Impact’21 | Festus Ezeli

Transcript of Festus Ezeli interview by Alan Olsen, Host of the American Dreams Show at Impact’21:

Alan Olsen:  

I’m here with Festus Ezeli. Festus. Welcome.

Festus Ezeli: 

Thank you so much for having me Alan,

Alan Olsen:  

So Festus, It’s It’s an honor to have you here with us today I’ve went the Impact Global Venture Conference. And you know, a lot of good stuff going on. But what brought you here today?

Festus Ezeli: 

Honestly, just knowledge just trying to, I have a friend who’s a financial advisor, who’s been friendly friend was with me for a long time. Jay Ezelle here in Sacramento, and I’m home. And I just wanted to come get some knowledge and learn, especially now while I’m out and I have some time to,

Alan Olsen:  

You know, a lot of people see you on the basketball court, but don’t know your story. And we don’t have a lot of time. But can you quickly give us a synopsis of what brought you up to where you are today? You know, where you grew up? And how you how you came with your with the Warrior organization and then and then currently, you’re in transition right now.

Festus Ezeli: 

Yeah, so I my life has always been about appreciating little things, right? It doesn’t matter what it is. It’s what you’re what you’re given. You can always make something amazing with it. So born and raised in Nigeria, came to the United States when I was about 15 years old. And at 15. I moved to Yuba City, which is about an hour away from here moved in with my uncle. My uncle introduced me to the game of basketball. Him with the help of another man here in Sacramento, Keith Audister, who was a mentor and still a friend to me today. He helped me get to college, get a scholarship to go to college, went to Vanderbilt University was there and I graduated there with an econ degree. That’s where I met Jay Ezelle because I was I was an intern so I’m giving you all the cliff notes right now okay, and so I was drafted to the Golden State Warriors after that and I played with them for years won a championship with them and you know, during all these years I’ve been very very curious you know, I was in the in the Bay Area I was very I was very much around a lot of venture capitalists friends and so we had conversations about this I was always soaking up whatever knowledge I could but now that I’ve been out for a couple of years with an injury becoming you know working my way back I also want to use this time wisely. And so part of it is educating myself on deals I’ve done investments I’ve made and things I want to do in the future on the impact I want to make a shout out to the Impact so yeah, that’s really why I’m here.

Alan Olsen:  

Now it’s been a pleasure having you here today, have you been learning a lot?

Festus Ezeli: 

I’ve you know, one of the biggest things when it comes to things like this is I want to see the trends you know, what is I mean technology is such a big part of all our days I spent a week last week in the Grand Canyon without my phone and it was such a it was such a relief to some degree but it’s also you realize how much technology runs your life with that being the case I’m trying to find ways and think of ways that we can make our lives better and so that’s why I come to events like this because I’m like what are what what is out there what is being created so there’s so many new companies so many amazing entrepreneurs here so I’m just I’m learning getting connected and just enjoying this this journey.

Alan Olsen:  

I love it. I love it. Well, Festus it’s been a pleasure having you with us.

Festus Ezeli: 

Thanks for having me. Thank you for having me. Now, I made it. Mom I made it.

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This transcript was generated by software and may not accurately reflect exactly what was said.

Alan Olsen, is the Host of the American Dreams Show and the Managing Partner of GROCO.com.  GROCO is a premier family office and tax advisory firm located in the San Francisco Bay area serving clients all over the world.

Alan L. Olsen, CPA, Wikipedia Bio

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