said. Az, what was your first impression?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I remember meeting you that first shoot, and I think just your energy was really what struck me at first, because I wasn't sure. At least for me, when I hear, like, CEO, founder, I think like, a little bougie, a little. Not snobby, but, like, I don't know, Strict. Yeah, definitely strict. But you were so fun. You were just full of energy. You were joking, and you were so excited to be a part of it and so excited to be doing it. So it just made me more excited for that because it was. It was like a longer shoot day. It didn't feel long.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

But it definitely was, like, hours long. So Going into it, I was like, oh, it's gonna be a long day. But then you, you came in, you brought the vibes. It was like, she's happy to be here. I'm happy to be here. So I feel like it just kicked us off to a great start.

[Amy Ehrett]

That's great. And we've been together. This is our second year, so.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Yes, it is.

[Amy Ehrett]

This is our second year. And then we'll follow it. We'll follow Az wherever she goes.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Oh, I'm honored.

[Amy Ehrett]

Ditto. How's that truck? Did you. Did you have to get that truck out of the snow this morning?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

No, I parked the truck in the garage last night because there was no chance. I don't own a shovel. I don't own, like, a little scraper thing for the car. There was no chance.

[Amy Ehrett]

Good, good, good.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Tell the people about the truck. What is the truck?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I have the coolest car on campus in the state of Connecticut. In the country, probably in the world.

[Amy Ehrett]

I think it's in the world. Universe domination.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Seriously. I have a Madison Reed wrapped Rivian that I'm driving around. And it honestly, I mean, it's pretty. It's a great car. We will have to add a picture of it.

[Amy Ehrett]

We're so honored to have Az to drive it around. It's awesome. And I get reports from people I know in Connecticut, but on campus, I'll get like a text. AZ just drove by. I'm like, cool, that's great. Awesome.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Hopefully she go too fast.

[Amy Ehrett]

Then I'll text her, slow down. She's like, this is weird.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

How did she know?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Okay, so I want to ask some questions about Madison Reed and kind of the start of that. What inspired you to revolutionize at home hair color?

[Amy Ehrett]

I was very concerned about the ingredients and I'm a mission based person, so I don't like to work on things that I don't really care about deeply. That's just who I am. And I started to research what was in traditional hair color and I got really nervous because every friend of mine and my wife who colors her hair every 10 days literally has to color her hair every 10 days. Was like, you know, she cares about what you put in your body, on your body. And so she started to get concerned, I started to get concerned. She was going to a salon every 10 days. You can imagine how expensive that is. And so then it just became like, I was a VC at the time, a venture capitalist. And I just started researching, like, how hard would it be to make hair color and take the harsh chemicals out and Then it just turned into a obsession. And I bought 60 boxes at Walgreens one day, coming home, running errands from Whole Foods, and I stopped in Walgreens for something, picking up something else, and then I'm like, standing at that, you know, dreaded aisle of really confusing looking hair color. And I just put 60 boxes in my cart. And when I went to check out, the woman was like, what is happening here? And I got them home, took them all apart, and I was like, oh, my God. The. The experience was terrible. The components were terrible. You ever see those gloves? They're like, massive. Like, you can't. They're just bad. Everything about it was bad. It was demeaning. And I just thought, oh, we're asking somebody to have confidence, to be beautiful, but we're torturing her in the process. That made no sense. Smelled terrible. So I just went to work. I didn't know that I was going to start the company. I thought maybe I would fund somebody else to run it because I had been doing a bunch of that. But then once I saw the size of the prize and the potential, I was like, I'm in. So then I raised a bunch of money and fast forward. Here we are.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

That's amazing. Wait, is that how you came up with your guys slogan, too? You just mentioned how, like, we want these people to be confident.

[Amy Ehrett]

Confident is the new beautiful, which.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I love that slogan. That eats.

[Amy Ehrett]

That eats, yeah, because it is, you know, it's named after my daughter. Her first name's Madison. Her middle name's Reed. And sometimes I think that comes across as narcissistic. And that's not what it's meant to come across. What it's meant to mean is that I really want every person to feel the way that a parent feels about their kid, which is that everything is possible for them. I want every human being to use our product to feel like I'm. I'm a boss lady. I can go out and just, you know, do anything today. And I like. I like that fact that confidence is not just physical external beauty. It's how you feel about yourself and how you treat others and how you live in the world. So that's. That was the reason. Plus, I think she has a good name. So I was happy about that.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I completely agree on all fronts. And she has a great personality. And Madison Reed, for everyone who doesn't know her, is an amazing person, just like her mom.

