THE ED MYLETT SHOW - You Can Create Change w/ Christine Simmons

Episode Date: June 3, 2020

SOLUTIONS, JUSTICE, and BUSINESS... “You can make a ridiculous impact without having to be in politics. Your business can make a ridiculous social impact without having to be a 501c3.” These words spoken by my dear friend, business tycoon, social justice advocate, and inspirational leader, Christine Simmons, could not be more TRUE and more NEEDED than right now in history. Yesterday, I called the Maxout Community to action. We need a shift in the world right now and this call for justice shouldn’t just start at your front door… It should be a part of your business! Whether you’re an employee or a CEO this applies to you. In this interview, I sat down with Christine Simmons, COO of the Oscars, The Academy, and former President and COO of the WNBA, LA Sparks as she reveals how she redefined an entire sports franchise by focusing on community development and what matters most… PEOPLE. This interview details one of the most extraordinary examples of how you can use your business to take ACTION. It will leave you equipped and empowered. We get very REAL about the issues that people of color and women face in the business space. Christine breaks down head-on exactly HOW to navigate these waters and STILL find TREMENDOUS success in business and all other areas of her life, all while being a single mother. Named as one of the 500 most influential people in Los Angeles, AND an EBONY MAGAZINE POWER LIST Hero, being listed amongst the great MVPs including Stephen Curry James Harden and Venus Williams, failure, fear, and intimidation never stopped Christine from dominating the sports world and continuing to be a trailblazer for other women in business. This is the blueprint for you to TAKE ACTION and fight for justice with your business.

Welcome back to Max out everybody. I'm Ed Mylett. I am super pumped about today's interview because I have a very unique and special woman sitting here with me today. This lady, by the way, she's funny too, this is my cinnamon stick. But this lady is the president and chief operating officer of the WNBA's LA Sparks, and her name is Christine Simmons. So thank you for being here. Thank you for having me. This is exciting. It's already been good off-key. I know, I know. So obviously you're an executive, one of the biggest sports franchises in the world. That's a pretty unbelievable achievement you've had in your life. And we're gonna get to that part,

but I wanna go back a little bit. So because I want people to have the background, I started the show and I wanna feature prominent people that are maxing out obviously different areas of their life. And in your case, obviously all of your achievements are impressive. But also those of you that aren't watching this, but listen to the audio, you're an African American woman too.

Yes. And that brings with it a set of dynamics that I want to discuss today too. I love that. Yeah. And so, but let's go back a little bit, because you've always been an African American woman for a girl. So that part's been permanent. Yeah. But if we go back, you grew up, are you the first person graduate college in Finland?

I am. The first to graduate. One of my sisters did begin college, but I, so, and the craziest part about it is that my mom is a skinny, my girlfriend from Oregon. My dad is a black man from Pensacola, Florida. In fact, he, uh, X-Marine, um, and X-Pomona-Pd. We were talking about 909, right, and we had an empire. So he pulls my mom over to get her number.

That's how I got here today. You're going to be kidding me. No,. No, dead serious. Are you kidding me? No, I'm kidding. I'm just a story. Two story. I don't know that might get him in trouble. But no, nonetheless, he was a very honorable cop. I'm sure. But my mom's first husband was Mexican. So I have three older half sisters that are white and Mexican. Oh my goodness. Then my mom and my dad, then they divorced when I was seven, so she raised four of us on her own. And then it just... What do of us on her own and then It's just how I'm really can I ask you since my dad was gone all together? Or was he still in your life? He was like he was here and there, you know, and we didn't have a very close

relationship as I grew up so really it was a stun mom with these four crazy chicks that she was trying to raise My dad and I have since reconnected and it's been amazing and I'm so grateful to have him back in my life Once I got to college we kind of reconnected again, but So talk about United Colors of Venetian like it is my family like we don't know if we're doing tamales or gumbo Unbelievable. See your mom's a pretty big figure in your life. She is everything. She's everything She you know, it's it's those people that you just watch them work and they don't have to teach you what discipline is, what work ethic is, and like my mom, we never sat down and talked about working hard.

You know, she raised four very strong women and so she was every. So she was your model in that sense from the work standpoint? Hands down. We're talking off camera about how intense you are, but you're going to seven-year-old son. I do, Christian. Christian. Yes. And we're talking about how intense you are sometimes

in your sports. I'm just curious how personalities are made up because to become as successful as you become, you have exemplary traits about you, which we're going to talk about some of them today. But you're pretty intense. I mean, you were athlete, right? Yes. So, and you went far farther in your athletic career

than I did. I was three-liter athlete in high school. So volleyball, basketball, and you went far farther in your athletic career than I did. I was three-liter athlete in high school. So, volleyball, basketball, and track. And I think that anytime you are in athletics, then that gives you an intensity. It's a drive. It's an internal competition. Like, I don't even care what you're doing. I need to be better for me, right?

And so, for my intensity with my son, and again, I mentioned I'm on the board of positive coaching lines. So, we're all about making sure that they have great experiences. And so I knew that I needed to kind of take myself out. I want to make sure you had a really good experience as coaches to coaching. So I let them do that, but I want him to be his best hand. Yeah. I want him to max out, right?

I know. I know. You know, as you talk about like rainvention, right? So I was an athlete. I had two knee surgeries in my school. In high school. In high school, ACL and MCL. So blue my knees out.

So I was being scouted for volleyball. That didn't work out. My grades were decent enough to get me in. So I did go to UCLA. So I was pre-med there. I know. So this whole thing. I know.

It's this. This is important though, because there's a lot of people listening to this that at one point in time we're chasing one dream or one path in their life. Yeah. And then new paths have revealed themselves. So you go in there pre-med, tell me about that or what happened. I go in pre-med and then there was this like thing where I thought I was going to model

for a hot second. Like I even did that that wasn't working out. They were like, they wanted me to be so skinny. I was like, no, I like to eat too much. I didn't, it didn't work out. And so that wasn't for me. So pre-med, I wanted to help people. But when we talked about like exposure and just I didn't have a didn't work out and so that wasn't for me. So, pre-med, I wanted to help people. But when we talk about like exposure and just,

I didn't have a lot of exposure to what the possibility is. Where I say, I knew, doctor lawyer, right? Yeah. Yeah. I knew, at that time, I remember I had this figure in my head, if you're a doctor, you'll make $100,000 and you'll be wealthy and you're good to go. And there's a path to get there, right?

