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)

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.

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.

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)

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

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.

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.