← THE ED MYLETT SHOW
THE ED MYLETT SHOW
The Branding Genius Behind the Biggest Names in Sports & Entertainment w/ Constance Schwartz-Morini
01:02:53
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- [00:00]
Ed Milet
So hey guys, listen, we're all trying to get more productive and the question is, how do you find a way to get an edge? I'm a big believer that if you're getting mentoring or you're in an environment that causes growth, a growth based environment, that you're much more likely to grow and you're going to grow faster. And that's why I love Growth Day. Growth Day is an app that my friend Brendan Burchard has created that I'm a big fan of. Write this down growthday.com forward/ed so if you want to be more productive, by the way, he's asked me, I post videos in there every single Monday that gets your day off to the right start. Got about $5,000, $10,000 worth of courses that are in there that come with the app. Also, some of the top influencers in the world are all posting content in there on a regular basis, like having the avengers of personal development and business in one app. And I'm honored that he asked me to be a part of it as well and contribute on a weekly basis. And I do. So go over there and get signed up. You're going to get a free tuition, free voucher to go to an event with Brendan and myself and a bunch of other influencers as well. So you get a free event out of it also. So go to growthday.com that's growthday.com Ed.
- [01:05]
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- [01:44]
Ed Milet
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- [03:36]
Constance Schwartz Marini
Thank you, Ed. And thank you for that great introduction. I'm sitting here like probably red as a beat because you know me very well. And so when I got the text from you about coming on, I literally like, if I could do a backflip, I would have done it. But I mentally did one and called Mike Marini right away, my husband. I was like, guess whose podcast I'm going on. So thank you. Seriously, thank you.
- [03:56]
Ed Milet
Well, I want to start out by saying that I don't, I'm going to get emotional. I don't do this on the show very often at all. But I just really want to thank you for being such a believer in me. And you know, most people don't know this, but a lot of the good things you've seen happen in my life are because of this woman right here and especially my business life. And so I'm grateful for you in my life. So thank you so much.
- [04:17]
Constance Schwartz Marini
I'm grateful for you and you're giving me way too much credit because you were a force when we met and we might have just maybe redirected you a little bit, but that's about it.
- [04:26]
Ed Milet
Yeah, that ain't true, but thank you. Okay, so you guys, I just want you to know she started at the NFL and then she's built this company. Her business partner is Michael Strahan in Smack sm. A C is the name of their agency and, or their company rather. And they've touched everything. $100,000 pyramid, Fox Sports, most of the people on Name it but different apparel brands etc, so we're going to go all over the place today. Let me ask you a question first. Kho, when you guys founded smack, did you know it would turn into all of these other things because you came out of the NFL, right? Like I met you, I met the after you, where you were already balling. But you and Michael founded this together. What did you intend it to be and then what does it become?
- [05:09]
Constance Schwartz Marini
I love when people act like this was exactly, you know, I executed my vision. I had no idea. I just knew that there was nothing like this business. And it was almost I was forced into it because I got fired. And when I went to interview at other companies, they were putting me in a box. They said, okay, you're a talent manager, you're a sports person, you can do endorsements, you're non scripted producer. I was like, you guys don't get it. I just, I'm going to take the last 20 years of my career and I'm going to build this. And I started it from the kitchen table, had no idea what it would become. Started out more management and talent, sports and small. I mean, it was Michael, Coach prime, who is, you know, Deion Sanders, just, you know, recently, not almost retired. Four years, three years. At that point, my old boss from the NFL was at the NHL and brought us on to help him on some entertainment pieces of business as they were expanding. And that was it, you know, so here we are 14, 15 years later and wow. That's all I can say. But everything that you've seen from that point till now, it came from just knowing that there's a piece of business here that could be bigger and better and extended. Same thing that we do with the people, right? It's like you keep the main thing. The main thing is Coach prime says use your main platform to build around it. And that's what we're still doing. I feel like we're just getting started.
- [06:33]
Ed Milet
Well, let me. Let's take Coach prime first. Let's just pick one. Okay, so first off, you guys right now is Coach Prime Season 3 on Amazon streaming. I watched the whole season in a day. It's that good. It was. I was sick one day. I watched all the episodes. It's outstanding. But something's happened with Coach prime the last four or five years. He was, he's the greatest cornerback of all time, one of the greatest football players of all time. But then like this brand went bananas, right? You're the behind the scenes on that. She's also on the show. She's in the COVID of Sports Illustrated with Them, you guys, like, I. First thing, I got to get the COVID I'm like, there's. God, she's right on the COVID But what happened? Like, obviously this is more if the world's become sort of brand oriented. Everything's brand now, right? So did you guys consciously take Coach prime and go, okay, we're going to do this? You're going to post on Social Order? Or is this all sort of organic what's taking place? Let's just start with, like, him.
- [07:26]
Constance Schwartz Marini
It was organic, but with direction. Like you. He's one of the smartest people in my life. It's remarkable. And I knew when he did your pod last year, you guys were going to hit it off. And I'm so glad you did because you got to see what I get to see every day. So when we first started working together, we reconnected because I helped Snoop Dogg start the Snoop Youth Football League. Deion had the Truth League, which was his youth league in Dallas. Every year at the super bowl, their teams would meet up and play in the Snooper Bowl. And so one year I get a call from Deon and he said, hey, who handles Snoop's marketing? Who handles Snoops? This? And I said, well, I oversee the whole operation. Like, there's a team of us, but, you know, I'm in the middle of it. What's up? And he said, I need to pivot and I need a new team on my marketing side. Can you suggest someone? I was like, well, me. And he was like, okay. And that's literally how we started working together. So when we first started working together, he didn't have a lot of brand partnerships. Like, he was hot when he was playing, and then there was a dick. He was on the CBS Sunday football, and then he pivoted to the NFL Network, and that was it. So when we started working together, I had to help sort of recraft and rebuild his brand, which nobody has been better than himself. And that's one of the beautiful things about not just him, but the smack clients is they know that we're in it for the right reasons. Because I said, I don't care if you're not going to make a dollar on this first big commercial we do. If it's the right creative and the right brand, we're going for it. And that's what started our journey together. So at that point, like I said, he was on the network, NFL Network, Thursday Night Football. Many opportunities started coming his way, but they weren't going to be in Dallas. He would not leave Dallas, because he was coached all of his kids. That was the most important thing to him, was staying local. He could leave on Sundays or Thursdays, but had to be there for football, basketball, baseball, etc. So right when Chador was graduating high school and figuring out where he would be going to college, Coach called me and he said, this is one of his famous things. I'm baking an idea, but it hasn't been ready for me to take it out of the oven for you. I was like, all right, what do we got? And I popped in to see me up in bnla and he said, I reached out to my old ad. I mean, to the AD at my old school, and I want to go help them recruit. And I just didn't think twice about it. And I said, why would you go help somebody recruit? You should go for it and be a college head coach. And he looked at me and I said, I know it's not the norm. I get it. You don't go from youth to high school right into college, but you're far from the norm, and if anybody can do it, it's you. And that was how that all started.
- [10:05]
Ed Milet
So wait a minute. You were actually the person that encouraged them to coach instead of just recruit? Are you being serious? Oh, my gosh, Khan, that's crazy.
- [10:14]
Constance Schwartz Marini
I know.
- [10:16]
Ed Milet
Let's talk about branding for a second. I want to stay on that topic, you guys. We could go. This could be with Constance, like a nine hour episode, but I want it to be relevant for all of you. When you like Aaron Andrews, the Bellas, Snoop, Coach Prime, Michael Strahan, it would be easy for you to think, well, they're sort of already at this level. But then you could actually take me. And Khan did this with me as well. And so let's talk about branding, first of all, because I don't know if you remember this or not, but something really profound you said to me when we met, and it was many years ago, and I've. I've tried to stay true to this since. So I don't care if you have eight followers right now. Everybody just listen to this. I mean, another person, a great friend of ours named Kristen Proudy, introduced us, who was sort of believed in me, and I met Khan and she was a little bit skeptical of me, I think, because she had seen my content, Ferraris and Jets and all this stuff. And so we're about halfway through our lunch, and you went, oh, I like you and you're nothing like your brand. And you got to cut this crap out Quit posting your jet in your car. And you're really a good guy. You really care about people. But the. The point that I'm making was my brand took off when my brand was really me. In other words, I didn't have to create anything when I now that I met Coach Prime. Coach prime is his brand, right? Michael is this just super kind guy who you think he's your best friend with everybody that he meets. So if you were to give someone advice on their brand, they're not Coach prime, they're not some famous rapper, right now, would that be your advice? Like, start posting things that are just true organic to you, or is there some flavor in there you got to mix in as well to get any traction?
- [12:00]
Constance Schwartz Marini
I wasn't skeptical of you, okay? I knew how great you are and how smart you are, but it just was like you said, the jets and the Ferraris, you just expect this, you know, different person than who you are and all the messaging and the help that you provide people. So where I'm always coming from is this place. Just because you do have 5 million followers, that doesn't mean you're connecting to your audience and to your people. I don't have a lot of followers, but that, I guess, what's the word? Like the insights or the clicks or just the interactions I have with the people that do follow go far because I am who I am and I don't apologize for it. And I think that's where a lot of young people today are so caught up in putting out there what they think they need to because they see the world of plastic surgery or they see, you know, people spending more money on their cars than their homes. Like, things that are really should be your basic necessities. Who really cares, right? Like, it's truly about the messaging. It's truly what you're working on or giving back. It's the same thing that I tell so many of my friends who are freaking out about what college their kids going to. I went to SUNY Oswego, right? I did okay. Like, I have no issues what college someone goes to, and I even have no issues hiring somebody that doesn't go to college. As long as they have right work ethic, if they're giving back to society or to their community, that's way more important to me. And that's what I mean by a brand. And like, you nailed it. Coach prime, though, is known for creating the primetime brand and in college in his dorm room, but he's still two different brands almost, and he lives Both of them. When he's not working, when that camera's not on or the whistle's not on, he's sitting at country prime in the flats of Texas somewhere on his boat, fishing. That's really who he is. But when he has to be on, he's on. So just going back to what you're saying about your brand, really, in order for it to work, it has to be who you are, not who you think you are. In a sense, that's the disconnect so many people I think have a problem with. And once you can find that, it just goes like it really goes. It's the same thing when people say, you know, I'm so unhappy with myself. Well, then how do you expect people to be happy with you? Or how do you expect someone to have confidence in you if you don't have the confidence in yourself? And yes, this is a lot of self work and help and things of that nature. But this is what's worked for me and for our clients and continues to go down that path. Just shoot it straight. No one knows what to do with you when you tell the truth these days. It's the craziest thing.
- [14:41]
Ed Milet
It is. And that's one of your strengths too. Which in a minute, you guys we're gonna do is I'm gonna make Constance not be humble and tell you what, her sort of superpower. But I also. So, hey guys, I want to jump in here for a second and talk about change and growth. And you know, by the way, it's no secret how people get ahead in life or how they grow. And also taking a look at the future, if you want to change your future, you got to change the things you're doing. If you continue to do the same things, you're probably going to produce the same results. But if you get into a new environment where you're learning new things and you're around other people that are growth oriented, you're much more likely to do that yourself. And that's why I love Growth Day. Write this down for a second. Growthday.com forward/ed. My friend Brendan Burchard has created the most incredible personal development and business app that I've ever seen in my life. Everything from goal setting software to personal accountability journaling courses, thousands of dollars worth of courses in there as well. I create content in there on Mondays where I contribute as do a whole bunch of other influencers like the Avengers of influencers and business minds. In there, it's the Netflix for high achievers or people that want to be high achievers. So go check it out. My friend Brennan's made it very affordable, very easy to get involved. Growthday.com forward slash ed that's growthday.com forward slash ed this message is sponsored by Green Light. So you've probably been thinking about 2025 for quite a while now for everything you want to do, like deciding where to take the kids on vacation, everything you have to do, like figuring out your budget for the new year, all that stuff I have to tell you this year. I think you need green light in your life, especially if you have a family. 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These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. You know what she's really good at doing, too, is, like, finding, like, a vertical attached to what you already do that you can also monetize. It's something she's really good at doing. So I'll give you an example, and then I want you to talk about both these things, because also, it just shows you branding and how ballistic brands are now. So let's go to Aaron Andrews for a second, which is another person that Khan represents and helps. And, Aaron, you. And you decide. I want you. I want you to tell me why you did this. You created, like, an apparel line for Aaron, as I understand it. Okay. And I want you to talk about why you did that. Like, why her? Why would that be the right product for her? Because I think a lot of people listening to you, like, I don't even know what my niche would be as an entrepreneur. So Erin Andrews, if you don't know everybody, is a. A tremendously successful woman in the sports broadcast space, primarily. So that's not every day that someone then goes, I have a clothing line. All right, like, how's that correlated? And then tell them the Taylor Swift story so that everybody kind of understands the real power of a brand and how ballistic. Because it's not who you know anymore in business. It's who knows you.
