Marathon Minute with Max and Michael Ornstil

After a brief hiatus, Marathon Minute returns as Max and Michael are back in the studio. The two discuss the reasons behind the hiatus, some life updates, what's new with NEIGHBORHOOD SPORTS CLUB, and so much more. New episodes returning regularly! Available on Youtube and everywhere you get your pods. Shop: marathonminute.store --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

We're back! Professional footballer and friend of the show Chris Hegardt joins Max and Michael in an inspiring, enlightening, and insightful conversation. Chris is currently playing in MLS with Charlotte FC at just 20 years old and after recently leaving Georgetown following his sophomore season. But his journey has been far from easy. Chris was identified as somewhat of a prodigy as a youth player but that all changed when it was discovered that he had hepatocellular carcinoma, a rare form of cancer. After chemotherapy, a liver transplant, and more, Chris ultimately beat his cancer and continued on his dream to becoming a pro footballer. He went on to play for the Sounders academy (where he went head to head with Max) where he got to play pro games and experience with the first team. He went on to Georgetown, making a couple deep college cup runs. Tune in to hear Chris share about his experience beating cancer, Max talking trash to him in his first pro start, his decision to go to college, recently playing against Chelsea FC in front of a sold out crowd, how he controls the controllable as a young player in MLS in and out of the roster, and more. Available on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcasts! Be sure to subscribe, rate, and tell ya friends. Love from Marathon Minute. Marathon Minute Tee restock at marathonminute.store soon... --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Roots on road comes home for another special episode featuring Max and teammates Jesus "Chuy" Enriquez, Jose Hernandez, Wolfgang Prentice, Ariel Mbumba, Memo Diaz, and Johnny Rodriguez. Tune in to hear Johnny reflect on his recent goal and playing behind the golden boot leader, Wolfgang talk about his journey making the team from an open tryout, Ariel's mentality shift with a new year and new role, and more. Note: Episode was recorded 6/28. For those who submitted a question and we weren't able to get to, we're sorry! We recorded before receiving many of the questions but will look to use them in future Roots at Home episodes. Thank as always for your support and be sure to subscribe, rate and tell a friend! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Max and Michael are back for a much needed check in. The duo talk Warriors 'ship, athletes leading the new media, the mental side of injuries, Root's recent form, a new entrepreneurial endeavor, and more. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Marathon Minute returns after a brief hiatus for not just any conversation but their Steph Curry episode. Episode 30 features 24 year old Canadian born entrepreneur and founder of Hyphenate Creative Co, Raheem Taylor-Parkes. Raheem was a talented footballer as a kid, playing for both the US and Canadian youth national teams before playing collegiately at Virginia and Oregon State. Despite his decorated resume and stints pursuing playing professionally in Switzerland and Denmark, Raheem decided to retire at 22 and begin his career as an entrepreneur. Raheem's personality and ability connect allowed him to create meaningful relationships with some of the biggest names in US soccer such as Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, and more. Since, he's founded Hyphenate Creative Co, a company aimed at connecting athletes, designers, artists, and more through events and management. His next event is taking place June 18th in Miami, where an art and fashion show meet networking for young hyphenates shaping the culture. Tune in to hear Raheem talk about what inspired him to start his own company, his trial at Arsenal as a kid, his unique ability to connect with people, how he is amplifying mental health awareness, and more. Available on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcasts! Be sure to subscribe, rate, and tell ya friends. Love from Marathon Minute. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Marathon Minute hosts first time filmmakers Janell Grace and Malik Glass in an episode the first of its kind. Janell and Malik join the show just days away from the premier of their short film, Love Conquers All, airing 5/21. Love Conquers All is a film that explores the effects of trauma on an individual and the importance of being aware of your mental health and seeking for help if needed. Not only is it a film, but the story has also been made into a comic book, creating access for kids to learn the importance of mental health and wellness. Tune in to hear what inspired them to write and produce a film and comic book, their experience writing a script together, casting in the DM's, and much more. Bay Area people be sure to check out the premier of Love Conquers All 5/21 at Ciel Creative Space in Berekely! Subscribe, rate, and show some support for the show! Love from Marathon Minute --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Episode 28 features designer of the Marathon Minute logo and brand identity, special guest Fenn Paider.  Fenn is currently living in New York and working for creative agency Recess Studios as a content creator, videographer, and video editor.  You may have seen Fenn's work before, whether it be the cover art for this podcast or in a Nike x NY Fashion Week campaign.  A friend of the show, the trio talk about how Max's time with Fenn was actually an inspiration to starting the podcast and sharing the unique perspectives of creatives.  Tune in to hear Fenn talk about the process and inspiration designing the Marathon Minute logo, the power of doing, the content landscape, his favorite agency and personal projects as of late, and more.   Available on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcasts! Be sure to subscribe, rate, and tell ya friends. Love from Marathon Minute --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Bay legend Calen Carr joins Marathon Minute for an insightful, inspirational, and entertaining conversation. Calen's currently head of brand at For Soccer Ventures, hosting and producing an independent podcast, 94 Til' Infinity, and doing on-air correspondent work for the likes of MLS and others. And guess what? This all comes after an extremely successful soccer career. Despite being under recruited as a youth, Calen became an all-american at UC Berkeley, and spent 8 years playing in MLS for Houston Dynamo and Chicago Fire. Tune in to hear Calen talk about the impact of going to the 94' World Cup as a kid, the inspiration behind his new independent podcast, how adversity as a youth player had value once he became a pro, how he reflects looking back on his career, the importance of being uncomfortable and doing in his growth as he transitioned into media. Be sure to check out Calen's podcast, 94' Til Infinity, exploring the stories shaping the evolution of soccer in North America. Subscribe, rate, and show some love. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

