In short
Livvy Dunne (Boardroom Cover Story) discusses how she built her business empire through social media, NIL, brand deals, and her post-gymnastics pivot into acting and entrepreneurship, plus her student-athlete advocacy via the Libby Fund.
Guest backgrounds
Livvy Dunne is a Jersey-trained elite gymnast who competed for the U.S., was homeschooled, trained in Paramus (ENA), and later became a major social-media figure. She cites Nastia Liukin as a role model/mentor.
Key claims
NIL changed her earning ability in 2021; she built deals by prioritizing authenticity and sustainability, and by vetting brands’ prior success and leadership. She says social media negativity is manageable via control and subjectivity.
Notable examples
LSU recruiting letters starting in fourth grade; first big audition for White Lotus season four; early viral gymnastics videos (30,000 views); brand work/equity in Noble and Equity, plus W by Jake Paul; long-term deal with Viore; acting classes after college; Libby Fund message: female student-athletes can “do it all.”
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOGrowing Up as a Gymnast
0:46 to 3:05
Livvy shares her journey of becoming an elite gymnast and the sacrifices she made.
“I'm very loyal to people from, like, the tri-state area.”
Influences and Role Models
3:06 to 4:13
Discussing Nastia Liukin's impact on Livvy's athletic identity and career.
“We see something we haven't seen before this year, and that's Olivia Dunn.”
Injuries and Career Choices
4:14 to 5:26
Livvy talks about the physical challenges in gymnastics and her shift away from the Olympics.
“Like, when does a college come approach somebody to compete at D1 Olympic level?”
NIL and College Recruitment
5:27 to 6:39
Exploring NIL opportunities and the recruiting process in gymnastics.
“My freshman year, I wasn't able to take a free sweatshirt.”
Building a Social Media Presence
6:40 to 8:15
Livvy shares her early experiences with social media and audience engagement.
“This is so funny to say now, I wanted to be verified so bad.”
Navigating Negativity Online
8:16 to 9:30
Discussing how Livvy handles negativity and comparisons on social media.
“Did you realize how valuable it could be in building a business?”
Strategic Brand Partnerships
9:31 to 10:41
Livvy explains her approach to brand deals and authentic partnerships.
“aren't thinking about equity or structuring deals.”
Entrepreneurial Ventures
10:42 to 12:11
Livvy discusses her equity stake in brands and her criteria for partnerships.
“What are the brands that you guys are working with?”
Pursuing Acting and Creativity
12:12 to 13:18
Livvy shares her passion for acting and balancing it with her athletic career.
“I'd probably have like a nice watch on or something that I'd work.”
From Gymnastics to Acting: A Passionate Transition
14:00 to 14:49
Learn how transitioning from gymnastics to acting involves creativity and collaboration.
“I think I would have rather done a backflip in front of the casting director, but I mean, I went there, I put it all out there.”
Show all 13 chapters
Hard Work: The Key to Success
14:50 to 15:44
Discover the importance of hard work and persistence in achieving success.
“there to just think that you can book an audition or book a part.”
Empowering Young Female Athletes
15:45 to 17:02
Understand the message of empowerment for female student-athletes in various fields.
“But if you just do the work, you can get through it.”
Capitalizing on Opportunities as a Student Athlete
17:03 to 17:58
Learn how student athletes can take advantage of their visibility to build their brand.
“you have to put yourself out there to work with these brands.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Rich Kleiman:My first audition ever was for a big show. Am I allowed to even say? I don't know. I didn't get it, but it was for...
0:07Livvy Dunne:Oh my God.
0:08Rich Kleiman:That can be like career ending. That's crazy.
0:11Livvy Dunne:Can I tell you something? It's very embarrassing. I passed. Can you believe that?
0:16Rich Kleiman:I wouldn't have passed on. The freeze that changed my life. On some of the biggest stages, getting punched. Because I also had like impersonators from a young age. That's when everything blew up for me. Hi, I'm Libby Dunn, and this is Boardroom's Cover Story.
0:35Livvy Dunne:What's up, everybody? And welcome to a very special, first of its kind, our very first print magazine. And who better to grace the cover of our first magazine than this guest of mine? Please welcome Miss Libby Dunn.
0:51Rich Kleiman:Thank you for having me.