- [19:02]
Constance Schwartz Marini
Well, I like that. I'm gonna have to use that ad. This all started at super bowl in San Francisco, which I believe was seven years ago. Aaron was doing something for the NFL with some fashion and the clothes they had wanted her to wear. She had to get a stylist and judge them a little bit, because back then, it was really shrinking. And Pinkett or bedazzles or big logos, which there's a huge market for, but there's also a huge market for sports fans like Erin and I, whose husband was playing for the Los Angeles Kings at the time, two times Stanley cup winner, that she couldn't find anything to wear that she was comfortable in. So one night at dinner, Aaron, with Jose Diaz and Karel Chen from our team, were literally just talking about women's licensed apparel and how there was white space for it. And they came up with this idea and said, we need to go for it, because you want to be able to show your team spirit and wear your colors but not have to be advertising it. So we said, what is the audience? What's the Demo for people like us. What is it that we can go buy? And it was very, very limited. And that's how it sparked. And that was on a Friday or Saturday and Monday. Erin called me. She's like, okay, who are we calling? I said, erin, the super bowl was yesterday. Now they go into a trade show preparing for the next year, and then we need to give people a week off. Like, let's get our act together. We'll come up with our plan, and then we'll go for it. And that's where the name came from, which is where by Erin Andrews. Because everywhere, anywhere, like, that was what it was all about. And we do have items for everybody. Some of the big logos and some things that are a little flashier, but for the most part, it's clothes that you can wear to the office, that you can wear to the bar. You can wear working out and still feel really good about yourself and have a nice fashion flair. And we're six years into this and talk about the perfect storm of things going wrong. We launched and the pandemic happens. So what shuts down retail? So we took a hit, but here we are still going strong and then tying it back to the Taylor Swift phenomenon. Aaron and I obviously send the line out to all of our friends and influencers and just true sports fans, whether it's through their publicists or managers or in some instances, to the talent directly. So Aaron, who's a huge swifty, even before all this, I have to clarify, sent Taylor a box. And sure enough, when Taylor went to her first Chiefs game, she was wearing our jacket. And we freaked out. Like, if there was the decibels of screams that were going on because we were all over the country and we didn't know Taylor was going to wear to that game. One of our execs was on a plane that they thought she was having a medical emergency because she was screaming so loud. So we have this group text, like, she wore our jacket. She wore our jacket. It's amazing, the Taylor effect. It really is. And then we were lucky enough for her to wear some jewelry. We have a partnership with bubble bar. And then super bowl was obviously the holy grail. She wore a jacket there again, so. And it just kept going. Because it's not just about the chief scare. It was like, oh, this is my team. I want to get the jacket that she had on. And then just from that look, who else has launched lines? I mean, you know, Kristen's got a line now with her, and it's just so great because we feel so honored and lucky that we were one of the first to do it in this sense for a fashion and forward audience, and just. It's a light bulb went off. Wow. Women are sports fans, really.
- [22:30]
Ed Milet
They are. What if someone like Taylor Swift. I'm just curious. I don't know. Someone like Taylor Swift wears your jacket. Let's just say what happens.
- [22:40]
Constance Schwartz Marini
You sell out.
- [22:42]
Ed Milet
Literally.
- [22:43]
Constance Schwartz Marini
Literally sold out. We had to get. Our manufacturer had to get going so quickly to try to restock because it was early in the season and, you know, when you manufacture overseas, you're a year out. So now we had to just get the blanks and do everything domestically. It was wild.
- [22:59]
Ed Milet
You know, there's so many things about you that kind of blow my mind. But I want everyone to step back because it's, you know, sometimes you just have to start a business and. And then let the doors open as they go, Everybody. So if you're sitting there going, I don't even know exactly what I'm going to do, or you're in. One stage of your business conscience was mainly, as I get it, in the media part, like, NFL stuff, right? Did you know anything about apparel at that time? When you, Michael, start smack, were you an apparel person? Because it was that part of the NFL that you dealt with. So is that part of why you kind of knew you could build a lane into that business with. Because Michael has his line, Is that why you went that direction, or did you have to learn that business?
- [23:39]
Constance Schwartz Marini
A lot of it. I learned as I go, but I started at the NFL as an assistant, so I wanted to be very clear for people that are listening to your podcast. I was not an executive. I was out of college and started. And back in the 90s, you were a secretary, which there's nothing wrong with, but I was, you know, knew I wanted to just go, go, go. And I was in corporate sponsorship first and then went to events and live events, but on any slow time or a weekend, I would go volunteer and just go to the other departments and just learn from them. Just beg for knowledge and for, you know, just anything so I could fully wrap my arms around what the whole business is. So when people say, oh, you must have gotten a master's, I'm like, nope. The NFL was my masters. I was there for 10 seasons, best 10 seasons, learned so much, pivoted, moved to Hollywood. I worked to work for a company called the Firm, which that's where I ended up learning talent management. But while we were there, Jeff Quantus and his team acquired Pony, which was a dormant brand which we brought back to life. And we're using, you know, the clients of the firm, you know, and just everything going on in pop culture. TRL was so big back then 106 and park, and you just dress people and go on. And so I just learned so much there. And then when we launched Stray Hand suit collection, that was just taking an opportunity that was in front of us and putting it on the rocket ship. And what I mean by that is, when he got the Regis job working with Kelly Ripa, you have now for Fox, his suits were all taken care of. You know, it's one day a week, half the year, but now he's on a daily talk show. So that's five suits a week. That's a lot of suits. And you didn't have a big clothing budget. So I just started calling all my friends, and somebody was like, can you get me ties? And another person said, hey, give these guys at Peerless a call. They manufacture some of the most beautiful suits. They love sports. I'm sure you guys can get a good deal with them. And that's how that literally started was they were helping us out making Michael some suits. And they had a relationship at JCPenney. And they called us, said, hey, you know, we're thinking about going to JCPenney's and launching a new men's line. And we think Michael's perfect with, you know, the role that he has now and the access and just, you know, being on TV six days a week, sometimes seven, with $100,000 pyramid. And we just said, let's go. So a lot of learning as I go still. I'm really good at what I know, Ed. I'm better knowing what I don't know and asking smarter people what to do. That's such a basic lesson that if more and more people would. Would just subscribe to that, it's okay to say, I don't know. Let me ask somebody who does. And that's. I'd say probably one of my superpowers.
