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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
EFIELDHOUSE.COM
August2011
8/6/2019 John Wolff
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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
.COMA
ugust2011
Someofmyclosestfriends
aremyteammatesthatI
playedwithandshared18
hourbusrideswithatall
hoursofthenight.Ilovedthe
fansandthevarioushost
familiesthattooksuchgreat
careofmethroughoutthe
journey.Tome,professional
baseballwasadreamcome
true.
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.
EFIELDHOUSE
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Matt RighterPublisher
Doreen Cappelaere Editor
Ron White Photography
eFieldHouse would not exist without our
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Contactus:[email protected]
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