In this episode, Bryan sits down with Eric Wynalda, U.S. soccer legend, broadcaster, and entrepreneur, for a candid conversation about building your brand by staying true to who you are. Eric shares his wild journey from playing in three World Cups to unexpectedly stepping into an 18-year broadcasting career and now launching his own media company. He breaks down lessons learned from navigating career pivots, leading high-performing teams, embracing imperfection, and trusting instincts in business. Eric’s stories—from live TV meltdowns to winning championships in coaching—highlight the importance of authenticity, adaptability, and surrounding yourself with the right people when building a brand and leading with impact.

Chapters

• 01:40 – Eric’s Soccer Journey: First MLS Goal to 3 World Cups
• 03:45 – How Injury Launched an Unexpected Broadcasting Career
• 05:45 – Is It Luck or Being Ready?
• 07:45 – Why Honesty Is the Heart of Great Broadcasting
• 09:40 – Starting a Media Company: Breaking Free from Censorship
• 12:00 – How a Pencil and an Ant Almost Got Him Fired on Live TV
• 14:30 – The Greatest Broadcasting Advice from Al Michaels
• 16:00 – Reinventing in Your 50s: Building a Media Empire
• 17:35 – Building the Right Team: Lessons from Elite Sports
• 19:50 – Why Knowing Your Strengths Changes Everything
• 23:45 – Live TV Disaster: When Everything Went Wrong (and Right)
• 25:45 – Why Imperfection Builds Connection with Audiences
• 27:45 – Why Passion Projects Matter (Even in Midlife)
• 30:05 – Stay Close to What You Love
• 32:50 – From Broadcast to Coaching: Building Teams and Trust
• 34:00 – How Delegating Empowered a Championship Team
• 36:30 – Final Lessons: Build Smart, Stay Authentic, Trust the Journey

Connect with Eric:

• Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-wynalda/
• X: https://x.com/ericwynalda?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacLjBRQqz8GyeZpSlgBZeEOVfGDOv5nr16TZptA2-v6OrG54zskc0D-aEN9zQ_aem_3gTESrTuBi69vd8fLDCNWg
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericwynalda/

Connect with Bryan:

• Check out the website www.whatsnextpodcast.com
• Connect with Bryan on Instagram @bryanfinnerty22
• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn @bryanfinnerty

PS- Do you love this podcast? We would appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review for the show. This will continue to help us support athletes as they transition to what's next.

Connect with Bryan:

Check out the website: www.whatsnextpodcast.com
Connect with Bryan on Instagram: @bryanfinnerty22
Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn: @bryanfinnerty

PS- Do you love this podcast? We would appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review for the show. This will continue to help us support athletes as they transition to what's next.

Don't forget to FOLLOW the podcast so you don't miss a single episode.

In this episode, Bryan welcomes back Marisa Massana, former LPGA athlete and high-performance strategist, to dive into the powerful connection between accountability, intentionality, personal values, and long-term growth. Marisa shares how she transitioned from elite athlete to entrepreneur, and how journaling, goal setting, and weekly reflection became tools for building a life and business aligned with her true values. She breaks down her framework for helping Fortune 100 leaders and athletes alike reconnect with their goals, identify limiting patterns, and take aligned action. From creating impactful executive retreats to planting seeds for long-term brand partnerships, Marisa drops gems for anyone looking to evolve, lead with purpose, and grow through challenges.

Chapters

• 00:00 – Learning Through Losses
• 00:26 – Marisa Massana Returns
• 02:13 – From LPGA to Business Coaching
• 03:50 – Journaling to Find Your Zone of Genius
• 06:01 – What Intentional Living Really Looks Like
• 07:49 – Aligning Your Calendar with Your Core Values
• 09:28 – Avoiding the Trap of Success Without Purpose
• 11:33 – Why Your Hardest Moments Hold the Most Wisdom
• 13:34 – How Marisa Works with Executives & Athletes
• 15:48 – The Power of Weekly Accountability
• 17:18 – Creating Trust with “Golf & Growth” Roundtables
• 19:09 – How to Host a DIY Leadership Session
• 21:08 – The Wins, Losses, Lessons, Systems Framework
• 23:25 – How Marisa Landed a Fortune 100 Partnership
• 25:00 – Seed Planting vs. R&D: Long-Term Brand Building
• 27:07 – The Real Shortcut: There Isn’t One
• 29:04 – Marisa’s “Zero Productivity, Max Vibe” Day
• 31:14 – Rest to Return: Recharging Like a Pro
• 33:11 – Best and Worst Advice from Her Caddy
• 35:14 – Where to Connect + Marisa’s 1:1 “Challenge to Triumph” Calls

Connect with Marisa:

• Linked In: @marisamessana
• Instagram: @marisamessana
• Website: www.marisamessana.com

Connect with Bryan:

Check out the website: www.whatsnextpodcast.com
Connect with Bryan on Instagram: @bryanfinnerty22
Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn: @bryanfinnerty

PS- Do you love this podcast? We would appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review for the show. This will continue to help us support athletes as they transition to what's next.

Don't forget to FOLLOW the podcast so you don't miss a single episode.

In this episode, Bryan sits down with Anthony Tomey, a former MLB pitcher turned multi-brand entrepreneur, to unpack his journey from the mound to millions. Anthony shares how he transitioned from playing for the Detroit Tigers to building a 50+ location Jimmy John's empire, launching award-winning brands like 8 Mile Vodka and Born in Detroit, and giving back through his involvement in GameAbove and The Big3 basketball league. The episode dives deep into grit, leadership, family-run businesses, team culture, and what it really takes to bet on yourself and win big—even through a global pandemic. If you're an athlete, entrepreneur, or dreamer ready to scale something meaningful, this episode is a blueprint for relentless hustle and impact.

Chapters

00:00 – Betting on Yourself from Day One

00:33 – Welcome to the Show

02:09 – From Family Business to MLB Dreams

04:30 – Scaling Jimmy John's Overnight

06:28 – The Moment Baseball Got Real

08:30 – Getting Drafted by the Detroit Tigers

10:55 – From Pro Sports to Business Ownership

13:18 – Betting on Jimmy John's (and Winning Big)

15:40 – Growing a Business During a Pandemic

18:02 – The Power of Team and Culture

20:25 – Born in Detroit & 8 Mile Vodka

24:10 – What Makes a Family Business Actually Work

27:45 – Investing in The Big3 League

30:20 – GameAbove & Giving Back to Eastern Michigan

32:50 – Anthony’s Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Connect with Anthony Tomey

• Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-tomey-9a1a5246/
• Website: https://tomeygroup.com/

Connect with Bryan:

Check out the website: www.whatsnextpodcast.com
Connect with Bryan on Instagram: @bryanfinnerty22
Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn: @bryanfinnerty

PS- Do you love this podcast? We would appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review for the show. This will continue to help us support athletes as they transition to what's next.

Don't forget to FOLLOW the podcast so you don't miss a single episode.