Alex Rodriguez On Balancing Business And Being In The Public Eye

Alex Rodriguez, better known by many as A-Rod, has been a staple in the sports world for nearly two decades now, but his successful transition from Major League Baseball star to dedicated businessman has also made him a well-known figure in the ever-evolving entertainment world.

The 46-year-old father of two is focused on building a pioneering empire through his A-Rod Corp, an investment firm that backs promising businesses with internal and external capital, works with championship teams, and creates value for investors. Their mission is to build world-class companies, brands, partnerships, and entertainment that inspire, connect, and empower global consumers. 

Even though his days on the field may be behind him, Rodriguez brings his effective baseball mindset (and metaphors) to how he chooses to manage his business practices today. “Every day you start with a new scoreboard. I’ve learned in my time, both in baseball and business, that I don’t like go wide and shallow but narrow and deep. This is one of the assets that we have at A-Rod Corp, that we’re going narrow and deep. We still think we’re in the early innings of doing something very special.”

For the past year and a half, Rodriguez has taken an active hand as chairman and co-owner with Anheuser-Busch of Presidente, a brand of Pilsner beer from his family’s home country of the Dominican Republic. Rodriguez’s involvement has provided the opportunity to bring this Dominican brand to the world’s stage and shine a positive spotlight on a growing community through the company’s ongoing “Be The Presidente” campaign.

“Our whole goal is basically to connect with the next generation of Latinx. If you’re Dominican, we all know Presidente,” Rodriguez tells me at Forbes. “Obviously those that are here in the U.S. know Presidente, but it’s really to connect with this next generation of Latinx and we’re very excited. It is gone very well so far.”

Beyond Presidente, Rodriguez has a great passion for getting involved with a wide variety of emerging and established companies. He recently invested in a company called Super Coffee, and became a part of the ownership group for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“I’m very excited about our acquisition of the Timberwolves, entering the NBA. You dream of being a sports athlete and if you can’t be that, you dream of being involved in sports. To think that I played 25 years of my professional career and now I’m lucky enough to own one of the great assets in sports is a dream come true, with great partners Glen Taylor and Marc Lore. I think A-Rod Corp is doing things that are very cool and we get to compete against some of the titans. The fact that we get to compete with the great institutions out there and we hold our own is just telling of what 2021 is today.”

Rodriguez’s growing interest in supporting up-and-coming businesses and his dedication to making smart investment decisions has made him a worthy “Guest Shark” on the hit ABC series Shark Tank.

“I often said that America gets a chance to get their MBA once a week through watching Shark Tank,” Rodriguez continues. “It’s amazing how many people have learned business or have ignited their business interest through this incredible show. I’ve certainly had fun. I also really take a lot of pride in being the first Hispanic to occupy a chair, even though as a guest, and the first Hispanic to be a NBA owner. I represent a great group of people, and I’m just happy that I can pave the way for millions.”

Between his time on Shark Tank to his televised analyst work during Major League Baseball games and his headlining presence lately in Hollywood and entertainment news, I asked Rodriguez how he finds a balance between his business pursuits and the “celebrity”-like coverage he often receives, and if those two areas can somehow complement one another.

“I think they complement each other, but they also have an opportunity to kind of backfire too. I think just really staying grounded, keeping both feet on the floor at all times and understanding that business is business and being someone that’s in the public eye is another and you have to almost run them separately and parallel. We take a lot of pride in being partners that don’t have any entitlement. We believe showing up, we write checks and we believe in rolling up our sleeves and really kind of getting into the grind. I think if you have those types of practices, the combination of both when they come together could be very powerful. We’re excited about our future.”