Episode 1470: Former WWE Co-President: George Barrios

Derek Champagne talks with George Barrios, former co-president of WWE, about the deal he made to reshape the global company, his public firing by Vince McMahon, the future of the sports industry, and his approach to leadership (and coping with public failure). Barrios tells his story in his new book Sometimes Wrong but Never in Doubt. ABOUT SOMETIMES WRONG BUT NEVER IN DOUBTAt a time when leadership is under scrutiny and industries are being reshaped at breakneck speed, stories of bold decision-making and personal reinvention have never felt more essential. Readers are hungry for narratives that go beyond corporate gloss—stories that show how transformative deals actually unfold, how leaders make high-stakes decisions, and how grit still propels people to the highest levels of business. In SOMETIMES WRONG BUT NEVER IN DOUBT: How a Cuban Kid from Queens Transformed WWE (Skyhorse Publishing; June 2, 2026), George Barrios—son of Cuban immigrants, former co-president of WWE, and architect of the largest transaction in sports history—offers exactly that kind of story. With unfiltered honesty and cinematic detail, Barrios traces his journey from a cramped Queens apartment to the boardrooms where he helped reshape a global entertainment company. Told with the humor, swagger, and introspection of a leader who has lived many careers in one lifetime, the book blends memoir and business insight to reveal how an outsider learned to trust his instincts, move decisively, and lead through uncertainty. Barrios brings readers inside the world of WWE: from his twelve-year partnership with Vince McMahon, to the media-rights revolution that redefined the company, to the personal and professional fallout of being fired in front of the entire industry. But the story reaches far beyond wrestling. It is equally a story of immigration, family resilience, cultural identity, and the relentless pursuit of upward mobility. Barrios reflects on:·       High-stakes leadership, including how he learned to take bold action despite backlash, uncertainty, and public scrutiny.·       The making of a massive sports deal, and the pressures, strategy, and behind-the-scenes dynamics that shaped an industry-defining negotiation.·       Immigrant grit and the American Dream, and how his parents’ escape from Castro’s Cuba shaped his path and worldview.·       Reinvention after public failure, including the firing that could have ended his career and the personal reckoning that followed.·       The cultural forces inside major entertainment companies, with unvarnished insight into ego, power, and the real cost of winning. Written with the immediacy of a ringside story and the heart of a family saga, SOMETIMES WRONG BUT NEVER IN DOUBT is more than a business memoir. It is a testament to risk-taking, reinvention, and the belief that anyone—regardless of where they begin—can shape their own future.Order book here: https://georgebarrios.com/Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576