9/20/2023
USPA’s CEO J. Michael Prince on Sailing Through the Bad Phases
By Glynda Alves Sept. 20, 2023
It’s easy for a brand to look great when times are good but hard times can really rest your soul, says J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing. His advice to executives: “Be willing to pivot if you need to, but don’t second guess yourself until the data proves otherwise.”
“I don’t play polo.” Reveals J. Michael Prince, President and CEO, USPA Global Licensing, the official licensor and broadcaster for the United States Polo Association (USPA). He has, however, invested in a polo pony with a friend. “Sport is really important in my life,” he adds, rarely losing focus on the business of polo.
The Past in the Present
While Prince may not have yet tested his agility for the equestrian sport, having the agility and pivoting at the right time have served him well professionally. He started his career in finance, before switching to fashion and retail. This move saw him work with brands such as Nike, Converse, and Guess and the exposure helped him at USPA.
“Over time, I realized I’m left-brained, but that I’m pretty good on the right-brain side, too. I think Nike was a better training ground than I ever realized when it came to brand strategy and creativity. A lot of the changes you’ve seen with U.S. Polo Assn. over the past years have been thanks to that creative thinking, along with a great team around me,” he shares. Currently, U.S. Polo Assn. has a $2 billion global footprint and is represented across 190 countries.
The prolific past helped Prince run his business through the pandemic. In the past, he worked through the 2008 global financial crisis too. As a young CEO at Nike back then, he had to lead his team through some daunting times. “What I learned was: Don’t overreact, don’t underreact, and understand the data. You have to go with your gut to a certain degree,” he tells Brand Equity.