SportsEpreneur

Don’t run from the truth. Examine yourself. Understand how to play the game within the game. Reggie Walker, ex-NFL LB & Captain shares space with Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CSW, the host of the AthMindset podcast series on SportsEpreneur.

Reggie Walker is a mental, physical, and sexual abuse survivor and survivor advocate. He is a TEDx Speaker | Board Member of 1in6.org. Reggie is an entrepreneur and the author of the book, “The Game Within The Game”. 

Reggie and Lisa discuss:

Transitioning out of football | suicide | trauma | life or death | fight or flight | don’t run from the truth | your mind as an asset or your own worst enemy | sitting with yourself | reasons to live | walking | so much more.

This is an essential episode for athletes, those supporting athletes, and those looking to better understand athletes. Reggie is a helper. And it’s obvious five minutes into this conversation how special of a person Reggie is. We’re blessed to have him on the AthMindset / SportsEpreneur platform.

This is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. And it’s all about mental health in sports.

From Lisa:

I’m Lisa Bonta Sumii and this is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. 

This podcast series is a space for conversations with athletes, coaches, practitioners, and stakeholders in sports. And it’s where those individuals share their perspectives, experiences, and thoughts on mental health in sports. 

Eric Kasimov of SportsEpreneur is generously hosting the AthMindset Podcast Series on his platform as he deeply believes that these conversations are essential and deserve to be prioritized.

This is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. SportsEpreneur — the content platform where sports, entrepreneurship, and mental health collide!

If you are looking to start a podcast or create original content, you have to talk with the team at SportsEpreneur. I work with them and I vouch for them. It’s that simple. Go to SportsE.io to learn more.

Are you an athlete or entrepreneur looking to create content? Learn More.

Useful web pages from this episode:

More content on Football and Mental Health:

Let’s Connect:

That’s a wrap:

Eric Kasimov is the founder of SportsEpreneur, part of the KazSource media network. Since launching the platform in 2015, he has hosted over 500 podcast episodes, written and published more than 1,500 articles, and advised business leaders, founders, and creators on building authority through media strategy.

Through his brands — KazSource, KazCM, SportsEpreneur, and QuietLoud Studios — Eric leads teams that produce podcasts, develop brand platforms, and help companies grow through modern content ecosystems. He also scaled KazSource Insurance into a seven-figure boutique agency, providing the foundation for the broader media network he operates today.

His work has been featured in Forbes, Axios, and Front Office Sports, and his podcasts have included conversations with top founders, investors, and athletes turned entrepreneurs.

This is a special episode where Alan Major, college basketball coach, and CEO Peter Fuller hosts two former professional athletes now entrepreneurs and leaders, David West and Gary Brackett. 

This episode is filled with energy, no-nonsense, flat-out leadership, and fundamentals.

David West played in the NBA from 2003 to 2018. He played for the Hornets, Pacers, Spurs, and the Golden State Warriors. He is a 2 time NBA Champion. 

Gary Brackett played his entire NFL career for the Indianapolis Colts where he was a Super Bowl Champion. As an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers University, he became a starter and key player for the Colts during his time in the NFL. 

More about the guests: Gary Brackett and David West

David West, COO of the Professional Collegiate League (PCL)

Twitter Bio: It is the knowledge that I am going to die that creates the focus that I bring to being alive.

Connect: Twitter

Gary Brackett, Founder and CEO of Champ Builders Coaching

Gary helps entrepreneurs and small business owners increase their profitability, efficiencies, and effectiveness – so they can spend less time drowning in their day-to-day business operations.

Buy Gary’s new book

Connect: Twitter

About the hosts of Locker Room to Board Room on SportsEpreneur

Alan Major: Basketball Coach, Consultant, Speaker | Former podcast guest himself: SE34 | Coach Alan Major | Talking the Great Game of Basketball | Connect on Twitter

Peter Fuller: CEO Catipult.Ai and 8/6 Executive Club | Helping CEOs grow businesses by aligning their team behind a strategic plan | Connect on LinkedIn

We’re honored to host this episode on SportsEpreneur. This episode and this platform is all about colliding sports and entrepreneurship. 

Useful web pages from this episode:

• SportsEpreneur
• 8/6 Executive Club
• Coach Alan Major
• The Professional Collegiate League
• Champions Academy
• KazCM Podcast Production

More content on athletes turned business leaders:

• SE44 | Making a Splash with USA Olympic Gold Medalist, Cullen Jones (Part 1)
• SE19 | Chimdi Chekwa | Ohio State Buckeye For Real

Connect with SE:

• SportsEpreneur: Twitter
• Eric Kasimov: Twitter, LinkedIn

That’s a wrap:

• Thank you for listening to this Locker Room to Board Room episode with Gary Brackett & David West.
• SportsEpreneur podcast episodes are all about colliding sports and entrepreneurship.
• We hope you will Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you take in your podcasts!
• Intro Music, “escape” was provided by Pluto Tracks. 
• Check out more from our content platform: SportsEpreneur. The place where sports, entrepreneurship, and mental health collide!

