Co-Founder & CEO @ Ruley, the E-Referee | Start Up Business Expert | Entrepreneur

After 25 years building successful companies I found myself at a crossroads. I had built companies that helped people and families. I was proud of that legacy, I knew it was time for a new chapter.

In my early 50s, I sold my third company just a year behind schedule from a personal goal I set at 34. 

During COVID, I had the space to explore ideas that truly energized me. I enrolled in a six-month coding bootcamp to learn Python and deepen my understanding of the technologies shaping our future.

Now I’m the Co-Founder of Ruley, an AI powered smart sports E-Referee API  designed to help federations, sports media and consumer brands gain fans, players and spectators by being the go to venues for sports rules and insights.

My personal mission is to fuse decades of my experience and strategic thinking with modern tech to bring people together through playing sports and watching sports.  By working with these existing sports entities we can grow sports and all the good that comes with them.

At the heart of my work is this belief: we all deserve unbiased, instant information, and we all deserve to enjoy life like we did as kids. 

These ideas aren’t mutually exclusive. With the right tools, we can help provide knowledge in unique ways and inject more joy into everyday life.

Explore Ruley and our API rollout (and more) for sports:
🌐 ruley.ai

📸 Instagram: @ruley_ereferee
🎥 YouTube: @ruleythee-referee
📘 Facebook: @ruleytheereferee

🎾 Just Ruley it!

Cassandra Toroian

First time at the #PGAShow, and yes—I'm sure Tracy Thomas and I will be in the small minority of women attendees as is standard practice at most conferences we attend.

As an introverted entrepreneur, I’m embracing the challenge and bringing my best extrovert game face.

I'm excited because it will be an opportunity to interact with many other #golftech entrepreneurs and golf consumer brands and network for #ruley.

For the Volleybird Athletic Lifestyle team it will be an opportunity to meet and network with racquet sports brands and #hospitality companies that focus on #tennis and #padel who care about being eco-friendly and more #sustainable. 

So...it would really help me out if some of these folks would hit me up before we get there - because I am eager to meet up in person! Assuming you will be attending Teemu Ruuska Kira Peterson Jolyn de Boer Evan Roosevelt Tyler Trout or any other folks that are part of the #profluence community involved in the golf industry!

Please reach out via DM so we can plan a couple of minutes! 😊

Most tennis clubs underestimate how expensive “cheap” tennis balls really are.


The cost isn’t just on the invoice. 

It’s in their reputational cost by not being a leader in the tennis business.

It’s in the the cost to the air their players breathe when out on the court.

It’s the cost of the chemical waste from all those balls going into the landfills.

I’ve spent years as part of sports
organizations, and one business element is
clear. Unfortunately.

Sustainability conversations
stall the moment the cost shows up.

Everyone assumes the environmentally
responsible option must be more expensive.

After all, if all else is equal, we are trained to think sustainable products are always more expensive.

Renewaball | B Corp certified  saw this.

And the decided to make the BEST #tennis and #padel balls available.

That meant the ball had to meet a list of criteria - including wears better, lasts longer, and approved by international federations like International Tennis Federation and International Padel Federation. 

And, by the way,  that also meant making the ball a circular 100% recycled ball.

Now we’re their exclusive U.S. partner!
 
The organizations that win long-term
are the ones willing to question
what “cost” really means.

What “best” really means.

The rest keep throwing balls
away and calling it normal.

If your #tennis or #padel club
or academy, or #luxuryresort wants to be one of the first in the U.S. to be part of the next phase of tennis and padel sustainability, you need to get in touch with Volleybird Athletic Lifestyle the exclusive U.S. distributors for Renewaball.

Supplies are limited.

You’ll need to show your organization is truly concerned with sustainability.

I’ll point you to the right people.


#sports #sustainability #countryclubs #racquetsports #environment #tennis #padel #recycling

Continuing my outbound networking for the #pgashow next week.

I’m excited to be there with Todd Grasley helping us with outreach and networking- not just for #golf and #golftech but with #tennis #padel and #pickleball

We hear this is the biggest B2B event for those sports too! 