[Amy Ehrett]

So she loves az. They. AZ came over this summer, and they weren't interested in az's mom. And Claire and I, which they shouldn't be. They were more interested in hanging out.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Yeah, you guys had your adult conversations, and we.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah, you had your. What? Made sense for how AZ. You're 22.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I'm 23 now. I was 22 when I was over this summer, though.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah. Okay, so Madison turns 23 in two weeks. So you're the same age, basically.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Yeah.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Okay. Peers.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Okay. So you launched your own formula in 2013.

[Amy Ehrett]

2013 we started, but it took us a year to get the formulas right. So we really launched in the summer of 14. Okay. Yeah.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

And how do you even develop a hair dye formula?

[Amy Ehrett]

We went to the European Union, we went to Italy, because in the EU, most personal care products are much healthier than in the US they have stricter regulations about what can be in products and what has to be out of products. And so we knew we had a better chance. I talked to a lot of manufacturers in the US and they laugh. Literally laughed at me. They're like, you can't take ammonia. You can't take PPD out. It won't work. One guy told me, women don't care. They just want to be. You know, they just want their hair to look good. And I said, well, I can't. Oh, my gosh. So, yeah, you know, if I'm gonna put our name on it, I care. So I went, and I literally went to Italy. This is actually a funny story. Have you ever been to Italy at all? Like, I land, and there's this guy that picks us up, and he's got this, like, van. And, you know, in Europe, people drive, like, 300 miles an hour, and it was, like, sleeting and raining. And I kept thinking to myself, I gotta pull this off, because if I die in this van, it wouldn't have been worth it. I better find a way to make hair color. I swear to God, that's what was going through my mind. I'm like. I kept telling him to slow down. He didn't speak any English. He was really funny, actually. And so I talked to 12 manufacturers, and the first 11 literally laughed at me. They were like, you can't do that. You can't sell hair color in the Internet. No one's going to buy it. And then lucky number 12, still our partner today. And so we have a factory in Italy where we make the color, and then it gets put on a boat and brought to the US and then it's accumulated into different colors and different. And. And today we'll sell this year or last year. You know, we'll ship like 4 million boxes.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

That's crazy.

[Amy Ehrett]

So. And we sell in 1600 Walmarts as well. All Ulta stores, Target and Amazon that are on site.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

So.

[Amy Ehrett]

And then we have our own stores where we do. Where we do your hair for you. AZ has been in the a couple of them, but there's close to a hundred now throughout the country and growing.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Serious boss lady stuff.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

That's what I'm saying.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Oh, my goodness. To start from just wanting to do something better for like your wife who has to go get her hair dyed every 10 days, to being in almost every major retail. Like, that's amazing. So congratulations on that success.

[Amy Ehrett]

Thank you. I. I appreciate it. We're starting to also go outside the US now, so we're only in the US So we have a lot international stuff. So come on. I know. We're just getting started here.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

And you're going to teach AZ how to also be a bus lady as you guys have an internship brewing.

[Amy Ehrett]

We do. AZ getting credits towards her mba. I actually think this might be your final credits. Am I right about that, az?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

They are my last three credits.

[Amy Ehrett]

All right. We'll go out and style my goodness. And so, yeah, AZ is doing an internship with us in our marketing group. We've put together, like, a really good set of projects, two big projects for her. And they're real. They're not. I can curse on this, right? It's okay.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Feel free.