Brent Musburger. Known for the lines he dropped. Dropped a profound one on Steve Lavin when he was coming up in the broadcasting world: “Stay interested kid.”

This SportsMatterz podcast episode features that story told by Steve Lavin about that day in Detroit, Michigan when Brent Musburger gave this wisdom in three short words that we can now all use.

This SportsMatterz episode is from the podcast conversation featuring coach and broadcast analyst, Steve Lavin.

Listen to that full episode here: ClutchTimeout | Steve Lavin | Leading From Inside the Huddle

Coach Lavin has spent time with both the UCLA Bruins and St. Johns University as the Head Basketball Coach. And is currently an analyst with Fox Sports and CBS Turner.

Also in this episode is Coach Alan Major. Our relationship with Coach Maj started on Twitter many years ago and has led to many conversations, podcast recordings, and even new connections, like this one with Coach Steve Lavin. We are grateful for our friendship with Coach Alan Major. Be sure to check out more episodes featuring Coach Alan Major:

ClutchTimeout | Thad Matta | Championship Culture Stories

ClutchTimeout | Fran Fraschilla | Leading Through Adversity

SE34 | Coach Alan Major | Talking the Great Game of Basketball

What is SportsMatterz

Welcome to SportsMatterz, a SportsEpreneur Podcast Series bringing you focused content on a significant thought or topic related to the world of sports and entrepreneurship.

And if you’re interested in being featured in a future SportzMatterz podcast:

Brent Musburger: “You are looking live…”

Useful links from this episode:

Connect with us:

Wrap Up:

Eric Kasimov is the founder of SportsEpreneur, part of the KazSource media network. Since launching the platform in 2015, he has hosted over 500 podcast episodes, written and published more than 1,500 articles, and advised business leaders, founders, and creators on building authority through media strategy.

Through his brands — KazSource, KazCM, SportsEpreneur, and QuietLoud Studios — Eric leads teams that produce podcasts, develop brand platforms, and help companies grow through modern content ecosystems. He also scaled KazSource Insurance into a seven-figure boutique agency, providing the foundation for the broader media network he operates today.

His work has been featured in Forbes, Axios, and Front Office Sports, and his podcasts have included conversations with top founders, investors, and athletes turned entrepreneurs.

A personal biochemistry wizard for the world’s best athletes. That’s Ashley Besecker. An innovator in the nutrition space. She even coined her specialty, Functional Performance Nutrition. What does all that mean? Well, this podcast episode featuring a conversation between Lisa Bonta Sumii and Ashley Besecker gets into just that. And two of her clients will explain what Ashley does from their perspectives: Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird.

As Megan Rapinoe says, “She’s Amazing! Ok so she does this really amazing thing called nutrigenetics which is basically looking at the individual architecture of a person and then designing the whole plan based on that so nutrition plan and training plan. Umm, it’s pretty incredible. We loved it.” – Megan Rapinoe, NWSL, USWNT

As Sue Bird says, “We (Megan and I) did DNA, gave a little saliva, and then we gave our bloodwork to Ashley and then from there she was able to like, dissect us or something! The micronutrient analysis was the most important for me.” – Sue Bird, WNBA, USAB

So yeah, when it comes to biochemistry for athletes, Ashley Besecker is the one to talk to. So we did just!

In this AthMindset episode, Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CSW, shares space with Ashley Besecker, and they talk all things functional nutrition performance, the impact of food on and off the field/court, and why everyone needs to understand what food is best for them.

Ashley has a B.S. in Nutritional Science from Pepperdine University, a Dietetic Internship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and a Genetics and Genomics Certificate from Stanford University.

As Ashley Besecker says, “we live in an oversaturated world of information. Especially within the field of nutritional science. It is so overwhelming that most athletes ask the simple question – how should I eat?”

Well, Ashley happens to be obsessed with answering that question. 

Based on her specialties and research, she analyzes athletes – from their DNA and blood, to their goals and biometrics, in order to design personalized food and hydration plans, supplement prescriptions if needed, sleep protocols, travel protocols, and injury protocols. 

For the time being, Ashley is one of the only people in the world that has this job. She had to build her own path, and actually create her own specialty, which she coined “Functional Performance Nutrition.”

This relates so much to mental health as you’ll hear in this podcast episode. And that’s why Lisa Bonta Sumii, Founder of AthMindset, was so eager to have this enlightening conversation.

From Lisa:

I’m Lisa Bonta Sumii and this is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. 

This podcast series is a space for conversations with athletes, coaches, practitioners, and stakeholders in sports. And it’s where those individuals share their perspectives, experiences, and thoughts on mental health in sports. 

Eric Kasimov of SportsEpreneur is generously hosting the AthMindset Podcast Series on his platform as he deeply believes that these conversations are essential and deserve to be prioritized.

This is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. SportsEpreneur — the content platform where sports, entrepreneurship, and mental health collide!