I’m excited to hopefully finally meet some folks from racquet clubs and facilities who may be there? Like Marcos Del Pilar - 𝗣𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗨𝗦𝗔  Padel Haus PadelBizNetwork Val Goncalves Jr, MBA, RSPA, CDORS, DCA Philippe Azar Carlos Beltran Carlos R. Gonzalez just to name a few.

If any of you are going to be there please DM me I’d love to meet you in person.

And if you’re going for #racquetclub sports and looking to meet new people please DM me as well!

Want to get a different perspective on life in the 21st century and how much technology has changed society?

Inadvertently Tracy Thomas  and I stumbled upon a way to do this and it was easy and truly eye opening.

As GenX we lived before cell phones, apps, wifi, internet, and heck, even before the microwave.

But we forgot what life was like.

So now it’s easy to go back in time.

We chose to travel back through re-watching all 8 years of the series called Melrose Place. A drama/soap opera type show in the mid 1990s.

Here’s what watching it made me realize:
▶️ Life was less complicated without all the technology 
▶️ People interacted in more human ways face to face much more often as a result 
▶️ Clothing styles really have not changed much 
▶️ People used answer machines and called people back when convenient 
▶️ Nights and weekends were actually enjoyed and considered downtime 

Bottom line - life was simpler with less technology.  

Life was lived with more life.

We can’t go back to that, it will never happen.

Particularly now with AI.

But, watching these sorts of tv programs is a good reminder the sacrifices in society we have made by embracing technology.

My hope, and what I strive for, is to harness the good part of AI and technology into a true instrument to bring back more humanity.

More human to human interaction. 

More human joy and happiness.

Not use technology as a means to create a more sterile world. 

There are ways to do this. 

We are doing it with Ruley. That’s our small part.  

Harness sports and technology to create more meaningful human interactions again.

What are you working on that tries to do that? I’m curious.

Share below if you’re willing 💥💥

This is a good little list of “red flags” that can help make the decision to pull the trigger.

My hiring litmus test is easy. 

I ask myself one question.

▶️Does this person clearly know more than I do on the subject matter of the core function of why they are being hired.

So on the backend of that, little things may start to show that are on this list.

But the thing is before pulling the trigger on a disengagement with an employee there’s a second question to answer AFTER observing what’s on this list.

That question is also a simple one:

▶️Is it a fixable behavior? 

After all, shouldn’t they be given the opportunity to step up?

I think really then it becomes a much clearer ending conversation if there’s no improvement.

These functions of being a manager are never easy.

Never pleasant.

But extremely vital to maintain a culture of excellence, respect for the company, and of course, each other.

#SaaS #startups #management #decisionmaking

Open article: Dear SaaStr: What Are Signs It's Finally Time to Move on From An Employee? by SaaStr.ai • 2 min read

Dear SaaStr: What Are Signs It's Finally Time to Move on From An Employee?

West Egg Ventures

Co-Founder

University of Florida

RTV4930: Sports Media and Entrepreneurship

Adjunct Professor

Scholastic

Excited to share that my first book in the contemporary basketball trilogy, "Play the Game: The Hoop Con," was published by Scholastic on March 5, 2024, with two more books to follow. 

"Play the Game: Take the Shot" is scheduled for release on October 15, 2024, and the third installment is set for July 25, 2025. 

Additionally, my graphic novel memoir, "Wish I Was a Baller," will be published by Graphix/Scholastic in June 2025.

Author

Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts

Judge

Studio T Creative

• Produced and directed animated, infographic and social content for major agencies like WME-IMG and Octagon, along with Fortune 500 companies like AB Mauri, and broadcasters like NFL Network, Golf Channel and others.

