About Boardroom

Boardroom is a sports, media and entertainment brand co-founded by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman and focused on the intersection of sports and entertainment. Boardroom’s flagship media arm features premium video/audio, editorial, daily and weekly newsletters, showcasing how athletes, executives, musicians and creators are moving the business world forward. Boardroom’s ecosystem encompasses B2B events and experiences (such as its renowned NBA and WNBA All-Star events) as well as ticketed conferences such as Game Plan in partnership with CNBC. Our advisory arm serves to consult and connect athletes, brands and executives with our broader network and initiatives.

Recent film and TV projects also under the Boardroom umbrella include the Academy Award-winning Two Distant Strangers (Netflix), the critically acclaimed scripted series SWAGGER (Apple TV+) and Emmy-nominated documentary NYC Point Gods (Showtime).

Boardroom’s sister company, Boardroom Sports Holdings, features investments in emerging sports teams and leagues, including the Major League Pickleball team, the Brooklyn Aces, NWSL champions Gotham FC, and MLS’ Philadelphia Union.

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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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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.

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.