Pau Gasol Has Innovation and Well-Being on His Mind

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And we're talking about the big money issues in the world of sports and so excited to be joined by a former NBA All-Star champion, now strategic investor. He's got a company that he's invested in called Better Up. We're talking about Pau Gasol. Pau, really nice to have you with us.

I think I speak for the team when I say we've watched your career with great fascination and a lot of excitement over the years. And now watching you as a businessman, it's very cool to connect with you. So thanks for joining us.

Pau Gasol (1:50)

Thank you so much for having me. And thank you for following my career and now following my interest outside of basketball and in the investment world.

Jason Kelly (1:59)

So tell us about that. I mean, you live in the Bay Area, so there's something in the water out there. I guess you can't help but get involved in backing companies and creativity and innovation.

But give us the sort of overview. How do you approach sort of the Pau Empire, as it were?

Pau Gasol (2:19)

No, Pau, I don't know. I mean, it's just a matter of kind of venturing out and learning, you know, learning what's going on out there. What are people doing? I mean, we live in such a fast-changing world, and there's so many companies, so many tools. And right now with the pandemic that we're going through, there's so much disruption. So we got to figure out how to go forward effectively, how to deal with the effects quickly. So there's so many companies that are coming up to help us do that. And I felt better up.

A company that was definitely founded in 2013, but has been growing and growing and doing such a good job by helping people and providing tools to grow personally and professionally.

I felt such an instant connection, and I wanted to be involved and provide not just financial investment, but also personal contribution and share some of my expertise that I've accumulated throughout my career.

Michael Barr (3:24)

I like it because you are saying your coaching for your employees is what you're trying to get to the concept of two different businesses. Can you tell us more about that?

Pau Gasol (3:40)

Yeah, well, what really stood out from this company, besides getting to know them, having talked to their CEO a couple of times, and getting to know him, which I also think is very important to know who leads the company, who has put it together, it was the fact and the concept of making coaching accessible for all people, not just for the executives, that they usually get those resources and those options, but for everyone in the company.

And I think that that's very important. At a time that people are struggling emotionally with this pandemic, and our lives have been disrupted, and we need support. Everyone needs a coach, really.