Time Out: Quick Q&A With Sports Tech Leaders - WiST Board Member Sandy Khaund
Sandy Khaund, WiST Board Member, Founder & CEO of Credenza
About Sandy: Sandy Khaund is a serial software entrepreneur/intrapreneur with over 25 years of experience across managerial and executive positions at five Fortune 500 companies (including Intel, Microsoft, and Warner Media) and served as a C-Level executive at three acquired startups (Piczo, InStadium, and UPGRADED).
Sandy is currently Founder/CEO of Credenza (a blockchain SportsTech startup), Partner at Mindspring Capital (a global SportsTech investment firm), and the Chairman of Rock Daisy (a top analytics platform used by a dozen major sports franchises).
Outside of professional interests, Sandy has been a visiting professor at Georgia State University, was a co-author of "21st Century Sports: How Technologies Will Change Sports in the Digital Age", was a board member of MakerDAO Foundation, co-founded the Weiji Foundry (a Covid-inspired college startup accelerator), and created Inventors University (a local “school” that taught young girls to build a Raspberry Pi computer and write code for it).
Sandy sits on the boards of three non-profits (Women in Sports Tech, Humans to Humans, and the OKB Hope Foundation) and is an angel investor in eight startups. Sandy has a BA in Physics from Ithaca College, a BSEE and M.Eng from Cornell University, and an MBA from Wharton.
1. What’s your favorite part of your job?
As a tech entrepreneur, we are required to constantly push the boundaries of what is possible.There's no corporate machine to prevent us from dreaming up great ideas for customers. We are accountable for everything and success will be measured by having made a dent in the universe. There’s nothing more empowering them being an entrepreneur.
2. What’s your favorite thing about being on the WiST board?
I'm inspired by my fellow board members and the amazing staff at WiST, who are all so accomplished and committed to fighting for gender equity. But what has become even more rewarding has been to build relationships with a number of Fellows who have come to me for advice, counsel, or just someone to bounce ideas off of. It's so gratifying to see this next generation of outstanding women that will change the ratio.
3. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what do you think it would be?
Who do I WANT it to be? No question: Dave Grohl. Be the best drummer in the world in the most important band in rock history, and then move on to be the greatest force behind the greatest rock bank in the world. Yeah, I would go for that.
4. If you could be a professional athlete in any sport, what would it be?
Starting Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles. No question. I miss the focus and the intensity of being a pitcher and being a starter is the equivalent of being a marathon runner--you need to take the long view.
5. What is your favorite sports tech wearable, for your own personal use? OURA, Whoop, Garmin, Apple Watch, etc
I have 11 years of FitBits. I think I've owned 7 or 8 and they've come a long way from the little thing I attached to my belt loop to count steps back in 2012.
6. Which talent would you most like to have?
I'd love to play the guitar. I have large hands with clumsy fingers and so I've struggled to play it properly, but I'd like to just be able to pick it up and start playing like The Edge.
7. What is your favorite live sports memory?
Game 1 of the American League Division Series in 2014 at Camden Yards in Baltimore. After a business trip, I made a last minute decision to play hooky from work, took a train from NYC to Baltimore, and bought a ticket two hours before the game. 47,000 people in a sea of orange and the pandemonium as Chris Tillman struck out the side in the top of the 1st, including Miguel Cabrera. I don't think I had a voice the next morning.
8. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I have two wonderful children that are brilliant, humble, funny, and make me proud every day. I am confident they will have their impact on the world long after I am gone. I allow myself to believe I had something to do with that. Anything else I've ever done comes second.
9. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
"Cautious Optimism". As an entrepreneur, it's a mantra--but I imagine my team gets tired of hearing me say it.
10. What is your most treasured possession?
My wedding ring. It was custom-made in India and represents a Celtic knot that my wife and I pretty treat as a family crest. I'm Indian and my wife is part Irish, so it's a mix (kinda like our kids). Plus, there's a great 5-10 minute story about the origination of the ring that I love to tell.
11. Where would you like to live?
I think London appeals to me since I love the city and it's easy enough to go to so many other great places in Europe.
12. Who are your heroes in real life?
My tech hero Bill Gates, who was a tech visionary, but also turned his wealth into philanthropy to extend his impact into saving lives by practically eradicating malaria.
My civic hero Barack Obama, who came from a single-parent home to commit his life to community service and ultimately become President of the United States and take that role with a grace and dignity that I would hope even his political enemies would admire.
And my guitar hero Dave Grohl, who is a creative genius while maintaining an unparalleled level of humor and humility.
13. If you could wear only one jersey for the rest of your life, what jersey would you wear?
Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans. I've never seen a tougher football player who sacrificed more for his team.
14. What are your go-to game/match foods and beverages, in-stadium and at home?
At the stadium, I'm partial to hot dogs with kraut or sausages & beer, though when in Baltimore, I make it a habit to get Boog's BBQ. At home, I love chips and salsa with beer, though the 10am NFL game times usually have me reach for the coffee.
15. What motto are you known for?
Fight like you are right. Listen like you are wrong.
16. What is your favorite sports tech partnership or sports tech integration?
Shameless plug, but my company Credenza is working with the St Louis Blues to bring the blockchain to hockey fans, but not for collectibles. We can support discounts and benefits across partners and vendors as well as future support for things such as microtransactions and rewards---and some other cool stuff I can't share yet. :-)