And I was like, done. And I get to help people. Cool. Cool. All right. So, right? And I was like, done. And I get to help people. Cool. Cool. All in. So in my undergraduate career at UCLA, I found myself helping people a bit too much. I was in the community. I was mentoring.

I was tutoring. I was doing hypertension screenings on Krenchop Boulevard. I was leading all of these student organizations. I was protesting and shutting down Lusher and Westwood around propositions at the time. And I always joke that had I maybe been studying a little bit more, it might be Dr. Simmons' day instead of so much organizing, because I didn't get into medical school.

Got it. This is great to hear. I failed. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Well, thank you for being so honest about that. So. And it took a while for me to be able to say that publicly.

Like, I feel like, oh, I changed paths. Yeah. You didn't get it. Check. Come on, let's be real. You didn't get it. That is, I did not know that. All the research is done on you too.

So that's really, that's awesome that you're willing to share that. So all of this monster success comes out of you not essentially getting good enough grades to get into medical school. But at the time, I was also working at UCLA after I graduated and it's in a building that happens to have a basketball coordinator. And it's back in the day we called it the men's gym. They changed the name now I'm old. But the NBA guys would come in the off season and play pick up all. Yeah. Well one of those guys happened to be Irving Magic Johnson. Okay. And so at the time he had all of his clinics across the country focusing on HIV and AIDS.

And so I said, okay, go talk to him. You want to start clinics? Here's Magic, go talk to him. So I got the balls up to do it. And I went up and I said hello and introduced myself. I told him what I wanted to do. And we ended up, he let me pick his brain and... It's a life altering decision made there.

It's kind of how I'm here now. My goodness. Literally that one decision, that one piece. That's the whole thing, isn't it? Like in your life, there's these moments and you get a handful of them I think. Yeah, I agree. There's not just one. You get a handful. You get a handful and you better make your move when you have that opportunity. The whole direction of your, the trajectory of your entire life is altered by that decision to walk over there.

And that's going to be pretty damn scary. It was so scary. Imagine like I'm walking through. There's all these dudes like you have to, you know what it's going to be. Right. It's like, oh, here we go. But I was like, deal with it. Let's go. You want this? Let's go. Like you're going to have to're gonna have to do it was scary this start sort of just an ongoing relationship that you maintained over time exactly you've always though just listen to your story and I got a really weird question and I had no idea I was gonna ask you but I wanted to you've always been kind of a leader though it sounds like like you like you're organized in protest you're taking it so you're a leader I am I it's it's my default it's what I to. If I see a problem, I need to fix it.

I can't just sit there and watch it not be fixed. And then the more you do that, as I'm sure you know, then they tag you to do more. And then you keep doing more. So yeah. This is the question I didn't always going to ask you. But I'm just listening. So I have to ask you this. You ever do you think in your life get into politics?

No. Never. Wouldn't be something you do. So you're cause oriented, you're a leader, you're an unbelievable communicator, you got a total background. It's something you don't think you would ever do. Now, I love, I like the power not the fame. And the power allows you to make the impact.

And I think we separate so much with like non-profits, politics, and business. Yeah. And we don't have to do that anymore. So true, right? You can make a ridiculous impact without having to be in politics. Your business can make a ridiculous social impact

without having to be a 501C3. I really, the way I've led the sparks is as more of a social entrepreneurship. We can't compete against the Lakers. I can't compete against the Clippers. So I'm like, well, I need to stop trying to go after sports marketing dollars. Let's talk about diversity inclusion.

Let's talk about employee retention, right? And experiences for employees. Let's talk about women's empowerment. Let me be your partner in the community because we have such a great presence in the community. We're doing financial literacy programs for hundreds of kids alone with our partner, Equatrest. Yeah, it has nothing to do with basketball, right?

That's brilliant. But we're partners in the community because we have been there for so long. And especially in this time of the woman that everybody's talking about, which is fantastic that women are finding their voices. But a lot of entities are like, well, how do we, how do we do it?

We've been doing it for 22, 23 years now, right? So now we can give you a more authentic and organic way to engage women and that's meaningful, and it's not just about basketball on the court. How come you don't think, maybe they haven't, I don't know it, but that has seemed to me to be a little bit, sports are usually copycat, right? So the warriors, for example, go small ball,

now everybody tried to go small ball, right? And the big leagues, if you got, you know, guys that can throw a hundred miles an hour in the in the bullpen, everyone's going to have a few of those people. Am I wrong that they've sparked? And I don't mean this critically of the league at all. But why isn't every team expanding their brand like that in the league? They're trying. They are. I think, you know, we have, we don't quite have the budget so people don't quite know of the work that's being done, but more and more at the team level, it's community first. And it's, we're finally the leak.

And I think it's a little routed in traditionalism, right? Because sports is hardcore tradition. And there are your basketball traditionalists. It's like to be about the basketball. It's only about the basketball because these are ridiculously talented athletes, right? And I think you can do both. I think you can win championships. Look at this ring. Everybody watching the YouTube or you're looking and kidding. I wore that ring earlier. This ring is legit. I told you, sometimes

a championship rings in women sports that go with the little, like that is like we want to damn championship, right? Like there's no doubt what that is. That's what I love about you. And I very deliberately bring on a sort of finger. Do you really like if you're on air if you're like, scratch the back of your head? You're like, yeah.

But like all the haters out there, I'm like, have you seen my room? I'm sorry, it's not awesome. Little irreverent. Winning is awesome. Winning, I'm waiting for the second one. So I can put it on this finger, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little,

it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little, it's a little because it becomes a conversation piece. And then I get people to, and like it's funny, and the airport yesterday, I was coming back

from a UC region meeting, and the TSA, she was like, is that a super boring? I was like, what kind of? Kind of, it's my super boring. But it gets me to be able to start talking about the leak. But to your point, the teams are beginning to do it. The leak is finally, I think, in a point comfortable with saying, we're okay with being a cause. It doesn't take away from the basketball. We can do both. Wow, that's awesome. Yeah. So you end up, I want to go back and then we're getting because we're getting into the league and your team here in a second too. But you fascinate me.