[Amy Ehrett]

They're not bullshit. They're real projects that we needed somebody to work on and we thought she. She was uniquely positioned to work on them. So we're excited.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I'm super excited. I think this is going to be really cool just to see. I've been taking classes, and everyone in my classes is already working, has been working for years and has experience, and I'm learning all these things, but I have nothing to apply it to or nothing to compare it to. So I'm really excited to learn, especially from you guys, how things work and how to do things the right way.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah, we're honored. And ACLB working, obviously remotely, but you'll be on Zoom stuff too. And I don't know, you know, we'll see if we can figure out a way to get together as well. But we're totally excited. We're totally honored. And it's good because I think this is one big thing that I believe in. Well, first of all, there is a direct correlation with women in sports and business. So Billie Jean King has the Women's Sports Foundation, a nonprofit. They Do a study every year. Think last year, close to 90% of the women in C suite positions were athletes. And I think there's a lot of the same characteristics that you have about commitment, dedication, teamwork, all those things. And so I'm really focused on helping women, once they stop playing sports, to have careers, and I think that's important.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I agree, and I really appreciate all your efforts.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

So, Amy, there's a question that we were told that you ask every new hire. Can you tell us what that question is and why you asked that question?

[Amy Ehrett]

The question is, can you tell me something that didn't go well in your life, and how did you respond to that? And the reason that I asked the question is that, you know, Madison Reed's a good example. It's never been just the straight line going up, right? It's. There's been a lot of struggles. There's been a lot of, you know, life is made up of not just the great moments, but I think we really show who we are in life when the not great moments happen. And how do you respond to that? And I think the single most important factor in life is resilience, and your strength comes from that. So I'm just trying to vet for whether somebody, if you know, something doesn't work out at work, is going to just give up or whether they're. They're made of what I think really, you know, resilient, persistent, committed people are made of, which is, what do I learn from this and how do I grow? How do I go the next level in my life? And, you know, adversity makes us stronger. That's for. That's for sure. So that's why I ask it. And I get all sorts of answers. I get answers that are fluffy and those aren't usually ones of people we hire. Lots of fluff out there. I don't have good work, life balance. And I'm like, what the is that supposed to be? And that's a chat.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Gbts.

[Amy Ehrett]

Exactly. They're putting it in. They're, you know, talking to perplexity on their phone. Give me the answer to give the CEO, But I get answers that are just like people telling me, like, my mom had cancer and I helped her through, you know, the dying process. I've been. I've had depression, and I had to think about, like, why was I going to reorient my life to be committed to something, like, really extraordinary answers that make us who we are. Right.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

That's beautiful. And I like that, because we ain't got no Time for no quitters now.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

No, I like that question, and I feel like the way someone responds, because you can, like, take the easy way and have a light answer, or you can, like, actually think about it and.

[Amy Ehrett]

And be vulnerable. Right, and be vulnerable. You know, like I always talk about at Madison Reed, I want people to bring their full selves to work. Like, I want to create a culture and an environment where you bring your full self to work. And that means some days you're, you know, not everything's perfect. So it's good. It's. It's. It's worked out as a good question to ask people.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I love it.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Listen, if this podcasting stuff doesn't work, y' all hiring?

[Amy Ehrett]

Absolutely. I'd hire you both in a millisecond.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

We appreciate that. And we got that on the record.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah, Right. Let's go back. Let's go back. Remind me, like, in a. In, like, five years, you'll play it back. Like, Amy, you remember this?

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Oh, my goodness. Okay, so I'm going to pivot. You mentioned in the beginning or earlier in our conversation about Madison Reed, the logo being on the court, and you guys, you know, moving into nil deals, et cetera. So why did you decide to work with the Huskies?

[Amy Ehrett]

Well, first, I'm a Husky, and, you know, there's something about when you bleed blue, you bleed blue for life. And so that's. No, I mean, I think there's. And then the next thing I'd say is, I wanted to. It just so happened that I was partnering with the gold standard. Right. Like Gino cd, Chris Daly. There's a system, and they. They pick certain women who have certain characteristics with them to play in that system. And I think the system is a very effective way to build camaraderie and a sense of, you know, sisterhood. And so, you know, and the track record was pretty good. So I had a pretty good read. I mean, so let's talk about it from a marketing standpoint. So one standpoint is great team to partner with. Second standpoint was you have to evaluate whether the money you're spending to put the logo on those courts is going to get TV time, right? And is going to get eyeballs and going to get recognition and going to get people in the stand saying, what's that Madison Reed thing? And then, you know, there's a big, you know, LED sign that goes on all the time talking about, you know, buy the hair color. Right. Or that it's hair color. And I love the fact that so many women come to the games. So we had a really good chance that from a business perspective it was going to pay off. Which by the way, it has paid off in multiples. And I can kind of quote some things that have happened because of that. And I wanted to support Geno and CD and the system and the school that mattered to me. So it just worked for those things. But what I also learned, Ashante and Az was, and this is just advice for anybody out there who has a business thinking about this. You can't just do nil deals without supporting the school because then you have misaligned goals. And our goals are aligned now. Right. The school wants Madison Reed to win and nil players are benefiting from it. So it like everybody's winning from the strategic partnerships. Right. There's no conflict at all. And I got to understand how important that is. Like getting the girls for a photo shoot is time. Time when you're playing basketball is you don't have a lot of it. And so we needed to fit into that system and hopefully we've been able to do that.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

