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John WolffIn The Beginning

eFH:Arentyouthatguythat

foundedeFieldHouse?

JOHN:Yes,IstartedEFHbackin

2006withIanChurchandSteve

OSullivan.Allthreeofuswere

playingminorleaguebaseballand

thoughtthattherewasan

opportunitytocreateaprivate

networkdesignedtohelp

professionalathletes.Social

networkingwassllverymuchin

itsinfancyandwethoughtthata

networkthatprovidedprivacyfor

high-profileathletesandgrouped

peoplebasedontheirteaminsteadoftheircollegeorschool

couldgarnerinterestfromusers,

investorsandadversers.The

companyreceivedalotofinterest

fromtheproathletecommunity

andstartedtoacceptoutside

capitalinmid-2007.In2008,we

wereapproachedbyIntraware

(acquiredbyAcressoSoRware)

withanacquisionoffertoadd

EFHtotheirsportsnetworkingporUolioofsites.Itwasavery

flaWeringofferandifwehad

knownthattheeconomywason

thevergeofcollapsewewould

havemostlikelytakentheoffer.

Graduateof

Harvard

University

Columbia

Business

School

NewYork

MetsMinor

LeaguePlayer

Original

Founderof

eFieldHouse

I-Bank

Division

Goldman

Sachs

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eFH:WhydidyoustarteFHinthefirstplace?

JOHN:IoriginallystartedEFHbecauseIthoughttherewasarealnetworkorcommunityof

professionalathletesandthatthecommunity

couldbeevenmoreaccessibleontheinternet.

Theoriginalidearesembledasimplealumni

networkthatwasinviteonlyforprofessional

athletes.Ifiguredtherewassomuchturnover

intheprofessionalsportsworldthatplayers

wouldliketohaveacentrallocaon,awayfrom

themedia,wheretheycouldstayintouchand

findoldteammates/friendsthattheycouldnt

trackdown.

eFH:HowlongdidyouplayfortheMets?

JOHN:IwaswiththeMetsforoneseason.Iwas

fluentinSpanishandtheorganizaon

approachedmeduringtheseasonandaskedif

wouldbeinterestedinbeingaplayer/coachin

theMetsDominicanTrainingAcademy.Ihadto

politelydeclinethegenerousoffer,becauseI

wantedtoreallyfocusoneFieldHouse.

Iwouldntrecommendthisapproach,but

allthroughcollegeIwas100%focusedon

playingprofessionalbaseball.IknewthatI

wantedtokeepplayingaRercollegeandI

wasdesperatetofindaplacetoplay.

John WolffPlayer/CEO/Investment Banker

EFIELDHOUSE

.COMa

ugust2011

Iwasvery

fortunateto

have

supporve

parentswho

understood

thatthiswas

something

thatIwanted

todoevenifI

didnthave

theabilityto

makeitallthe

waytothe

major

leagues.

CurrentlyWorkingforGoldmanSachs

8/6/2019 John Wolff

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IhadagreatmerunningEFH

butIdosomemeswishIhad

takentheoffer.Ialsoplayeda

seasonwiththeChicagohite

Soxandmadeavarietyofstops

inindependentbaseballfromtheFronerLeaguetothe

AtlancLeague.Ifrequentlyjoke

thatIwasquitethejourneyman

shortstopinmyminorleague

career.

eFH:Whatwasthebestpart

aboutplayingbaseball

professionally?

JOHN:Ilovedeverypartofit.

Someofmyclosestfriendsare

myteammatesthatIplayedwith

andshared18hourbusrides

withatallhoursofthenight.I

lovedthefansandthevarious

hostfamiliesthattooksuchgreat

careofmethroughoutthe

journey.Tome,professional

baseballwasadreamcometrue.

Imissiteveryday!

eFH:Tellusmoreaboutwhat

youredoingnow.

JOHN:IfinishedColumbia

BusinessSchoolinthespringof

2010andIstartedshortlyaRerin

theInvestmentBankingDivision

atGoldmanSachs.Imslla

rookieinthefinancialworldbut

sofarImlovingthechallenge.

eFH:AsaHarvardalum,youhad

tobethinkingaboutajobaRer

baseballright?

JOHN:Iwouldntrecommendthis

approach,butallthroughcollege

Iwas100%focusedonplaying

professionalbaseball.Iknewthat

IwantedtokeepplayingaRer

collegeandIwasdesperateto

findaplacetoplay.IfIhadnt

beendraRedbytheChicagohiteSoxIwouldhavetriedto

findaplayingjobinindependent

baseballorperhapsplayed

overseasiftheopportunity

existed.Lookingback,Iprobably

shouldhavegivenlifeaRersports

alotmorethoughtbutIwas

completelyfocusedonachieving

mydream.Iwasveryfortunateto

havesupporveparentswho

understoodthatthiswas

somethingthatIwantedtodo

evenifIdidnthavetheabilityto

makeitallthewaytothemajor

leagues.

eFH:Wastheresomeonethat

wasreallyhelpfulalongthe

way?

JOHN:Therehavebeensomanypeoplethathavehelpedme

alongtheway.Therehavebeen

peoplewhohelpedmewithmy

baseballcareer,peoplethathave

helpedmewiththewebsiteand

therehavebeenpeoplethat

EFIELDHOUSE

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ugust2011

Someofmyclosestfriends

aremyteammatesthatI

playedwithandshared18

hourbusrideswithatall

hoursofthenight.Ilovedthe

fansandthevarioushost

familiesthattooksuchgreat

careofmethroughoutthe

journey.Tome,professional

baseballwasadreamcome

true.

John Wolff

8/6/2019 John Wolff

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Iwillforeverbegratefultothem

fortheirhelpandadvicealong

theway.IwouldntbewhereIam

todayifitwasntforallofthe

helpthatmymentorsand

supportersgaveme.

eFH:eFieldHousekindofsounds

likeFacebookforpro

athletes....DidyouknowMark

Zukerberg?

JOHN:IdidntknowMark

personally,butwewereinthesamefreshmanclassatHarvard.I

wishIhadknownhimbeWer!

eFieldHouseiswaymorethana

socialnetworkanyways!

eFH:TellusmoreaboutHarvard

Boys.WhatisaHarvardBoy?

JOHN:HarvardBoysisabook

publishedbySkyHorse(imprintof

Sterling)intheFallof2007.My

dadandIco-authoredthebook

andthebookdocumentsmyday-

to-dayexperienceinmyfirstyear

inproball.MydadandIhada

greatmedocumenngallthe

crazymesinMinorLeague

Baseball.

eFH:Didyoucollectbaseballcards?

Howmanyarestoredinyour

parentsclosetathome?Best

card???

JOHN:Icertainlydid.Ihavea

treasuretrovesomewhereinmy

parentsac.Ihavenoideawhat

thebestcardisbutIvebeen

meaningtoorganizethosecards

foryearsnow.Maybetheme

hascome

eFH:Proathleteswhoarejust

starVng,finishing,orclosetoit

willallsomedayneedtoworry

aboutlifeaRertheirsport.Any

adviceforthem?

JOHN:Nothingyouhaventhear

before.hetheryouareonthe

playingfieldorinthebusiness

worldjustdowhatyoulove,wo

hard,andtherestwillfollow.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Matt RighterPublisher

Doreen Cappelaere Editor

Ron White Photography

eFieldHouse would not exist without our

contributors. We thank them for their

time, generosity, and wisdom.

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from Ron White have been used with

their permission.

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