In the first installment of Roots on Road, Oakland Roots players sit down for a conversation the first of its kind. Marathon Minute host, Max Ornstil, is joined by Emrah Klimenta, Chuy Enriquez, Charlie Dennis, Benny Diaz, Jose Hernandez, and Taylor Bailey to talk a range of topics and share some candid stories. Tune in to hear the team talk about their motivation, who messes around the most on the team, what it's like to play in Oakland compared to on the road, Chuy and Charlie's holy oil story, pregame rituals, and much more. Stay tuned for weekly Roots on Road episodes as the team progresses through the season. Be sure to show Marathon Minute some love and subscribe on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcasts! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Family of the show and guest from Season 1, Kayla Johnson returns to join the show for Episode 26.  Due to an eventful week, our co-hosts have a lengthy intro discussing Passover, Oakland Roots' first win of the year, and updates of our guests thriving in their respective fields.  Though Kayla joined the show previously, a lot has changed since and their was plenty for the trio to talk about.  Since then, Kayla moved on from ESPN and currently works as Director of Development at new media and commerce company, Togethxr, a platform creating incredible female driven content.  Shortly after joining the team at Togethxr, Kayla directed the film I am: Jalaiah, which has since been selected to screen at the Atlanta film festival.  The trio go on to talk in depth about Kayla's directorial debut, the landscape of Women focused content, how Togethxr is changing the media game, and much more.   Available on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcasts! Be sure to subscribe, rate, and tell ya friends. Love from Marathon Minute --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Marathon Minute is back with another inspiring and candid conversation featuring professional soccer player and friend of the show, Aaron Molloy. A native of Dublin, Ireland, Aaron grew up the son of a professional footballer and dreamt of one day being a pro himself. Following a short stint playing professionally in Ireland for Drogheda United, Aaron moved to the U.S. to get an education and continue his pursuit of playing at a high level. After excelling at NAIA school Keiser University, Aaron transferred to Penn State where he was an All-American and soon after a first round selection in the 2020 MLS Draft by the Portland Timbers. After starring for Forward Madison in USL League One and being a finalist for League One MVP, Aaron signed a contract to return to the USL Championship where he now plays for Memphis 901 FC. Tune in to hear Aaron talk about his experience attending his Dad's games as a pro when he was a kid, stories from his time as teammates with Max in Portland, his mentality earning a new contract in the USL Championship, and much more. Available on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcasts! Be sure to subscribe, rate, and tell ya friends. Love from Marathon Minute --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