- [26:18]
Ed Milet
I'm glad you just said that, because I want to ask you, what if I know? You won't tell me. So let's. Let's say I asked Michael. So Michael Strahan is their partner in smack. Because I. I want you to brag. And the only way I can think that get you to do it, tell me the truth is to pretend someone else is saying it for you. So, guys, I just want you to picture this, because I didn't even know that Constance, she's an assistant young lady at the NFL. And now truly, you guys, I mean truly, she's in, she has her hands on culture, not just apparel or media, like it's now culture. She's got, you know, prime season three out right now. She's got these brands. She's touching people that are in really every industry in the world. My industry, myself, the Bella twins, the sisters, I mean, we could go on and on. And by the way, and it's not thousands of people. She's very strategic too with who she works with. But almost all of them make waves in what they do, right? And obviously Michael's career, I mean, it's just, it's unreal. From football to sports to talk shows, to game shows like to apparel to entrepreneurship, to now smack like this iconic reach. Hey guys, when's the last time you knew you needed to go to the doctor but you pushed it off? You made an excuse? I'm gonna tell you a specific one. With me, for about a year, I've had this thing kind of growing on my earlobe and I kept putting it off and putting it off because we had moved and I didn't know what my new doctor was. And then Zocdoc started sponsoring my show and I'm like, now that's a killer idea. And so I use Zoc Doc to find the guy who ended up doing the treatment on my ear and removing this thing that was there that turned out to be pre cancer. Zoc Doc's a free app and a website where you can search and compare high quality in network doctors and click instantly to book an appointment. We're talking about booking in network appointments with more than 100,000 doctors across every specialty from mental health to dental health, primary care, urgent care and more. So stop putting off doctor appointments and go to Zocdoc.com mylet to find and instantly book a top rated doctor today. That's z o c-o c.com mylet zocdoc.com mylet.
- [28:38]
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- [29:15]
Ed Milet
If I asked Michael other Than the two of you are so close. And I think he ministered your wedding and, you know, you're super close. But if I said, michael, what is constant real talent and superpower, what would he tell me about you?
- [29:29]
Constance Schwartz Marini
I don't see limitations in people. That. That would probably be it. Because when the Regis opportunity came up, it wasn't. It started out he was filling in. Actually, it really started when he won the super bowl and Eli had to go to Disney, and so Eli couldn't go be the guest. So Michael went on with Regis and Kelly and had a great time. Fast forward a couple years later. Get the call, hey, Regis is on vacation. Would Michael want to fill in? I'm like, absolutely, you're going to go fill in. And while he was out there on set, I'm in his dressing room, and when he came back in, I just looked at him, I said, this is what you're going to do. And he's like, what are you talking about? I said, you're going to be a talk show host. He's like, I know I'm not. Didn't prepare for this. I'm not. This, this, and this. I was like, I don't care. This is what you're going to do. So that's probably what everybody would say, from Aaron to Dion to Tony Gonzalez. If I see it, then I know they can do it, which makes them think that they can also do it. I get motivated by Dion. Right. Like, he's one of the great. Like you, like, one of the greatest motivators are always thirsting for their daily messages and anything like that. But the trust that he has and what my vision is for him, I never take for granted or take it lightly. And I would say that's the way it is for all the clients because I don't see the limitations. And I also don't soft sell anything.
- [30:51]
Ed Milet
Yeah.
- [30:51]
Constance Schwartz Marini
You know, if. If Tony has an audition for a movie, I'm not telling him, you've got this, this and this. I just tell him, don't F it up. And he's like, I got it, I got it. But that's what your other reps or family members are for. You know, when anyone comes into the Smack family, they're told, if you don't want Constance's opinion, don't ask for it. Like, I just, it's just the way, I don't know, way I was raised or just never have. I always look at it. I don't have anything to lose, but I have everything to gain.
- [31:21]
Ed Milet
What I see in you, by the way, what you said about the limitations, I bet is absolutely true. It's cousin in terms of your gift, kind of like a cousin talent. I think that it's your level of certainty. Once you believe something in every exchange with everybody, the more certain person almost always influences, the less certain person. Right. Like if you're more certain than I am, you're eventually probably going to persuade me. And I think once you believe in something or someone, your ability to generate enough certainty within yourself. Khan. In that person or the idea overwhelms the obstacles. That's what I see in you. Do you agree with that, by the way? Once you. Your certainty level, like telling Michael in the dressroom, no, this is what you're going to do. Like just complete certainty. Right. And he's like, I don't know. You were more certain than him that he could be doing that. Thus it ends up happening. Now he's the one who did the work and the reps and was great on camera. But behind the scenes, it's the certainty level that you have in people or an idea. That's what I think is at least one of your 50 superpowers.
- [32:23]
Constance Schwartz Marini
That's a good description. I'm going to use that one too.
- [32:26]
Ed Milet
Yeah, It's a million percent true about you. What is a. How do you know you're not going to work with someone?
- [32:34]
Constance Schwartz Marini
There's a couple things. We can't want it more than they want it. And you can usually tell when you're in a meeting with. With somebody if, if they're sort of looking to you. I don't want to say get them there, because that's what we're here for. But we can't want their success more than they want their success. And you, you can usually pick up on that. And the other thing, honestly, is I'm in my back nine. Life's too short to work with assholes. So if somebody comes in, just like, they've got that sort of edge. Not a good edge, you know, like just the. A hole edge. I'm like, I'm good. And I tell the next generation, if you guys want to go after this one, go for it. But I'm. I'm tapping out.
- [33:13]
Ed Milet
So you won't. You will help me walk into a room. I was just watching something with. I think it was on another podcast President Obama was on and he was. He made a comment, I just want your feedback. I think a lot of people listen to be like, what's it like to be in rooms that Khan is in. So if she's got to get, you know, she's trying to get a game show sold or she's doing something with the Emmys or whatever, Fox Sports or an parallel line or negotiating a deal with Amazon or a deal for me with Sirius XM or whatever the heck it is, right? So you're in there with some high level players. And so Obama said in this interview, he's like, you know, I used to think when you'd walk in a room with these people, like, they're gonna be like, brilliant. And all of them are amazing and intimidating. And he's like, you know, I don't know if you saw that clip. He's like, man, not so much. What's it like for you when you walk into these rooms and you're gonna go take everybody that someday wants to be in these rooms, what's it really like to be in those rooms with those people? Is it more intimidating? Are they more brilliant than you would think? Is it a mixed bag? Is it meh, like Obama said, like, what would you say?
- [34:21]
Constance Schwartz Marini
It's a mixed bag. And look, I have the same insecurities that your listeners do. You know, it's like that imposter syndrome or fake it till you make it. But when I'm negotiating for somebody else, I'm unstoppable. If I'm negotiating for myself, I'll get walked all over. But if it's when I'm negotiating for a client, even a friend or a family member, I will take you down to get what I need to get for the person I'm negotiating on behalf of. But right before I go into those rooms, usually I have to run and pee because I'm like, oh my gosh, I got to like, just clear my head. Clear my head. If I'm driving somewhere, I like to listen To Lose Yourself by Eminem. That's sort of like my, you know, that, that beat in the thing gets my confidence up. And then once I'm in there, it, it's, you know, out of the gate who you're up against. I can tell if somebody is misogynistic, which, yes, it still exists today. I can tell if they've done their research. And the one thing that I have learned, which I wish I learned at a younger age, is God gave us two eyes, two ears and one mouth. Listen and look. It's okay not to have to be the first one to speak. It's okay to take it all in. And that's really what changed for me. Probably in my 40s was realizing I don't have anything to prove. I need to listen to what they have to say to get my negotiating tactics together. And that's how I'll, like, read the room and then go for it. There's some rooms that I'm in awe. I will say I've been fortunate enough to be around Jeff Bezos and truly, not only is he brilliant, but one of the nicest people I've been lucky enough to be around. Michael Strahan went up in his rocket, and so we got to spend time there. And it's just some of the most basic principles. When you hear him coming from him, you're just like, oh, my gosh, wow. And, you know, same with. There's certain athletes that just, yes, they're amazing on field, but they're just as amazing off field. I've been lucky enough to go to the White House and that was, you know, and I went with a girlfriend under Clinton's presidency, which was really cool. But once you're there and you do realize Obama's president. Obama's right. Like, it's true. Like, there are going to be certain moves that there are people smarter than you and some that, you know, you're smarter than them. And I just like to take it all in. And I always learn from a situation. Like I always say, it's not a failure if you can learn from it. Like, I went to work in the music industry for a little under a year. I knew the first second day wasn't for me, but if I didn't take that job, I wouldn't have understood and learned the music business, which then takes me to the firm where I end up being Snoop Dogg's manager. So for me, in the time, I didn't love it, but then I learned so much in that short period that I was able to apply to future Space. So that that's helped me even, like I said, getting fired. Like, I was always the teacher's pet. And this happening, I mean, it took me to my knees and I couldn't believe it. But at the same time, if that didn't happen, I wouldn't have had, you know, basically not even confidence, but I wouldn't have had to start my own company.
- [37:25]
Ed Milet
Gosh, I'm just thinking about everybody you work with and how diverse the group is too. Like, what this is going to be the kill. This is the all time question. What does Michael Strahan, Snoop Whiz Coach Prime, Aaron Andrews and the Bellas. Let's just take that collection of some of them. What do they have in common? Like, what's the through line? Because they're all immensely successful at what they do, right? Like, now, that's the hardest question in the history of podcasts to answer. But if anybody's qualified to answer it. And by the way, and you, what's the through line on this group that might surprise us that they all actually have in common multi hyphenate.
- [38:12]
Constance Schwartz Marini
And what that means is they're great at the main thing. You know, Aaron for broadcasting, Nikki and Bri were wrestlers. You know, Michael had this great on field. Dion great on field. But everything that they learned, they can now take that to go after what's next for them. And it's. It's the word I use as a multi hyphenate, because there are some people that are one dimensional and they're fantastic at it, whether they're winning an Oscar or Nobel Peace Prize. And they're very content in that sort of one vertical. But everyone that you named were not satisfied in being the best in that one vertical. They wanted to keep going. And that goes back to what I said earlier, which is, I can't want it more than them. And these people are never satisfied, and I'm never satisfied. This is something we're all trying to get better at. We never stop and celebrate the win. We get the win and we're like, okay, what's next? What's next? A guy named Coach Ray Forsett. He's part of Coach Prime's team, like, is right up there with, with, you know, the role I play. He's more on field. And we've been together, you know, doing this for years and years and years. He worked with coach back from truth and high school. And when we were in New York after Travis won the Heisman, Travis Hunter won the Heisman. And we were at this awesome party we threw at the Long Club. We flew in coaches and his teammates and boosters, donors, and everyone's there. And we leave the Heisman ceremony, we get there and Ray and I finally just grabbed each other and just had like. It was like, no, it was like a scene out of a movie. No one else was in the room. It was know, Coach Ray and I, we just said, holy, you know, look what happened. Because we were Travis in high school when, you know, he was going to come, you know, play for coach at Jackson State, like, he left going to a power of five because he believed in the vision that we all had for him, which was to be able to play both sides of the ball and even Though, you know, you didn't think you were going to get nationally televised games. And this is before Nil was niln was a thing. But he believed in the vision that we all had for him. And that was one of the few times that we all stopped to just say, okay, let's take one minute and just be in awe of what, you know, we've all created together. And the other thing I'll go back to, what do they all have in common? They're teammates. They're team oriented. Everybody at SMAC is team oriented. Not just people that work here, but the clients. Like, if I called Aaron and said, hey, would you do a post for Coach Prime Season 3? She's like, yeah, just tell me what you need me to say if I call her. I mean, if, if Michael needs Dion to come on the show, Dion will come on Good Morning America. It's, it just, it works, you know, and it, even if you think about Strahan, he's on Good Morning America on abc, and then he's on NFL on Fox and how we can get those guys to work together. And it's been like this. I don't know how long Michael's even been in the ABC family now. I think it's 12 or 13, 14 years, something like that. And the fact that Michael's covering the super bowl this year, ABC wants to use one of the interviews from the Super Bowl. Everybody works together. And I would say that probably starts at the top. And that's how Michael and I always wanted it to be. And if you look at Coach prime, now one of the greatest coaches of our generation, if not, you know, more like, it's, it's same principles and same work ethic. It's about, you know, teammates and helping each other out.
