Tom Brady is the embodiment of what hard work, grit, determination commitment to their craft can achieve for someone. He wasn’t the most naturally gifted athlete — he didn’t have the strongest arm, elite speed, or imposing physical stature. But what Brady did possess was an unmatched work ethic and an unrelenting drive to be the best.
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This mentality allowed him to build not just one, but two Hall of Fame-worthy careers. It’s also why he gravitated toward players like Julian Edelman, who mirrored his relentless approach, and now toward business partners like Mike Repole, who share the same commitment to excellence.
And that drive of Brady’s never diminished despite adversities or deflating circumstances. He touched upon that in the latest edition of his weekly newsletter, 199, where he spoke on draft position, emphasizing how people overlooking you can often turn out to be a blessing. After all, Brady was the 199th pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. To illustrate his point, Brady quoted his friend and business partner, Repole.
“I had a 2.2 GPA, and all the Harvard guys work for me now,” Brady quoted Repole, while trying to highlight the important distinction between natural ability and acquired skill.
According to TB12, this distinction doesn’t just apply on the football field or in sports — it’s just as relevant in business and everyday life. He firmly believes that hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. And to him, Repole — the majority owner of NOBULL — is the perfect example of that principle in action.
“They asked me whether I thought talent or hard work was more important — you know what my answer was — and I mentioned my friend Mike Repole at NOBULL,” wrote Brady.
Repole, who grew up in Queens, didn’t come from privilege or attend an Ivy League school. Instead, he went to a local university and built his success through sheer determination, a relentless work ethic, bold decision-making, and leadership.
He took the risks others weren’t willing to and made billions. Today, he’s the one employing the Ivy League grads who once seemed destined for paths he never had access to.
“Mike is a hardworking guy from Queens who went to St. John’s right in his backyard and then co-founded Glaceau and BodyArmor SuperDrink and sold them to Coca-Cola for multiple billions of dollars,” added Brady.
However, Brady made it clear that by quoting Repole, he wasn’t taking a dig at Harvard graduates. Instead, he wanted to emphasize that high SAT scores and impressive GPAs might pave the way for a stable, respectable career, but they don’t necessarily spark innovation or define a person’s true potential.
Those numbers can’t capture the intangible qualities that drive success — qualities that both he and Repole embody. Hard work, grit, determination, and discipline — these are the real markers of lasting success.
