🎙️ Show Me the Money: Inside the Business of Sports with Phil Stoneman

In this power-packed episode of Transforming the Game, Kristina Katsanevas sits down with Phil Stoneman, founder and CEO of M5 Management and one of Australia’s leading authorities in sports management, athlete representation, and sponsorship strategy.

From negotiating multi-million-dollar deals with global giants like Lexmark, Kellogg’s, Ampol, and Citibank, to mentoring both world champions and executives finding purpose beyond the boardroom, Phil shares the raw, real, and often surprising truths about what it really takes to succeed in the sports business.

Phil’s journey is driven by a personal story of “what could have been,” and it’s shaped his relentless passion for helping athletes—and now executives—realize their full potential. Whether you’re an aspiring athlete, brand builder, or leader in transition, this episode will challenge what you think you know about value, selling, and success.

🔥 Why You Need to Listen
• Discover how athlete management is more than mentorship—it’s a business transaction.
• Learn why you have to double your sponsorship investment to see results
• Understand how to properly value sports assets—and why most brands get it wrong.
• Hear Phil’s emotional story that sparked his obsession with potential and performance.
• Learn how the same resilience in sport applies to life after corporate.
• Gain insight into athlete mental health and identity loss after retirement—and how M5 tackles it.
• Get inspired by real-life transformations, including the story of a world Ironman champion and a corporate exec who just needed a second shot.

📌 Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Phil Stoneman and His Journey

12:52 Unfulfilled talent. Pushing 1% of 1%

15:49 The Art of Athlete Management

18:22 Understanding the Value of Athletes

21:38 The Sales Process in Sports Sponsorship

24:21 Evaluating Sponsorship Assets

27:40 The Importance of Activation in Sponsorships

30:41 Challenges in Selling Sponsorships

33:39 The Role of Athlete Managers

36:19 Setting Athletes Up for Success

40:13 Navigating Mental Health in Sports Management

42:34 Transitioning Athletes to Life After Sports

43:02Executive can run too, life after corporate

51:06 Curiosity, power of yes & Sliding doors

56:18 Paying It Forward: Supporting Future Generations

📲 Connect with Phil Stoneman & M5 Management
🌐 Website: www.m5management.com.au
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m5management/
🎥 M5 Showreel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9ShlrQoz7Y

Connect with Kristina

Follow me: ⁠https://beacons.ai/transformingthegame⁠

Web: ⁠https://www.kristinakatsanevas.com⁠

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformingtheGamePodcast

Do you or know someone who has a story that has to be told? Email ea@kkatsa.com.au

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