0:52Livvy Dunne:So you grew up here in the Northeast?
0:54Rich Kleiman:Yeah. Jersey girl.
0:55Livvy Dunne:Jersey girl. I'm very loyal to people from, like, the tri-state area.
1:00Rich Kleiman:Me too. I feel like they just get it.
1:02Livvy Dunne:They do get it. Yeah. What was childhood in Jersey like for you?
1:05Rich Kleiman:I mean, I was training most of my childhood. I was homeschooled. I would train in Paramus, New Jersey at ENA. I mean, I sacrificed a lot to be an elite gymnast and compete for the United States.
1:16Livvy Dunne:It's interesting. I've talked to so many professional athletes about when it clicked. Like, I'm really good at this. This is different than the rest of the girls in my class.
1:25Rich Kleiman:When I was very young, I felt like I was different. I would get skills super easily at practice, and I never wanted to stop. I would go home, I would set up my mats, and I would tumble. I would try and get new skills, and it would scare my parents and my coaches. They'd be like, please stop. But I just could never find an off switch in my brain, and I loved it.
1:46Livvy Dunne:Did you love the work?
1:47Rich Kleiman:I did. Trying out a new skill and being able to conquer that, it's a great feeling. Double pike. She does it very well. She knows it's good. The hardest part about being a disciplined athlete, I think, is the sacrifices you have to make. I was homeschooled, had to, you know, not go to football games, school dances, field trips. But, I mean, the reward was priceless.
2:12Livvy Dunne:Was there one coach or one leader in your life early on who taught you, you know, not just what you did on the mat, but just a bit about being an athlete?
2:20Rich Kleiman:So one of my role models growing up was Nastia Lukin. She won the gold in 2008. She's a great person. Her dad actually coached me in the USA Gymnastics program. But I always looked up to her because she had an identity outside of gymnastics. And that's something I really admired because it didn't fully consume her. She loved fashion. She loved social media. And she was constantly posting about other things she loved, which it's so hard to find when you're a top level athlete. Usually your athletics consume you. So she was an amazing mentor. I still will talk to her every now and then. and yeah, she's just lovely.
2:58Livvy Dunne:Would you have been surprised if I knew who that was when you said that?
3:01Rich Kleiman:Wait, do you not?
3:02Livvy Dunne:No.
3:03Rich Kleiman:She's an icon.
3:04Livvy Dunne:Is she?
3:04Rich Kleiman:I need to show you some YouTube videos.
3:06Livvy Dunne:I do need to know.
3:07Rich Kleiman:We see something we haven't seen before this year, and that's Olivia Dunn.
3:11Livvy Dunne:I would imagine a young gymnast who knows that they've got something special. It becomes about the Olympics, right?
3:17Rich Kleiman:When you're a young girl, that was the prize. I want to go to the Olympics. And as I got older, you know what? My body hurts. I feel like I can find success in another way other than going to the Olympics. There's got to be a way.
3:30Livvy Dunne:The injuries and the wear and tear are really real, right? You're young and you're dreaming of something, but you see your body breaking down at times.
3:38Rich Kleiman:Yeah, with gymnastics, you're doing it as you're going through puberty, and it can really hurt your body. I broke my ankle. I had part of my bone that died when I was just a young girl. That's crazy. That can be career-ending sometimes when your body dies. So I was like, how do I make light of this situation? And I really dialed into social media.
4:13Livvy Dunne:And what about LSU? Like, when does a college come approach somebody to compete at D1 Olympic level?
4:21Rich Kleiman:I think I got my first recruiting letter when I was in fourth grade.
4:27Livvy Dunne:Fourth grade?
4:27Rich Kleiman:Yeah. How are you supposed to know where you want to go to college when you're in fourth grade? Yeah. Honestly, the first time I got my recruiting letter from LSU, I liked them because it was purple. And it was like, tiger. That's where you're at in your life, yeah. I took a deeper look into LSU as I got a little bit older. I ended up committing when I was 13 or 14. Just still so young. So crazy, yeah. And crazy to think about. How is anybody that young supposed to know where they want to go? I chose LSU at a young age and it all worked out.
4:57Livvy Dunne:Chose the right one.
4:57Rich Kleiman:Yeah.
4:58Livvy Dunne:When did the phrase NIL like first come into your mind?
