Humane Rights with Dr. Akilah Cadet
Episode 11 — Guest: Laura Geist, General Manager, Oakland Ballers
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I'm Dr. Akilah Cadet and this is Humane Rights, a show that flips the traditional talk show on its head. This isn't about debate. It's about dialogue. Each episode, I invite guests from different walks of life to unpack the messy, beautiful realities of being human. Welcome to Humane Rights, where being human is the ultimate act of resistance.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Hey.
Laura Geist: Hi.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I am so excited to have you here in our studio. We're going to have some fun today. Mainly because we're talking to a motherfucking champion! So congratulations.
Laura Geist: Thank you.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: So we have.
Laura Geist: That's the best way it's ever been put.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I mean, it's it's a big deal. We have Laura Geist, general manager for the Oakland Ballers, which I'm so proud of. I would love for you to introduce yourself, but before you do an intro of how wonderful and amazing you are, I would love for you to do an image description, and I'll role model it for you.
Laura Geist: Okay.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: So, as you know, my name is Akilah. I get to be the host of this wonderful podcast. We're in the golden studio, which we love so much, and I kind of matched it because I'm wearing a yellow lace dress from DÔEN. It's see-through, so you're welcome. Single men. And I am wearing a black jacket, and it's my jacket that I designed for the S.F. Giants, which I'm really proud of with the floral design in the front. My long golden braids are going in back behind the chair, and I'm seated across from Laura Geist, who's on a wonderful leather couch. And tell us about you. Tell us your pronouns.
Laura Geist: So, I'm Laura Geist. She/her. I am sitting on this wonderful leather couch, as aforementioned. I feel like I'm dressed up today because I'm wearing pants. That button. So—
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Oooh.
Laura Geist: Some jeans. I feel special. And a black Baller sweatshirt with— it's our signature logo with a big, big B in the middle. And some black shoes.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Well, you look great.
Laura Geist: Well, thank you.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I was going to say the the blonde hair with nature's highlights coming.
Laura Geist: I also have nature's highlights in here, too.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Our little hidden but beautiful blue eyes.
Laura Geist: Oh. Thank you. Thank you.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: We are a part of the light eye crew, so people think we're mad.
Laura Geist: But it's really just the sun.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It's just the sun. Just the sun.
Laura Geist: The sun always.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It's just the sun.
Laura Geist: Or headlights.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Or right. Or headlights.
Laura Geist: Flash. The flash of the camera.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Oh. Never.
Laura Geist: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It's a very challenging life.
Laura Geist: So I feel seen in this moment.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I know I always have to say, I see you. So, you are the general manager of the Ballers.
Laura Geist: I am.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: How else would you describe yourself? Like, with what you do?
Laura Geist: Yeah. So what I was going to say. I'm the general manager of the Ballers. I'm a mom to two amazing girls. My husband is Nick. I'm an Oakland third generation resident.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yes!
Laura Geist: So. And really, when I, you know, I think when people think of baseball and they think of the general manager, I think of the person who's out there scouting and doing deals and that type of thing.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And it's a little bit different.
Laura Geist: And a penis.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: That too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Laura Geist: There's not many of us without. But in the minor leagues, they're like, I have an amazing vice president of baseball operations Don Wakamatsu. And Tyler Petersen and our coaching crew do an amazing job doing the player part of it, which is why we're champions.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: That was my job.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: That is not where we would be.
Laura Geist: So I really am in the operations function. So anything that happens operationally on the business side as well as Raimondi Park, even if the Ballers aren't playing in it. Yeah, it comes under my purview. And then the best part of my job is I get to do community relations.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: So that is. That's my favorite part.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: My favorite part is that you're a fellow woman in sports, which I think is really, really great. And I think your role is important for so many reasons, because it's the fans to communities, to the players, and obviously to the ops, to make everything happen. I also love that you have quite the tech career at some startups like Microsoft.
Laura Geist: This is not happening.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Google.
Laura Geist: You may have heard of them before.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Yeah. Woo, they're going to make it. And I'm just really proud of you for making a switch. A lot of people don't understand the transferable skill set that happens there.
