Get All Access for $5/mo

Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall Shares Game-Changing Advice Mark Cuban Gave Her When She Was Hired: 'Don't Worry About That' Marshall was hired as CEO of the NBA team in 2018.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Getty Images
Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall speaks onstage during The 2022 MAKERS Conference.

When billionaire investor and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recruited and hired Mavericks' CEO Cynt Marshall in 2018, there were risks involved for both parties. Marshall didn't have any basketball or sports industry experience and expressed her doubts to the "Shark Tank" star.

But Cuban's positive mindset and encouraging words made the offer hard to pass up, she said. Marshall recalled her initial conversation with Cuban in a video interview for LinkedIn's "The Path."

Related: Mark Cuban Reveals No. 1 Way to Start a Business Worth Billions

At the time, Marshall was working at her own consulting firm, having previously come from AT&T, where she held several executive roles such as Chief Diversity Officer and Senior VP of HR over a 30-year career.

"I thought twice about it because I was loving what I was doing with the consulting," Marshall recalled. "But here was an opportunity to serve, to have an impact."

Marshall said she "did not know the business of basketball" and was on the fence about what to do. But when she expressed her concerns to Cuban, she was met with understanding and the sense of support she needed, she said.

"You don't worry about that. I will teach you the business side of basketball, and others will do the same," he told her.

At the time of her hire, there were women or people of color in leadership positions in the Mavericks organization. Marshall is the first female CEO in Mavericks' history. Per LinkedIn, the organization now consists of nearly half women and half people of color.

"You don't know what you don't know," Marshall explained. "I will never know what some of these people know about the business of basketball, but I don't need to know it. I learn from it every day. What I need to do is lead these people, learn from these people, and love these people."

She also added that Cuban has kept true to his promise.

Cuban's net worth is estimated at $6.47 billion.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Business News

'I'm Not Trying to Land on Mars': Mark Cuban Takes Dig at Elon Musk to Explain Why His Online Pharmacy Isn't Trying to Make More Money

Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. is an online pharmacy co-founded by Cuban and radiologist Alex Oshmyansky.

Business News

Meta Makes $1 Million Dollar Donation to Donald Trump's Inaugural Fund

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also reportedly gave Trump a pair of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

'It's Not About You': How to Fire Someone Effectively, According to Kevin O'Leary

O'Leary says that if you can't fire someone, you aren't the right leader for the organization.

Leadership

Should I Stay or Should I Go? 8 Key Points to Navigate the Founder's Dilemma

Here are eight key signs that help founders determine whether to persevere or let go.