5:02Rich Kleiman:Phrase that changed my life. LSU has always had athletes with star power and they were never able to capitalize off of their NIL. My freshman year, I wasn't able to capitalize on my NIL that whole year. I didn't really care because I just love to do social media. I didn't know the money and the opportunities that could come with it until the rule did change. I was upset at the time. My freshman year, I wasn't able to take a free sweatshirt. The game has changed off the field. College athletes will soon be able to profit off their own names and popularity.
5:41Livvy Dunne:Something that was outlawed for more than a century.
Read the full transcript
5:43Rich Kleiman:When that rule changed in 2021, first of all, the first thing I did was take my time.
5:50Livvy Dunne:And take that sweatshirt.
5:51Rich Kleiman:And I took that sweatshirt. My first shopping spree in New York was when I, I think I was 19 in 2022. The NIL rule changed, so I officially had my own money. And I went to the Christian Louboutin store, I went to the Jimmy Choo store, and I got myself two pairs of shoes.
6:18Livvy Dunne:You already built a following and a presence on social media. Do you remember when you first got your phone and when you first got social media?
6:26Rich Kleiman:I think in like fifth or sixth grade. I think fifth grade. And I always loved social media. I think I started doing it when I was 10. I would post gymnastics videos. And I think I had a video of me doing a slow motion leap on floor. It got like 30 ,000 views. and that was when I was like 10 or 11. I was like, oh my gosh. This is so funny to say now, I wanted to be verified so bad. Cause I also had like impersonators from a young age. Like pretending to be, yeah, it was weird. I drew the little blue check mark, cut it out and put it on my mirror. And every day -
7:01Livvy Dunne:That's like motivation?
7:02Rich Kleiman:I'm like, you're gonna get - I'm gonna get verified. Yeah, I'm gonna get verified. And I did during COVID when everything blew up for me.
7:19For anybody on social media, it's just so toxic at times. As you were building this audience and coming into your own and dealing with change in your life,
7:30Livvy Dunne:how was your relationship with fans and your relationship with dealing with negativity that comes with it?
7:37Rich Kleiman:I feel like the best part about social media is you get to put out there what you want. And if you don't like a comment on your posts, you can delete it. These people don't know me. It can hurt your feelings sometimes if you let it creep in. But you have control of your own destiny. And I think that you can tune out that negativity and don't compare yourself to people. I feel like it probably has to do with gymnastics because you could think you just did the best routine in the world in social media terms. and you can post something that you think is amazing and then you can get a bad score in gymnastics.
8:11Rich Kleiman:Someone could essentially leave a hate comment. I kind of see it in the same way. It's all subjective.
8:16Livvy Dunne:Did you realize how valuable it could be in building a business? You make it sound very simple, but in order to build the following that you have and to have brands that want to work with you and to be able to do this, it is a skill. It is a real gift that you have. Was it something that you started to strategically map out? like here's these NIL opportunities. I have this social following. This is my way to express myself, but this is like a tool for my business as well.
8:42Rich Kleiman:When the rule first changed, I was just happy to get my first brand deal, which was Viore. One year deal. I still work with them to this day because even from day one, I think I knew and I had enough feel to know that Viore was authentic to me in that I want to have long-term deals. That authenticity really shows, especially when it comes to working with brands because Viore necessarily isn't my brand, but it is authentic to me and I do wear it every single day. I wore it here to the shoe today.
9:15Livvy Dunne:She wore it here.
9:19Rich Kleiman:I genuinely love the product and now look at them. I mean, it's huge. I wish I got equity at the time, but I didn't know. I was just happy to get a deal.
9:28Livvy Dunne:Most people at 17, 18, 19, 20 years old aren't thinking about equity or structuring deals. What is a brand deal for you outside of liking the product that becomes attractive? Like, how do you look at those opportunities?
9:43Rich Kleiman:I would say if they're sustainable.
9:45Livvy Dunne:Yeah.
9:45Rich Kleiman:Who is in charge?
9:47Livvy Dunne:Two perfect answers to start. Straight 100%. Yeah.
9:50Rich Kleiman:Let's see if they've had any past success in other businesses.
9:54Livvy Dunne:That's three great ones.
9:55Rich Kleiman:Yeah. And yeah, honestly, that's what I see. And I have a team of people that help me as well. And if it would be authentic to who I am and my brand.