Laura Geist: Totally.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: But you're just like, oh, I'm kind of losing my soul a little bit. I would like to find it again. And you found it in Raimondi Park, which is really important to note because it's in West Oakland. And we, we film and record here in Berkeley, California. Raimondi Park is such a rich history for Oakland with so many different movements and activism in the Black Panthers, and that's honored through and through with the Ballers organization, which is just really, really great. And just it's nice to see— it's nice to see you, as another fellow team who's like, no, we love Oakland. This is where we want to be. And we know we can only be successful with our community.
Laura Geist: That's right.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And so thank you for that.
Laura Geist: Well, thank you. And likewise, I mean, I think there's, the Roots have been, you know, I've loved them since since the day they came. And soccer is actually how I got this job with the Ballers. So I coached Paul Freedman, who was our CEO and co-founder, his daughter. We met at Raimondi Field.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You did?
Laura Geist: Yeah. So—
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It's so cute!
Laura Geist: It's a full circle moment that we sit in this place and get to do this amazing work in community in West Oakland. My grandfather ran a foundry supply store in West Oakland as a kid over on Poplar. And so to see the long transformation of West Oakland and, like, what's happened as a result of, you know, some of the real estate and city planning decisions, just such a vibrant and wonderful community. And now to watch it have this resurgence has been just really incredible. And I feel super honored to be a part of it. I feel super honored to be a part of something doing good for the city that I love so much.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: So I was inspired by The Roots, quite honestly like that, that sports could look like that. Yeah, sports could be like that.
Laura Geist: And we like the Roots and Soul.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Love the Ballers.
Laura Geist: The Ballers love Roots and Soul. And the first game I went to, which I loved— your head of security is also our head of security. And so I was like, this is weird and fun all at the same time. And I realized that as a result of that, I get special treatment at both the games, which is—
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Which is well deserved.
Laura Geist: Which I know.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You should have special treatment.
Laura Geist: I was just like, this is great. So I was able to get, like, insights and just see what you're able to do. And I think there's not a lot of— people don't understand how hard it is to have the magic of a game where you just go there and you're like, oh, I feel home. I feel seen, this feels like really, really good. And it felt good.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Although I do have a note for you.
Laura Geist: Say more.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Okay, so like any time there's like a game, like the hat game or something or whatever, and then whoever wins, it's like, give yourself an "A"? You shouldn't do that. You should give yourself a "B."
Laura Geist: Okay.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: For Ballers.
Laura Geist: Oh, for Ballers.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: Okay. Yeah. That's good.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. It's a branding note.
Laura Geist: It is a branding note. Yeah. Yeah. And the whole time it was like no. You don't want to give yourself an "A"— give yourself a "B." We aim for "B's" here.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Aim for "B's."
Laura Geist: Yeah. And "B's"— "B" is for Ballers.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. "B" is for Ballers. And "A" could be representing something else.
Laura Geist: Well, and they don't like us anymore.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Well, yeah. They feel that. Or my hometown of Sacramento. So I'm just like, you doubly offended me. Athletic A's.
Laura Geist: You're just the Athletics.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: What else is Sacramento across the front. Next season? Next season I thought? No? Ok.
Laura Geist: No. Just no, no, no, no, no.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It's a whole thing.
Laura Geist: Ok.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: My mom gives me the updates.
Laura Geist: Mom's are good like that.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yes. No, definitely. So I'm going to ask your question.
Laura Geist: Okay.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: What does Humane Rights mean to you?
Laura Geist: That's a great question. I mean, obviously it's a play on human rights, but I think it's almost like that— that next level, right? So you have like what people call basic human rights, which I think we've also sort of lost the thread on a little bit. Right. But this is like offering it in a way that is compassionate. Comes with empathy. Leads with empathy, leads with care. You can offer housing or you can offer a home. Right. Like I think there's a distinction in that.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Whoa!
[laughter]
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I wasn't ready for that!
Laura Geist: So when I think about that, right? Like, I think so often the things that people put into this place of like, oh, well, this is a basic human right, but we have to do it at the lowest, least possible quality value type. I think humane comes with more of that— there's also a level of care and there's a level of quality, and there's a level of value that we should also be placing on these things because we're humans.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Right.
Laura Geist: It's not a given, I think.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: So that's what I think of when I think about that.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Oh. Yeah, that was a good one. That we all have to bring that out as a clip, because there is a distinction between giving someone housing and a home. So I always encourage people to say houselessness instead of homeless.
Laura Geist: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Right. Because if you go for the term "homeless"— people for whatever situation, they have a home, whatever it may be, look like, you know, a car or a tent or the street, that's the home that they're given with. They don't have that physical infrastructure of that house. And I think that's really where you're kind of getting into that connection of humanity. Why did you want to— and I know I alluded to this earlier— but why did you say, like, yeah, I would love to be part of this team in the Pioneer League that people may not know anything about. So I would love to share and talk about the Pioneer. Like to do this all the time too, with the USL United Soccer League. But the Pioneer League and why you wanted to make that jump. Because you could have stayed in the tech world.
Laura Geist: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Because you had all— you have all the greatest hits.
Laura Geist: My hit list is pretty good. Yeah. And I, you know, it was funny. Paul Freedman had reached out and said, you know, you've been part of youth sports— and I was on the board of the Oakland Girls Softball League and knew a lot of people in North Oakland Little League, South Oakland Little League. NOLL/SOLL as it's more commonly referred to. And Paul had asked to make some introductions just around youth sports. And so I did that. And then, you know, I thought, there's no way that they are going to do this. So they did. And I started thinking about it and I was like, you know what. You're going to need someone to organize your life. You're going to need someone who can come in and I don't know, build the ballpark—
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I don't know. Build a ballpark? [laughs]
Laura Geist: You know, build a baseball stadium.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: I say that like I had any experience or idea on how to do that. I did not. But as a program manager, right, like that's what you do. You build scaffolding and guardrails around projects, and so I figured I could do that part. And, you know, Paul will always go on record saying, like, I begged you not to take this job. Like I begged you to keep your RSU, and then you're like, good health care and all the things like. But I think there was a moment, you know, my kids are getting older. With the A's leaving, with the Raiders leaving, with the Warriors leaving— sports in Oakland had always been a thing that that united us. Right? That it was a place where all of us could come together. And no matter how we felt about whether it's the city or politics or whatever else was going on in our environment.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Or if they were winning or losing.
Laura Geist: Winning or losing, right. Like this was a place where we could all connect. And I've been here my whole life, so there were lots of big periods of losing.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: And then, you know, lots of great periods of winning, too.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: And you start to take away that collective tissue of a community, and then all you're left with is difference.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: We needed things that were going to bring us together. We needed something to continually cheer for. And so, you know, I feel it when I walk back into the Coliseum.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: And that feeling you get of this, like, shared— you know, the first time I was there and someone started like, chanting Roots. And I started going "Rai-" and I'm like, oh. Put it back in your mouth. Like, that's not the right chant. That's not the right cheer. But you know, so when the opportunity arose, I thought, like, I'm bored and I'm burnt out in this tech life. I sit at a desk, I have the same conversations every day. I feel a little like an imposter. You know, most of the time I'm talking about these big concepts and speeds and feeds, and I don't really actually know what they do. And I can't see sort of the tangible results of what happens from my day in and day out. And I thought, this is a chance to come home, right? This is a chance to give back to a place that's given me so much. And, you know, the Pioneer League is not Major League Baseball, and we are an independent league that, that, you know, works to help give more players an opportunity to chase that dream.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: And so, you know, here's this league. It's giving people access to an opportunity to move on and advance. We have the best fan base in the world— like I will stand on that. They need something to cheer for. We have this incredible opportunity to play at this park and play in this place. I've seen a little bit of a renaissance, but we can certainly be a part of helping to drive that forward. I got to do this. And it is the hardest job I have ever had in my entire life, hands down. But also the most, by far the most rewarding.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. It's so much fun.
Laura Geist: Sports are fun.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Sports are fun!
Laura Geist: Sports are fun.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It's interesting how you left a male dominated industry and went into another male dominated industry.
Laura Geist: I seem to like that. Yeah. Yep. Yup. Yup. Yup.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: But you're in the position where you have more opportunity for creativity and the connecting the dots of it all and the storytelling along with community. Walk me through winning a championship because this is the third—
Laura Geist: Second.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: This is the second year.
