#PeopleYouShouldKnow: Andrew Phillips

ICYMI

?? I started the #PeopleYouShouldKnow series to highlight a few incredible people I've had the chance to meet or catch up with recently. They're all brilliant and shine in unique ways, and I think everyone should know about them—hence the name of this series!

You can learn more about why I started this interview series and read my first several interviews here:

• Ashley Rudolph - executive coach and therapy dog volunteer
• Alexis Puchek - design leader and birder
• Andre Plaut - learning designer and magic aficionado
• Susie Hall - design community leader and builder
• Jully Kim - technology excellence leader and succulent cultivator
• Stephen Levin - ops leader and full-throttler
• Jacqueline Hughes - expert gatherer and investor in personal growth

Ready for the next one?

Meet Andrew

I sat next to Andrew Phillips in grad school, undoubtedly a funny pair: him 6'5", me 5'1".

We quickly became friends, as Andrew did with everyone. Anyone who knows or has come into contact with Andrew would agree: he's a really good human.

Andrew's incredibly hard-working, kind, and interesting. He's a leader and a team player. He loves people and always wants to help. He was a college football player who studied classics, did a master's in commerce, spent a decade in media sales and people leadership at LinkedIn, and is now VP of Partnerships at a startup in the college sports space. And he's a writer. A beautiful, thoughtful writer who "chronicles the lives of ordinary people to remind us that people matter and deserve to have their stories told."

In Andrew's words...

?? What are you a product of? ??

I’m a product of two loving parents. I’m a product of men who loved me enough to demand more of me than I demanded of myself. I’m a product of a God who bestows love to all of creation.

?? What’s something about you that’s not on your resume? ??

This is a funny one for me. At Linkedin there’s a tradition of introducing yourself with something not on your LinkedIn profile, so I’ve got a stable of these answers.

• I’ve been to 48 states (recommendations for Mississippi and Louisiana happily received).
• I make very good chicken thigh tacos.
• I’m the oldest of 4 boys but the shortest of the group. (We go from 6’4-6’6)
• My Dream Job is to be the Obituaries Editor at The Economist. In my spare time I write tributes to interesting people who have passed away on a Substack called This Was Life. (www.thiswaslife.substack.com If you’re so inclined).
• Hot Take: kids should be required to take Speech & Debate or participate in drama before graduating from high school. As a jock who did three plays before graduation, I learned just as much on the stage as I learned on the football field.

?? What accomplishment are you most proud of? ??

A creative writing prize I won as a business grad student at UVA. I spent an all nighter in the library writing and editing the piece. To me it was a great encouragement to follow my desire to write and express myself.

?? What are you working on now that you’re most excited about? ??

After a decade in media sales and people leadership at Linkedin, I've joined a startup focused on the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) endorsement space for college athletics. As a former college football player, I feel strongly that the institution of college athletics is worth fighting for as it transitions to a world where athletes are compensated. It's a huge thrill to work directly on a problem I've been passionate about and interested in for so long.

?? Stay in touch with Andrew!

Want to get in touch with Andrew and/or follow his work? Follow him on LinkedIn or his Substack This Was Life.