Recently, I was introduced to the docu-series, “My Hustle,” which showcases young people turning their passion into profit through entrepreneurship. The goal of the show, created by Team Whistle, is to uncover the road to success by diving into the inventors’ backgrounds, visions, false starts and growing pains to provide teaching moments for viewers.
One of the young people featured is Tabay Atkins, the world’s youngest yoga teacher profiled in the L.A. Sentinel in 2017. Now, he’s spreading his love for vegan food with Tabay’s Mindful Kitchen ( https://bit.ly/3bBn8nl ).
Here’s what Kyle Cohen, talent manager for Team Whistle, shared about the uniqueness of “My Hustle” and Team Whistle.
L.A. Sentinel: Tell me about yourself, Mr. Cohen, and your time at Team Whistle.
Kyle Cohen: I’ve been working in the Talent Partnerships department at Team Whistle for two-and-one-half years. I graduated from Syracuse University, majoring in Broadcast and Digital Journalism with a minor in Sports Management. It was always clear to me that I wanted to pursue a career in the sports industry. At Whistle, I have been able to uncover many incredible stories in the sports and entertainment space and work with some unbelievable athletes, entertainers, and entrepreneurs.
LAS: What is Team Whistle?
KC: Team Whistle is a sports and entertainment media company that generates positive and relatable video content and supports organizations, leagues, and federations looking to do the same.
LAS: How does it differ from a traditional media company?
KC: We publish across Facebook, Instagram, Snap, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube, along with our OTT channel, WhistleTV. We currently have over 50 owned original content series, available across over 30 platforms like “No Days Off,” “Dunk League,” “Days Off,” “Put You On,” “My Hustle,” “Cheat Day,” “Meet the Pets” and more. We receive 4.75 billion viewers per month and 8 billion minutes of watch time across social.
LAS: Can you explain this: “We create content how and where consumers are viewing”? - How do you create content? What’s the budget for these programs? How do you find the subject(s) for these programs?
KC: Team Whistle was created to fill a void for young global sports enthusiasts with uplifting content, focused on the best parts of athletics and humanity across social. Because of our deep ties to social and streaming platforms, live sports, and the creator economy, we have an unrivaled understanding of Gen Z and millennial consumption habits. As Whistle has evolved and expanded, it has stayed true to that ethos, growing its original content slate of 50-plus shows and building a large and diverse creator network.
LAS: A lot of elements, correct?
KC: There are a lot of elements that go into the video production process. It starts with asking ourselves a few questions and understanding why are we doing this and what is our goal? Once we establish our vision for the piece, our team sets up calls to discuss with the talent or their parents/representatives to understand the messaging they want to convey. We understand that our talent is the vehicle for creating and sharing incredible content, so it’s vital that we are very collaborative with our subjects throughout the process. We have an amazing production team with tremendous experience working with all sorts of talent. They are constantly traveling all over the country to capture these incredible stories.
LAS: Why did you choose 16-year-old Tabay Atkins, a San Clemente native and the world’s youngest yoga teacher, to spread his love for vegan food with “Tabay’s Mindful Kitchen?”
KC: We choose Tabay because he represents a more mindful generation interested in inclusivity and wellness. At our core, we are storytellers and our goal is to create entertaining, relatable, and inspirational content for our audience. We’re always looking for unique individuals with diverse backgrounds who are eager to share their stories on camera.
LAS: What do your new content offerings look like?
TW: Team Whistle has flexed its creative muscle by launching a new series, “Home Team,” which gives audiences the chance to get to know their favorite athlete and celebrity power couples better through a card game that tests how well the couples know each other with an added physical bonus challenge.
In the premiere episode, Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves basketball player, and Jordyn Woods, a model and influencer, test each other in a series of light-hearted card challenges and pop-a-shot basketball challenges to determine a winner. In the second episode, we follow Grayson Allen, basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks, and his former pro soccer player fiancé, Morgan Reid. The nature of the series serves as a reminder that regardless of who is the victor, true partnership is ultimately the biggest win.
LAS: Any new series?
TW: Whistle launched a new series, “Price Went Up,” hosted by Cristian Crosby, founder of Live Life Nice, a cause-driven apparel line dedicated to inspiring, motivating, and empowering. Each episode unpacks trending financial topics by tapping experts in the space to illustrate how it’s done.
In the premiere episode, Blake Martinez, NFL linebacker, shows viewers his insane collection of rare Pokémon cards. In the second episode, Jim Jones, a hip-hop and rap legend, breaks down NFTs and crypto and shares the story of how he invests in local businesses in Harlem. In the third episode, Ros Gold-Onwude takes us through NFTs at a gallery. Other episodes will feature The Professor and 24kGoldn.
LAS: I’m surprised …. No podcast?
TW: We also just dropped a new “Making Bread” podcast series in partnership with Amaze Media Labs. (Full disclosure: I am a co-founder of Amaze Media Labs.) The series, hosted by NFL quarterback and crypto enthusiast Matt Barkley, will educate listeners on the variety of ways in which they can invest in the world of cryptocurrency, NFTs, sports gambling, and more.