If you are looking to start a podcast or create original content, you have to talk with the team at SportsEpreneur. I work with them and I vouch for them. It’s that simple. Go to SportsE.io to learn more. 

Useful web pages from this episode:

More content on Mental Health:

Let’s Connect:

That’s a wrap:

Eric Kasimov is the founder of SportsEpreneur, part of the KazSource media network. Since launching the platform in 2015, he has hosted over 500 podcast episodes, written and published more than 1,500 articles, and advised business leaders, founders, and creators on building authority through media strategy.

Through his brands — KazSource, KazCM, SportsEp...

In this AthMindset episode, former Cal Berkeley Bears softball player gives her perspectives on black representation and visibility in softball. Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CSW, shares space with this incredible young woman, Zoe Conley. Zoe is a former softball player (Pitcher) for the University of California, Berkeley. As Zoe describes her time in softball, “I was one of the only black girls in the circle.”

It would be impossible to comprehend how a young black woman deals with this. We’re thankful Zoe spent time giving us insight into what it was like to not be recruited when it was clear she was deserving of collegiate offers and to not make certain softball teams because of the color of her skin. But Zoe isn’t bitter. She is using her experiences to help others. And conversations like this do just that. Zoe had the support of many people including her family. Her father was with her for many important conversations. And through all of her experiences, Zoe is now giving back — to anyone that will listen and especially young black girls.

Zoe Conley spends time with Lisa talking about playing an underrepresented sport, encouraging other kids, and the role of mental health in her life.

We’re privileged to feature Zoe on the SportsEpreneur platform–as she shows strength, courage, and a willingness to give back.

This is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. And it’s all about mental health in sports.

From Lisa:

I’m Lisa Bonta Sumii and this is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. 

This podcast series is a space for conversations with athletes, coaches, practitioners, and stakeholders in sports. And it’s where those individuals share their perspectives, experiences, and thoughts on mental health in sports. 

Eric Kasimov of SportsEpreneur is generously hosting the AthMindset Podcast Series on his platform as he deeply believes that these conversations are essential and deserve to be prioritized.

This is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. SportsEpreneur — the content platform where sports, entrepreneurship, and mental health collide!

If you are looking to start a podcast or create original content, you have to talk with the team at SportsEpreneur. I work with them and I vouch for them. It’s that simple. Go to SportsE.io to learn more. 

Headlines | Black Representation and Visibility in Softball with Zoe Conley

Speaking Up About Racism and Mental Health

Black Representation and Visibility in Softball

Are you an athlete or entrepreneur looking to create content? Learn More.

Useful web pages from this episode:

More content on mental health:

Let’s connect:

That’s a wrap:

Eric Kasimov is the founder of SportsEpreneur, part of the KazSource media network. Since launching the platform in 2015, he has hosted over 500 podcast episodes, written and published more than 1,500 articles, and advised business leaders, founders, and creators on building authority through media strategy.

Through his brands — KazSource, KazCM, SportsEpreneur, ...

In this AthMindset episode, Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CSW, shares space with Nana Attakora. Nana is a Canadian former soccer player. He was most recently a team captain for the Oakland Roots of the USL Championship before retiring to become the assistant manager for the Roots where he currently holds that position. Nana also played many years in the MLS, playing for DC United, Toronto FC, and the San Jose Earthquakes. Nana grew up in Toronto, Canada. His parents are from Ghana. Nana played for many years for Team Canada at almost every international level.

Lisa and Nana Attakora have an open dialogue about relationships, life on and off the pitch, and finding out about the importance of mental health. Nana is one of those rare individuals that will leave a long-lasting positive impression. The opportunity to share space with Nana in any capacity is a privilege. With that, we hope you will take some time to listen to Nana and Lisa have this deep and emotional conversation.

This is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. And it’s all about mental health in sports.

From Lisa:

I’m Lisa Bonta Sumii and this is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. 

This podcast series is a space for conversations with athletes, coaches, practitioners, and stakeholders in sports. And it’s where those individuals share their perspectives, experiences, and thoughts on mental health in sports. 

Eric Kasimov of SportsEpreneur is generously hosting the AthMindset Podcast Series on his platform as he deeply believes that these conversations are essential and deserve to be prioritized.

This is the AthMindset Podcast Series on SportsEpreneur. SportsEpreneur — the content platform where sports, entrepreneurship, and mental health collide!

If you are looking to start a podcast or create original content, you have to talk with the team at SportsEpreneur. I work with them and I vouch for them. It’s that simple. Go to SportsE.io to learn more. 

Headlines from the AthMindset episode: Soccer Raised Me with Nana Attakora

Are you an athlete or entrepreneur looking to create content? Learn More.

Useful web pages from this episode:

More content on Mental Health:

Let’s Connect:

That’s a wrap:

Eric Kasimov is the founder of SportsEpreneur, part of the KazSource media network. Since launching the platform in 2015, he has hosted over 500 podcast episodes, written and published more than 1,500 articles, and advised business leaders, founders, and creators on building au...