- [41:40]
Ed Milet
This is so good, by the way. This is not a conversation that many people can have with someone like you. Right. How high is the interest rate for the new Laurel Road High Yield Savings Account?
- [41:56]
Constance Schwartz Marini
This high.
- [41:59]
Ed Milet
The air is really hurting, really thin up here. The Laurel Road Very High Yield Savings Account. Variable annual percentage yield APY is subject to change at any time. No minimum balance required. Fees may reduce earnings on the account. For full terms and conditions, see LaurelRoad.comSavings. laurel Road is a brand of key bank member FDIC. I want to talk about your motives. I know what. It's not because I've dealt with you, actually, it makes me, I don't know why. I just, that was weird. It's got emotional. I just think it's, I, I, it's not money with you. It's not. And so I think most people become entrepreneurs for money. And, and I don't think that it's okay, but it's a really hard motive to keep you going when there's a lack of it for so long, if that's your main jam. And for you, I just know through different things we've done together, it's just not even in the top. It's not anywhere near the top. I don't even, I, I don't, I wouldn't even let you tell me it was because I know it's not. So, like, do you think that's an important quality that money's not first? And then what is it for you? Like, what do you love about this? Like, what's your motivation? Like what? Or inspiration? Like, why do you do this? Because I know it ain't money.
- [43:21]
Constance Schwartz Marini
I know it ain't money either. I'd have that plane right next to you. Someone once told me, I can't remember who it is because I would love to give them credit. If you do good work, the money comes. And when you grow up not having money, it just, we made it right. Like, my mom figured it out. She was a single mom, she owned a flower shop. My dad worked for the transit authority and then he was out of the picture for a while. So, you know, we just figured it out. And I didn't know what we didn't have because my mom just never complained about it. It was just, we figured it out. And that's, I think a big motivator for me is I'm always going to figure it out and I'm not going to want to have to depend on somebody to do it. And that's because how I was raised, good or bad, and big motivator for me, everybody that tells me I can't do something, that's my, okay, watch me. Because that's been my whole career and it is still to this day. And I even just me personally or your client will never be able to do that. Like when Michael was up for the Regis job, they're never going to put, you know, a D lineman that played in the NFL next to Kelly Ripa. I'm like, okay, watch, you know, and just even with Good Morning America, like, he sits next to Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos, two of the most well respected journalists and he won a Peabody like from a story that he reported on. So anytime people tell us we can't do something and we're living that every day, not just With Coach prime, but with Travis, with Shador Sanders, with Shiloh Sanders, like all everybody, whether you like coach or don't like coach, you have to respect what he's built. And the fact that he's turned two college programs around in the last four years and we're sending a few kids to the NFL draft this year, that's another great motivator for me. Like when, I mean, there's always a cycle of just, you know, the media, there's hatred that comes from him. And I get calls from amazing friends in the business, like, and I mean, very successful. Fancy saying, do you need help like this? The media is killing him. I'm like, nope. Like we've seen this before. We're going to ignore it because it's going to turn. Because I know he's going to win. And they're like, how do you know? I go, I don't know. I just do. Whether it's faith, blind faith, you know, whatever you believe in. But this is going to turn around. And I think it worked out.
- [45:43]
Ed Milet
It worked out really good. She's a, she's an incredible. Just because when people are on that, I know you guys, I want to also brag on them a little bit if I know something to brag on them about. The certainty thing I said earlier is true and she's just a massive advocate for other people. And when you're that person, good things happen to you. By the way, on Coach prime, you're not speaking for him. I'm just asking your opinion. He has turned around two college football programs. Do you think at some point in his life he may turn around an NFL football program or do you think that he would not just. Just your opinion?
- [46:18]
Constance Schwartz Marini
My opinion is he's very happy where he is right now and I can't imagine him coaching at the professional level against his children. So rather stay in college at Colorado to do that.
- [46:36]
Ed Milet
Gotcha. Okay, fair enough. I had to ask that because if I don't ask that, I'm gonna get killed for not asking that question in the interview. You know, I think one of your best things is you're a connector of people and you can bring a lot to the table. You know, people, you have value in life with what your ideas are. You have value in life with what your talents and skills are. But you also have value in life if you can conn people together. You have really good relationships people and by the way, they're respect based. I remember the first time not name dropping. It just happened. First time I mentioned to Alex Rodriguez about you. And he's like, oh, con. Okay, yeah, dude, she's a serious lady. She's awesome. But you do not want to mess with. I just want to say this, everybody, because you're meeting this very sweet, nice person here today. Everyone in the industry also knows this. You better not cross one of KH's clients, because you're going to get the wrath of KH if that ends up happening. This is a tough woman as well. But how have you. Do you have an intentional way? Or is it just like your gift at building relationships with people? You said something earlier about sending the all the influencer friends, you know, packages. Now obviously that's. Maybe they'll share it, maybe they'll wear it. But you are. You're real high touch on relationships as well. Is that an intentional thing? And how do you do it?