So you end up getting, you had some pretty good jobs before this too. So you're with NBC, Disney. You worked in Urban and Magic's company as well. And so how do you end up, I doubt you saw yourself as a sports executive, right? So how take us through the journey, how do you end up becoming the president of, you know, and I arguably, you know, one of the biggest franchises in sports, but also in your league, I think in my opinion, maybe it's because I live here, the most well-known, yeah, in successful one in your sport too. so how do you end up there?

You know, it's business as business, right? And so whether it's the business of entertainment, whether it's the business of joint ventures and strategic alliances, as I worked in Irvin's offices, doing those types of things, or the business of sports. I'm running a business. And so you look at each one, you analyze what the need is, where, you know, and how you operate it most effectively,

where the demand is, how do you create the demand, and you work to grow the business. So, there's always been this threat of advocacy in all that I do, and that's what aligned me so well with working for Irvin. So when I was at Disney and NBC Universal, my role was to increase spend with diverse business owners, whether they were women-owned

businesses, minority owned businesses, veteran owned businesses, LGBT owned businesses, because if we look at the pie of money that these corporations are spending, there's only 10% pretty much that's the goal for all of those categories of businesses. So the running joke is like, okay, so you basically you're a straight white man who's able body didn't never served in the military and you're getting 90% of the money, right? And so there's lots and there it's not a Just a pie there's tons of opportunity for everybody, but most importantly, you're missing out on innovation Right, if the same person is coming up with the same idea because they came up from the same place that you and I did, we're not going to, you know, I'm going to have a different opportunity. I'm going to have a different lens. And so we're going to get there faster.

We're going to get there better. We're going to have a different product. And you're leaving money on the table. So that's, yeah, that's the right thing to do. But we're talking down. Right? It's dollars. I look at you, so that a different lens. I've never heard someone say it to me that way. Let's talk about those couple things. So you end up you How has being let's start with a woman first. Yeah Being a woman how is What are the unique things all the ladies that are listening today and the men listening to it? Yeah, who interact with women because we do every single day Yes, right? So how has being a woman of?

we do every single day. Yes. So how has being a woman of other issues that I don't know about as a male, or a white male to a straight white male? So, is that something? Do you carry that with you? Are you cognizant of it? How's that operating your mind? You know, I think each woman is going to be different and each leader is different.

I do carry it with me because I know it's funny. I joke. I speak fluent, chicken half fluent dudes, so I can translate pretty well. But, you know, I think that one, because I may be the first in something, I am so aware of that because I don't want to be the last. And it's bigger than me. Now, there are some women that just say, no, I'm just doing my job, I'm here, and that's great too. But for me, as a woman, specifically, as a woman of color,

I know that the scrutiny is even more. They're just waiting. Unfortunately, the reality is they are waiting. And I don't get the mulligan, right? I don't get the mulligan. Or the woman behind me doesn't get that mulligan because that will be taken into account. So I think that that is something that I take with me but there are there are strengths on both sides.

I think we as women are a bit more detailed oriented. We want to dot heavy eye, we want to cross every tee. We have an EQ that can be a little more softer to your point. Although I've had to learn to tone down my intensity because it was funny when you're not intimidating, I'm like, wow, well, there's some people that might disagree, but. But why does a woman need to just stay on that?

Like this is where it's gonna get cool. Because I wanna ask you stuff that people are afraid to ask. Like why should a woman have to dial it down or dial it up? Or, but that is something a woman thinks about in business. Like walking around you're like, hey, because I'm a woman or because I'm also a minority woman. Oh yeah. Every room. Know your effect on a room. Now that that can be used in any

business scenario. It's just a matter what is that effect and why is it there? And why should they have to? No, we shouldn't have to think about that. The reality is that we do. And until we get to the point where we don't, then I can just think of it as just a business person. Yeah. Until then I do have to know we shouldn't have to think about that. The reality is that we do. Okay. And until we get to the point where we don't, then I can just think of it as just a business person. Yeah. Until then I do have to think of it as a business woman, as an African American business woman, as sometimes the youngest in the room, although that's starting not to happen anymore. I'm like, I'll be 44 in December. So that's okay. I like it. I like the age. I'm being really honest with you. I'm not because I do all my research for interviews. Yeah. I I'm not exaggerating. I tell you some ditch. I thought you're about 15 years

younger than that. I'll take it. No, I'm not kidding. Your presence is that of somebody probably beyond that age, obviously, but I honestly, that's what I thought. Thank you. I think we're out 29 or 30. Wow. Okay, you later. No, it's a fact I did. That's what I thought. But no, and so you have to know your effect on a room. So when I am in a room where it's all men, then there is a different version of Christine that I'm going to bring to the table. When I'm in a room of all women, especially with the women, we have to make sure I feel the need to make them feel as confident as I feel, as brilliant as I feel, as beautiful as I feel that day.

And maybe I don't feel beautiful that day, but I want them to feel comfortable. How do you do that? Which one would you like to go? It's just, it's being present with them. Yeah, you're excellent at that, by the way. Well, I mean, you learn, right? And I'm learning about you and understanding you

and who are you and what you're starting from then. I'm gonna get another learning that I may not have gotten. And just when people feel like someone cares, then I agree with you. You know, so there's different versions. There's different versions. If there's couples, you wanna make sure, like I wanna make sure that I am paying my respect to your wife

as I walk in this house. And this is her home and she is the woman that's, you know, making you the man and you're the man that makes her the woman. So how does that dynamic work? So and I think everybody has different versions of themselves depending on who they are, but it's still me. It's still you. How do you do this?

So here's some hard stuff. Because I hear these things often. I have a lot of my company. I think we're probably 50% women or more, and I would guess I'm guessing we're more than 50% minority in the company. I think I don't know the exact stats, but how did you have that balance between you said earlier like they're waiting for me to slip? So how do you have a balance between sort of in the back of your mind? It's probably not some strategy to have. Let's catch her doing something.

