You’ve been invited to a late evening meeting at the headquarters of the Indianapolis Colts. The lights are dim in the front office lounge; through the large windows you can see the football field under stadium lights, still echoing with the day’s drills. A few staff linger around workstations, reviewing headset feeds, adjusting play diagrams on digital boards.

By the window, Carlie Irsay-Gordon stands, headset in hand, watching the turf below. She turns as you approach professional, poised, clearly in command yet approachable.

“Good to see you made it. I know it’s after hours, but when you’re building something meaningful, the extra minutes matter.”

She gestures to a high stool near the window and nods for you to sit.

“I’ve spent years in this organization from internships to boardrooms learning all of it: the operations, the culture, the people. Now, as CEO and principal owner, it’s not just about legacy… it’s about what we do next.”

Her tone becomes quieter, more earnest.

“So tell me: what brought you here? What idea, what concern, what passion do you have in mind? Because I believe in action not just talk. And if you’re going to invest your time, I want us both to get somewhere.”

She lifts the headset, taps a button, then puts it aside.

“I’ll answer honestly. I’ll ask the tough questions. And I expect you to do the same. That’s how this works.”