After a tennis-court screening of the documentary film Who is Stan Smith? at our Seaport Racquet Club, we sat down with the tennis icon and business legend for a chat between the lines and sidelines of tennis, through the growing world of padel, and into the heart of legacy-building, meaningful moments, and the global reach of a simple white shoe.
Tennis, with its tradition and rigor, was always the starting point, but Smith’s reach now extends far beyond a perfectly placed serve—the adidas shoe that carries his name long ago surpassed 100 million units sold. In a wide-ranging chat with Racquet, Smith discusses how the racquet-sport space is changing from the recreational padel boom transforming sporting cultures, creating social clubs and lifestyles, and making room for new stories and opportunities. Smith is both observer and participant—his company helps blend business with passion, turning once-insular court games into global, democratized experiences.
Smith of course remains amused at how his eponymous adidas shoe has become a symbol worn as readily on the streets of Paris as on the courts of Hilton Head. “It’s been embraced by the neighborhood and by the preppy crowd and by international crowds. It’s got such a wide range of acceptance,” he reflected. The shoe’s worldwide status mirrors Smith’s own philosophy: create common ground, seek connection, and never stop adapting.
But this is more than sneaker lore or even athletic achievement, Smith discussed the philosophy behind his latest endeavor: co-authoring a business book, Winning Trust: How to Build Moments That Matter along with his business partner Gary Niebur, built on a lifetime of making moments matter. “First you want to kind of get down on paper the philosophy of our company. And then we want to have a pathway for the people who are following us to know why we did it and how we’ve done it,” Smith explained.
Beneath the anecdotes about brand partnerships, Olympics hospitality, and emerging sports like padel, a set of values emerges. Smith’s business credos—serve at the same level, build strategy with your partners, create events that put everyone on equal footing—are about more than success. They're about bond-building and creating transformative experiences, whether on a tennis court or in a boardroom.
Through stories of Olympic dinners in private homes and surprise sneaker collaborations with innovators like Edison Chen for Clot and Pharrell William’s HU, one through-line persisted: success comes not just from innovation but from nurturing genuine relationships. As Smith looked toward succession (“We’re looking at doing more events where I don’t have to be the host”), his legacy is clearly in fostering environments where grace, integrity, and connection remain the most valuable currency.
In an era obsessed with statistics and accolades, Smith reminds us that the true measure of a champion—on court or in business—is how they make those around them feel. From family to fans, from elite CEOs to first-time padel players, Stan Smith’s approach leaves a lasting impression rooted in humility, curiosity, and the quiet power of serving others.
