The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly How Barstool's Ex-CEO Built a Brand Amid Controversy
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Oct 16, 2025 
Erika Ayers Badan, former CEO of Barstool Sports and current CEO of Food52, discusses her journey through controversial media landscapes. She shares insights on leading Barstool through rapid growth while embracing its challenges. Erika reflects on talent management, reframing departures as graduations, and her approach to fostering a high-output culture. She also dives into her transition to Food52, focusing on its unique market opportunities and vision for empowering women in business. Embracing failure and taking risks is her mantra for success.
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Leaving On A High To Chase New Challenges
- Erika left Barstool after two exits in 2023 because she felt she had "done everything I came to do."
- She wanted a new, scarier challenge and pivoted to women's home and lifestyle at Food52.
How She Landed Barstool CEO By Chance
- Erika discovered the Barstool CEO role after a serendipitous meeting with investors who mentioned the company.
- She pursued Dave Portnoy, met him in a West Village coffee shop, and then essentially started working for Barstool.
Build A Machine To Spot Emerging Platforms
- The "machine" was finding emergent platforms and authentic programming early.
- That approach let Barstool clip, distribute, and monetize content rapidly as platforms rose.