The Marathon Minute duo are joined by current world Top 100 Crossfit competitor and Sports Academy performance coach, Phillip Muscarella.  Phil sits down with Max in person at Sports Academy while Michael joins virtually from Hawaii for a candid, inspiring, and real conversation with someone pushing his body to its absolute limit.  A teammate of Max's on the Santa Clara University soccer team, Phil excelled as a collegiate athlete and spent a short stint as a professional before moving full time into performance coaching.  Despite still being within sports, Phil  had the desire to compete and push himself.  He went on to participate in various competitions such as triathlons and spartan races (destroying competition), but when he discovered CrossFit there was an opportunity for him to compete on a different scale.  Within 3 year of starting the sport, Phil is already ranked as one the top 100 CrossFit athletes in the world, yes world.  He now has his sights on taking part in the CrossFit Games, where only the top 40 athletes in the world qualify, which we expect to see him competing in soon.  Tune in to hear Phil and the MM gang talk about times together at Santa Clara, the discipline required to compete at his level, what caused him to have heat stroke at the CrossFit Games semifinals, how his perspective on mental health changed after he endured the hardest year of his life and more.   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

We are back and with a very special episode this week featuring Eryk Williamson! Eryk is a 24 year old professional soccer player and friend of the show, having spent time playing with Max with Timbers2. Episode 23 was recorded back in February but drops less than a day after Eryk makes his return to MLS play with the Portland Timbers, completing his comeback after sustaining a torn ACL that ended his 2021 season. Eryk had a breakout year in 2020 with the Timbers first team and established himself as a mainstay, also getting called in to camps with the United States Men's National Team. The trio talk about Eryk's patience and making the most of his opportunities, how he found out he was starting in the Gold Cup final, his mentality in returning from his first major injury, and what he has his sights on with his comeback. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Marathon Minute hosts Noel Sigua for Episode 22 in what proves to be another candid and captivating conversation. Noel is a full time creative, acting as a creative director, stylist, model, photographer, and more in his day to day. Shortly after high school, Noel bet on himself and decided to pursue his creative passions full time. He currently has his own brand, Absolute, and has created campaigns for brands like adidas, Footlocker, Dickies, Gillette and more, while showing no signs of slowing down. The trio talk how Noel is self taught in his skills, the balance of the various roles he occupies, his decision to turn down college to pursue his passions, how to navigate social media as a business and social tool, and much more. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and tell ya friends! Love from Marathon Minute --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Marathon Minute is back and what better way to kick off Season 2 than Warren Creavalle! Warren recently retired after an 8 year MLS career and is currently Senior Art Director at Grey Group, one of the world's top advertising and marketing organizations. Warren grew up in Atlanta and developed an eye for fashion at a young age while excelling in soccer. Shortly after being drafted to Houston Dynamo and becoming a regular in MLS, Warren began his own brand Creavalle and started acting on some of his creative passions. Throughout his career he hosted pop ups, activated a youth design after school program Design FC, designed the MLS is back Black Lives Matter prematch tops, and more. The trio talk about the challenges and realities of playing professional soccer over a long career and how creativity can be an outlet and form of self expression. Tune into the episode for more insightful and candid perspective from someone changing the game from athlete to art director. Subscribe and show some love! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marathonminute/support

Marathon Minute is back and back with a bang! In this episode, Max sits down with Kelly for an in person conversation at his NYC creator house to talk life since he was on the show back in January. Oh and this was less than 24 hrs after Kelly's video was #4 trending on YouTube. Don't worry, although Michael is absent from the conversation with Kelly and dearly missed, he is still featured in the intro for some classic banter. In the last year, Kelly has accomplished many of the goals that he envisioned back in January and this episode provides an opportunity for him to look back on how it has all transpired. New city, new creator house, new brand deals, new merchandise, new content, and so much more. Tune in to hear an open and honest reflection on what's happened this past year and what to look forward to in the next one.

