From NFL to $100M: How Beekeeper Kyle Auffray Built a Private Equity Empire

In this captivating episode of Think Millions, Dr. Alexa D'Agostino sits down with Kyle Alfre—former NFL player, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and yes, a beekeeper. Kyle is the Chief Maverick at Champion Management Co and a key principal at Champion Venture Partners (CVP), where he helps lead a $100 million private equity fund.

From walking on to a college football team to signing four NFL contracts, Kyle’s journey is defined by relentless drive, strategic risk-taking, and a mindset rooted in growth. But here’s the twist—beekeeping has taught him as much about leadership and business as the NFL and venture capital ever did.

Discover how the lessons from the hive—teamwork, structure, and knowing your role—mirror the essentials of scaling companies and managing investments. Kyle shares his investment philosophy, red flags in startups, and why betting on the right people matters more than just the numbers. This episode is packed with actionable insights for entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone chasing their version of success.

Key Parts of the Conversation:

1. Reconnecting with an Old Friend & Business Partner (0:00 - 1:37)
   • The serendipitous story of how childhood friends reconnected after years apart to become business partners.
2. The NFL Journey: From Walk-On to Professional Athlete (1:37 - 4:13)
   • Overcoming injuries, working as a bouncer, and the obsession that fueled Kyle’s path to the NFL.
3. From the Gridiron to the Boardroom (4:26 - 6:59)
   • How lessons from football—discipline, resilience, and salesmanship—translated into a successful venture capital career.
4. Investment Philosophy: Betting on People, Not Just Numbers (8:55 - 15:45)
   • What CVP looks for in startups: growth-stage companies, sports tech focus, and leadership teams who bet on themselves.
5. The Art of Due Diligence (16:29 - 19:46)
   • Insights into CVP’s rigorous due diligence process and the red flags that cause immediate investor hesitation.
6. Top 10 Lessons for Entrepreneurs (19:50 - 21:47)
   • A rapid-fire recap of Kyle’s most impactful business philosophies—from solving real problems to the importance of delegation.
7. Business Lessons from Beekeeping (21:57 - 23:46)
   • The hive as a metaphor for business: every bee has a role, just like every team member. Success comes from collaboration and knowing when to get out of your own way.
8. Closing Thoughts & Takeaways (23:47 - End)
   • Final reflections on betting on yourself, surrounding yourself with the right people, and yes—getting some sweet “honey” at the end of your hard work.

Great Quotes from the Podcast:

1. "Success isn’t handed to you. It’s chased down with grit, determination, and a touch of obsession."
2. "You get paid in direct proportion to the difficulty of the problems you solve." – Elon Musk
3. "Founders often struggle because they won’t get out of their own way. Building a great product doesn’t mean you know how to build a great company."
4. "The hive only works if every bee knows its role. Business is the same—surround yourself with people who can do what you can’t."
5. "The most successful people bet on themselves—not with arrogance, but with unshakable belief in their ability to figure it out."
6. "It’s not just about numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s about the people behind those numbers and their ability to execute."
7. "If your pitch is 80 pages long and I still don’t know what problem you’re solving—that’s a problem."
8. "When Sam Altman pitched ChatGPT, he said, ‘We’ll ask the AI how to make money.’ Everyone laughed—except Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, who wrote him a check."
9. "You can’t grow a billion-dollar company with a million-dollar mindset."
10. "If you do