Laura Geist: Uh-huh.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: What?
Laura Geist: Pandemic time is hard.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: I don't know what happened after the year.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Well, it's yeah. Time's a flat surface.
Laura Geist: What is happening.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Sure. So this is year two and you are the Pioneer League Champions of 2025.
Laura Geist: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And I will always bring that up when I see you.
Laura Geist: Great.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. So how does that. Walk me through that. How does that feel?
Laura Geist: It feels incredible. I really think. And, you know, I'm sort of the mom around the clubhouse, and I just sort of naturally go into that role.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Also same.
Laura Geist: When I'm good friends with—
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Right? It's like "Momma-ger." They're my babies.
Laura Geist: Yeah, but also the staff.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: What are we?
Laura Geist: I'm like, what happened? What's wrong? I just wish you were here because. I was like, okay, you know? But it is it's. I think that's also just part of nature, our nature. Right. Like, I want to make sure people are cared for and taken care of and that they're having a good experience. And, you know, they have the things that they need to go be successful. So, watching it was like watching my kids win a championship. And I also got to be a part of it. Like, not the vicarious part. Like it was actually real.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: So that part was pretty great. I think, you know, we went to Idaho Falls for the first two games of the championship series, and we lost. And that plane ride home was not fun. And but we knew— I think all of us knew that if we could pull off Wednesday, we had it.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: And we pulled off Wednesday. And the fans showed up. And the players showed up. And they knew they wanted it. And they wanted to do it at home. And they wanted to do it for the city. And then even— I mean, even on the score like 8 to 1, we were all just sitting there going like, okay, I don't know, so nervous. Right. Like, so, you know, you're not in the lucky position. Move, move, get to the left and you get to the right. You're doing other things right to make it so that it's going to happen. And then that last pitch and looking up and seeing Connor and his face. Connor is our closer, and watching everyone rush the field. It was an out-of-body experience. Like, I'm still not sure that it has sunk in that that's what happened. Right. Like I still hear it and I'm like, there's no way that this happened. And then of course it happened.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Right.
Laura Geist: Like this team was super special. They all really liked each other. They all really wanted to win for one another. And watching that— the first half, we won the first half, you can kind of see the magic. And then you watched it continue on through the rest of the season. And it was just like, I don't want to jinx it and I don't. But there's something very magical about this group of people and this group of players and watching them take the field for each other. They're not only playing really well, but they're having fun. And I think that they would laugh at me because every time they'd go on the field, I would be like, "Go have fun!" Like, "Go and have fun with your friends!" "Go and have a good play date."
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Right.
Laura Geist: But I think that was the, the, you know, they'd all laugh and be like, okay, people, you don't say that. So I'm like, but I do. And you're laughing and you're looser as a result of it. So go have fun.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Have fun. Have fun. This is supposed to be fun.
Laura Geist: It is. It is supposed to be fun.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah, sports are supposed to be fun.
Laura Geist: Sports are supposed to be fun. Particularly for the players first. But second, the fans.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Like they are also supposed to have fun and enjoy the experience that is, you know, being provided. And again, and I will reiterate this over and over again, Oakland is an iconic sports city.
Laura Geist: 100%.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And we have lost so much. And the Ballers have given the city so much, too.
Laura Geist: Such a gift.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Which I think is crucial. Like it's us. The Roots, Soul, Ballers that we're keeping that history going. And you have brought the city the first championship outside of, you know, the championship teams who left us.
Laura Geist: Yeah, yeah. Well we always, you know... No one's coming to save us.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: No.
Laura Geist: So Oakland's going to have to save itself. Right. And that, I think, has always been our mentality and our mindset. And so, you know, from how we are covered in the news to how we engage with our fan base to how we engage with the community, right? Like Oakland has always found a way to save itself. And it has a very rich history of people standing up when it wasn't easy or convenient. And doing what was right for its people. And, you know, and I do think that sports is just a critical, critical piece of that. It is in the DNA.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It is part of the fabric.
Laura Geist: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And you can't take that, right?
Laura Geist: No. You can move a team, you can do all of those things, but you cannot take the soul of a city. You can't do it. Which is which is why the fans are so special. And also, I think the thing that's most unique about our teams are our community investment rounds.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: 100%.
Laura Geist: So giving people an opportunity to say, like, I want to invest an affordable amount, make it an inclusive way to invest and be there for the team. So when you have your 100 bucks or $10,000 or 500,000, whatever you put into it, you're able to say, I am part of this. I feel seen and to be celebrated.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I belong here.
Laura Geist: I, yeah. Right. Not only do I belong here, but they want me to belong here. Right. And I think that is— that's the part that I think has been missing in a lot of different professional sports environments. I mean, like the Green Bay Packers are known for having an ownership, right?
Dr. Akilah Cadet: But it's not. It's not real.
Laura Geist: But it's not the same.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It's a secret. People should know that.
Laura Geist: Well and so, I think like in this frame it really is— and I think it's like, I belong here and they want me here. And also what I say and what I think matters back.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Right.
Laura Geist: Like my feedback is important because I have a stake here.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. And it's not just because I bought a ticket. Right. Like, obviously we want the fan experience to be exceptional for anyone who comes. But we also really want our investors— and we've been lucky in that they do provide a ton of feedback. Thank you, investors.
[laughter]
Laura Geist: And and it is. Like, and they're the ones who, you know, show up for the games and buy the merch and do, like, have the strongest sense of support. And so having that insight in terms of what they want and how they would like us to show up is helpful. Right. Because we're a tiny little team that runs the show.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And we all are. Yeah. A tiny doing this.
Laura Geist: One of my favorite things though is just to be out in the wild, and I see a Ballers hat. And I'm like— I know them! You know? We're friends! We're like, you know, we're friends.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I mean, I have my Ballers merch too. I'm stuck on which hat I'm gonna get. I'm narrowing it down. But.
Laura Geist: You can get a variety. We can talk about it.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Phew, I'm really in my hat era. But I think the thing that is just really important about the thread and the fabric and just the rich history of Oakland is that your championship brings an excitement and joy, you know, back into the city. Your gameday experience brings the joy and gets us back to those feelings of like, yeah. Shit is fucked up.
Laura Geist: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: But we have this thing.
Laura Geist: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: That is ours.
Laura Geist: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: That we're able to to grow. Which I love. Also we are both in the New York Times together, I'm realizing, for the piece of how we're saving Oakland.
Laura Geist: Yeah. Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I mean well, but that's the other part. Like, there's not a lot of other teams in either of our leagues to get a New York Times story. Right?
Laura Geist: Well, but that's a testament to how we are legit changing the game.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. And I can't thank you enough for that. Yeah. And but I think that there is a market that people see— there is a market for what we're doing. But being a community based organization is actually a good thing.
Laura Geist: It's a good thing. There's value in that. Right. Doing good things for your community is rewarded more than just having a successful business. Right? It's rewarding in bringing disparate parts of a community together, or it's, you know, like you said, the world is on fire right now. And so if you can give 50 kids an opportunity to come, forget about the world burning for a second.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. That's a gift.
Laura Geist: Let's do it. Right. And I think both of our clubs work really hard to make sure that those types of opportunities are available.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. And then, you know, selfishly, it's wildly rewarding on the other side of that.
Speaking of rewarding, who is single within the Ballers? Front office, back office.
Laura Geist: I can't date a player. They're too young for me.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: That's what you really need to work on. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. You don't, you don't answer it now.
Laura Geist: I was gonna say I'm just—
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Planting that, planting that seed.
Laura Geist: I am actually like thinking very hard. Yeah. It's very simple. I don't know if— I'm just looking for a guy who's single. I don't know if any of us are.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: That I'm going to work on. Yeah, single. Not single, not married. You have to say that now.
Laura Geist: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: What is single married?
Laura Geist: On dating apps.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Oh! Yes. Oh, okay. Yeah.
Laura Geist: Fair.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. I've been out of the game for a minute.
Laura Geist: Yeah?
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. I love it so much for you. But it's on fire.
Laura Geist: Okay. Okay. The dating pulse is on fire. Yeah, yeah. Got it. All right. I'm gonna work on that. That will be next on my list of to-dos.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Thank you. I wholeheartedly appreciate it.