Who better to cap off an incredible inaugural season of Marathon Minute Podcast than our family, Madison Ornstil. Madison has an unheralded story of chasing a dream and changing an industry that can be both a source of insight and inspiration. With a dream of being a connector between athletes and brands, Madison was initially denied a retail job at adidas after taking a leap of faith moving out to Portland with no job after graduating college . However, that was just the beginning of her story as she remained persistent, gained more experience, leveraged her relationships, and eventually got an internship in basketball footwear design. She quickly grew within the brand and moved into sports marketing where she worked closely with Derrick Rose, Kyle Lowry, Candace Parker, and was responsible for turning the women's basketball roster into one of most respected and marketable groups of players within all of sports. Madison recently accepted a role for talent representation and management giant Wasserman, moving on from a leadership role within adidas sports marketing after 10 years with the brand. She also recently launched a custom golf bag business with Kyle Lowry. Tune in to hear Madison talk about leading an adidas footwear collab with Damian Lillard and Oakland brand Oaklandish, her mindset in creating equity in women's sports, some fun family dynamics, and much more. To celebrate Season 1 of Marathon Minute, our first merchandise the "Logos Tee" is now available in limited quanity at marathonminute.store!

We are back this week with a special bonus episode featuring Bay Area soccer legend Emrah Klimenta! Emrah has been playing professional soccer for over 10 years now and is currently a teammate with our host Max at Oakland Roots. We plan on having Emrah on for a full episode during Season 2, however when he scored a historic game winning goal against NorCal rival Sac Republic this past week, we saw this as an opportunity to try something different and tape a day after recap/reflection. Emrah talks us through his history with his former team and why there was extra motivation heading into the match, a play by play of his thought process during the goal, why he celebrated the way he did, and how he reflected in the moment following the win. Tune in for some great insight, stories, and let us know what you think of this special bonus episode!

Episode 19 features Rodney Wallace, who joins Max and Michael for a one of a kind conversation ranging soccer, business, mental health, and everything in between. Rodney is a recently retired professional soccer player, entrepreneur, and TV soccer analyst who looks to have no limit to what he can accomplish. Tune in to hear Rodney talk about getting traded from his hometown team after getting drafted generation adidas, playing with the Costa Rica national team in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, how some of the best years of his soccer career were some of the darkest moments in his personal life, how he eventually made the decision to go to rehab, what inspired him to launch his own CBD brand Rewind by Rodney Wallace, and so much more. We are grateful to Rodney for his vulnerability and truth in sharing the highs and lows of his inspiring story and perspective.

Max and Michael are back in studio with an episode you're not going to want to miss!  Episode features Quincy Amarikwa, a professional soccer player and new teammate of our host Max at the Oakland Roots.  Quincy is in his 13th year playing professional soccer, having spent 11 of those in MLS, and has also managed to build an extremely impressive business portfolio as an entrepreneur and investor.  Tune in to hear Quincy talk about how he developed a sense of self reliance and work ethic, what separates his mentality apart from others, how he manages multiple endeavors while still excelling in a high performance sport, and much more. 

Episode 17 features a one of a kind conversation with Randy Osei, a serial entrepreneur who is bridging the gap between athletes and technology.  Randy grew up with hopes of being a professional athlete and with an entrepreneurial mindset.  After playing basketball at various Universities in Canada,  Randy began working with former number 1 pick Anthony Bennett as his manager for several years, managing several other notable NBA players throughout that time.  He went on to found Rozaay management, a media and events agency that has a social impact. Also, following the Toronto Raptor's championship in 2019, Randy hosted the inaugural Athlete Tech Summit, which brought together athletes, technology, and investment like nothing before.  The event is returning virtually October 1st, with a slate of notable speakers such as Al Harrington and Madison Ornstil. He has since founded Athlete Tech Group, an organization which utilizes education, media and events to build well-rounded Athlete Entrepreneurs.  But wait, there's more!  He also launched a CBD brand, Canurta, which is looking to hit the market soon.  Tune in for tons of gems on entrepreneurship, executing ideas, the future of tech and investment, and inspiration from a true hustler.  

We are back! Welcome in to Marathon Minute Podcast a close friend of the show and current MLS goalkeeper for Sporting KC, Kendall McIntosh. Kendall and Max grew up playing against each other in the NorCal soccer community where Kendall soon became widely recognized as the best goalkeeper in the country who makes highlight saves look easy. He quickly became a GK for the youth national team and represented the United States in both the U-17 and U-20 World Cups. Kendall joined Max at Santa Clara University, where the two have a WCC championship and countless stories memories that are reminisced on throughout the episode. Despite going undrafted, Kendall earned a contract in the USL Championship with Portland Timbers II, which later turned into an MLS deal to no surprise. Kendall is now in his 5th year in MLS and shows no sign of slowing down. In addition to Kendall's world class goalkeeping abilities, he also serves as one of the most interesting people in the world with an array of hobbies and interests including fishing, gardening, and home brewing. Tune in the hear Kendall discuss the pride and pressure of representing your country, the mental fortitude it takes to be a successful goalkeeper, the trials and tribulations of fishing as a hobby, and much more.

