Angel City FC announces partnership with group coaching platform The Grand

Angel City Football Club announced on Tuesday a new partnership with The Grand, a group coaching platform and community enabling leaders to gain confidence and clarity as they navigate work and life. As the team’s Official Leadership Coaching Partner and Supporting Level Partner, The Grand, co-founded in February 2020 by Anita Hossain Choudhry and Rei Wang, will offer group coaching to Angel City players, staff and non-profit partners.

In 2021, Forbes reported on Angel City FC co-founder Alexis Ohanian’s investment in the career coaching startup to help those seeking a better work-life balance. Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six venture capital fund announced in May 2021 that it would lead a $2.4 million pre-seed round in the Grand.

“This is new territory for us,” Ohanian told Forbes. “But I think back to 10 years ago, or even five years ago, there were so many taboos still around the workplace regarding mental health. There are still plenty, but Covid really put mental health on notice for all of us. It created an empathy for all of us.”

The Grand is on a mission to inspire everyone “to be the grandest version of themselves.”

“Professional and personal growth is a really important piece of building a team and a culture, particularly at a start-up like Angel City that is growing rapidly,” said Alex Mallen, Angel City’s Director of Partnerships. “It is really important to our leadership to provide growth opportunities to both the front office and our players. The Grand is doing important work to create more access to professional coaching beyond senior-level professionals, which is so needed, particularly as industries and professionals reinvent what it looks like to be a productive and well-supported employee and team member.”

In addition to offering coaching to help players and staff build confidence to better navigate major career and life transitions, The Grand will host in-person and virtual coaching sessions for players focused on leadership and empowerment. Each session will be facilitated by a professional coach who has worked with top founders and executives.

“The Grand and Angel City are mission aligned, and we see this partnership as an opportunity to create a collective movement. As a mom of two young girls, I was especially drawn to the organization and am excited that we can work towards creating a world where no one has to walk alone in work and life,” said Co-Founder and CEO Anita Hossain Choudhry. “We believe that every person should have the chance to live up to their true potential and have a deep sense of purpose and belonging.”

The Grand will also provide coaching services and workshops to Angel City’s network of nonprofit partners as part of the club’s Angel City Sponsorship Model. The club reallocates 10% of each sponsorship back into the community.

“The Grand is passionate about the power of group coaching and it being accessible for everyone. We partner with companies who care deeply about their people and want to help them move forward in their careers and personal life with confidence and support.” said Rei Wang, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of The Grand. “Creating a safe space for people who may be going through similar phases of life offers something invaluable to teams. We feel so fortunate that Angel City has given us the opportunity to help them create an even bigger impact on the field and in their community.”