Talking Baseball and Business with Pitcher Trevor Bauer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPPO5dfq0XM

Baseball is back!!! Why is this on Linkedin? Well, believe it or not, baseball is a huge part of FloQast. 

My Co-founder, Chris, and I bonded over baseball in college. In fact, the only reason I didn’t pursue a career as a professional pitcher is because my true passion lies in accounting. 

(In reality, my fastball topped out at 75 mph, so here we are.)

While I do spend time hunting down baseball cards, winning my fantasy league, and watching classic games, my main hobby — as an entrepreneur and accountant — is FloQast.

Since his professional debut, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer has been one of the most interesting, thoughtful athletes in all sports. In a sport where athletes rarely — if ever — speak their mind, Trevor does so, sharing his thoughts on the cheating scandal that aided in two recent World Series, labor strife, and marketing himself as a professional athlete. 

Not only do we share a love of baseball, our roots in Los Angeles, and abnormally-high levels of athleticism, Trevor and I are both passionate entrepreneurs, building businesses that are dedicated to serving audiences who, for too long, haven’t had the resources they need to grow as professionals.

I’ve been a fan of Trevor’s since his college days. He’s always struck me as a unique personality in baseball and was a top prospect, so Chris and I went to a UCLA game to see him throw in college. He struck out 10 Washington Huskies in 8 innings pitched — all while talking a good amount of trash.

Earlier this year, FloQast was presented the opportunity to partner with Trevor and his company, Momentum Sports, to develop a fun, informative series of content we’re confident both accountants and baseball fans will enjoy. Obviously, much has happened in the few months since then, and fun content hasn’t felt appropriate to share. But, baseball is coming back! We felt this was the time to share some lighthearted content.

Prior to COVID-19, I flew to Arizona where Trevor and his Cincinnati Reds teammates hold Spring Training each year and spent a few days filming with the likes of Bauer, human cartoon Derek Dietrich, and top prospect Hunter Greene. During our time together, we discussed the trials and tribulations of starting a business, developing a personal brand in a sport not known for its players’ personalities, and cheating — a subject Trevor has discussed numerous times over the last few months.

While there, I sat down with Trevor Bauer to discuss our paths as entrepreneurs, investing in ourselves, and just how someone racks up $5,000 in parking tickets while in college. 

We hope you enjoy!