This week I spoke with Brian Vahaly, 2001 UVA grad who’s now the Co-CEO and President of the United States Tennis Association and Senior Advisor at Brown Advisory.

The Rundown:

• COLD OPEN: UVA tennis to USTA president, and the business detours along the way

• TURNING POINT: How to deal with uncertainty and comparing yourself to others

• STEAL THIS: Realize that business comes out of human connection, not the other way around

• INDUSTRY INSIDER: The glamorous sports world misconception vs. intense business reality

• IF I WERE YOU: Senior leaders rely on their network, so you should too

COLD OPEN

How Did You Get Your Start?

It was not a straight path. Like most careers, it has been a winding one.

When I left UVA, I felt the same pressure a lot of students feel, that I should become a doctor, lawyer, banker, or consultant. None of those paths felt right to me. What I did know was that tennis had given me a foundation, discipline, resilience, and a competitive mindset that I wanted to keep building on.

I chose to pursue professional tennis, which required taking a risk and figuring out how to support it. Through the UVA network, I connected with an alumnus who helped me raise the funding to compete. That led to seven years on the ATP Tour.

When I retired, I did not have a defined plan. But again, relationships built through UVA and tennis opened doors. I moved into the operating side of private equity-backed businesses, where I learned how to scale companies, manage teams, and drive results.

From there, my career continued to evolve across operating roles, investing, and leadership positions, including helping grow [solidcore] and leading other businesses in the health and wellness space.

Looking back, the common thread is not any one job. It is the foundation I built as a student-athlete at UVA, and a willingness to keep learning, take risks, and compete in different arenas. The path itself has been far from linear, but those principles carried through each step.

TURNING POINT

What’s A Challenge You Faced Early On?

The biggest challenge early on was dealing with uncertainty and not having a clear roadmap.

In tennis, there is always a next step. In most careers, that is not the case. You have to make decisions without knowing exactly where they lead, and that can create doubt, especially early on.

At different points, that showed up as periods of uncertainty, working through confidence, or learning from environments that were not the right long-term fit.

Over time, I became more comfortable with that. I stopped comparing my path to others and focused more on what I could control, how I was working, how I was showing up, and what I was learning. That shift made a real difference.

STEAL THIS

What’s A Question You Love To Be Asked (Or Asking)?

I do not rely on a specific question as much as I focus on the quality of the conversation.

I try to approach interactions with a genuine interest in the person, not just the business outcome. The best relationships I have built came from real human connection, not transactional networking.

It is no different than being a first year at Hancock dorm at UVA. You were not thinking about networking, you were just building relationships with people you enjoyed being around.

I have carried that with me. In my experience, strong business outcomes tend to follow strong relationships, not the other way around.

INDUSTRY INSIDER

What Do People Misunderstand About Professional Sports?

Most people see the visible side of sports, the events, the atmosphere, the experience.

What they do not see is the complexity behind it. Delivering something like the US Open requires coordination, leadership, and execution across thousands of people, along with significant legal, operational, and commercial considerations.

At its core, it is a business, and a highly competitive one. The expectations are high and the margin for error is small.

For those interested in the industry, you may need to start lower than expected and earn your way through it. It is demanding, but for the right people, it is incredibly rewarding.

IF I WERE YOU

Do You Have Any Advice For Students?

Uncertainty is part of the process. There is a high likelihood your career will not follow the path you expect.

Instead of focusing on where you think you should be, focus on how you are showing up each day. Build habits around discipline, consistency, and character. Those are areas you can control.  When I stopped comparing myself to others and focused on the work, opportunities became clearer over time.

I would also be more proactive in reaching out to people. Most leaders are still learning themselves and are willing to help, especially when the outreach is thoughtful and specific.

If you combine that mindset with the work ethic developed at UVA, you will put yourself in a strong position over time.