Kendrick Perkins Joins Leap Brands as Board Member, Shares Powerful Insights on Career, Entrepreneurship, and Franchise Growth on Leapcast

In a dynamic and inspiring episode of Leapcast, Kendrick Perkins, former NBA champion and current ESPN analyst, officially announced his appointment as a Board Member at Leap Brands, marking a significant milestone for the rapidly growing private equity and recruiting firm. Perkins joined Leap Brands co-founders Chaz Cervino and Chris Wunder, alongside entrepreneur Luke Cervino, in a candid and impactful conversation about career transitions, entrepreneurship, and the future of franchising in America.

The episode highlighted the unique synergy between Perkins and the Leap Brands team—a collaboration nearly a decade in the making.

Kendrick Perkins:

This is the perfect space.

I appreciate the opportunity. We’re all family, and in 2025, entrepreneurs are the movement. People are trying to get connected and we’re helping bridge those gaps.

Perkins shared the story of how he worked over a year unpaid as an ESPN intern, grinding his way into one of the most coveted roles in sports media.

People think it was handed to me. It wasn’t,

I worked 10–12 hour days for free—just hotel and travel covered. But I never said no. I wanted the reps, and I wanted the opportunity.

His persistence now finds him under a second contract with ESPN and widely recognized as one of the most influential NBA analysts in the world.

Leap Brands, relaunched in 2023, specializes in recruiting and M&A advisory for businesses in private equity, franchising, and venture capital. The company has earned a strong reputation for being “authentic, impactful, and people-first.” Chris Wunder, co-founder of Leap Brands, emphasized the firm's mission:

We’re not just doing billion-dollar PE deals. We’re helping small business owners scale, connect with capital, and exit. Kendrick joining us is huge; not just for visibility, but because he lives and breathes our values.

Exclusive to the call, the team revealed upcoming initiatives focused on helping athletes transition into franchise ownership which is a model particularly well-suited for those used to playbooks and coaching.

There are so many players who don’t get that second contract but still have the drive to succeed in business, said Chaz Cervino.

Franchising is the perfect outlet and Kendrick is going to help us take that to the next level.