You have. And I feel like you guys also go that extra mile where you care about the deal, the school, but you care most importantly about us as people.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yes.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

And yeah, I don't know, I just, I feel like that you guys really do take care of us and go that extra mile to make sure that we're taken care of, we're happy, and you try to support us in any way you can. And we feel that.

[Amy Ehrett]

Thank you. It really makes me feel good to hear that because I've learned a lot in the last two years. Like, I knew nothing coming into this. And what I've learned is when you're the brand, the sponsor, you have to treat people well and you have to be reasonable about your asks and you have to think about their well being because if you don't, then you're just wasting your money. I mean, that's just honest and that I think these are human relationships. They have to matter more than just the compensation both ways.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

That's really well said.

[Amy Ehrett]

And I see some brands not doing that and that bums me out. It really bums me out because it puts the athletes in a very tough position. And I don't think that's. I think it's a partnership. And it just bums me out because first of all, the athletes deserve to get paid 100%. Come on. 100%. That 100%. I mean, I'm really, I'm very upset about what's happening in the WNBA right now, right? Like, this is, you know, this, like, what are we talking about here? There's no difference in gender. This is just sports. This is people playing what they love and they deserve to be compensated. And I mean, I know this is maybe unpopular because probably we won't get her, but, you know, I'm a Valkyrie season ticket holder. It is help purple. I mean, they did, right? And you know, it's sold out for. I mean, I have Warrior season tickets, so I go to both. There's no less people watching the Valkyries than there are the Warriors. Trust me, it is sold out every night. It is crazy in that Chase center, the support. So what is it that makes it different about those women playing than the men? It doesn't. So I just think that's one thing. And I think as college athletes, if brands don't get that, they have to get that. And so it's not about paying people that they what they deserve. It's about also how you treat them right, how you understand their lives, their time commitments, what's important to them. You know, in our case, and I'm happy to disclose this, you know, we are. Our deals have been 50% compensation in cash and 50% in equity in the company. So, Az. AZS of Madison Reed.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Let me get my basketball shoes.

[Amy Ehrett]

AZ is going to be my boss one day. How's that? And because what I want is when this company gets to be worth a ton of money.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

That's amazing.

[Amy Ehrett]

I want these athletes to have something that they were perfect part of, that they can build wealth.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

That is amazing. Y' all got a creator's program.

[Amy Ehrett]

Let's talk this.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

No, and honestly, you guys are pioneering something and I love how invested you are in, like, specifically women's sports, because as you said, it's. The product has been there. The games are just as full as the. The male games. So I just. I love it.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah. And who you see in the stands, it's awesome, right? It's just not like women. It's, you know, dads and their daughters and, you know, it's just so wonderful. It's the way the world should be. Right. And yet, you know, anyway, we'll get. We'll get through this. We'll. We'll get to the other side and we'll.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Come on.

