The Friday Five: Kim Miale

Kim Miale has been an NFLPA certified agent since 2009 and held the title of Agent and General Counsel at Roc Nation Sports since 2013. A pioneer in a male-dominated industry, Kim represents clients such as Saquon Barkley, Ronnie Stanley, and Leonard Fournette.

We caught up with Kim for this week’s Friday Five…

1) Who is your biggest mentor?

I've had several mentors over the course of my career. From an early age, my dad has been my role model. He worked two jobs and then took a risk to start his own business that has been successful for almost 25 years. His work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit have always guided me. Since embarking on my career at Roc Nation, our CEO, Desiree Perez, has been an incredible mentor. She gave me an opportunity of a lifetime as the first in-house agent for the sports department and has empowered me with the confidence necessary to build a successful career as an agent.

2) How did you get into the sports industry?

While in law school at Suffolk University in Boston, I took a sports law class taught by Kristen Kuliga, the first woman NFL agent to negotiate a starting quarterback's salary (Doug Flutie, San Diego Chargers, 2001). After securing an internship with Kristen, it truly solidified the area of law I wanted to focus my career on. In 2009, I became licensed as an agent with the NFL Players Association. I printed my own business cards and spent all my vacation and free time making connections at the NFL Scouting Combine and at Pro Days while working for a boutique litigation firm in Boston. Then in 2011, I met Brian Kauffman, who was working at an agency called Madison Ave. Sports & Entertainment in New York. I worked as a consultant at Madison Ave. for the next two years as the agency expanded into football. Then in May 2013, the principal partner at Madison Ave., Joe Tacopina, recommended me to Roc Nation. Roc Nation had just announced its foray into sports and was looking for an in-house NFL agent. I was hired by JAY-Z, Juan Perez and Desiree Perez as lead counsel and NFL agent for the newly formed Roc Nation Sports.

3) What’s one piece of advice you got early in your career that you’d pass on to aspiring agents?

My uncle used to always tell me to take the road less traveled. That mantra kept me focused on my goal to practice law in a nontraditional sense and pursue a career as an agent. It was certainly the road less traveled, especially for a woman, but that challenge fueled my ambition and I believe ultimately helped drive my success as an agent.

4) How have things changed for women in the sports industry since you first became a licensed agent with the NFLPA in 2009?

It's been incredible to be part of the trend toward more women joining the sports industry whether it be on the agency side, coaching, broadcasting or in the front office. Even though currently less than 5% of the NFLPA's agents are women, the industry as a whole has definitely been shifting in recent years and I think we will soon be seeing many more women in the role of agent.

5) If you could invite any three people in history to dinner, who would they be and why?

I would first choose to have dinner with William Shakespeare. I was an English major in college and spent a semester in the UK where I took multiple classes on Shakespeare, saw countless plays and visited his birthplace. I would love to discuss how he was able to be such a prolific writer and learn more about his incredible understanding of the human psyche. Next, I would choose Michaelangelo. He was born in Florence - my favorite city in the world - and I'd love to meet the original Renaissance man. Lastly, I'd choose Coco Chanel. Beyond her iconic fashions, I'd love to speak to her about being such a pioneer woman in business. Her success, style and elegance are timeless.