10:06Livvy Dunne:Well done. That's exactly what I do. Understanding like past success is a big part of it. I've heard this like one of the big VCs in Silicon Valley. I heard recently say that this might sound harsh, but I'm only trying to invest in people that have done it before. And obviously there's exceptions. and you find some of these unicorns. But I think that is part of like building this portfolio of legacy brands. It's like knowing who the CEO is, understanding their pedigree and their background, what they represent. And if you feel like you can impact the brand in some way, which I'm sure you have, tell me some of the brands in your, you know, whether you're a spokeswoman for it or an equity shareholder.
10:46Livvy Dunne:What are the brands that you guys are working with?
10:47Rich Kleiman:Yeah, I have Equity and Noble.
10:49Livvy Dunne:Oh, yeah, I just saw that. Congratulations.
10:50Rich Kleiman:Yeah, I just announced that today, which is really cool with Mike Rapoli and Tom Brady.
10:55Livvy Dunne:Two people that have done it before.
10:56Rich Kleiman:They've done it before. Mike Rapoli, he is freaking awesome. Obviously, we did a background check right before I worked with them. He's so successful. He started Body Armor, Smartwater, Pirate's Booty. It's like, okay, he's got it going on. And he has a great family. And I'm very family-oriented as well. So it just felt like it aligned for me. And I also work with W by Jake Paul.
11:26Rich Kleiman:Get W. I have equity in that brand, which has been really cool because, I mean, I keep seeing it everywhere, whether it's, you know, Jake wearing his logo on some of the biggest stages, getting punched. No shade. No shade, Jake. Or Yuda, his amazing fiancé, winning the Olympic gold. I look at that and I'm like, that aligns with me. Athletics. And they're great people as well.
11:54Livvy Dunne:And Mike Popoli is a city kid.
11:56Rich Kleiman:Oh, yeah.
11:57Livvy Dunne:Yes. Can I tell you something? It's very embarrassing. I passed on Body Armor early. It was so stupid. I still, once every four or five months, think about it. We were in his offices. He was telling me about something else he had done. We were talking about Kevin and I just didn't do it.
12:14Rich Kleiman:It's all right. Didn't feel authentic in the moment.
12:16Livvy Dunne:Can you believe that?
12:17Rich Kleiman:I wouldn't have passed that.
12:18Livvy Dunne:I'd probably have like a nice watch on or something that I'd work. What else do you want? Like I could imagine you acting.
12:26Rich Kleiman:I've been taking acting classes. I love it. It's something I've been passionate about for a while, but I just never had the time to get around to while I was in college. Because being a student athlete and working with brands, that can be kind of time consuming. and being able to really practice and get good at it has been super fun. Doing lots of auditions and rehearsing scripts and getting used to that lifestyle, which it's been amazing because it's something I've been passionate about for a long time, ever since I was young in college, ever since I was an athlete. But I couldn't find the balance between being a student athlete, working with brands.
13:09Rich Kleiman:And so it's something I took on after college and it's been so much fun. I have my mom standing there helping me memorize the scripts and my sister. I have an amazing acting coach.
13:22Livvy Dunne:Are auditions scarier? Is it something as like a gymnast who's been judged her whole life by scores? Is it not as daunting to like sit in an audition?
13:30Rich Kleiman:So my, actually my first audition ever was in person for a big show. am I allowed to even say I don't know I didn't get it but it was for White Lotus season four oh my god so that was my first audition ever that must have been scary I was obviously a bit nervous at first I was like oh man like what if I forget the lines pause I've done things way harder than this in my life whoa I flipped on a beam in front of 13 ,500 people I can do I can do this yeah it's different. I think I would have rather done a backflip in front of the casting director, but I mean, I went there, I put it all out there.
14:13Rich Kleiman:It was my first audition. I mean, like I didn't know what to expect and it was honestly really fun.
14:18Livvy Dunne:And being a gymnast is, you're an entertainer, right? There's always a level of showmanship and entertainment that came with like a floor routine or like how I said that floor routine. Yes, that was beautiful. That was cool.