- [47:53]
Constance Schwartz Marini
I'm an only child and didn't come from a big family. Like, any of my cousins were older than me. So I just. It's not like I realized this as I was doing it, but I had. I still probably have like five different groups of friends, but I could bring them all together and they all get along because they all have, you know, just the same sort of commonality, which is they're good, fun people that would take that 3am phone call. And that's how it all kind of started, which, the networking or whatever it is. And I also, my very first boss at the NFL, a woman named Maureen Rosenberg, to this day, one of my closest friends. But she was so instrumental in teaching me how to be a good business person. And so much of that was networking. And to this day, I can pick up the phone and call somebody from 30 years ago and say, hey, I know we haven't talked, but would you be interested in this or would you know that person? And I get the same phone calls. I got a text today from somebody I worked with at the NFL in the mid-90s that they were inquiring about a potential client coming in. And I love that. Like, that's so important. And, you know, I always tell, whether it's the people I mentor or the team here, don't burn a bridge. You can stand up for yourself, all the things, but don't burn a bridge. And there's a few people that have burned bridges with me, unfortunately, and those are phone calls I won't take. I can forgive, but I don't forget. My mom, on the other hand, sees the good in everybody, loves everybody. I did not get that gene from.
- [49:21]
Ed Milet
Her mom just Had a big birthday. Tell them that. What was mom's birthday? Just happened, right?
- [49:26]
Constance Schwartz Marini
99.
- [49:27]
Ed Milet
99, yeah.
- [49:29]
Constance Schwartz Marini
God bless her. We're going to Vegas for 100th.
- [49:32]
Ed Milet
That's awesome. Mama's awesome. Okay, we only get a few more questions to ask you, by the way. Welcome, everybody. You're inside the mind and the ideas of one of the most, you know, influential people I know. Actually, probably the most influential person that I know. So you mentioned earlier the misogynistic thing. I just want to ask you about that because a higher percentage of women listen to the show now than men. Although I'm grateful that there's millions of people that listen and watch of, you know, both genders. But having said that, is there any advice you would give to a woman in business or entrepreneur or entrepreneur or just an executive in business that is unique to women when they walk in a room or are doing a deal or trying to get a meeting with somebody? Is there something that I wouldn't know that you know, that you would share with them?
- [50:21]
Constance Schwartz Marini
My first thing, and this isn't always a popular opinion. Just because you don't get the meeting doesn't mean you're not getting it because you're a woman. Like, you have to learn to separate that maybe I just wasn't good enough, you know, in the room, or I, you know, didn't present a good enough, you know, document or whatever it is. So you have to make sure you're going into it with an open mind and objectivity of yourself. Because I'm the first to say that had nothing to do with it. Like, someone just texted me something like, they're not calling me back because I'm a woman. I'm like, no, you just aren't the right person for the job. Like, that is nothing to do with it. So that's tough because that means you have to look in the mirror and look inside and say, you know, was I the right person, you know, to get this meeting? Then it's take the emotion out of it. How can I go into this room knowing that they are going to be misogynistic? I'm going to pick up on it, but I can't let it impact my head or my game. And I have to just look at this, you know, for what it is and then flip them. Like, just force them to know that doesn't matter what gender the person is sitting across from you. I'm the best person to be in this room right now. And I'm human. Don't get me wrong. I'll walk out of a room, just be so mad and all the things. But at the same time, the one thing you can control is your emotions and your destiny. And I will just decide, you know what, that might have been a great opportunity, but I don't want to be in business with that person. Like, we were taking some meetings in the private equity world, and I'd be in a room and I could pick it up immediately, and I'd walk out and I'd say, not the right team. And they'd like, we got it. Like, the first time, they didn't like the guys that were representing us. And then after that, they were trying to look at it through my lens, and they were like, you were right. Like, no worries. Like, let's keep it going. So that's a big thing. And then, you know, there's so many of these magazines or awards that they say, you know, the best female in this or this, this. And I said that at some point we just have to be the best because there's no awards or any of that. He's the best man in this field. Like, he's just the best. So I know I can start my path to retirement when people are just being identified as the best, not the best female.
- [52:30]
Ed Milet
So good. You. You guys hear the certainty thing now that I said it, how there's this. She's got this real thing of, of certainty when she's, when she influences. It's super deep. Okay. I'm running out of time. And this sucks because by the way, we should do this, like, way more often because there really is, like, nine hours. I. I have not even got to, like, 30 of the things I wanted to ask you. It would. Okay, good. I'm glad to hear that. It would be. It wouldn't be a full interview. I didn't ask you about your partnership and relationship with Strahan, with Michael. It is, it is a really special dynamic. And a lot of people have a difficult time with their business partner. Right. Like when I coach entrepreneurs, usually not in the beginning, but usually middle or late stage businesses, almost always it's like my partner's not as motivated as they used to be. They're not carrying their weight. We can't agree on the direction or one of us wants to exit, one of us doesn't. And it seems at least my experience of being involved and then watching you over the years, that this has really been a very effective partnership. I'm sure there's been stuff behind the scenes. So why has this worked with you and Michael, it seems like there's sort of one person in front. One's mainly behind the scenes. Is it that you each know your lane and your role? Like, what is it about this relationship? And then just describe your relationship overall with Michael in your life.
- [53:58]
Constance Schwartz Marini
It's. It's always evolving. And we're so lucky and we're so blessed because, yeah, of course. Do you have your, you know, little spats here and there, but it's more of a brother, sister. We were both raised with the same work ethics. You know, his dad would say, when, not if. My mom would say, go, Cleveland if you think it's yours. So different verbiage, but same messaging to us. And both work so hard. All of our families, you know, all the things. And we met when I was working at the NFL. So when I left the NFL, I made an assumption that a lot of these guys, that I couldn't help anymore, I wouldn't be friends with. And to his credit and Tony Gonzalez's credit, those were real friends. And so when Stray retired, he was calling me for advice. And I just said, listen, why wouldn't I just manage you at this point? Like, I don't mind giving you advice, but you don't have a talent manager. I said, you have Snoop. He said, I'm not as big as Snoop. I said, you're not today, but you're going to be. And he was like, really? I'm like, yeah. And that's how that started. And then it was a year after that that he was always in the office, like, just trying to learn or ask me to go to meetings. And I said, you know what? Control your destiny. Look at what Jay Z did with Roc Nation or Jon Bon Jovi with his management company, throw down and just become another partner here. And he did it. And this was before he had the Regis job, so he was obviously on NFL on Fox. But we were develop in development. We're producing, you know, we're trying to build and create things. So it wasn't a defined lane, per se, because he would take meetings that, you know, I couldn't be in, et cetera. And as this all sort of evolved, we just. It was almost unspoken, like, obviously, he's the on camera guy. I'm not being on camera person. And so it was easy in that sense. But when we have pitches, you know, for our scripted or unscripted or, you know, documentaries, if he's on, I'm not on. Like, it's rare if we're both on. So he does, you know, do what he can do from a timing perspective, but we just truly want what's best for each other. We really just believe in each other. If I'm having a down day, he'll. He'll pick up on it and call like, what's up, boss? And we, we may not agree in the beginning, but we always get to the same answer. And sometimes I think he does that just to mess with me, just so I know he's paying attention. Like, why are you torturing me? Like, I have enough trouble. And even though Coach Prime's, you know, not technically, like, a partner in this company, he's done more for. For us and for me personally and putting me out front over the last few years. Like, I. I can't thank him enough. Like, everyone says it's the Smack family, and it really is. We're really lucky. And if you believe in fate or a higher power, previous lives, like, I definitely have come across these spirits somewhere else.