It's a bias or a lack of understanding or an unconscious thing that people have. I want you to talk to people that are in the minority community every second. I'm wondering how you navigate the balance. This is something no one ever asks people. Knowing that that's probably a truth that you're going to deal with. Yeah. This is a hard question, but yet, not being so obsessed or focused on it

that perhaps you begin to create some potential scenarios that may not have existed if you weren't a thing. That's a really difficult thing I would imagine. It is, it is, because you, I think really what it is is bring your best work to the table I bring your a game. Yeah, right? If you're bringing your a game and then we know as just overachievers that want to max out on everything Then you're gonna over prepare. Yeah, regardless of your back when you're gonna over prepare You're gonna over research. You're gonna urban used to be like you okay. You're prepared. You got it like he used to joke about

How much because I always want to, I may not always be the smartest person in the room, but no one's gonna outwork me, right? So if I'm doing that, and I'm bringing my best game to the table, then I can just be confident, and I know I let it all out on the table, and I can be aware and know that I can't do a half-ass job. Yeah. Right? So if you're just aware that you cannot do a half-ass job, you can't

coast. But then again, you then you quickly become the person who doesn't want too many ways. Right. Yeah. And then that just breeds winners regardless. Really good. That's really really good because some of the business people I coach obviously are minority business people And I tell them about those opportunities that come along I know I know for sure this you're gonna have fewer. Yeah, so you better take advantage of the ones that come your way Any other dynamics you would say if you're given advice to somebody right now who's in the business community Who's a like let's just go all the way? I was watching an interview yesterday with string of Williams

Yeah, and she recently had that issue at the US Open that you saw where she was upset with the official. I thought the official overreached and how he penalized her. Some people thought that her behavior was totally inappropriate. The first time I heard Serena talk about it, I was interested because she said, I don't get the same leeway, if you will, as a man with being a woman. That's the first thing she said. She said that several times. The interview I said, yes, she took it a step further.

And she said, I don't get the same leeway as a woman and I really don't get the same leeway as an African-American woman in that regard too. If you were speaking to the women that are listening to this, their Asian-Americans, African-Americans, Latino-Americans, whatever it might be, what would advice would you give them for navigating that landscape? You know, I think it's a matter of one building allies. You have to build allies, both in your communities and in these intersectionalities that we have, right?

I mean, we're talking gender, we're talking ethnic background, we could be talking sexually, we could be talking socioeconomic level, right? But wherever that is, so build those allies there. So you have a safe space. To help figure out these problems and people that understand them. There is going to be things that we can help navigate because I've been there and kind of help you through and translate, right? Because if I'm going to be the only chick in the room of all these dudes, and I'm the one at the cigar club, all the time, I can translate.

I'm like, OK, ladies, this is what's happened. This is what they meant. Let me translate. And then they're like, oh, OK, got it. And same thing with the dudes. I'm like, this is what she said. And this is why she said it. And this is because she was feeling this.

So one build those allies within your community, but within that also externally as well outside of your communities and also externally from the company too. You want to have just as many allies inside as you do outside. You know you want to make sure that people outside understand your work. We as women tend not to brag about what we do. We don't. We're not gonna be like oh look what I did, look what I did. It's true. Right?

We expect if I put in the work that you're going to recognize it. Are you cognizant of being great at relating, I know the different versions of you, but I've already observed you. So, you're great at interacting. People that we both know have told me this, and then you're great at interacting with men, you're great at interacting with women, you're good at it. So, is that something you're very conscious of is almost, I guess, knowing who you're with when you communicate. It's really everything to me as sales. And to some extent, you're selling yourself, you're selling them on taking a particular action,

you're selling the franchise. So, are you cognizant of that version, but also just meeting them where they are, I guess, the way I say it. I think it's the meeting them where they are. Because I, um, it's funny, one of my, my dear friends and mentors was like, I was on, I don't like sales. But I've been in business development roles like most of my career, right? And I hate sales. And he was like, what are you talking about? You just selling all the time to your point.

And so when I, when I can be authentic and when I can speak passionately about something and then meet someone where they are and understand who they are and what their goal is. Then I can relate. Then I got, okay, now I got it. Okay, but like if I don't know you, I don't do my research on you, I'm not passionate about what we're talking about. And I don't think it's going to be a win-win for either of us. If I have research and I'm thinking, well, this is even a good deal for you.

Let's not. Then I cannot do that. So yeah, I am, That is one of, it's uncomfortable. That's one of my strengths. You got uncomfortable saying it was one of your strengths. You did it earlier, too. The other thing you do is, and I know this is an magic job, something that you both seem to do it a lot. You smile a lot. No, no, I'm serious. How did you not smile? Look at this gorgeous view on Friday afternoon with great people. Is that because you're here or is that something you do a lot?

I'm serious is that something you do? Okay, and I think that's that's basically like a really small thing Yeah, but for people listen to this like I have some deficiencies too. They're different than obviously what you would deal with my deficiencies are I have a look about me. That's really intense. I've got this really deep voice. I would consider myself to be an acquired taste unless you know me, right? But after I, like, oh, he actually is a decent person. And you know, and your build is so like, way flake, and I mean, so unique. That's not intimidating at all.

Right, and so when the things that some of my mentors told me earlier that I forget often, this may seem like a really basic thing, but like, dude, smile. Like, smile, like tell your face face you're excited to be here. And that's just, that's like a really small thing. It's what I mean. I'm like, hi, I'm like, why am I smiling so much?

Cause she's smiling so much. It just sounds as something. I'm that serious. It's, you know, it's funny. Like there used to be times. And of course, you know, in your boss, when you're with bosses, there are sometimes you don't see an eye and an urban would have been in a bad mood. And I was like, you know, in your boss, when you're with bosses, you do, there's sometimes you don't see eye to eye and and Irwin would have been in a bad mood and I was like, you know what, and most people because he can when he's, when, you know, when we're intense and

more bosses and we have to make big decisions and, you know, you're not happy about it. And a lot of other, you know, peers and colleagues would go in and they'd like, oh, he's in a bad mood. Yeah. Every time I go in, same way, Karen, David and Hayes are having a good ringin' in, okay, yeah, no, we gotta talk about this. And then everybody just like, changes. Yeah. They just, I mean, why not? Yeah, yeah, by the way, for the video, people you're all seeing this, like, she likes the room up.

