‘Use the Game, Don’t Let the Game Use You’: Michael Strahan on Owning Your Brand and Your Next Chapter

The Entrepreneur Playbook is a show that brings athlete-entrepreneurs together with titans of business to trade stories and deliver practical lessons for founders. In this episode, NFL Hall of Famer, Emmy-winning television host and entrepreneur Michael Strahan sits down with Constance Schwartz-Morini, the longtime marketing executive, talent manager and co-founder and CEO behind SMAC Entertainment, to unpack the decisions and mindset that helped them build a durable business relationship.

SMAC has had an incredible diversity of business interests since its inception in 2010, ranging from TV shows like $100,000 Pyramid to WEAR by Erin Andrews sports apparel to its recently announced new podcast network, The Intersection.

One of the strongest takeaways from their conversation is the importance of choosing partners with aligned values. Schwartz-Morini says great partnerships do not require friendship, but they do require “the same goals,” warning that businesses often break down when one partner’s priorities or work ethic shifts. Strahan agrees wholeheartedly, sharing a lesson he learned from playing football: once ego is removed and everyone is focused on the same outcome, “everything worked itself out.”

The conversation also offers a candid look at failure, uncertainty and the discomfort of starting over. Strahan recalls how scary retirement felt because football had been his only professional identity, admitting he nearly returned to the NFL because it felt like a safety net. His advice for anyone making a transition is simple and useful: “Find what holds your interest,” then “learn something from it.” Whether the effort succeeds or not, the experience will give you momentum.

Schwartz-Morini adds a tactical layer that entrepreneurs can apply immediately. She stresses that authenticity is a competitive edge, calling it a “superpower,” and explains that every client strategy should begin with what genuinely fits the person or brand. Strahan pairs that with the episode’s most memorable mantra: “You gotta hustle like you’re broke,” a reminder that ambition, discipline and urgency should not disappear once success arrives.

For anyone building a company, changing careers or trying to protect a brand while it grows, this episode packs sharp and usable advice into a lively conversation. Watch the full episode above to hear how Strahan and Schwartz-Morini turned trust, instinct and reinvention into a winning playbook.