Last summer, we sat down with Jaylon Smith to talk about his investing journey. This month, one of those bets paid off.

Smith recently executed a secondary sale of shares in ŌURA, the wearable health company behind the popular sleep and recovery ring. The investment, which he made in 2020, generated roughly a 10x return.

For Smith, the opportunity came from personal experience. After suffering a career-threatening knee injury early in his NFL career, recovery and health monitoring became central to his routine. Technology that tracks sleep, readiness, and recovery quickly became part of how he approached training and health.

That experience made the company more than just another startup opportunity.

“You want to be intentional about every single thing. Every deal that you take, every investment, every cash investment, every cash payout versus getting equity.”

The larger takeaway from our conversation was not simply the return. It was how Smith evaluates deals today, particularly when deciding between immediate cash and long-term ownership, as well as working with a team like RISE Family Office.

Earlier in his career, he accepted a cash endorsement deal with Tonal instead of negotiating for equity. Looking back, he sees that moment as an example of how easily athletes can miss ownership opportunities simply because they have not been exposed to those concepts early in their careers.

This brought up an idea: what if the NFL Rookie Transition Program included a short session on cash versus equity? The league already introduces players to the business side of football, but ownership structures are rarely part of that early education. For many athletes, the first endorsement deals arrive before they fully understand the long-term difference between taking a cash payout and negotiating for equity. Smith agreed the topic deserves more attention at that stage of a career.

“There's too many players that get done playing and they lack cash flow because of the lack of equity positions, sometimes because of not getting educated on really understanding the life after football and that no matter how much money you make, if you haven't created another stream of income, that large amount of cash flow that we earn playing the game is going to stop.”

Today, Smith continues to look for opportunities where he can build long-term ownership across different industries. While technology and wellness have been a major focus, he is also exploring operating businesses that can generate recurring income.

“One of my desires is to become a restauranteur and I’m actively looking for another franchise to be part of.”

For Smith, the philosophy is straightforward: the playing career provides the initial platform, but ownership and diversified income streams are what ultimately sustain wealth beyond the game.

Angel Reese is continuing to expand her ownership portfolio, this time backing a bid to bring a WNBL franchise to Brisbane.

The two-time WNBA All-Star has joined an ownership group pursuing the league’s 10th franchise, led by sports investor and Brisbane Bullets owner Jason Levien.

Reese’s investment comes during a broader push into women’s sports ownership. In the past two years she has also joined the ownership group of USL’s DC Power FC and invested in TOGETHXR, one of the fastest-growing women’s sports media brands.

Her involvement also coincided with a recent trip to Australia with Reebok, where she unveiled new color ways of her Angel Reese 1 signature shoe and helped announce the brand’s upcoming WNBL footwear partnership beginning in 2027.

While the financial details of Reese’s investment were not disclosed, the move reflects a broader trend: athletes positioning themselves early in women’s sports properties, a category widely viewed as one of the fastest-growing segments in global sports.

Noah and Zak got to catch up with NBA legend Chris Paul, founder of plant-based snack brand Good Eat’n (click the image above to see the interview).

They met and interviewed every Founder/CEO with an athlete on their cap table to hear their perspective at Expo West last week. The big takeaway: regardless of how anyone started their brand, everyone in attendance had a common goal; get product on (and then off) the shelves as fast as possible! On top of that, while the quality of product is a brand's top priority, the brands with influential/celebrity backers were getting more opportunities to move faster.

Be sure to check out the Athletes & Assets™ company pages on Instagram and LinkedIn to see all the short interviews from the Expo.

SOUND Foods is a chocolate bar brand using proprietary ultrasonic technology to preserve delicate bioactive nutrients in convenient snacks.

Why should athletes care?

Most functional nutrients get broken down during traditional food processing or come packaged as pills and powders. SOUND Foods’ ultrasonic technology is designed to protect delicate bioactive compounds while incorporating them into everyday snacks.

The result: shelf-stable chocolate bars that deliver nutrients supporting cognitive performance, physical recovery, and long-term wellness, without the typical bitterness or supplement routine.

For athletes balancing training, travel, and recovery, that means functional nutrition in a convenient format instead of another handful of capsules.