What have you learned from working with Magic Johnson? Oh, never stop learning, never stop pushing. What's a skill he has that most people would not know about behind the scenes? Something. Oh, behind the scenes. Just yeah, I mean, because he's he shares a lot about about his process, but the discipline like he works out every morning still to this day, four or five o'clock in the morning, just the discipline with which he researches everything that he's doing and gets his key people to provide that information. He dives deep, you know, in the beginning and just really make sure that he understands

that deal and just is just really intense in his preparation and his studying of it. Yeah, he is. Are you, uh, he's a mentor then? He is, for sure. Kind of still bossed here. Still bossed. One of the bosses. Well, obviously, you know, those you, magic speaking to my company in a few weeks,

and one of the reasons I asked him to come in was because, I don't care if you add math, just the math. He's one of the most successful men in the country. He is. So you're getting mentored and up close's one of the most successful men in the country. And so you're getting mentored to have been up close to one of the most successful men in the country. And the thing is that I love about him is he's relentless. In other words, you can't buy his will to win.

You could buy him with championships. You couldn't buy his will to win when he got sick. You couldn't buy his will to win with a bunch of money. You can't buy his win with the win with accolades, the dodgers, the sparks, the lakers. It's like, he just keeps going. He's relentless. than I admire that. So let's talk about the job for him.

Because this is a big job. And your partner, I guess I call your partner, the CEO of the team is also an African American woman. Correct. GM. Yeah. Yeah. She handles more of the player. So everything on the court, she's EVP and GM and then I'm everything off the court,

all business operators. And her name is Penny Toller. And not only is she a basketball genius as it relates to putting a team together, she is the first woman to ever score basket when the league started as a spark. So talk about legacy. Yeah, yeah, she's phenomenal. So that's awesome. So the two of you sort of the duo on both sides of the operation here.

And so your job is to grow the brand to some extent, correct? So let's talk about some of the things you did because this applies to all other businesses. We talked a little bit on it as well, but one of the things you've focused on is women's empowerment too. So that's actually on the other side of your ring, on the inside of that thing, is the logo.

Yeah, it's our We Are Women logo. That is so cool. And so tell us about that a little bit. Yeah, so it's funny story. So go back to Irvin's Will to win and the people he hires. So a gentleman whom I also report to our colonies are an abortive governor's. I first seasoned, I was an executive on loan.

And so I was just kind of helping out. And then I guess I did OK job, the game was done. I did OK. Congratulations. You got the job. Now go breaking attendance record. I was like, I just okay job again. Congratulations. Congratulations. You got the job. Now go break an attendance record. I was like, I just got the job. Are you kidding me?

We barely have an office. We were working the first season out of Irvin's conference room. The entire organization. But anyway, so we knew how do we bigger than basketball. And so a woman on my team at the time, she and I just kept putting our heads together. And right around that time there was some instances of domestic violence in sports. That was when a lot of it started to happen. And so we were like, okay, let's really just kind of just bring it around women's empowerment

in general. And but not just around sports. You know, there was some fantastic things that women are doing in the greater LA area that we can highlight along the way. But really it came down to economic empowerment and the power of a woman's dollar, right? And the power of products and services and a league geared and powered by women, right? So how do I fill Staples Center?

Not just because I'm giving out tickets for free. No, I want people to pay the dollar, the $10 and it takes to get a blow, and no, as we see. Does anybody hear that by the way? It's such a great value this week. All seats are. We're going to.

They are. Like, you can take a family of four in the hundreds, in the lower bowl, and still eat. And see some amazing flipping athletes, everybody. We're taking them. Like amazing, ridiculous athletes. Every guys, like dang, these girls can fall. Well, you're the ridiculous athlete. Every guys like dang these girls can ball like. What you're the thing for me, not to interrupt you back. I actually think the brand of basketball is more interesting

because it's not just like ISO ball. And I don't think they're critical to the NBA. I love the NBA. Yeah, it's funny. These ladies share the basketball. They can shoot, they can score. Their handles are unbelievable. I think the defense is like, it's fundamental basketball.

That's right. At its best. That's exactly right. Team ball. That's exactly right. It's such a great brand of basketball. In fact, if you have a young person who wants to learn to play basketball, I would argue watching the WNBA fundamentally would be the better lead for them to be studying in a

court. So many of our coaches bring their teams for that reason. Boys and girls. Yeah. Okay. So many of our coaches bring their teams for that reason, boys and girls. Yeah, okay. So back to we are women. So we created the We Are Women campaign. We launch it every year. And the goal is to sell it.

Staples Center, but it's also to highlight the great work that women are doing in the community. One woman she, in fact, English was her second language, but she served the seniors in her community and would go and provide meals for them in Maywood. And so she was nominated. So we got to go and tell the story of the work that she's doing. So there were all of these different pieces that women are doing in the community that are just lifting all of us up and so we get to tell

their stories and celebrate them on court and then we do a woman of the year and then last year we did a man of the year because it's important, we got it. It's not just about empowering women, it's also about enlightening men as to what women can do too. Empowering women and enlightening men. Hopefully that's what we're doing today. Yeah, exactly.

Hopefully what we're doing today. And so, you know, you're, by the way, what you've really done is you just expanded what the brand is and everybody listens and has any business. I don't care if you're a trainer and a gym, you own a dry cleaners. These same business principles apply to you too. How can you get more involved in the community?

