Maverick Carter’s 4 Tips on Doing Business With a Friend
Business is never supposed to be personal, but when LeBron James decided it was time to part ways with his agent Aaron Goodwin, the NBA star turned to longtime friend Maverick Carter to pick up the reigns. Growing up together in Akron, Ohio, the former high school classmates built a mentoring friendship around the sport of basketball that has since grown to encompass the business of basketball. As co-founders of LRMR Marketing, James and Carter have successfully collaborated on a host of business opportunities including managing other pro athletes, endorsement deals with major brands, and most recently bringing Sheets energy strips to market. Based on the young CEO’s track record, BlackEnterprise.com spoke with Carter to get his top tips on how to juggle friendship with partnership. —Anslem Samuel, with additional reporting by Christina M. Tapper
Business is never supposed to be personal, but when LeBron James decided it was time to part ways with his agent Aaron Goodwin, the NBA star turned to longtime friend Maverick Carter to pick up the reigns. Growing up together in Akron, Ohio, the former high school classmates built a mentoring friendship around the sport of basketball that has since grown to encompass the business of basketball. As co-founders of LRMR Marketing, James and Carter have successfully collaborated on a host of business opportunities including managing other pro athletes, endorsement deals with major brands, and most recently bringing Sheets energy strips to market. Based on the young CEO’s track record, BlackEnterprise.com spoke with Carter to get his top tips on how to juggle friendship with partnership. —Anslem Samuel, with additional reporting by Christina M. Tappermore
The Friendship Should Always Be Prioritized “No matter what, keep the friendship going. Take the time to be friends; you don’t have to dedicate every moment to business. LeBron and I, we go on vacation, we talk basketball, we hang out,†explains Carter. “Every moment together is not spent on talking about business deals and strategies. It’s important to maintain the fun, especially if you’re working with a friend.â€more
Mutual Respect Comes With Open Ears “Listening is another important thing,†Carter adds. “Before we make a decision it’s important that each of us shares what we think and listen to each other. It’s best to listen without quickly making judgment or forming an opinion immediately. Listen, think about it and then respond.â€more
Without Trust There Can Be No Partnership or Friendship “Trust in your friendship is key, but also in a business partnership,†says Carter. “Trust goes both ways. You have to be confident that your partner has the company’s best interests at heart.â€more