Finding Balance Between Sports & Business: An Exclusive with Legion Hoops’ CEO Jacob Ortiz

These days, more and more people are trying to be their bosses as they are confident in their abilities and believe that there are better opportunities. Taking inspiration from Facebook’s (FB) Mark Zuckerberg to Amazon’s (AMZN) Jeff Bezos, people take advantage of available social media platforms to reach out to consumers and sell their products and services. We’re all looking for a hustle in a world that seems to move faster every day. We do what we have to do, but the dream, of course, is to do what you love and make money doing it.

Legion Hoops is one of such companies that was founded with a vision to “do what you love,” by entrepreneur Jacob Ortiz. Jacob has another sports media endeavor, including a partnership with Dunk Media; the platform has around 10 million followers. In a recent conversation with Insider Monkey, Jacob shares how to find the perfect balance of making money from what he loves.

Jacob Ortiz

Q: Hello Jacob, tell us something about your company, Legion Hoops.

Jacob: Legion Hoops was bought in 2016 when I was in high school. The company focuses on reporting up-to-date NBA news and rumors, showcasing viral clips, and facilitating active discussion on its socials. The company gained a huge following on Twitter and Instagram, also the attention of NBA stars like Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant. Legion Hoops averages 102 Million impressions per month and 1.24 Billion impressions per year across social media platforms.

Q: How can one strike a balance between passion and career?

Jacob: You need to reach self-awareness and figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life. The second step is to identify how you can earn out of that passion. Once you get clarity on the passion and money aspects, work hard, and be innovative to stand out in the crowd.

Q: How did the idea for your business come about?

Jacob: My father was a notable boxer in our community. I have immense love for the community, which came down from my father. Both the sports media endeavors are my father’s legacy of building up a community around that shared love of the game.

Q: Brief us with your educational qualifications and family background.

Jacob: I completed my schooling from Bishop Amat Memorial in La Puente, California, and graduation in Finance and Economics from Cal Poly Pomona. I am passionate about basketball, for which love can be seen in @LegionHoops on Instagram and Twitter. Gloria Torres, my mother, has always been an inspiration to my endeavors in the social media business. My father, Jerry Ortiz, was a police officer, killed in the line of duty when I was just six years old.