How can you expand the brand? How can you begin to affect people in ways that seem not directed to profit, but inevitably drive profit? It is my go-to-market strategy. I am gaining market share, period. So the time and money and resources spend on converting a hardcore NBA fan versus the time and money to create new sparks fans. I don't have to create a basketball fan, but I can create a sparks fan. So a woman who may not or even a man who may not necessarily be a fan of

basketball can come and enjoy themselves and have fantastic experience. And now they're a spark span, right? That mom, like me, is if I have to watch Pokemon one more time, I'm gonna lose my mind, but me and my son can have a great time at the game, right? Social-conscious millennials who wanna, wanna a deeper reason for the money they're spending while they're looking really, really cool court side, right? Those are the folks on focus on

so we've increased market share. We're leading the lead in ticket sales. We're leading the lead and attendance. Congratulations. That's brilliant and it's like the one that makes you want to have you on here was this point right here. I think that compared to the other teams I know in the league and I know we're not doing that you can't speak to this. You've expanded what the brand is and what it means to people. And that's not easy to do when something is new. Even though the league's been around people. And that's not easy to do when something is new, even though the league's been around a while, it's not like the Lakers brand,

it's been around forever. So what's the hardest part of your job? God, there's lots. I think when you still run into those that you have to sell on what women can do and what they should be doing, and right now there's a big debate about lowering the rim so women can dunk better or whatever. Yeah and it's really the the the fan who doesn't really understand our game right. We talked about it being more elegant being

it's it's a different style of basketball and it's phenomenal. We don't have to lower the rim to appease you to we're not trying to be the female NBA. That's not who we are, who we want to be. Where we have our own sport, we have our own game. It's globally recognized. You'll be OK. What's the best part of your job? The impact, the young girl who now

knows that she could either be a professional athlete on the biggest stage in the biggest city, she could run a team, hell she could own a team if she wanted to. And because I didn't have that, I didn't know that. So as you talk about going back to your childhood and how those pieces, like just that one conversation I may have with that one young lady who said, wow, I didn't know that this was a job or that woman could do that or whatever. And then the other part is being able to see these women live out their dreams, these beautiful humans that they are, these complex global athletes,

they are MVPs, they are champions, they are Olympians, they are all of this and they're still having to fight to live their dream here domestically and they're at the top of their game and so when we when we won this championship it was the first time that anyone on the team had won but for Penny she was the only one she has two previously so now she has three. And to be able to see the players and the exuberance and just that I still get this point. You can see it on the face. Yeah, the stories of these ladies is remarkable. I feel like the league itself and your team particularly for it was a stock it's a buy. I just feel like there's this major growth

that can come to the league that can come to people, that become more aware of. And I think part of it is the stories of the ladies as well. And I wanted you here today for something that you just said too. There's somebody watching this, there's a young woman somewhere who is seeing someone who looks like her, who's achieving. One of the great things about social media and what could be one of the great things in society today, if we could finally find a way to come together as a society, is to begin to show the diversity of all the people that are winning, that all the people are successful. I pray for a day that when my granddaughters coming up, that it's a foregone conclusion in people's minds if that's the case. And so you're very humble about it, but you are pioneering a path that's really of this generation, one of the first people doing it, right? Hopefully someday, that'll be different.

But one of the other paths that you navigate, I want to ask you about, this has been so good, by the way, because we're covering so many good things. But one of the other things that you do is you're balancing being a single mother. Yes. And then executive and being busy. What is your, how do you do that?

And what is a, is there a typical day? and like, like, given I, some people go, well, I want to be the president of a big organization or I want to run something. Do you? Because this is what the schedule will look like. This is what you'll be doing every single day. So give someone a flavor. Because the clamor is I'm the president. The clamor is I have this ray. I have this influence. I have to work with magic. I have this incredible prestige and title. All this influence, all that. And then there's like the stuff. The grind, right?

So what's that look like? What's the grind look like? You know, and it's funny because you have to, I think do highly competitive people and those who have achieved some success aren't in love with the glamour. They're in love with the grind. Right?

And I think it's like, you know, I love crunching out, like creating that new partnership deck that I, where I'm gonna I think it's like, you know, I love crunching out like creating that new partnership deck that I where I'm going to come and I'm like, okay, this is why we need to partner together. Because I'm going to create this and the custom thing for that and we're going to activate this and we're going to end that part. So I am literally the one putting together coming up. There's, I have a fantastic team as well, but we create these opportunities for a holistic partnership that touch every aspect of our department. So whether your name is in lights and stable center for your company, whether your employees are coming as ticket holders,

whether we're activating in the community, whether we're doing something on social, whether we have a player representing your organization, what all of those ideas have to come, so you have to come in and create those. And you've got to create the deck to be able to sell that. Then you've got to go to the meeting and sell it. And then I've got to come and and create those. And you've got to create the deck to be able to sell that. Then you've got to go to the meeting and sell it. And then I've got to come and do fantastic interviews so I can spread the word. And then there's the audits and the payroll.

And so I am the president, but operating officer means I have literally been doing budgets and payroll. And we finished an audit, going to start another another one and all of that kind of stuff. So it is a grind and you, but again, I love it. I do, I love it. So are you, are you, or wake up early person? Are you a routine person? I'm a really late person.

Okay. And then I get up somewhat early. You do, I'm gonna sleep here. About four hours. What? Yeah. Okay, so you here. I'm about four hours. What? Yeah. Okay, so you just say that like it's normal.

That's not, that's not. Well, for you and I it is. Okay, all right. But I wrote this in my book as a matter of fact. And I have this theory that it's, we probably both should get more sleep. Yes. But I do have this theory that it is the quality of the sleep you get

beyond just the time. I agree. But there's a lot of, but did you just hear what she said? You just, it's so mega achievers. People were just like, they take for granted how kind of psycho they are so like yeah I guess I am like how much you sleep for hours what what like everybody no not everybody has that right I do have a new though like I'll go two to two days every now and I'm like nope not getting that a bit yeah I'm not you

know what I might brush my teeth if you're lucky. I might, you know, so I know when I gotta shut it down. I know when I gotta shut it down. Okay, but let's just be real here. You don't get where you are by hoping and dreaming these things. You can hope and dream them, but you've just flat out busted your tail. And let's just be real everybody, okay. That's the schedule you've heard about. Plus she's a mother, right?

