Category Archives: Small Business

Steph Curry Brand

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NBA superstar and future Hall of Fame inductee Steph Curry walked away from Under Armour with the entire Curry Brand—logo, name, trademarks, athlete roster—and a mid 9-figure settlement.

This isn’t a brand deal breakup. It’s a founder story.⸻
1. Most signature athletes get paid.

Curry built an empire. And when he left? He didn’t lose it. He took it all with him.

2. According to reports:  Curry’s exit deal from Under Armour includes:

• Full rights to the Curry Brand name
• His personal logo + trademarks
• Control of his athlete roster
• Freedom to operate Curry Brand independently

He didn’t just leave. He liberated the intellectual property (IP).

3. Sources put the breakup fee in the mid 9-figure range—a massive breakup fee for ending what was once pitched as a “lifetime” deal.

That’s generational wealth and generational leverage.

4. Under Armour still gets to release Curry 13s + related apparel through 2026 as part of the wind-down…but the future of Curry Brand?

That belongs to Steph.

5. This makes him one of the only superstar athletes in modern history to exit a major brand, and keep the rights to his own name, logo, and product line.

This is not normal. Michael Jordan didn’t do it. LeBron James didn’t. Kobe Bryant didn’t.

Curry just redefined the playbook.

6. What does this mean?

He can now:
→ Build Curry Brand direct-to-consumer
→ Partner with Nike, Adidas, Puma, etc.
→ Bring in new designers
→ Retain full equity + creative control

7. The closest comparison?

Imagine if Jordan left Nike and took the Jumpman with him.

Curry just pulled that off in real life.

8. And with the right partner?

Curry Brand could become the first truly athlete-owned global performance brand—without being trapped under a corporate giant.

He’s no longer just a face on a billboard. He’s the owner behind the brand.

9. No athlete has made a move this bold since Jordan.

But unlike Jordan in ‘84, Steph now controls:

→ The name
→ The marks
→ The team
→ The roadmap

All before retirement.

10. This isn’t about leaving a shoe deal. It’s about writing a new model for athletes:

Start with sponsorship.
Level up to ownership.
Exit with everything.

Steph didn’t just bounce from Under Armour. He walked out with the blueprints.

Curry Brand is now a free agent.
Distribution deals. Licensing power. Direct-to-consumer dominance. All in play.

And Steph’s calling the shots. This is what owning your narrative looks like

Inflation Overtakes Labor Quality as Top Business Problem For Small Businesses

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“Inflation has now replaced “labor quality” as the number one problem.” National Federation of Independent Business

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Optimism Index decreased in March by 2.4 points to 93.2, the third consecutive month below the 48-year average of 98.

Thirty-one percent (31%) of small business owners reported that “inflation was the single most important problem in their business, up five points from February and the highest reading since the first quarter of 1981”. Inflation has now replaced “labor quality” as the number one problem.

“Inflation has impacted small businesses throughout the country and is now their most important business problem,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “With inflation, an ongoing staffing shortage, and supply chain disruptions, small business owners remain pessimistic about their future business conditions.”

Key NFIB findings include:

  • Owners expecting better business conditions over the next six months decreased 14 points to a net negative 49%, the lowest level recorded in the 48-year-old survey.
  • Forty-seven percent of owners reported job openings that could not be filled, a decrease of one point from February.
  • The net percent of owners raising average selling prices increased four points to a net 72% (seasonally adjusted), the highest reading in the survey’s history.
  • The net percent of owners raising average selling prices increased four points to a net 72% (seasonally adjusted), the highest reading recorded in the series.

The difficulty in filling open positions is particularly acute in the transportation, construction, and manufacturing sectors where many positions require skilled workers. Openings are lowest in the finance and agriculture sectors.

Eight percent of owners cited labor costs as their top business problem and 22% said that labor quality was their top business problem, now in second place following “inflation.”

Forty percent of owners report that supply chain disruptions have had a significant impact on their business, up three points. Another 28% report a moderate impact and 23% report a mild impact. Only 8% report no impact from recent supply chain disruptions.

References:

  1. https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/inflation-overtakes-labor-quality-as-top-business-problem-for-small-businesses/ (Inflation Overtakes Labor Quality as Top Business Problem For Small Businesses)
  2. https://www.nfib.com/small-business-survival/

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is the voice of small business and advocates on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners. NFIB is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven.