From Chief of Staff to Professional Sports Investing with Fred Sharp

Are you an overachieving director, VP, or high-performing corporate leader crushing your quarterly targets, yet secretly looking for a predictable pathway to expand your professional options outside the enterprise?   In this dynamic guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Fred Sharp, the managing partner of Clubhouse Ventures and former NCAA Division One walk-on athlete. Fred pulls back the curtain on his rapid corporate rise, detailing what it was like to be hand-selected at age 30 to serve as the Chief of Staff for the Chief Revenue Officer of a $4 Billion global tech line of business. Discover how Fred intentionally structured his 168 hours to quietly build a premium sports tech venture fund while managing massive global corporate operations, and learn why understanding the unvarnished reality that corporations move forward with or without you is the ultimate mental key to unlocking professional freedom.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: Why is shifting your paradigm from "who you know" to "who knows you" critical for high-end alternative investing? What does it look like to step into a global Chief of Staff role for a $4B business unit at just 30 years old? How can a top-performing software executive transition enterprise operational skills into sports tech venture capital? Why is it essential for corporate professionals to diversify their investments outside of traditional equity and RSU portfolios? How do you navigate the corporate visibility stigma while building your own venture quietly on the side?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Cracking the Code: Moving From Who You Know to Who Knows You 03:36 - The Walk-On Mindset: Rigor, Athletics, and Structure in Metro Detroit 05:00 - Wet Behind the Ears: Running Global Operations for a $4 Billion Tech Business 07:04 - Trick Yourself Until You're Ready: Stepping Between the Executive Lines 09:54 - Intentional Career Design vs. The Myth of Flying by Night 12:01 - Beyond RSUs: Diversifying Assets Into Sports Tech and Women's Pro Volleyball 14:44 - Leaving on Good Terms: Why Your Corporate Relationship Needs a Clean Ending 19:11 - Cutting Through Red Tape: Managing Egos and Outcomes in the C-Suite 22:34 - Building Career Capital: Shifting Preparation and Respect Outside Corporate Walls 25:57 - The Non-Negotiable Rule: Executing Side Passions Without Sacrificing 9-to-5 Performance 35:45 - The Harsh Truth: Why Large Corporations Will Always Move Forward Without You 37:27 - Legacy Engineering: Surviving the Valley by Remembering Your First 12 Months 40:48 - Expanding Your Circle: How to Connect with Fred Sharp on LinkedIn   Connect With Fred Sharp: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-sharp  Email: [email protected]    📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets.   With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day.   This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels