100 athletes. The first definitive ranking of their business prowess.
The first and definitive index of the top 100 athlete entrepreneurs—built as an independent, year-round business platform at the intersection of athletics, capital and enterprise.
A credible way to lead a rapidly growing business conversation—and turn that attention into high-value relationships throughout the year.
Athlete-led businesses, investments and ownership platforms are attracting growing attention from business media, private capital, family offices, wealth managers, brands and the public. AEI gives founding partners a distinctive, credible way to participate in that momentum.
Bring AEI into the client events, investor forums, symposiums, executive gatherings, public relations and relationship-building initiatives already underway—creating greater impact without building an entirely new program.
The annual ranking is the opening event. Weekly athlete features, twelve monthly stories and coordinated distribution create repeated reasons to engage clients, investors, advisers, athletes and the broader business community throughout the year.
One partner per category. Twelve months of AEI association, year-round activation and category exclusivity—never influence over the Index.
Per protected category
Private clients, advisers, capital stewardship and multigenerational wealth.
Ownership, operating expertise, investment platforms and enterprise value.
Family enterprise, direct investment, legacy and long-term capital.
Athlete enterprise, career expansion and business-building beyond sport.
Founding partners may integrate Michael into select client events, investor forums, executive conversations and media opportunities connected to AEI.
Available separately from the category partnership. One founding partner may engage Michael for a defined year-long program of branded appearances, content and executive engagements.
Explore ExclusivityA single annual ranking becomes an always-on business information property, with a clear editorial rhythm and a repeatable distribution system.
Every weekly feature begins with the athlete’s verified AEI profile—rank, score, businesses, brands, investments, ownership interests and documented milestones—then travels through the athlete’s complete business, financial, sports and cultural ecosystem.
Each monthly feature turns the AEI 100 into a new visual, distributable business story. Select a feature to see the editorial lens.
One core athlete story is expressed in the formats and channels native to each audience. Participation from the athlete can add value, but the engine never depends on it.
The Index, rankings, athlete profiles and monthly features travel through the business, financial, sports, media and cultural ecosystems with the greatest power to amplify them.
The outlets and voices that establish athlete enterprise as a consequential business story.
The institutions and decision-makers shaping investment, ownership and enterprise value.
The private-wealth communities where athletes, families, advisors and long-term capital converge.
The enterprises, people and commercial relationships surrounding the AEI 100.
The major sporting platforms connected to the athletes, audiences and commercial energy behind AEI.
High-passion communities with a natural connection to the athletes and institutions represented.
The high-reach voices and platforms that move athlete enterprise into the broader cultural conversation.
Established organizations with the reach, relationships and platforms to extend AEI across audiences.
The partnership is valuable because the rating remains independent.
Michael Dermer is the founder and CEO of The Lonely Entrepreneur. A two-time Academic All-American baseball player, he began his career at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, where he practiced mergers and acquisitions law and worked with Major League Baseball.
He left the law to build IncentOne, growing it over ten years into an 800-person industry pioneer. Michael led the company through the 2008 financial crisis and ultimately sold it to Welltok.
Michael is the author of The Lonely Entrepreneur and has advised more than 600 CEOs. AEI applies that operator’s perspective to athlete business achievement—recognizing ownership, enterprise building, capital commitment and long-term business identity rather than celebrity or endorsements alone.
Through TLE, Michael has worked closely with professional sports organizations on entrepreneurship and economic-mobility initiatives, including the Charlotte Hornets, Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks.