[Amy Ehrett]

We'll understand that this creates great leaders. And we need great leaders in the world.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

We sure do. I hope everyone is listening and taking notes from everything you're saying right now.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

For a fact or follow suit.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah. I mean, when people Ask me. I mean, you know, aj, I hope this was okay to say for you. Like, the first year that we did this deal with you, A hadn't played the year before. Right. I think that's true. And so I saw and I knew she was going to come back with fire lit. Right? Like, she's playing like it's, you know, it's. It's crazy how well you're playing and you deserve it.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Don't get me started.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah, exactly. Like, it's just the girl's playing out of her mind. She's a beast. And, you know, and I knew it. And everybody, people said to me, not in a bad way. Well, she didn't play last year. I'm like, I don't care. She's coming back. That she's got the resilience that I'm talking about. She's got the resilience that's. That's what the world's looking for, is somebody who says, this sucks. This is horrible. I'm either going to give up or I'm going to come back stronger. And life, people that win come back stronger every time because they realize that it's just a lesson. Whatever you believe in spiritually, you know, whatever that is, it's just what the universe puts in front of you for a reason. And then you rebuild, and you rebuild, rebuild. So I knew that I. I had no doubt about that. And then, you know, we go on and win the national championship, right? And now we're. Is it 20 and 0 or 19 and 0? I can't keep up.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

I think we had 21. 21.

[Amy Ehrett]

You see that?

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Yeah.

[Amy Ehrett]

I just watched you guys. I want, you know, I live in California, so Claire and I are like, obsessed. You know, we get our glass of wine and we play. I know that's, you know, and then Claire will be like, look at. Easy. Like, look at it. You know, every time you hit a three point shot, AZ knows Claire. Claire knows nothing about sports, which is hilarious, but she's like, boom. She says boom. Every time you hit boom. I'm like, all right. And, you know, like, we just got it right. But at the end of the day, the truth of it is that I want AZ's life to be amazing in the WNB. And then whatever is that is beyond. I mean, look at her. I mean, she could be a model, she could. She can be an actor. She can do anything she wants. And that's what we need in the world. More role models for kids.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Well, you're a great role model for me. So I know.

[Amy Ehrett]

Well, feelings, mutual motivational speaker.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

I mean, what can't you do, Miss Amy? There's nothing she can't do.

[Amy Ehrett]

Well, I'm short. It doesn't appear that way when I'm sitting here. But, you know, I, I wish I had about, you know, if I had six more inches, it would make my dreams come true.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

So I have a question, Amy, outside of AZ, do you have an all time favorite UConn player?

[Amy Ehrett]

Well, there's so many that I think are iconic, but I'm gonna go back into the dt. I think DT set a standard. Diana Taurasi, for those that are listening that don't know that just the standard, it was a standard and excellence, toughness, resilience, swag. There was nothing she couldn't do and she was focused on that. But there's like, you know, let's go, you know, like Maya Moore, I mean, Rebecca Lobo. If you really want to go back, you know, to the OGs, you know, it just goes on and on. The list is insane. And you know, Paige, obviously, but now we're gonna add AZ to that list and, you know, you gotta think about Sarah Strong. I mean, this is like, it's just, it's, it's, it looks completely effortless. It's kind of like this is an unfair advantage, you know, and the combo of the two of them is crazy. It's the two best players in basketball together on the same court playing off each other. Right. So, you know, you just go down the list of the iconic women that have come through that program and you know, it's extraordinary. And you know, Gino and CD and all the staff should feel very proud of all. Everything they've built around the brand. It's a system. What I hope at Madison Reed is to emulate a system that people that come to work here have life changing experiences that are good in the world and they're better people for it. If you can have that impact in people's lives, then your life mattered. And lives, lives need to matter. Right? Come on, you know, you, you have to have an impact every day or why do it? And so, right. You know, if what we do is give a little bit, you know, if we sprinkle a little pebble into a pond and there's a ripple effect of goodness and then people spread goodness and then people that spread goodness, that's how the world changes. And we need it, man. We did it.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

For sure.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

We do. Is Claire still there? I just saw her walk by.

[Amy Ehrett]

She's taking London out So should I tell the Claire Az story? Can I tell that Az, please?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I wasn't sure.

[Amy Ehrett]

Of course.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Can we hype Claire up for a second?

[Amy Ehrett]

We can hype Claire up. Claire needs the hype. Claire's really the brains behind the whole operation. Trust me. So when Az was here, Claire as a artist, she's a painter and she sells her paintings. And, you know, she's starting to. She has no confidence in it, which, like, if A and I were. It's like. It's like nuts, right? And so Madison and Ay are in the house because we have this little outdoor space, and they had been outside, and they came in the house, and A's looking around at all these paintings, and so they have a conversation, all of them. And so A's looking at this one that's pink and obviously. Yeah. And looking at this one and looking at this one. And Madison comes out and whispers to Claire, there's one painting that Az really likes. She likes that pink one. And Claire says, oh, great. And then we come back in the house when they were leaving and hugging a kiss, and Claire says, you really like that painting? Oh, yeah, I like it. So she left, and she looked at me and she said, let's wrap it up and send it to her. I'm on the podcast, Claire. I'm telling them all about your painting.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Hey, Claire.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Hello, Claire.