- [56:45]
Ed Milet
No, I believe that. And it really is, guys, because I've just been around it enough myself. Like, it really is a family feeling company. And that's a great. For those of you that are building an environment, because Smack's a big company, but it's not in the sense that there's not a ton of people. They manage, but their influence is global and massive. Yet you feel like you're dealing with, like, kind of a mother and father or brother and sister and Michael and Constance, and then like cousins and sons and daughters work there. And in some cases, it literally is family. But I think you got to build that family environment in your business, you guys. I just. I think that's one of the key keys. And then the two of you are just great friends.
- [57:25]
Constance Schwartz Marini
Know your culture. You know, smack stands for sports, media and culture. And we will not change the culture here. If someone comes in and I can tell they're easily, you know, offended or overly sensitive. Look, we're not the right place, and that's okay. Like, there's nothing wrong with that. But in entertainment and sports, it's 24, seven year round, and we don't have time, you know, for just the slowness or whatever. It's like. And that's a. And there's nothing wrong with it. It's just you've got to have a certain, you know, mentality to. To be in this field.
- [57:53]
Ed Milet
It's bananas. You just said that. Because that was my last question. I want people. No, I want people to know the work part. And so we've got a lot of thoughts and ideas and Ideology and philosophy today and some behind the scenes. Then there's the work. And, man, everybody would love to be Emmy nominated. Everybody would love to be able to drop the names you do or be in the rooms you're in. Not everybody would work the hours. And so just for real stuff, like real entrepreneur talk for a second, what does work look like for you? And I mean, be serious here, Khan, like, how many days a week, how many days a month, hours a day, percentage of your life, however you want to describe it, would you say goes towards everything we're discussing today?
- [58:37]
Constance Schwartz Marini
Oh, a thousand percent, you know, and I'm sure with all the entrepreneurs you've had on your show and you being one of the best that I know, you've probably seen, this poster or even invented shows an iceberg, right? And it shows that. So there's the iceberg and then there's the ocean. And everyone talks about, you know, success. Everyone talks about this glacier, this iceberg that you see on top of the ocean. But an entrepreneur is everything that's below. That's taken thousands or millions of years for this glacier to form. It's not overnight by any means. So it is seven days a week. And I do try to take vacations and the team does their best to have me not be on calls or this. But when you own the business and you're in the business of people, you can't always turn it off. So if I do get my downtime, I'll check emails in the morning, at night, but I'll say, let me not do my calls, things like that. That's all I ever want is just a day without a zoom. I'm good. I can be on my emails all day. I just don't want to be on these zooms all day because it's so much. But again, I've always worked this hard, even as an assistant, and I love it. Like, I thrive on it. And that's not for everybody, and that's okay. But if you are going to own your own business, it never closes. And I didn't know I was an entrepreneur in my 20s. I had no idea. Just like, I didn't know what Cal was, right? Like, I mean, it wasn't the word in the 90s that was thrown around the way it is today. But if I identified the talent at smac, and I don't mean the clients, they each have an entrepreneurial spirit. I can put somebody that's on the talent side on the creative and development side for production. I took someone that was on the Talent side and moved them over to licensing, and they've soared. Corral channeling, overseeing the brands there. And I said it earlier, I know what I'm good at, but I'm better at knowing what I'm not good at. And I brought a COO in April greenhorn 3 years ago who literally has changed how I operate the trajectory of this business. Because I was just like, let's go, let's go, let's go. We had business managers, but there was nobody doing the quarterly updates and putting goals and. And just things that are so basic. But when you're the creative, you don't always have time to focus on that. So I just keep trying to find the right talent to surround myself to keep building this business so I can take a vacation.
- [60:57]
Ed Milet
Oh, it's. You have to schedule her vacations. People ask me who Khan is. Last time I saw Khan, we had dinner and I walked out and I won't say who it was, but a very well known person knew who you were, but couldn't quite remember. You couldn't figure it out. I was in the parking lot getting my car and they said, who's.
- [61:15]
Constance Schwartz Marini
Who's that is Schwartz.
- [61:17]
Ed Milet
I said, I said. And they asked me about you. I said jokingly, I said, there's no Illuminati, but if there was an Illuminati, she would be one of the founding members. She'd be one of the organizers. It's just a fact. So I love you. And this was like world class today. Like world class conversations. So, so good. Thank you for being here, by the way.
- [61:41]
Constance Schwartz Marini
Kidding. I so nervous. All the people you have on here. I was like, gosh, I hope I don't disappoint, embarrass myself or you.
- [61:47]
Ed Milet
Stop it. That was unbelievable. You guys. This is Constance Schwarz, Marini Smack Entertainment. SMAC is who you guys can go check out. But she really wants you to go check out season three of Coach prime on Amazon right now. And I'm tell you, it's the best of the three seasons and all three have been incredible. And she's on it. You're actually going to see Constance on it, so. So it's worth tuning in just for that alone. Thanks, Khan.
- [62:11]
Constance Schwartz Marini
Thanks, Ed. I appreciate you.
- [62:12]
Ed Milet
All right, God bless you, everybody. Max out Share this Episode this is the Ed Milan show.