OraPharma has team​e​d up with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) – the largest and oldest Hispanic organization in the United States – to foster a greater understanding of gum disease detection and treatment within the Hispanic community. This exciting partnership includes LULAC’s involvement in supporting the “Cover Your Bases” campaign featuring Brand Ambassador, businessman, NBA team owner and World Series Champion Alex Rodriguez. In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview ARod talks about the OraPharma campaign, why raising dental health awareness is important to him, his successful business empire, and his best advice to build your own thriving enterprise.

Rodriguez is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of A-Rod Corp, an investment firm that  backs world-class startups and partners with leading global companies across real estate, sports, and  entertainment. While best known as one of the world’s greatest athletes (a 14x MLB All-Star and a 2009  World Series Champion with the New York Yankees), for more than 25 years, he leads a team of  experts building high-growth businesses and enhancing the value of more than 30 companies in the A Rod Corp portfolio.

Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees holds up the World Series trophy after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies during Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. 

He founded A-Rod Corp in 1995, purchasing a duplex apartment. Following his success in real estate, he went on to invest in a variety of sectors, looking for long-term opportunities to provide financial capital, work alongside founders and leadership, and amplify the growth of each company.
Rodriguez is also CEO of Slam Corp, a special purpose acquisition company  (SPAC), and in 2021, he joined the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx ownership group.

A popular fixture on television, Rodriguez is an Emmy Award-winning MLB analyst for Fox Sports and ESPN. He has been a judge and  investor on ABC’s Shark Tank, mentored financially distressed ex-athletes on CNBC’s Back in the  Game, and co-hosts the video series The Deal. Committed to creating opportunities for  young people to succeed, he serves on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of America and is in the  National Alumni Hall of Fame, and the Boards of Trustees of the University of Miami.

HOMBRE: Why was it important for you to become a Brand Ambassador for OraPharma?
Alex Rodriguez: I’m excited about my relationship with OraPharma. A while ago I went to see my dentist and found out I had gum disease. I got nervous but realized quickly there’s a process and a treatment. I started that treatment. It’s a problem that’s prevalent in America, over sixty million Americans have gum disease, but it’s even more prevalent in black and brown communities. I encourage all folks to be proactive and go see a dentist and if you have it, don’t panic there’s treatment.

H: What can you tell us about  the “Cover Your Bases” campaign?
AR: Our goal is to go out and bring awareness, especially to people in our communities. We’ve had a lot of success.

H: How does partnering with LULAC spread the message?
AR: It’s all about getting the message out. It’s about action now. It’s not enough to brush your teeth and floss, all that is great, but there’s a more specific initiative. You want to ask the tough questions to your dentist to make sure you’re in the clear. Either way oral health is very important to your overall health. There are a lot of benefits to being proactive and getting to your local dentist.

Alex Rodriguez with business partner Marc Lore

H: Moving on to some of your recent business endeavors, why did you decide to invest in an NBA basketball team?
AR: We took a run at the NY Mets and came in second, we were almost able to buy that team. When the Minnesota Timberwolves opportunity came we were ready. I’m a big NBA fan. I grew up watching the Lakers, the Celtics; Magic Johnson is a big childhood hero. He’s now a friend and a mentor. We joke about it all the time because he was a legendary basketball player and now he owns the Dodgers, and I played baseball and now own part of the NBA; so we have some laughs over that.

H: And how’s the involvement with Presidente?
AR: We’ve had a great partnership with Presidente. Presidente is a beer from my native land, Dominican Republic. We’ve grown the brand tremendously. It’s a partnership I’m very proud of.

H: Did you being Dominican have something to do with your involvement?
AR: It has everything to do with it. All that we do has to feel good, be organic. It has to be something I’m passionate about and being Dominican I know it’s popular in my country. It’s a great beer.

H: Why should Latinos invest in real estate?
AR: I don’t like giving advice on what people should invest in. I can tell you it’s been a great investment for me, for us and for our firm. I’ve been doing it for almost 25 years. It’s our circle of competence which we understand really well. We just keep doing the same thing over and over again, which is multi-family apartments. But not all real estate is good and obviously I can’t give you advice on what to buy.  It’s always best like what we’re doing with OraPharma, go find your local dentist. In this case go find the best real estate person you can, and if you can partner with them, more power to you.

Alex Rodriguez on ‘Shark Tank’

H: You’re involved with so many different enterprises, why is it important to be diversified in business?
AR: Early on it’s ok to be diversified. What I’ve learned being in business now for over two decades is not to go wide and shallow but go narrow and deep. Decide what are the two or three things you are most passionate about, that you understand the best. And then take a big swing.

H: What would you say is the key to your success?
AR: I think the journey. My gratitude, my humility. I come from a very humble background. My mother was a single mom, she had two jobs when I was growing up. A very modest start for us, but we always had big dreams. I think sports does that, music does that, it brings people together in this the most divided world I’ve seen since I’ve been alive. I have tremendous work ethic. And I surround myself with really smart people.

H: Would you say your mom was one of your biggest inspirations?
AR: Number one, without a doubt. She’s a rock. She’s 87 now, she’s strong as a bull and she’s a force of nature. Mom is everything.

H: How does she look at the ARod of today?
AR: She’s so proud of her kids. All of us are similar, and in other ways very different. She rides the highs and the lows, but mom is always in my corner. Tough as nails, and she’s very proud.

H: What is the best advice she ever gave you?
AR: It’s not necessarily advice, it’s her walking the walk. Her toughness, her grittiness. I never saw my mom in twenty years miss a day of work, not because she was sick, not because s she was tired. She went from one job in the morning being a secretary, then she served tables ’till midnight. It was just incredible to watch. I think you learn more sometimes for what people do, rather than what they say.

H: All your businesses are physical entities, what is your opinion about online and internet properties? 
AR: All businesses now need to have an internet element. It has to be a part of your strategy, whether it’s marketing, social media, or gathering information. But it’s important that it’s an element of it.

H: You mentioned marketing…
AR: Marketing is important, but I believe the product is what’s most important. If you have a product that is good then the marketing and social media will support it. I see a lot of young people who worry about marketing and social media, but don’t have the product to sell.
If you have the Lakers, the Dodgers, the Yankees, the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s a lot easier to promote something when the product is strong.

H: What is your opinion about Artificial Intelligence?
AR: It’s something that’s coming fast and intense and we have to pay attention.
I remember when Google began, Facebook, Instagram, people were like ‘what’s this?’
For me I was five years late on social media and Instagram. I think AI will be the same. There are many good things, but there are things we have to be careful about if we’re moving too fast. You have to protect humans.

H: What would you say to someone that wants to follow on your footsteps and become an entrepreneur?
AR: First, education. Intelligence gives you strength. Study hard, understand your passion, and when you understand your passion, what could you do everyday to get closer to your goals.
And understand, in our real estate company we’ve bought over five billion dollars of real estate and over thirty thousand multi-family dwellings, but we started with two.
The first one was $250,000. We sold both for twice the price, and we bought four. We sold four for twice and bought eight.
You start with a small seed, and little by little that grows. Start with what you can, with discipline and consistency.

Alex Rodriguez with daughters Ella and Natasha

H: Having accomplished so many milestones, what’s next for you?
AR: My big goal is to continue to watch my daughters grow up with strong self esteem. I want them to be happy with whatever they’re pursuing. That’s number one. Obviously continue my relationship with my faith, with my family. And ultimately we want to bring a championship to Minnesota. The first one ever, that’s my goal. And to bring the fifth championship to the Minnesota Lynx, our fabulous WNBA basketball team.