Marathon Minute is back featuring a conversation with stylist, designer, and CEO Erinnicole Goodwin.  Chances are if you've watched playoff basketball this year, you've seen a piece designed or styled by Erin.  After growing up with an instant eye for fashion, Erin went on to study at a school for fashion, design, and merchandising.  She later started her own brand, It's Goode Clothing, containing styling consultancy, a streetwear brand, and custom bespoke tailoring.  She works prominently with fellow Oakland native and NBA star Damian Lillard and shares how she convinced Dame to wear a 3 piece suit without a shirt, the way Oakland influences a fashion outlook, and how they collaborate on planning out looks. Erin also shares insight on why she was inspired to start her own brand and how she looks to continue its growth. Be on the lookout for It's Goode pieces hitting a stadium or arena runway soon or head to itsgoode.com.  

Professional soccer player Foster Langsdorf joins Max and Michael in this week's Marathon Minute episode.  Max and Foster go way back, having competed against each other in the college and pro ranks, and played as teammates for Portland's U23 team and Timbers 2.  Foster grew up in Vancouver, WA and saw soccer as an outlet of energy and expression at an early.  He was not highly recruited coming out of high school, with no scholarship offers and eventually accepting an opportunity to walk on at Stanford.  Foster went on to make the team and in the next four years become a 3 time national champion, 2 time all American, 2 time pac 12 player of the year, and all time leading goalscorer in pac 12 history.  But Foster didn't stop there, he signed as a homegrown for his childhood club the Portland Timbers and is now playing in his 4th season in MLS. Tune in to hear Foster talk about his thoughts seeing Max get sent off after a foul on him, his mindset in evolving from a walk on to all American, the difference between motivation and discipline, some of the origins of his work ethic and some amazing stories.  

Episode 13 features Kieth Houlemard in another addition of our experts and leaders series. Keith spent over 30 years at Nike, where he served as President of Jordan Brand, GM of the 2016 Rio Olympics, and many more leadership roles as the company grew to the global sportswear giant it is today. Keith shares insight on the importance of pursuing ones passion in creating a career path, how he was turned away from an entry level job at Nike because he needed more experience in footwear, how he developed such a keen sense for the consumer market, countless stories of influential roles instrumental to Nike's success, his interview with Michael Jordan before being named President of Jordan Brand, and much more. Keith is currently a cofounder of a social dining experience app, FOODe, which is looking to hit the market in the coming weeks.

In another installment of the Experts & Leaders subseries, Episode 12 features a conversation with entrepreneur, philanthropist, current chairman and investor in Oakland Roots Sports Club, Steven Aldrich. After growing up with interests in science and sports, Steven went on to find a passion for leadership in business. He turned a concept of an online insurance market designed for business school class credit into a successful company he would later sell to Intuit. He has been a founder and CEO of multiple companies and spent time as chief product officer at GoDaddy before pivoting into the sports ownership world with the Roots. Tune in to hear Steven talk about spending 4 years as a fencer at UNC, some key qualities and insights about leadership and creating successful teams, stories of selling his first company to Intuit at 26, the importance of a growth mindset, how he decided to leave GoDaddy to become an investor and chairman of the Roots, and much more.

Max and Michael turn the tables for episode 11 and gave listeners the chance to ask a range of questions for the duo to discuss. There was no shortage of questions and the conversation gives insight into the lives and perspectives of the Marathon Minute cohosts. The two get real and open up about the show and life. Tune in to hear the duo talk about details of the daily life of a professional athlete, the mental side of sports and performance, what the two admire about one another, what they've learned throughout their podcasting journey thus far, some all time banter and much more.