Laura Geist: Oh, I am just here for it. I really do.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I'm curious, what advice would you give someone who would want to make a shift from a nontraditional career, getting into tech? Who is a woman. Getting into tech or getting into sports?
Getting out of tech, like, like, so leaving a nontraditional career. Getting into sports. Like, who's a woman, specifically a woman, because we need more women.
Laura Geist: We do.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And in admin and ownership and sports. But what advice would you have?
Laura Geist: So I like very much recognize how lucky I got in the relationship that I had existing with our CEO. Right. Like that is a very lucky turn of events to happen.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Same happened to me.
Laura Geist: Yeah. So, but I, you know, and you probably do the same thing, right? Speak on panels, talk to a lot of women who are interested in getting into sports. And oftentimes the questions I get almost start with an apology for being a woman. Right. Like I don't know how to sort of operate in this space and like, as yourself. Like, as a matter of fact, I think you should lean all the way in to being a woman, right? Like diverse opinions make better outcomes. So if all you have is a room of men making these decisions, you're missing out on 50% of your fan base that comes to these games. Right? It's not all men that go to games, right? And like women— also think about non-binary folks.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: That's true. And LGBTQ+ community. That doesn't happen in just straight men's sports.
Laura Geist: Well, and I think that's the thing. I think women want to be the ones that are like, come on.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah, right.
Laura Geist: It's why we get the mom role. Right. Lot of capacities, right? We want to make sure that everyone's okay. And think sort of longer down the road on those things. And, you know, also to the practical things like we're, you know, talking about potentially putting bathrooms and making sure that there's more stalls. Right? Like just more stalls, just sort of the basics. Right. But that kind of thinking. And so I do think for women especially— talk to everyone, make sure that you have a big network because you just don't know where that next opportunity is going to come from. I got my shot because I coached youth sports. I am a soccer referee like that. If this didn't work out, I was just going to go get my B license and go coach a high school program someplace.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: But, so B was in your future.
Laura Geist: B was in my future. No matter what.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: No matter what.
Laura Geist: And so, you know, but I do think it's— be persistent. Expand the network. You don't know where that next role is ever going to come from. Try everything.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Right.
Laura Geist: So even if— and sports is a game where you, you hear it all the time, right? You have to work from the bottom up. In a lot of different roles. So if you're going to be seasonal staff, be the best seasonal staff that you can possibly be. Show up, do more. Ask where you can be of service. Hey, I saw this thing happen, and I have this idea.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yep. Right.
Laura Geist: And I think just show up. And keep showing up as yourself and keep bringing your ideas. I think oftentimes women also show up to that table very much how I was showing up in tech, right? As, imposter syndrome. Right. Does what I say have value? Is what I'm going to do going to work out?
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: And I think you really do have to sort of lean into that, like, no bad ideas in a brainstorm, right? Throw them out there. They may not all get picked up on, but you have to keep trying. And so I do think that whole like, well, I know I'm an outlier. It's like you— No. Like, also women's sports is having a moment.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Women in sports is having a moment.
Laura Geist: Yeah. And in ways where, you know, not also in the traditional roles, like not just in PR and comms and not in just the host.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: HR.
Laura Geist: Right. Like HR. Right. So like— and I think the more of that that we see, I mean, our first year we had a female pitcher.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Right. Like that was incredible.
Laura Geist: Yeah. But the more that you start to see that and the more that you put that out there and young women and girls can see like, oh, there, there is a path here for me. Then I think it becomes a thing that you can dream a little bit more, but I, I think we can make it so that it's the same as what you would want to do in any other job, right? Like the persistence part of it. Talk to everyone. Just talk to everyone and reach out. You never know, right? I try— I'm not always the greatest in the time management space, but any person who reaches out and wants to learn more, I will try to make space for that, right? Like, I don't always have a ton of roles available, but I will try to provide some sort of guidance or help in that way. I think, you know, oftentimes we pigeonhole ourselves into lots of different places, right? And I see it with our players who are done playing. They're like, well, I've just. I do baseball.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: It's like, I know, but think about it, you're an athlete, but you've been surrounded by this world your whole life, so you don't see that you know how to take a loss and keep it moving, whereas a lot of people don't know how to do that. You also know how to take a win. You're natural salespeople. That's what salespeople do, right? Like you've traveled all over the globe and you speak three different languages. Well, international relations might be a spot for you.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It's the transferable skill set.