And listen to me on this. If you are in one of these categories, we're describing, you're going to have to even do more of this than everybody else. It's another level, right? So accept it, it's just, it's a fact you need to hear this message, all of the things you've achieved. This is where it gets really good for me,

because it's like, well, what really separates you? Okay, it's obviously you're, your unbelievable communicator for someone who doesn't like stales, you said the word sell four times in that last sentence, I'll go back and play but I think it was four plus percent. Maybe like a drinking game. Right, that's selling. So, so you definitely are selling. The interview is selling too. Yeah. But it's like the schedule's freaky though. It's freaky, it's intense. And I think it's a matter too and to your point about me being a mom,

I had to rethink how I'm a mom. When I first started this, I was ashamed that I had to bring him with me from time to time. And I serve on a number of boards as well. I was a president of the UCLA Alumni Association, so I represent all 500,000 Bruins that ever graduated from UCLA.

I just finished that term, but while I'm still on that board, I'm now a Regent Designant for the UC Regents. So the UC Regents is the governing board of all 10 of the UC campuses, and then I'll be a voting Regent next year. I do charity work, so, but I bring him with me. And now he's learning presence. He's learning authority. He's learning he belongs, right? I'm still I am still convincing myself and we're being real

that I belong. There's still times in my mind where I have imposter syndrome and all that other kind of stuff and you know and you got to remember no you you belong girl you you earn this like you got this. I'm glad you said that. But it's real. And because society tells you otherwise a lot of times and people are quick to point out the failures. And I've recently adapted to that and said, you know what, I may have failed a task,

but that does not make me a failure. I does not. That's a task. And maybe I didn't meet that goal. And you better believe I'm gonna meet it next time Mm-hmm. Doesn't make me a failure. I'm still pretty awesome. Oh, that was so good You have to believe that so good Because because you just said something no one's used that phrase on my show before either too

But I suffered from it sometimes so don't you mean you said imposter syndrome? Yeah, there's this part of I think a lot of us As we're doing while they're we're winning those of you that are starting to achieve, you actually think it's a fluke, or they don't really know who you really are. And the fact is I just gave this talk to where I went to college, I went to University of Cleveland baseball there, and I said, I wish I could have gone back there and someone would have told me, hey, you're really good. You're special. You're awesome. I just because I didn't know it. To this day, I'm 47, life's gone pretty good. I still once in a while get that imp pretty good. I still, once in a while, get that impostor sitting.

I'll be driving to a speech and for some reason, that one, I'm like, why do they want to hear from me? I swear to God. Wait, that happened on the way here today. I was like, hey, that's not really going to be really long. I don't know. Someone talked to me into it. I'm 100% sure.

So, by the way, not only she's not So by the way, not only does she belong, but she's achieving, she's part of the 2018 Ebony Powerless. So you're on that list with Steph Curry and Venus Williams. I am. And so this is so awesome, right? Like tell them what category you're in too. This is pretty cool. It's crazy.

It's the MVP category. And they're mostly athletes. And I was like, what? This isn't saying. Like, typically, I'm in the woman category because I'm in a women's business. And okay, fine, that's cool. I'm just, if that helps me get the word out, then that's fantastic. And really, I'm just, I'm beyond, I, you see, I'm stunning right now. I'm a very good presenter until I'm talking about me. It's true. It's true. I am so humbled at this. And it really is a testament to the Spark's organization, our ownership group, to their commitment to making sure that we have a platform.

And now it's being nationally recognized on a number of different ways. It's a testament to you. So you do this what you said earlier, and you said all women do, but you deflect achievement, you deflect the compliment, you deflect your unbelievable impact you're making. And so it is a reflection on that. It's a reflection on you.

They name you, right? And so it's unreal that you've done it. And speaking of that, we only have a few more minutes left. I'm like, I'm enjoying this so much. We're here, we're here all day. We're here all day. I wish we were because there's, there are so much that you do unconsciously well that I'd like to bring out of you.

So I want to make you do this for a second. OK. So let's take, right now, is there a player on the spars? I think I know who you would say. And I know you don't have a favorite player. Sure. But who is sort of the go-to score on the team right now? You know we have a few and because it's a team, right?

It's team Bob, right? So you have Candace Parker who's a very versatile player and you have like a Gullike who's like, she's like a female James worthy, right? She's a slicer but with ridiculous efficiency, right? You have Chelsea Gray that can create a shot out of, like, when you think there's no play left, Chelsea Gray creates that shot. And then you have Elena Bierg, who is defensive player of the year. So you can't pick a player because we play team ball on purpose, and you have to move that

ball around. It just depends on the play and the other one. So let's take those particular players. And I'm going to put, we're're gonna put six people in a room. Okay. Magic Johnson. Okay. You and the four players.

And the four. Okay, what do you have in common? So you're all mega achievers. What are some of the common traits amongst these people? Um, drive, um, competitiveness. Everybody wants, and not against each other. Just okay, what true story will we want to know championship. So me, Penny, Irvin, and we're on the floor on the championship, it was insane. Minnesota links had been

dominant for quite some time. We dethroned them. Irvin's going crazy to Minnesota. And we won. We're on the floor, we haven't got the trophy yet. Erma's like, looks at me and Penny, you ready to do it again next year? Right away. Right away immediately. And I was like, dang, can I get some champagne in my hair? I was like, no! And then we paused and we were like, yeah, let's do it, let's do it. And we got to the finals, but we didn't win. We won game five, we have a series of five, and so it's that competitiveness, that drive that,

okay, how can I beat myself? Okay, what can I learn today? What's the new thing I can do today? And no one will not work me. All of us are work horses. I love that. Yeah. That is, by the way, if I were asked that question,

that would be my answer. My answer would be some freakish drive, and which I put competitive as all that are there, and then you just outwork everybody. And that is the common line of the guests on my show that I've maxed out. It's a common guess to the people that have mentored me. I always say, I think in business,

you definitely, I mean, obviously, the ideas you've created, even to span the brand of the team, they're brilliant. So you've used your head to do that, but what has separated you is your heart. And you win at the end of the day, you have to have the right strategies in business, but you win with your heart and not your head ultimately. It's just out working everybody at your drive, at your ambition. I think you're amazing. So let's talk about the team just for a second in the league. Just so everybody, I want people to go see the team. Yes, yes. And so, and by the way, so there's a lot of other listens

that are in Southern California. And if you're not, you're in other parts of the country, go see, go find out where your local team is and go see these incredible athletes play. And if you're around the world, just become engaged in this product because I think like all brands, this could become a global brand. I'm just gonna tell you right now.