We've made it to double digits! Episode 10 and the second of our Experts & Leaders subseries features mental performance coach, former Olympic figure skater, and Emmy nominated director, Yvonne Gomez.  After working with her own mental performance coach when she was just 9, Yvonne achieved her Olympic dream, competing in the 1988 games for Spain.  However, she did not stop there, as she rose the ranks in television and became an Emmy nominated sports TV director.  She has gone on to also become a mental performance coach, working with the USF athletic department as well as other colleges, teams, and individuals at the highest level across an array of sports.  Tune in to hear Yvonne share the story of her Olympic journey, the way to source motivation, how to reframe pressure in a positive way, the benefits of using imagery and visualization, how perspective changes everything, and more.  

Episode 09 features an insightful, entertaining, candid and informative conversation with your favorite artist's favorite photographer, Nesrin Danan. Nesrin has been working in both digital and film photography since her early years in high school and has gone on to specialize in concert/event photography as well as lifestyle and portraits. Also known by her handle @blackprints, Nesrin has made a name for herself not only as a photographer to artists, models, and celebrities but also as a brand herself through various social media platforms. Tune in to hear Nesrin talk about her picking up photography as a kid and how it evolved into a career, the business side of her brand deals and sponsorships, shooting with celebrities like g-eazy and Megan Thee Stalion, what it's like being CEO of her own brand, play by play of shooting a festival or tour, and much more.

Episode 08 features a must-hear inspirational, engaging, and perceptive conversation with professional basketball player Erica Wheeler.  Erica is currently playing overseas in Turkey but recently signed a deal to play the next WNBA season with the LA Sparks.  Erica may appear to be on top of the world now being a WNBA All-Star with numerous sponsorships and a foundation, but her journey to success is that of perseverance, dedication, and so much more.  After growing up in Liberty City, Erica went on to play four years and graduate from Rutgers under the legendary coach C. Vivian Stringer.  After going undrafted, Erica took a job at True Religion and a drug rehabilitation center before heading down to Puerto Rico to continue chasing her dream of professional basketball.  Erica eventually made it to the WNBA but was later cut from the Atlanta Dream, yet this only fueled her to never be cut again.  She has since gone on to become a WNBA All-Star and the first player in history to go from undrafted to an All-Star MVP.  Tune in to hear Erica talk about using basketball as a vehicle for a better life, the many obstacles she overcame to reach the height she's currently at, the balance of humility and a killer instinct, capitalizing on her success with numerous business endeavors including a salmon sponsorship, her unparalleled dedication to give back to the community, and so much more.  

In the first episode of our new Marathon Minute Expert & Leaders subseries, we feature an insightful and engaging conversation with board certified adult and child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr. Kali Hobson.  Though only 33, Dr. Hobson is breaking barriers as she is the first Black woman child and adolescent psychiatrist in the state of Oregon.  In the current climate of society and in the midst of a global pandemic, now more than ever the importance of health and wellness have become quite clear.  Though Kali works primarily with children and adolescents currently, she provides a wealth of knowledge on the entirety of mental health and the need to prioritize it no matter who you are.  In the episode, we explore the various different types of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, the significance of diagnoses, why there are stigmas surrounding the subject, strategies in coping, the importance of representation in her field, the future of the approach to mental health, and much more. 

Episode 06 features an informative, entertaining, and energy filled conversation with a star producer at ESPN, Kayla Johnson.  If you've tuned into ESPN before, chances are you've seen her work pulling the strings on shows like First Take and Get Up or segments like NBA Rookies "Name the 90's".  Growing up with a father in the NFL and a sports oriented family, Kayla talks about seeing Lisa Salters reporting on the sidelines as a kid and knowing she wanted to get into sports media when she grew up.  Kayla embodies the spirit of Marathon Minute, as she got rejection letters from almost every news and sports network across the country, but eventually landed a job as a production assistant at ESPN and well, the rest is history.  Tune in the hear Kayla talk about how her younger brother inspired the hit segment "Name the 90's", what it's like working with stars like Stephen A. Smith, how she gets interviewees to be themselves on camera, what has helped her separate herself from the pack in a content crowded space, and how she hopes to be an inspiration to young Black women producers in the industry.  