[Amy Ehrett]

Ashanti's saying, hey, Claire. It's her other host, who's adorable and works wearing purple. She's so good. So good wearing purple. I mean, you. You had me at your jacket, man. And so.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Oh.

[Amy Ehrett]

So we go to Katie and say, what's an address that we can send Az the. The painting? And Katie says, are you sure? And we're like, yeah. So we sent it to her Irish papa.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Oh, my goodness.

[Amy Ehrett]

And Katie took a video of her unwrapping it. Az had no idea. She's like, why are you filming?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

No, I'm like, why are you filming me?

[Amy Ehrett]

You know. You know how daughters bl. Know what to their moms, you know, that's just normal. Like, what's going on here? Then she opened it, and it's my.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

First real piece of art in my room.

[Amy Ehrett]

Oh.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I was like, it's too nice to be. I feel like it's too nice for a college apartment, you know?

[Amy Ehrett]

No way. It's got. It's. And look what it's doing this year. It's giving you confidence and love. It's giving you. It's emanating those vibes. Like, get your.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

It is first Thing I see when I wake up on my wall, eat. So him.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yes. You know, I'm just. I'm learning.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I'm learning from you, staying on top of that lingo.

[Amy Ehrett]

I am, I'm trying. I have a lot of, you know, I got a lot of 20 somethings that work for me. They got to relate to me. They're like, hey, you're a dinosaur. And I'm like, eat, eat.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Don't let them talk to you.

[Amy Ehrett]

Like, that's right. Ashante, you're gonna come with me. You're going to.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

I got your back. That's crazy. Oh, my goodness. Okay, back to the basketball and business of things. Do you see a similarity between basketball and business?

[Amy Ehrett]

Absolutely. I think that basketball is, you know, it's team and. And it's learning the strengths of your teammates, and then, you know, you're not going to throw the ball to the right if that's not good for them to get the ball on the right. Right. So it's that having empathy, it's building a team, it's building camaraderie, and it's doing it together. And I think when you run a business, like, the most important thing is to build the team around you. And, like, I know the things now that I. I really suck at, and I suck at a lot of things. And so I don't believe that at all. So you build. This is. This is the. Actually, if I was giving anyone advice, listening about a business, the problem with most businesses is a CEO or a founder doesn't recognize where they're not strong. So it's what I call the ego gap. You try to convince yourself you're great at everything, so then you don't put enough great people around you. And if you don't put great people around you, you can't scale a business. A lot of people don't know this, but I'm happy to talk about it. I have a coach, I have an executive coach that I meet with once a week, and I talk about problems and concerns I have and places that I need to develop in my own consciousness raising and where I make mistakes and trying to understand them and build more resilience. And so I think it's very much like that. Right. Because a lot of athletes have not just strength coaches or coaches to get them in physical strength, but you should have mental coaches who are helping you think through those challenges. And my second thought, yeah, So I think it's like anything else. Once you embrace your human. All of us are human. We have a genius inside of us, and we have places that we're not as strong at, and life is. If I'm going to give you advice, Life is all about one thing. Find that genius and don't do anything else. And because it's all about your happiness. And once you find that inside of you, that ignition point, then don't. Don't try to be something you're not. Just be you. You is great. You is perfect the way it is. So you.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

It's all you got.

[Amy Ehrett]

You got it. You know, don't. Don't try to be. What's that saying? Don't try to be anybody else. They're already taken.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Yes.

[Amy Ehrett]

So, yeah. Like, when you find you and you just are, don't blame yourself and love yourself and you're happy with yourself and accept yourself. Life is all about finding that. If you can find that. That's what I want for my kid. That's what I want for Madison. I want her to find herself, whatever that thing is, and then just do it and be a happy, productive person in the world. So that's why I think business and playing sports, playing. Playing basketball are very, very similar.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I love that so much.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

I'm taking notes.