14:29Rich Kleiman:That was perfect lingo. Doing a floor routine, get the creative process behind it. It's collaborative. Getting the choreography, perfecting it. I'm a perfectionist. I feel like all athletes are to some extent. And that's how I kind of approach acting in the same way. It's something you have to get good at or else you're not going to be credible in that world. There's just too many talented people out there to just think that you can book an audition or book a part. So it's something I've been really passionate about getting good at.
15:03Things that are creative, that's like where my family really thrives.
15:08Rich Kleiman:And I really want my own thing one day. I look at Haley Bieber's and I mean, there's just so many young entrepreneurs. And I actually saw her at Super Bowl and I just was like, you're a badass businesswoman.
15:23Livvy Dunne:Yeah.
15:23Rich Kleiman:I look at that and I think it's really amazing and honestly inspiring to young women. I want to be like her. It's amazing.
15:32Livvy Dunne:I bet you will. I think it's amazing. Athletes that have like a mind for business are so successful and built to win because there's a part of every job that you just have to do the work. Like you can over talk everything and can blame everything on a certain circumstance. But if you just do the work, you can get through it. And for athletes to get to the level that you got to, you obviously understood the work.
15:58Rich Kleiman:Like working with athletes, there's just a different understanding for what needs to get done.
16:02Livvy Dunne:Yeah. And like what work is.
16:04Rich Kleiman:Yeah, totally.
16:05Livvy Dunne:My last question, like you are so inspiring and you do have this incredible perspective that I think young women, young people in general could benefit from. And I know you started your fund, the Libby Fund, as you continue to grow your whole organization. Like what's important for you to kind of be a messenger for and to help people as you continue to shine?
16:31Rich Kleiman:I want female student athletes to know that they can do it all. You don't need to be boxed into one certain category. And don't be embarrassed of putting yourself out there. I think one thing that people don't understand is that you can do it both. You don't have to be categorized as just one. You can do social media, grow your brand, and be an athlete and a student. You can do whatever you want. When it comes to NIL deals, you have to put yourself out there to work with these brands. If you don't do it, then you might not ever get that opportunity again. So I think not boxing yourself in. And if you love to paint, you can paint and be a student athlete.
17:17Rich Kleiman:I think that's so cool now that you can do whatever you want and capitalize on it. So go out there, do something, make something. I mean, yeah, it's tiring when you're in college. You have so much stuff going on to begin with already. But I feel like when you're a student athlete and you're a female in college, there's not a lot of professional leagues after college. So it's important while those eyes are on you to really capitalize off of it. Yeah, for sure.
17:41Livvy Dunne:You're already a star. But I feel like when we look back on this, I'll be able to say that like our first print magazine ever was with Livvy Dunn. And someone will say, no. And I'll say, I swear to God, we were on it.
17:52Rich Kleiman:We did it. I sit in the cold on the roof. Sit in the cold for us. The pictures are fired.
17:57Livvy Dunne:They are, right?
17:58Rich Kleiman:It was so cold yet. The photos were so hot. I'm really honored that you guys chose me and bet on me.
18:08Livvy Dunne:The honor is ours. Well, I appreciate it. Livvy, I can't wait to see what you do in the future. This is Rich Kleiman, April boardroom cover story with the one and only Livvy Dunn. Thank you guys.
18:20Rich Kleiman:Let's go.
18:23Rich Kleiman:I feel like your smile is so much when it comes to how you look, your outfit. I'm the biggest advocate for flossing. I'm like crazy about it. The water pic, it's not I don't know. That's good, too, but I think the actual physical floss is more more satisfying. Maybe I have a problem, but like, I don't know. Your smile really defines you, so having a beautiful smile will make any outfit good.
From the publisher
Livvy Dunne opens up like never before in this raw, in-depth conversation for Boardroom’s April Cover Story about her rise from a relentless young gymnast in New Jersey to one of the most influential college athletes in America. From training in her childhood living room with “no off switch” to competing for LSU and helping deliver a national championship, Dunne breaks down the sacrifice, discipline, and obsession that shaped her path. She also reveals how she turned NIL into a personal empire – building massive social media influence, landing major equity deals, and redefining what it means to be a modern athlete. In this interview, she discusses everything from early Olympic dreams and devastating injuries to her first acting auditions (including a surprising White Lotus moment), and why she believes female student-athletes can build careers far beyond their sport. Tap in to learn Livvy’s story of ambition, identity, and what happens when talent meets relentless focus.
