Self-Employed : I Quit

Making the Leap | I Quit

Bayonne couple chases their dream

Alex and Sibrena

By Daniel Israel

Photos courtesy of Sibrena and Alex Geraldino and “I QUIT”

Sibrena and Alex Geraldino own the

FC Teamsters, a semi-professional minor league soccer team based in Bayonne. For the past three years, the FC Teamsters have been playing in Don Ahern Veteran’s Stadium. Now, the Geraldinos and the Teamsters have made it to primetime, starring in the Discovery Channel television show “I QUIT.” The show follows entrepreneurs who have quit their jobs to pursue their dreams.

Alex and Sibrena

Kill the Miami Condo

The show was a perfect fit for the Geraldinos. Sibrena retired from the hip hop entertainment industry after 26 years to work beside her husband cofounding the Teamsters. She had dreams of retirement in a condo in Miami, but, oops, Alex used the money to buy the Teamsters franchise. While Sibrena was onboard for the change in plans, she still faces her own challenges jumping into something entirely new. She said the soccer club started out as a hobby, but then she fell in love with it. She said it’s something you have to be passionate about, having spent $10,000 out of pocket for two years while they created the Teamsters.

Supply and Demand

Alex said they were inspired to found the club, in part, after traveling to Brazil where they encountered soccer players who asked Alex how they could play professionally in the U.S. Alex was an athlete himself. He played American football for Germany’s NFL Stuttgart Scorpions and Austria’s NFL Graz Giants. Returning to the U.S., he worked for the government as a Federal Procurement Official. Sensing an untapped supply of soccer players during their frequent travels, Alex became a registered U.S. Soccer Intermediary and a sports agent. “An abundance of talent in New Jersey” prompted him to focus on players here who’d never had the chance to showcase their abilities. Still, the Teamsters are a “small community club with a global mindset,” recruiting from around the world, according to Sibrena.

Big Bucks?

When Sibrena heard about “I QUIT,” Alex saw it as the perfect opportunity. Sibrena said she’d been looking for a television show that could help brand the Teamsters. Two years ago, they aced the audition, filming began 18 months ago, and wrapped up in June. The show follows the Geraldinos and other entrepreneurs, who are mentored on their new business quests by successful business leaders, including the COO of Shopify Harley Finkelstein; CEO of Goldieblox Debbie Sterling; and CEO of

32 • BLP ~ FALL | WINTER 2020/21

WP Narrative Tricia Clarke-Stone. Entrepreneurs could win $100K. You’ll have to watch the show to find out if the Geraldinos walked away with $100K. Regardless, they describe their time on the show as invaluable.

Alex

Bayonne Benefits

During the show, Sibrena said that the Teamsters grew to a “level no other soccer club has been able to do within three years.” She credited Mayor Davis, the Ahern family, the Don Ahern Foundation, and the people of Hudson County with helping them grow, calling them a part of their family. “Bayonne is coming back on the map,” Sibrena said, noting that the show gives the city and the Teamsters a global presence because it airs in Canada. Sibrena said the show has drawn a lot of players to Bayonne. With the influx of players comes a need for hotels and housing, a great opportunity for the city. Alex echoed that the city will grow as the Teamsters grow. He said they’ve expanded their reach to Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America. He said that being on “I QUIT” was “an opportunity to showcase what we have here in our community.”

Head Coach Javier Romero

Not for Everyone

Running the business during filming did not come without financial challenges; the Geraldinos put their team first and themselves last. During the first few episodes, the couple had to take money intended as a mortgage payment to cover expenses for the team. “If we had to pay a $200 late fee on our mortgage versus taking out money from our investment accounts, that’s the way we did it, and it works for us,” Sibrena said. They no longer have to do that. “People identify with people who are real, so we decided to be totally transparent,” Sibrena said of their experience on “I QUIT.” Not everybody can be an entrepreneur. “Some people are leaders, and some people aren’t,” Sibrena said. “So when you don’t have a good plan, and you’re not passionate about what you do, you’ll probably need to stay at your 9 to 5.”—BLP