Laura Geist: Totally.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: People forget that that works.
Laura Geist: Yep.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And that's what you're able to do. You have a tech background and you went into sports. I have a health background and I own teams, and I'm in sports. Like, you know, like these things are important. And I think representation means we have to be out and we have to talk. But I want to get back to you real quick. What do you do that brings you a pocket of joy?
Laura Geist: So I will, like, be totally honest. This job gives me lots of joy!
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You are the person. You are the unicorn.
Laura Geist: I'm the unicorn.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yay!
Laura Geist: I really. I really do love this job. But, outside of that, obviously my kids and my family bring me a ton of joy.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You have to say that.
Laura Geist: I do.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Okay. You're contractually obligated.
Laura Geist: Yes. Yeah. Note taken. And then I am. I think I mentioned this before. But I'm a youth soccer referee, and I do love doing that, too. I just do all ages. So 8 to 18.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Oh, yeah. The little sort of. It's a little very fun. Can I give you a hug?
Laura Geist: I'm like, sure. So, yeah. That's okay. Do you have a whistle?
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I do. I have a whistle. Not tips, it's my own whistle. This very sweet outfit that I get to wear. All of it, but it is, you know I— I believe in youth sports.
Laura Geist: I think that they are critically important. I think they're really important for women. I think it's so important to teach young women and girls that all the things that you do and are encouraged to do on the field, like be competitive and aggressive and speak candidly. And then you're told the second you get off the field to stop doing that. Like no, port that. This is all portable. Portable learning. And actually, you should be rewarded for that. In your life, when you're not on the pitch.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Laura Geist: So any way that I can do to support that, I, you know. We've lost a little bit of the thread, I think, in youth sports about that it's supposed to be fun. And so having parents and coaches that are so intense on these kids— that when I'm out there, I can sort of defuse those situations, like, no one's going to the World Cup today, guys.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It's gonna be okay.
Laura Geist: This is eighth grade rec.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Eight year old rec.
Laura Geist: This is childhood development.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Exactly. This is supposed to be fun.
Laura Geist: Right. Like if one of them is doing cartwheels, that's okay.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It's okay.
Laura Geist: That is okay. She does a great cartwheel.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. It's awesome. It's so good. And so, like, just reminding folks that this is, again, supposed to be fun and we can all take it down. And the 14 year old center referee is going to miss a call or two. And that's also okay. And everyone is going to walk out of here. It's going to be okay.
How can folks find you?
Laura Geist: They can find me at The Ballers, so.
[laughter]
Laura Geist: I think. Like, there's a— we have merch that says Raimondi Park on it. And I always joke of like, it's good to have your address on your hat. So if you get lost, someone can just bring you home.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Lost and found. We're going to return you.
Laura Geist: This is basically where I live.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: We have lost her, and she needs to go back to her home.
Laura Geist: Yeah. No. So, Laura@OaklandBallers.com is my email. I'm also on LinkedIn as myself. And @510laurag is me on Instagram. And on the Ballers account.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Oh, the Ballers account is @Oakland.Ballers.
Laura Geist: We have all of it.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: We did it. Thank you so much.
Laura Geist: Thank you, this is so great. For being here.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I admire you and I admire all the work that you're doing. And so the fact that I get to know you and be here is such a treat.
Laura Geist: Same. I, we know each other.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I know that that is also true.
Laura Geist: That is also true.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Well, I just wanna remind you today and always to Keep Being Amazing.
Laura Geist: Oh my gosh, I'm so excited. Well, I will do my very best to follow in your footsteps.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You don't have to. You're nailing it. Please. Thank you. This is so great. Thank you.
Big love and gratitude to our guests for showing up with truth, humor, and of course, humanity. If this conversation moved you, you got to like it. You got to share it. You have to talk about it, bring it into your circle, spaces and places because that's how change multiplies. You can catch more episodes wherever you get your podcasts and watch the full series produced by Ciel Media and me on the Ciel Media YouTube channel. Now what is that YouTube channel? What you need to subscribe to so you can get more of this. But until next time, stay curious. Find your joy and Keep Being Amazing.