Episode 05 of Marathon Minute features an insightful and candid conversation with someone making waves on and off the field, professional soccer player Jeremy Ebobisse.  Jeremy grew up in Bethesda, Maryland before being drafted 4th overall by the Portland Timbers in 2017 and has since become a star in MLS.  He has not only become known for scoring goals and being a top striker, but he has become a leader in activism and social justice that is unafraid and unapologetic in pushing for change.  He is a cofounder and member of the board of the MLS Black Players for Change coalition as well as the More Than a Vote organization.  Tune in to hear Jeremy talk about the mental battles of being a professional athlete, finding his voice in leading the movement for social change, the state of U.S. soccer, policy he is passionate about, and more.  

Episode 04 features a candid and inspirational conversation with YouTuber and creator, Kelly Wakasa.  Kelly is 21 years old and currently has over 500k and 138k subscribers on YouTube and Instagram respectively.  Growing up with a passion for creating funny videos and showcasing his personality, Kelly started off making skate videos before transitioning later in high school to primarily lifestyle videos.  After finishing high school, he moved to LA with his best friend in pursuing content creating full time and "making it big."  Over the years since, he has steadily grown his following and developed into a growingly successful entrepreneur and star in the YouTube community.  Tune in to hear Kelly talk about why he's passionate about making videos, what motivates him, how he deals with negative comments, his growth in business and entrepreneurial savviness, and what's next in store for him.  This episode also features a cameo by Kelly's older brother and friend of the show, Kody Wakasa, where surprises Kelly and joins in on the conversation for the last 20 minutes.  Enjoy!

Jasko Begovic, also known as Sko Habibi, has a life story and perspective that anyone can find value and inspiration from. Growing up in a small village in former Yugoslavia, Jasko fled the country at 12 when war erupted. Jasko's journey as a refugee of war took him to Germany and Croatia before settling in the Bay Area as a teenager. He is known prominently as an artist, soccer coach, and mentor who's work on and off the pitch is a reflection of his life journey thus far and his optimism of the future. His art spans from paintings and illustrations to up-cycled vintage textiles and masks, each telling a story unique in its own way. In Episode 03, Jasko shares stories of his childhood in Yugoslavia, his recent collaboration with Oakland Roots on the short film HumanE.T., how soccer saved his life, his untraditional philosophies for training, and what's in store next for him.

If anyone is the embodiment of the marathon mentality, it's Jacki Gemelos.  After being a top high school recruit and playing college basketball at USC, Jacki has gone on to play professionally in the WNBA and overseas in Italy, Greece, and Spain.  However, this wasn't before overcoming 5 ACL injuries and 10 knee surgeries.  Jacki talks about growing up the moment she realized her dream of playing in the WNBA and why she wouldn't quit.  She also shares the story of her scoring on childhood idol Diana Taurasi, being on the forefront of the racial justice movement in the WNBA bubble, her clothing brand, tattoos, and much more.  We're excited to watch Jacki ball out with the Greek national team at Eurobasket and in her upcoming season with the Washington Mystics as she continues to inspire countless on and off the court.  

In Marathon Minute's premier episode, Max and Michael have the privilege of speaking with professional soccer player, entrepreneur, philanthropist, podcast host, and so much more, Amobi Okugo.  Amobi grew up in Sacramento before going to UCLA and was shortly thereafter drafted 6th overall to the Philadelphia Union as part of the generation adidas class.  He has spent time in the MLS playing for Philadelphia, Orlando, Kansas City, and Portland before most recently playing in the USL Championship for Austin Bold.  Amobi has also been building an exceptional business resumé while excelling in a pro soccer career.  He was recently named to Forbes 30 under 30 list highlighting his work with A Frugal Athlete, a company helping athletes with financial education and athlete empowerment, while also hosting two podcasts, managing his foundation, and more.  Tune in to hear some awesome stories of moments in his career, financial tips for young athletes, gems on how his mentality and manifestation has led to accomplishing goals, what he's looking forward to next in business and soccer, and much more.  

Welcome to a Marathon Minute, where host Max Ornstil and co-host Michael Ornstil have genuine and candid conversations with athletes, entrepreneurs, and creatives about their stories and the intersection of sport, business, fashion, and culture.  Tune in for an athletes emotions when scoring a game winner, a designers thought process in hand making pieces for NBA stars, an entrepreneurs feeling when they first launched their company, and everything in between.