What Growing Up in Chaos Actually Teaches You (Rich Kleiman)
2026-03-17 · 86 min · 10 entities
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Feed author/publisher: Emma Grede | Audacy
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Feed author/publisher: E13 Media
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Episode description as stored
Emma has known Rich Kleiman for 20 years. In all that time, they've never talked about where he actually came from, until now. What came next was one of the most honest conversations we've had on the podcast.
The hardest story to change is the one you tell yourself. For Rich, it wasn't a lesson, it was survival.
He grew up navigating a volatile home on the Upper West Side. With a mother battling addiction and no one to watch him, Rich was left to figure life out on his own. Today he manages Kevin Durant's business empire, has built Boardroom from scratch, and is one of the most respected operators at the intersection of sports, music, and culture.
In this conversation, he and Emma get into how chaos became his competitive advantage, what it really takes to build a partnership that lasts, and why legacy means more to him now than money ever did.
Rich shares:
How growing up around instability shaped his instincts in business.
How his ability to navigate chaos made him a better leader.
Why notoriety and success aren't the same thing
Why the stories you tell yourself matter – and how truth outways comfort.
Why making peace with your past changes how you move through the world.
What's the story you keep telling yourself? Drop it in the comments — we'd love to hear from you. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of Aspire with Emma Grede.