Anthony Showtime Pettis & Lisette Pettis: From Champion to CEO

What happens when you start a business at 16 to pay rent after your father is killed, build a UFC career that wasn't even the original plan, and then turn everything you learned in the cage into a fight promotion, management company, and gym empire that's rewriting the path for the next generation? In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Anthony "Showtime" Pettis, former UFC Lightweight Champion and one of the most electrifying fighters in MMA history, and his wife Lisette Pettis, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the strategic force behind their growing business empire. From opening a taekwondo gym as a teenager out of necessity to becoming the first fighter ever featured on ESPN's Top 10 with the legendary "Showtime Kick," Anthony built a career most fighters only dream about. But the business started long before the fame and will carry on as he fights again this summer. Treating himself as a business from day one, shaped everything that followed. Lisette, with her philanthropic and marketing expertise is a critical component behind the couples success.Together, they launched a management company and APFC (Anthony Pettis Fighting Championship), a fight promotion giving up and coming fighters a real platform. And they're expanding globally with shows across the US, India, and Puerto Rico. This conversation breaks down what it actually takes to build multiple businesses while still competing at the highest level, how to negotiate when you're the product, why self funding saved them from expensive mistakes, and how they've structured their lives around discipline, partnership, and giving back to the community that raised them. Whether you're a UFC fan, navigating a career pivot, building a business from scratch, learning to negotiate your worth, or trying to figure out how to lead with care in a cutthroat industry, this episode proves that discipline, partnership, and staying grounded in your roots will always win. Guests: Anthony "Showtime" Pettis | Former UFC Lightweight Champion | Founder, APFC | Fighter Manager | Gym Owner IG: https://www.instagram.com/showtimepettis/ Lisette Pettis | Entrepreneur | Philanthropist | Founder, emPOWER YOUth Foundation and Cinderella Project | Co-Founder, APFC IG: https://www.instagram.com/uluvlisette/ Sponsors: Next Health (Code: Exit) first baseline blood test and consultation, an $850 value for only $250, exclusively for our listeners. Web: https://www.next-health.com/location/calabasas Blue Monkey Realty: https://www.bluemonkeyrealty.com/ Hosts: Shana Ayabe x Kisha Imani Cameron IG: https://www.instagram.com/theexitinterview_onair/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/shana_onair/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/cameroncareercoaching/ Produced by: Grace Media Digital The Exit Interview | On-Air — Real conversations. From the cage to the boardroom, building legacy through discipline and partnership. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:46 From Tragedy to Business: Starting at 16 00:03:33 The Accidental Fighter: Business First, UFC Second 00:05:04 Building the Path: Creating Infrastructure for Future Fighters 00:07:43 The Management Problem: No Regulations, No Requirements 00:09:03 The Power Couple Dynamic: Business Partnership and Marriage 00:32:25 Learning to Say No: Setting Boundaries and Long-Term Thinking 00:28:05 The Fighter Mindset: Discipline, Obsession, and Mental Toughness 00:34:57 Building a Brand: Social Media and Personal Branding for Fighters 00:53:57 Self-Funded Success: Why Bootstrapping Saved Their Business 01:13:46 The Showtime Kick and Career Highlights 01:12:07 What's Next: 2026 Vision and Global Expansion