Most people know of David Robinson as a legendary NBA basketball player. Since he retired back in 2003, he's become a philanthropist, venture capitalist and advisor. During his time on the San Antonio Spurs, he won two NBA championships, two Olympic Gold Medals, the league MVP and was eventually inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. He even created the David Robinson Plaque that is still given to current players in recognition of their outstanding community service.
Robinson is also the founder of The Carver Academy (“TCA”) in San Antonio and has contributed more than $10 million to the San Antonio community and TCA to create a nurturing and inspiring academic environment. He previously served as a board member of the USAA Federal Savings Bank and currently serves on the board of the United States Naval Academy Foundation and Centerplate, one of the nation's leading food service providers. Robinson is the co-founder, with Daniel Bassichis, of the Admiral Capital Group.
In this interview, he talks about his experiences growing up and how they led to his career in the NBA, what his biggest challenge and proudest moment was, why he started his private equity group and how it serves his community, and his best career advice.
Dan Schawbel: Why did you choose to go to the Naval Academy for college, how did you get into basketball there and what did you learn from that whole experience that has made you who you are today?
David Robinson: My dad was in the Navy and I was raised with a strong commitment to service. USNA had a great engineering school which was one of my interests and I knew I would benefit from the great discipline and accountability that Navy provides. Coming in, I had no idea basketball would be a career for me, but I grew 7 inches in college and was fortunate to have a great career in the NBA. The experience taught me about service, what our great country was built on, the sacrifices people have made, how to work together and trust the people around you to accomplish a great goal. Also, learned how to help put people in the right positions to succeed. The experience helped shape my basketball career and now is ingrained in the work of Admiral Capital Group.
Schawbel: Throughout your career, what was your biggest challenge and most proud moment?
Robinson: The biggest challenge was becoming a leader and taking our team to the highest level. Feeling the personal responsibility to take the team to the next level. Overcoming fear of inadequacy and never getting down on yourself or doubting who you are. Most proud moment: Winning the championship in 2003 with a great team, retiring and going out in the perfect way. Had a great journey and knowing it was the right time to focus more on family and community activities.
After retiring from the NBA, what made you want to start your company? The primary reason to start Admiral Capital Group was to create a larger platform to impact the community. It was a way to sustain the work I was doing in San Antonio, but also allowed me to work with other communities. It also presented a new and exciting challenge in a new field. I was interested in learning more about the world of finance, how it worked, how it impacted different people. I also knew that to make a bigger impact, I would need to have a strong, profitable and sustainable business with the right partners. I had the opportunity to start a business with a close friend and board member of The Carver Academy, Dan Bassichis, someone I trusted and who shared my passion for helping the community.
Schawbel: How is social impact infused into the company? What types of community work are you currently doing?
Robinson: The community and social impact is at the heart of Admiral Capital. Dan and I initially started it with a commitment to using at least 10% of our profits to support Carver and other community projects. Additionally, our goal is use every asset we invest in to create opportunities for lower income communities and to support education. Sometimes this can be a challenge because it isn’t the conventional approach to business. We formed a real estate fund in partnership with USAA in San Antonio which is our main focus. We currently manage over $250 million of real estate assets. The best example of this community work is with a Hilton Garden Inn that we own in Houston.
We started a program called Admiral Hospitality Scholars, with strong support from
Schawbel: What are your top three career tips?
Robinson: 1. Honor God with your first fruits.
2. Do the very best you can at everything you do and take pride in your work.
3. Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.
Dan Schawbel is a workplace speaker and the New York Times best-selling author of Promote Yourself. Subscribe to his free monthly newsletter for more career tips.
