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Out of Office: Joe De Sena

Last Updated: April 26, 2023
Spartan Race and Death Race Co-founder and CEO Joe De Sena speaks with Rich Kleiman about his NYC upbringing and the path that led him to his entrepreneurship journey on “Out of Office.”

Click here to listen to the full episode.

This week’s episode of Boardroom’s “Out of Office” podcast finds a couple of native New Yorkers keeping it local.

Spartan Race co-founder Joe De Sena explains to Rich Kleiman the ways in which the neighborhood that raised him resembled Goodfellas and how a fateful pool-cleaning opportunity laid the groundwork for his origin story as an entrepreneur. He ended up making stops at both Cornell University and the wide world of Wall Street, where the values he witnessed

His desire to pivot to something purer led to the creation of the Spartan Race, one of the world’s most popular obstacle course racing competitions.

Additional topics on the pod include how De Sena developed a strategy for building a brand, learning resilience in the face of setbacks, and No Retreat: Business Bootcamp, his new show on CNBC.

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About The Author
Sam Dunn
Sam Dunn
Sam Dunn is the Managing Editor of Boardroom. Before joining the team, he was an editor and multimedia talent for several sports and culture verticals at Minute Media and an editor, reporter, and site manager at SB Nation. A specialist in content strategy, copywriting, and SEO, he has additionally worked as a digital consultant in the corporate services, retail, and tech industries. He cannot be expected to be impartial on any matter regarding the Florida Gators or Atlanta Braves. Follow him on Twitter @RealFakeSamDunn.