• Nominated for 2018 Emmy for Graphic Arts - Animation

• Winner - Gold Winner - General Marketing Categories-Branded Content - W3 Awards

Executive Producer

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

Judge, Sports Emmy® Awards

Telly Awards

Judge, Silver Telly Council Member

Margaritaville Resort Orlando

Head of Content and Creative

NDM Hospitality

• Launched and led in-house agency in the creation and publishing of all original content and collateral for Rentyl Resorts properties, including video, editorial and marketing needs for brands such Margaritaville Resort Orlando, Island H2O Live, Sunset Walk, Encore Resort, Bear's Den, Islands of Islamorada and multiple global locations
• Own and lead creative projects from conception to completion
• Oversaw and managed over $1 million content and creative budget 
•Created and executive produced travel and hospitality video series "Sunset 365" and "Inside Margaritaville Resort Orlando" and more which won over 50 industry awards including Telly and Marcom Awards
•Managed and led a team of over 15 graphic designers, videographers/photographers, writers, editors, web developers to create and execute innovative and compelling creative content to meet the needs of multiple internal and external stakeholders, including marketing and communications, fundraising, development and corporate partnerships
• Craft strategies for internal and external partners based on actionable data and editorial insights
• Lead brainstorms and ensuing creative development of content, mobile games, e-commerce and experiences
• Work with production teams throughout creative execution process; including storyboarding and copywriting
• Collaborate with brand, e-commerce and experiential teams in creation of 360 programs

Orlando Apollos

•	Responsible for all content across team’s marketing channels, including website, social media and digital.
•	Work cross-functionally with the league, marketing, ticket sales, sponsorship, product to execute all digital initiatives.
•	Manage a team of videographers, editors and social media producers.
•	Supervise production of all video franchises, including flagship docu-series “The Launch,” “The Reel,” and all content franchises and sponsored content.
•	Deliver digital analytics to make data-based decisions.
•	Launched, created and implemented social first content and video strategy that resulted in over 5 million video views leading the league overall.
•	Increased followers and engagement on all social platforms by 1,500%.

Director of Digital Content, Orlando Apollos

Multiple Emmy-winning content leader, producer, and adjunct professor with 20+ years in digital television, sports media, travel, and hospitality. I've spearheaded content strategies at top organizations, including ESPN, NFL Media, and the Orlando Magic, and led award-winning campaigns for brands like Margaritaville. 

🎯 Looking For: Senior content leadership roles such as VP of Content, where I can drive growth and innovation in content strategy across sports, media, and travel.

💡 Let’s Connect: If your organization is seeking a seasoned content leader with a track record of success in sports, digital media, and hospitality, let’s connect to discuss how I can help elevate your brand.


🏆 Career Highlights:
* Author:  Scholastic (2022-Present): Launching Play the Game: The Hoop Con in March 2024, followed by Take the Shot (October 2024) and Wish I Was a Baller (June 2025).
* University of Florida (2024-Present): Teaching "Sports Media and Entrepreneurship."
* Studio T Creative (2018-Present): Led award-winning projects for clients like NFL Network, Golf Channel, and travel brands such as Margaritaville Resort.
* Orlando Apollos (2018-2019): Implemented digital strategies that drove over 5 million video views and increased engagement by 1,500%.
* Orlando Magic (2017-2018): Developed social strategies, boosting video views by 525%, and launched in-house creative agency STUFF Studios.
* NFL Media (2012-2017): Produced Emmy-winning content like NFL UP! and led high-impact digital projects that enhanced fan engagement.
* NDM Hospitality (2019-2022): Oversaw creative content for Margaritaville Resort, Island H2O Live, and other travel properties, managing a $1M+ content budget and securing 50+ industry awards.

🎖 Selected Honors:
* Emmy Winner (2014): NFL UP! and JFK: The Untold NFL History.
* Telly Awards (2020-2022): Multiple Gold for Travel & Social Video.
* AVA Digital, Marcom Awards (2021): Recognized for excellence in social media marketing.

taplio

The Battle

Cassandra Toroian

Amar Shah

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreCassandra Toroian's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Cassandra Toroian

Amar Shah

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Cassandra Toroian's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreCassandra Toroian's LinkedIn Performance