It's Not Magic, a Sixth Street podcast

Sixth Street Co-founder and Partner Vijay Mohan sat down in our San Francisco office with two accomplished executives in the professional soccer world for a conversation about the power of accessibility in sports and how it can influence communities. On this episode of It’s Not Magic, Vijay guest hosted a discussion with Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation, and Danielle Slaton, a former USWNT player and co-founding member of Bay FC. During the discussion, Danielle and Ed shared their career journeys at the highest level of soccer, the opportunities and challenges the game has presented both professionally and personally, and the type of legacy they hope to leave behind through their work. Although the conversation focused on soccer, it was clear that they were discussing something much bigger than just a game. This conversation is sure to leave you feeling inspired and eagerly anticipating the rest of the season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During a time of unspeakable evil, there were very few, very brave people who risked their own lives to save others. Richard Hurowitz’s most recent book, In the Garden of the Righteous, brings forward 10 little-known stories of those who went above and beyond to rescue Jews during the Holocaust. An Italian Tour de France champion. A Portuguese diplomat. A circus ringmaster. Why did these people decide to act when others didn’t? Our host David Stiepleman talks to Richard about how he researched and wrote his compelling book, the reaction he’s gotten around the country, and what kinds of environments produce people who are spurred to act and take big risks to do what’s right. National cultures are the aggregation of the rules and norms of our families, schools, towns and businesses, and cultivating those building blocks really matters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two seasoned dealmakers, business builders, and friends of over twenty-five years sit down to have a frank discussion about the evolution of business, law, culture, and management. David Stiepleman, Co-Founder and Co-President of global investment firm Sixth Street, and Michael Gerstenzang, Managing Partner of global law firm Cleary Gottlieb, discuss the art of commercialism, the best ways to get buy-in from high-achieving groups, and the potential for generative AI to upend how lawyers advise clients, just as the iPhone did. David and Michael first met in the late 90s and have been working together in various capacities ever since. Find out all they’ve learned together on this special episode of It’s Not Magic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Sixth Street team plus friends from across our Dallas network came together for a night of conversation to discuss business leadership, culture, and connections. We were honored to be joined by our great friends United States Air Force Major General (ret.), Rod Lewis, True Ventures EIR and Investor Clarence Bethea, and Westbound Equity Partners co-founder Sean Mendy in a discussion led by Sixth Street Founder and Co-President David Stiepleman. Our panelists discussed their remarkable career trajectories, how they set their teams up for success, and how to adapt skills and mindsets for the different seasons of a career.Note: Westbound Equity Partners, formerly known as Concrete Rose Capital Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The San Antonio Spurs have 5 NBA championships, but some of their biggest wins and longest-lasting contributions have come off the court. Dr. Kara C. Allen, the first NBA team executive dedicated exclusively to impact, joins to talk about the Spurs’ commitment to ensuring that the community always remains a priority in everything they do.We learn how values translate into action for a franchise that’s developing the next generation of the Spurs, on and off the court and among the fans, and Kara offers her perspective on the importance and power of sport to bring people together, especially during moments of tragedy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bill Block, CEO of Miramax, joins us to share his approach to successfully running an award-winning film and television production company. Starting as a Hollywood superagent, Bill has gone on to produce hit films like Bad Moms, The Blair Witch Project, District 9, Halloween (2018), Requiem for a Dream, and the more recent He’s All That starring Addison Rae of TikTok fame. Bill and David talk through a lifetime of movie business knowledge. Listen to how Bill transformed the Miramax production business and hear him discuss the value of thoughtful capital in the entertainment industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aly Wagner, lead analyst for Fox’s broadcast of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and co-chair of Bay FC, joins us to talk about her career progression from winning gold medals for the U.S. Women’s National Team to announcing the games to co-founding a National Women’s Soccer League expansion franchise.We ask her about her trailblazing path as the first woman to announce a Men’s World Cup game, and how she’s applied the lessons she learned playing soccer at the highest level to her post-playing career both in the broadcast booth and now building a professional sports team with global growth ambitions. Aly’s fearlessness and lifelong love for the game of soccer drives it all on this episode of It’s Not Magic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why shouldn’t paying rent on time help you build your credit score?We sit down with Wemimo Abbey, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Esusu, to discuss how he convinced credit ratings agencies, landlords, and renters to use Esusu to help build fuller credit profiles. Motivated by his family’s own experience when applying for a loan after immigrating to the U.S. from Nigeria, Wemimo developed a product that boosts credit scores and helps owners and property managers maximize returns, all while creating a win-win experience that is personal and equitable for both renters and landlords. After raising a $130 million Series B round in 2022, Esusu has become one of the few Black-owned companies to reach unicorn status in the U.S. Wemimo walks us through how the company is doing today, Esusu's remarkable beginnings, and the aspirations Wemimo has for the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live at the Sixth Street offsite in Austin, Texas. Former Golden State Warriors President, NBA Hall of Famer, and Bay FC board member Rick Welts joins our host David Stiepleman to talk about pioneering moments in the history of the NBA, including the inception of the Slam Dunk Contest and All-Star Weekend. Rick and David also discuss the key trends driving the future of sports. This is a special episode to kick off Pride Month as Rick has not only been recognized for the innovative thinking he introduced to the NBA, but for his leadership in advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports by proudly embracing his own identity and encouraging others to do the same. His story about coming out on the front page of The New York Times in 2011 is worth tuning in for. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

San Francisco has a powerful asset in its fight against its well-publicized civic challenges: its caring community of doers.Kanishka Cheng, founder and CEO of TogetherSF, is working to revitalize the city by reconnecting its residents with their government. She’s built an organization, with the backing of Sequoia’s Michael Moritz, that provides educational resources and spaces for open dialogue on how to solve the complex issues faced by one of America’s largest and most culturally significant cities.Join a conversation with our host, David Stiepleman, and Kanishka about the intentional steps TogetherSF is taking to help San Francisco reach its full potential. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.