On this special episode of "Win Monday," we dive deep into the enriching career of sports leadership extraordinaire and host, Paul Epstein, as guest of the Innovation and Leadership Podcast with Jess Larsen. From his humble beginnings at the LA Clippers to breaking Super Bowl revenue records, Epstein's journey is a masterclass in resilience, innovation, and purpose-driven leadership.

Epstein kicks off by sharing his early experiences at the LA Clippers, a daunting position that required him to sell tickets for a team that had track record losses. He then delves into his career highs at San Francisco 49ers, illustrating how pivotal this phase was in aligning his purpose with work. Further, Epstein unveils his revolutionary sales strategies leading to a record-breaking Super Bowl revenue. He wraps up by emphasizing on the transformative power of facing adversity head-on, as demonstrated by his switch to authorship and speaking engagements.

Key Takeaways:

1. Trust Building Through Instant Gratification: Instant gratification helps accelerate trust by showing quick responsiveness and bringing immediate results.
2. Employee Frustration Due to Changes: Short breaks in between meetings used to be utilized for grabbing food, leading to running on empty after the change.
3. Growing Through Challenging Environments: Working in highly challenging environments can lead to accelerated personal growth if approached with the right mindset.
4. Philosophy of Winning Each Day for Long-Term Success: Breaking down success into daily wins can create momentum for sustained progress.

In this episode:

• 00:00:45: Paul Epstein's career path in NBA and NFL
• 00:02:07: Challenges faced in the beginning as a part of LA Clippers
• 00:03:22: The benefits of working for the underdog
• 00:04:25: Experience in New Orleans and Sacramento
• 00:05:38: Dealing with the controversy around Colin Kaepernick's kneeling in the NFL
• 00:06:11: Lessons learned
• 00:16:22: The importance of work ethic, positivity, and coachability
• 00:18:27: Insights on recruitment and maintaining standards
• 00:20:42: The impact of care and intensity on work
• 00:24:48: Trust transformation in an organization
• 00:30:16: Finding and fixing the "lunch boxes"
• 00:32:22: The power of decisiveness
• 00:34:54: The Head-Heart-Hands Equation
• 00:35:55: Decisions and consciousness
• 00:36:55: Win Monday
• 00:40:33: Starting on your own
• 00:41:08: Professional credibility and transformation
• 00:43:52: Advancement and building relationships
• 00:44:20: Disrupting yourself

Notable Quotes:

• “You know, like to be in those types of environments where it's 99.9% rejection and you're the crazy one that signs up for that. And I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir.” - Paul
• “So I survived the conversation, but now it's just a great story to share that, you know, in those high stakes environments. I think it was a lot of those fires that I had already been through at that point in my career that prepare you for moments like that, even if they turn out to be a fun story later.” - Paul
• “If you wanna win Monday, then momentum is required. We're all searching for that bit of motivation, inspiration, or sometimes it's a tool, it's a tip, it's a tactic, it's a strategy. How do I win the day to create more momentum to win the week?” - Paul
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About Innovation and Leadership with Jess Larsen

The Innovation and Leadership Podcast, hosted by Jess Larsen, is a platform where insightful conversations take center stage. Through real, candid discussions with billionaires and uncommonly high achievers; the podcast amplifies voices and fosters a community of high performers and achievers. By focusing on finding hidden opportunities and empowering individuals, Jess Larsen, creates a space where listeners can connect, grow, and choose to thrive each week. 

Resource & Links

Monday Momentum

Win Monday Community (join here)

• Win Monday Community

Paul Epstein

• Paul's Confidence Quiz
• Paul's Website
• Paul's LinkedIn to Connect
• Paul's Instagram to Follow

Jess Larsen

• LinkedIn
• Innovation  & Leadership Podcast
• Graystoke Networks