Stars Making A Social Impact: Why & How NBA Star Shaquille O’Neal Is Helping To Change Our World
SAVE — The best financial advice I ever received is that it’s not about how much you make, it’s about how much you keep. More money doesn’t necessarily equal more wealth. I recommend saving 75% of your earnings and the 25% that’s leftover, do with as you please. The main thing is to save, save, save — put away a piece of every paycheck. Even if it’s only $50 or $100, it will add up.
As a part of our series about rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Shaquille O’Neal.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Shaquille O’Neal is considered to be one of the most dominant basketball players in NBA history. At 7 ft 1 in height and weighing 325 pounds, Shaq’s larger-than-life personality and powerful athleticism have resulted in worldwide adulation and one of the most passionate fan bases in sports and entertainment.
O’Neal played for six teams throughout his 19-year NBA career (1992–2011) and was announced as a nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on December 21, 2015, among other prestigious individual recognitions. Shaquille O’Neal’s off-court accolades rival his athletic accomplishments, having found success in acting, music, television and gaming. Currently, Shaq is an analyst on Inside The NBA.
O’Neal has also established a strong business track record as an investor, restaurateur and franchise owner. In 2019, Shaquille O’Neal joined Papa John’s as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors and as an investor in nine Papa John’s restaurants in the Atlanta, Georgia area. He remains an ambassador and spokesperson for the brand.
Philanthropically, Shaquille’s relationship with the Boys & Girls Club of America dates back to his youth in New Jersey. As a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, he has been participating in campaigns with the non-profit company for the past 15 years. To amplify his efforts with the Boys & Girls Club of America, Shaquille has launched his own foundation that will benefit both BGCA and Communities. His foundation’s mission is to help underserved youth in Atlanta and Las Vegas.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series Shaquille! Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
I left LSU early for the NBA, but during my time there, I studied business. When I did leave, I made a promise to my mom that I would return to school to complete my undergrad, which I did in 2000. I knew that my NBA career wouldn’t last forever and that eventually, I’d have to put down the basketball. It was important to me to invest in my future. Every deal I have is with a brand or product that is truly authentic to me. I used to eat Papa John’s all the time growing up, so when it came time to pick a pizza partner, I jumped at the opportunity.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I have always had my eye on Reebok, and I have a great story about the time I walked away from a $40M Reebok sneaker deal. I’ve told this story before, but I cut ties with the brand after a lady yelled at me for ‘charging young kids so much money for shoes.’ I had $2000 in my pocket and said, ‘hey, I don’t make the prices — here you go’ and she smacked the money out of my hand and said, ‘why don’t y’all make a shoe that’s affordable?’ That really resonated with me, and that’s when I decided to turn down my $40M deal with Reebok. Now, fast forward to 2021, and Reebok has been sold to Authentic Brands Group (ABG), my partners since 2015. Everything comes full circle.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I spent my first $1M from the NBA within 30 minutes of receiving the check. I bought me and my dad matching Benzes and some expensive jewelry. I hadn’t even played a professional game yet! My finance guy called me immediately and said that I’d be flat broke if I continued spending like that.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Last year, I worked with Papa John’s to launch the Shaq-a-Roni pizza, which was a really fun collaboration and an instant success with fans. We brought it back on the menu this year through the end of October. The pizza is extra-large and piled high with extra cheese and extra pepperoni, and $1 from every purchase goes to The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community, which supports organizations like United Negro College Fund (UNCF), Baltimore Hunger Project and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
It was really important for my signature pizza to include something charitable. I love helping my community and communities like the one I grew up in, and Papa John’s does the same. The fans blew us away with their support last year, where we raised more than $3.6 million for The Papa John’s Foundation through Shaq-a-Roni sales. This year, we’re hoping to raise even more for our charity partners, so be sure to order your Shaq-a-Roni by October 24!
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
My best words of advice for people who want to own their own business is to do their homework and surround themselves with smart people. You can’t create a successful company without conducting research and having a team that compliments each other. You can achieve great things with the proper support system.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in business and sports? How can that potentially affect our culture?
When it comes to embracing diversity, my goal has always been to make progress. So, investing in companies that actively work towards this is extremely important to me. I joined the Papa John’s Board of Directors at a time when they were ready to lead from the top and had a strong vision for moving forward. Leading by example makes a huge impact on any business, and we’ve been laser-focused on supporting our communities and giving back to organizations that share our commitment to driving change. Initiatives like the Shaq-a-Roni pizza are a great example of how we’re focused on having an impact that’s bigger than pizza.
This year, I also became a founding partner and investor in a new ad agency (Majority), which is focused on employing diverse talent and creating impactful content from a fresh perspective — diversity is our truly competitive advantage.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- SAVE — The best financial advice I ever received is that it’s not about how much you make, it’s about how much you keep. More money doesn’t necessarily equal more wealth. I recommend saving 75% of your earnings and the 25% that’s leftover, do with as you please. The main thing is to save, save, save — put away a piece of every paycheck. Even if it’s only $50 or $100, it will add up.
- Do your due diligence.
- Listen and learn — don’t be afraid to ask questions to people who know more than you.
- Invest in things that will change people’s lives — I learned that from Jeff Bezos.
- Think positively — easier said than done, but worrying and negative thoughts don’t help.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Athletes are presented with a lot of opportunities, especially after they retire. I say this all the time, but whenever I do business, it’s never about the money. It’s important for me to invest in things I stand behind. I’ve had a lot of opportunities over the years, and I’ve turned down a lot of opportunities because they didn’t feel authentic, like Wheaties or Starbucks for example. I didn’t grow up with those products, so it didn’t feel right. Whereas with Papa John’s, I grew up eating the pizza, so it was a natural fit for me to become a franchisee and member of their board.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
People are so quick to look to athletes and entertainers for inspiration, and that’s why I do what I can to set an example. But the reality is that change starts from the individual. If I could inspire every person to each give back in one small way, that would have an enormous impact.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I always have to recognize my mom and dad. They taught me everything about being a man and using my talents to give myself and my family a better life.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Surround yourself with people that are smarter than you.” This is the most important thing that anyone ever taught me and that I can ever tell anyone else. I always want the smartest people in the room to be on my team and that has led me to a lot of success in the business world.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
Halle Berry. I’ve always been a big fan of hers.
How can our readers follow you online?
You can follow me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