[Amy Ehrett]

See, what I see in AZ that's happening is she's finding her. She's finding her, and that's why she's. I mean, she's so talented. But also, I can see you blossoming, right? Like, you're. You're finding you not what your parents want, not what your friends want, not what your agent wants, not what Amy wants. You. What do you want? And then stand in that space. Az, and eat.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

That is exactly my goal right now. Find myself and eat. I couldn't have said it better, actually eat cottage cheese.

[Amy Ehrett]

Because we have this in common with each other.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Oh, my goodness.

[Amy Ehrett]

We talk about this. We talk. It's the perfect food.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

It is.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Thank you.

[Amy Ehrett]

It's the perfect food. It's. There's no. It's like, not even quest. You can't even question my match. Right? It's, like the perfect food. You can eat it by itself. You can add things to it. It's got great protein. It's low in calories. Like, it's. It's just magnificent. That's all it is.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Az, Amy, we were made for each other.

[Amy Ehrett]

I know. She told me. She's like, I love cottage. She was. Oh, I know. What, you were going back and making some cookies with KK after our photo shoot. Oh, my goodness. I go, what are you gonna make cookies of? Because Claire is Also a chef. I'm super lucky. And.

[Capital One Announcer]

Whoa.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Claire's a great chef. A phenomenal chef. Okay, sorry.

[Amy Ehrett]

And you won Claire's heart. Not just at the painting, but you ate every piece of the food that was on the table. Crazy was like, whoa. Wow. Where's that going, man? And so you told me that you were going home to make cookies with kk, and I go, what kind of cookies? You go, I don't know. Something with cottage cheese. And I thought, oh, my God. I go, I love cottage cheese. And then we just were off. We were off. We were riffing. You don't like it, Ashanti? I think. I think I haven't tried it. What?

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

I haven't tried it. Yes. I have never tried cottage cheese.

[Amy Ehrett]

I'm gonna, like, get. I'm getting your text number and I'm just gonna start, you know. Did you try it?

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Send me some recommendations.

[Amy Ehrett]

Easy. Do you have her address? We gotta send her some cottage.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Oh, my gosh.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I'm gonna doordash you some kind of.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Sheets right now, and I'm gonna FaceTime you while I try it. I said I would, so I got you. So what's your go to cottage cheese meal?

[Amy Ehrett]

Oh, I have so many of them, it's crazy for lunch. A lot I have that. If you haven't bought good, that's the best kind. That's called good. And I have that with poached eggs.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

I heard you could eat it with eggs.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Okay.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Az, I would ask this question, but I feel like it's all of it, but go ahead. What's your go to cottage cheese meal?

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Anything. Everything. I feel like I've been making a lot of bowls recently. So you put it at the bottom of the bowl?

[Amy Ehrett]

That's the bottom.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

And I'll mix it. Yeah, like some quinoa, some spinach or mixed greens, and then whatever. Chicken, salmon, some other veggies and cottage.

[Amy Ehrett]

She just mix her up and it's perfect.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Okay. Claire puts my.

[Capital One Announcer]

Perfect.

[Amy Ehrett]

Claire puts tomato sauce and meatballs on it. Yum.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

That sounds insane.

[Amy Ehrett]

Good.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Sounds like a perfect dinner.

[Capital One Announcer]

This sports spotlight is brought to you by Capital One. Capital One offers no fees or minimums on checking accounts. Did you know that the first modern Olympic Games to feature female athletes was the Paris Games in 1900? 22 women competed at those Games. Just 2.2% of all the competitors in sailing, croquet, tennis, and golf. Tennis and golf were the only sports in which women could compete in individual disciplines. Capital One, what's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com.bank for details. Capital One, NA Member, FDIC.

[Betrayal Podcast Narrator]

In the middle of the night, Saskia awoke in a haze. Her husband Mike was on his laptop. What was on his screen would change Saskia's life forever.

[Amy Ehrett]

I said, I need you to tell.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Me exactly what you're doing.

[Amy Ehrett]

And immediately, the mask came off.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

You're supposed to be safe.

[Amy Ehrett]

That's your home. That's your husband.

[Betrayal Podcast Narrator]

To keep this secret for so many years. He's like a seasoned pro. This is a story about the end of a marriage, but it's also the story of one woman who was done living in the dark.

[Amy Ehrett]

You're a dangerous person who preys on vulnerable and trusting people.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

You're a creditor.

[Amy Ehrett]

Michael Levengood.

[Betrayal Podcast Narrator]

Listen to Betrayal Season 5 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Okay, so now it's time for our what the fud of the week. What the fud of the week. It's something that just made you go, what the fud? It can be good, bad, crazy, silly, whatever you want, as long as it made you go, what the fudge?

[Amy Ehrett]

I was.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Yeah, you're gonna start?

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah, I'll start. So I was in a restaurant the other day having dinner with a bunch of friends, and the server was, like, from a different planet, and basically there were five of us, and so we. Or six of us. Six of us. So we were trying to put a chair at the end of the table, and this guy was not having it. And we know the manager of the restaurant who came over and was trying to tell the server that it was perfectly fine. And the server's like, this is my station. And they just had, like, a huge thing, and, like, we're all, like, the patrons, like, looking at it. And so she won and let us put the chair there. And then he was not in a good mood. He was, like, giving. Throwing us attitude shade the whole time. The whole time. So anyway, it was. It was kind of crazy, and I was like, I think the big bubble. What the. That's what I thought.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

That is over that. That's crazy that he got so worked up over that.

[Amy Ehrett]

Yeah, he was. He was carving his face, man. His face in the world. I know. Just wasn't a good look.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

What the fud.

[Amy Ehrett]

What the fud.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

Ay, Have a What the fud for us.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

My. What the fud is the snowstorm that we just had facts. That was. It was crazy. I love the snow, though, so it's beautiful. And we went outside. We got to play in it which was such just like a. What's the word I'm looking for? It was like a wholesome moment, being out there with your teammates, just literally playing in the snow, wrestling in the snow, throwing snowballs at each other. It was a lot of fun.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

I think that's pretty good. I think my what the FUD's sad, though, and I don't want us to end on that.

[Amy Ehrett]

No, go ahead, tell us. Life's made of all sorts of things.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

My what the fud is Kobe passed six years ago today, but it'll be this week by the time this drops. So it's the Kobe anniversary. That's my what the.

[Amy Ehrett]

Not good.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

I cannot believe it's been six years.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

It's like you blink and it's been six years. Like, time's moving super fast and I just remember exactly where I was and what I was doing during that time. And I don't know, the spirit of Kobe came over to Lakers because they definitely won the championship that year too, so.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

They sure did.

[Ashanti (Co-host)]

That's my what the fud of the week. Amy, thank you so much.

[Amy Ehrett]

You are welcome so much. I loved it.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Yes, Amy, thank you so much for joining us today. This was amazing to get to talk to you, to get to have you on the pod. It's such an honor. And being someone that I look up to and aspire to be just half the person you are, it means a lot that you're here.

[Amy Ehrett]

Love you. Az and Ashanti, I didn't know you well, but I love you now, too.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

And listeners, thank you guys so much for tuning in this week. Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe to FUT around and find out wherever you get your podcasts. And we'll see you guys next week. Putt around and Find out is a production of I Heart Women's Sports and Unanimous Media. Executive producer producers are Jesse Katz, Eric Payton, Sharla Sumter, Brigitte and Stephen Curry. Co executive producer is Kalena Maria Kutney. Producers are Mike Coscarelli, Grace Fuse and Mackenzie Fitzpatger. And co producers are Kurt Redmond, Maya Howard and Jaclyn Schoninger. This podcast is edited by Mike Coscarelli and hosted by me.

[Betrayal Podcast Narrator]

In the middle of the night, Saskia awoke in a haze. Her husband Mike was on his laptop but was on his his screen would change Saskia's life forever.

[Amy Ehrett]

I said, I need you to tell.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

Me exactly what you're doing.

[Amy Ehrett]

And immediately the mask came off.

[Az (UConn Basketball Player)]

You're supposed to be safe.

[Amy Ehrett]

That's your home. That's your husband.

[Betrayal Podcast Narrator]

Listen to Betrayal Season 5 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.