Meet Monica Madrid | CEO and Founder of Football Is Sexy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Monica Madrid and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Monica, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

My passion has always been football! Growing up, my father would take me to Candlestick Park to watch his favorite team, the San Francisco 49ers, and it became everything to me. Once he passed of cancer in 2014, I realized just how many memories we had surrounding our team and the sport. I couldn’t fathom others going through life without sports, let alone football. I felt bad for all the people who didn’t have a clue what they were missing. There is nothing like being in the stands, feeling the energy of the crowd or yelling with your friends and family, at the TV rooting for your favorite team. It brings friends, family and community together. Then it dawned on me, if you didn’t grow up with an amazing culture of football like I did, where would you even begin? Where would you start? I realized there was no easy way to learn the game and “Football Is Sexy” was born.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My entire life has been filled with sports and music. In my journey there has been a lot of ups and downs, major heartbreaks. I actually wrote about them in my memoir “The Next Quiet Voice” (Amazon/Audible). I talk about how broken dreams can lead to spiritual freedom. It was not easy getting through those tough times. But the first “up” I can remember besides getting the MVP of the year award in 7th grade was being on the center stage on Soul Train! Then came a trip to Minneapolis to meet my Idol, Prince, and then my first major heart-break, when my dreams were crushed by Interscope Records. In my early 20’s, I was a dancer, singer and songwriter. I had a record deal on the table, only to have my dreams crushed when I was told they didn’t sign me but instead they signed this unknown rapper named “Tupac Shakur!” Seriously, no joke. Man did that sting! Now I look at it like if you are going to lose a record deal to someone, I guess I can live with it being one of the greatest rappers of all time. I love me some TUPAC! But it did crush me, and my drinking and partying days really began after that. I’d end up in the mortgage business and became successful in that field. I learned how to close! I love sales. I’ve never had a salary. It’s always CLOSE and eat or don’t close and starve. That business really set the stage I think for all I’ve done now. Learning how to read people quickly. Learning how to walk away from a deal because it’s not worth your sanity. Knowing your worth and what you bring to the table. Never being afraid to take chances. Betting on yourself every single day! Most people I know, will not work on straight commission for their entire career but I was never afraid, never. Sales, it’s definitely not for the weak! You have to have a drive, confidence and self-discipline to know you CAN DO IT and what it takes to do it. All of that helps me now too. Having faith and just doing the next best indicated thing. You may not have all the answers but living in faith versus fear. Knowing, there are no failures, only lessons learned. One of the things that helped me in the mortgage business was really getting sober though. I got sober in 2008 after the mortgage industry crash. 2008 that was another “down!” It’s all in my book what I went through but let me tell you, that was an eye opener. I was either going to jump off a bridge or get sober. I hit a spiritual bottom that I can never fully express to someone who’s never been there. My 12 step peeps know what I’m talking about. Anyway, I lost everything I had built by myself. Home, car, sanity, beautiful girlfriend. Oh yeah, I’m Gay. Ha! So, there’s that. Yeah, I was either going to end it all because my ego was so big, I couldn’t handle the fact that I was losing everything. I had all the things you were supposed to have that looked successful but deep down I was dying inside. I had no God and I only cared about the commas on my paycheck. It was the worst time in my life. Hands down! But on February 26th, 2008 I decided to keep my feet on the bridge and try this “sober” thing. It changed my life! Without my sobriety I would not be here today. 100%!!! I didn’t know it then but I think God was preparing me for this. In fact, someone brought it to my attention that on page 335 in my memoir I literally say, one day I will talk about football like no one else ever has. Yep, I manifested this shit! That’s what you have to do. My mom, always said “VISUALIZE IT” and I’ve always visualized. Believe, visualize and execute that is my mantra.

My dad and I both got sober and we had 6 years sober together before he passed in 2014. I couldn’t go to a 49er game for 2 years. I just wasn’t ready but in 2016, it was time. Oddly enough my father passed the year Candlestick was demolished. In September of 2016, I decided to go to Levi Stadium and watch my boys for the opening game and a few weeks before I posted I’d be at a pizza place if anyone wanted to learn football as the season was approaching. Over 40 people showed up! I had a playbook with 12 steps to learning the game, a projector, apparel with my logo and that is how FIS started. Life got in the way, Covid hit but now here we are and it’s truly a labor of love. We have our first to market mobile app available in apple and android, where you can test your knowledge with trivia, learn the game have fun with the gamification, all things football in one app. We are on social media too and it’s so amazing to get the DM’S from men and women saying how we are helping them connect with family members and friends. It’s everything to me. We are not just a brand. We are a movement. Besides sobriety, I hope this is one thing I will be remembered for. Bringing people together, all over the world one fan at a time.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I lived in West Hollywood and Valley Village for so long, my favorite spots are still in that area. My go to for dinner and dessert is PACE on Laurel Canyon. The chocolate cake is bomb! I love the hippie, 70’s music, classic vibe. and it’s close to my dear friend, Elliot Mintz. Anytime, I can see him is an absolute blessing. He is an amazing soul, with so much positive energy. I love learning from him and being in his presence. His frequency is one everyone should get on. I live in Belmont Shores now, aka the LBC so, 2nd street is always a go to where there are lots of restaurants and shops. I also love Right Mealz on 4th Street. They have the best Avacado toast! But you will definetly find me at the Ice House in Pasadena. Nothing like hanging out there with Penny, Johnny, the comics and the food is fire! During the football season, you will always find me at the 49ers vs Rams game when we over take Sofi!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
When I decided to go full speed ahead with our first to market mobile app, apparel line, and our all women podcast talking and teaching football, I called my long-time friend, Penny Toler. Penny is a legend in basketball. She was the first woman to score a basket in the WNBA. She played for the LA Sparks under Jerry Buss (Laker owner / Legend). Once she retired as a player, Penny became the General Manager and Executive Vice President guiding the Sparks to 3 championship rings. Her jersey hangs above the rafters in Crypto Arena. Once, I told her about my idea of giving women a place to feel more seen and heard, talking and teaching football, she was instantly IN!! She is now running the legendary Ice House with Johnny Buss (Jerry’s son) and that is where we shoot our Football Is Sexy podcast. She is instrumental to our vision and success. Even though she is not a 49er fan, we make it work! She’s more of a Tom Brady fan. We go back and forth on this because we all know Joe Montana is the real GOAT!

Website: www.footballissexy.com

Instagram: @footballissexy

Linkedin: Monica Madrid

Youtube: @footballissexy

Other: Mobile App (Apple and Android) Football Is Sexy

Image Credits
On the 3 pictures where you see our LOGO in the background (One with Penny Toler, 2 pix with our logo behind us) those pix were taken by Showtek Media Productions.