So, why should somebody, it's inexpensive, and the athletes are incredible. Give me one more reason why somebody should come see a WMBA game, particularly maybe the Spark. The Spark's unique. It's a party. It's a different sporting environment. We have a DJ. We bring in its LA, right?

So we bring in entertainment on timeouts. We have magic moments. We have people performing. So you have ridiculously amazing basketball, right? It's affordable, it's family friendly, but it's still fun. And literally people have the greatest time when they come. And you really believe this?

I do. You really do. And what I love about it is, as just a sports fan is, I just tell you, it's straightforward. Not everybody listening, this is a sports fan. I just think the quality of the sports unbelievable. I just really do. Thank you, I did.

Okay, so I go all the way back. You were nine when your mom and dad split the seventh. Seven. Okay, so you're seven years old. And so I go back to that little girl. I just think it's fascinating just for a second, just to have some perspective because you're in the middle of doing what you do. But if you went back to that little girl at that time, there had to be some sense of

turmoil going on in your life. All of a sudden your daddy's not in the house and your mom's now got these four girls she's raising and I'm just picturing this beautiful girl going through her life and just thinking, man, if I could go back there and tell her, you know, amazing your life's gonna be. Yeah, yeah. You know, and there's a lot of people listening to this. I'm proud of you, by the way. Thank you.

I'm really happy for you, too. That's a lot. And, but there's millions of people listening to this who, they're at a point in their life to like, look, another thing in my world has been perfect either. I don't come from the perfect family. I don't either, but I'm coming from a perfect family. Everything in my life right now isn't perfect. I've made some mistakes.

I've had a relationship that didn't work out. My business didn't work out. Maybe I didn't get my degree. Maybe I got my degree and I thought that was going to change everything and I don't have my dream job. And so I get a chance to sit down with Christine Simmons for a cup of coffee for just a couple minutes. And I get to ask her, what would your advice be to me to transform my life, to change my life?

What would be the things you would tell that person if they could ask you? Be relentless about reinventing yourself. And know that you have the power already. No one has to give it to you. I think women we suffer from that a bit more because we've been put in our place for so long and and so given someone an opportunity is phenomenal and we're grateful for every opportunity that you give us and then watch us work which is actually worth the taglines

for for the NWOBA but but it's true, watch us work, watch what I'll do. You give me that up to you, watch what I'll do. And adversity makes you better. When I have a candidate who comes in and I am looking to bring someone on, I need a creative solution. I need someone who's going to figure it out. I need someone who's got thick skin. So as you achieve, and for those of you again

back to the glamour versus the grind, it's not easy and your circle gets way smaller, right? And there's more scrutiny and there's more challenges and there's all of these things that you, but yet you have to be unseen. Okay, no, I didn't have a horrible day yesterday, you know what I mean? And so those are the things that, but it makes you better. And in turn that, it's energy. Like, we feel like, I feel like, you know, it's energy. And you have to, in its heart, when you're constantly being kicked and kicked, how do you turn that energy? It's almost like, it's almost like black Panther

when his suit, his suit kept hitting like the get bullets and hit his bullet. And then that kinetic energy would build up and it would just, wow, right? So now I'm at the point where I'm like, oh, tell me no. Why? Careful what you do when you tell me no. Because now I'm gonna come back with a force

because in you have your moment, don't get me wrong. You have your moments where you're disappointed or you're like why why did this happen again or why did this not happen again get that have your safe space now let's move on let's go how are we going to how are you going to change it you can't you have to move forward yes constant forward movement relentless I use that word read lentiless, all my emails, it says read lentiless, drive for excellence. Does it really? Yes, read lentiless and people are call you crazy.

Yeah. People are going to agree they're not going to understand, they're going to think that you're a raving bee or you know in two intents and so you figure out the nuances of it, but stay read lentiless, keep reinventing yourself and change the energy. Oh my gosh, that's good. Because I do think, like, I just think energy is influence and I think it's infectious too. And that's the thing about you, like, immediately. I'm talking about, like, within two seconds, your energy is, it's beautiful. It's attractive, right? It's, it's connecting.

And so, and it is difficult to bring that energy when the world is kicking you, but you're absolutely right. You've got to turn that energy around, you've got to get up, you've got to be relentless. I love what you talked about reinventing yourself too. That version of you right now is producing the results you're getting, you've got to reinvent and get better.

I think you are incredible. Oh, feeling so mutual, so intense we are. I think you are incredible. Oh, it's so mutual. It's so intense here. I'm serious, I'm telling you. Like you have been such a joy. Like this is amazing. Thank you. So today was wonderful.

It's so good. I already kind of know they're gonna be like, would you bring her back and do just like these business questions? I'd love it. But I'm so impressed and thank you for being you. Thank you for breaking down some of these barriers, thank you for doing this today because I promise you,

I know the impact this conversation's had on so many people, and I can't wait to hear about how do people find you though? We want to help you grow your social media and grow the sparks too. So how can they best find you? So sparks is LA underscore sparks on all platforms. An apologetically underscore Christine is on Instagram. C. and Simmons on Twitter. Okay, so we need to go, you need to be connected

with this woman because I feel like you, I think you probably feel like I do. I wanna watch even with the future holds for you too. Thank you. And it was really an honor to do this for you today. So thank you so much. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you.

Thank you. Hey everybody, we did it again. I brought you out somebody who's maxing out their life and her information today is really going to help so many of you max out your life as well. I hope you enjoyed the program. Spread the word. We're the number one growing program in the world. More people need to know about this. You're following me on Instagram and Ed Mylett. Every day I do the two minute drill. So when I make a post, every day on my main feet, first two minutes, everybody makes a comment you're in a drawing. You get coaching

calls with my guests, me, here, books, all kinds of stuff. You get from doing that. And if you miss the first two minutes, just comment. Every day we pick a winner at the end of the week who comment it every day. So please do that. God bless you. And max up. This is the Ed and my let show. This is the Edmila Show.