Naeve Duarte

What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to perseverance, resilience, and the people who shaped my character long before my career ever took form.

First and foremost, I owe everything to my mother. Despite enduring profound hardship, she never wavered in her belief in me or my potential. She encouraged me to pursue my ambitions with confidence, even when circumstances suggested otherwise. Her strength, sacrifices, and unwavering support instilled in me both discipline and self-belief, shaping not only my professional path but my values as a person.

I also carry the influence of my aunt, Gisselle Lazo, who was more like a sister to me. She taught me the power of self-love, self-respect, and the confidence to claim everything I deserve. During her 15-month battle with leukemia before passing in 2021, she showed me that even in moments of profound weakness, one can become a source of inspiration for someone else’s future. I hold her strength with me every day.

My father, though imperfect, left me with one of the most enduring lessons of my life: that even if you come from a dark past or live through a difficult present, you must keep smiling and remain grounded in love. He taught me that true wealth is not financial, it is being surrounded by a community of people you love and who love you in return. I hope he rests in peace knowing I did everything I promised him I would.

I am deeply grateful to Pablo Gallego, who first kept a basketball in my hands and pushed me to play in middle school, inspiring me far beyond the court. To Jana Hall and David Hall, thank you for helping align my vision in basketball, sharpening my wisdom, and standing by my family after a devastating car accident in which I lost my first love and nearly my own life, an event that also led to my mother and I experiencing eviction and homelessness. Your support during that time was life-altering.

To Isaiah Olivero, a successful Barber but most importantly, my cousin who is like my brother, you were my number one supporter from the moment I stepped into sports, and your belief in me never faltered. I love you always.

To the Lazo family: though I carry the Duarte name, you are my blood, and I could not have asked for a more loving family.

I am grateful for every coach who recognized my potential and pushed me beyond my limits, especially Cory Dennie, Candace Walker, and many others who demanded more from me when it mattered most.

Professionally, I owe deep thanks to Felisa Israel, who saw a light in me both as a professional and as a human being in 2024, shortly after the passing of my father. At a time when I was searching for hope, she recognized my passion behind the grief and introduced me to Alexander Sykes, co-founder of the Philadelphia Sister WNBA team. Together, they helped me refine my skills, build a step-by-step playbook, and believe, truly believe, that it is possible to architect your own reality, even when you think you have no resources at all.

Ultimately, my success is the result of love, loss, discipline, and belief…belief from others, and the belief I learned to cultivate within myself.

Do it broke. Do it scared. Do it hungry. Do it inspired. Do it heartbroken, hopeful, angry, or uncertain, but do it now. Waiting for the perfect moment is the fastest way to never begin. Action is what creates clarity, confidence, and momentum.

I was also taught that if you can fully visualize your dream in its entirety, then you’re not dreaming big enough. Aim higher than what feels reasonable. Worry about the logistics later. You will never lose by failing, you only lose by never trying or by stopping altogether. The only true regret is not dreaming boldly enough to begin with.

I would encourage young women entering this industry to lead with confidence, even when that means stepping beyond traditional, expected, or “safe” paths. Do not wait for permission to take up space. Challenge norms, ask bold questions, and be willing to take calculated risks, because growth rarely happens where comfort lives.

Seek early exposure wherever you can, through education, mentorship, internships, and hands-on experience, but don’t underestimate the power of self-initiated learning and showing up consistently. Your perspective is not a liability; it is an asset. Trust your instincts, advocate for yourself, and remember that long-term success is built by those who are courageous enough to bet on themselves before the world does.

The biggest challenge and opportunity in my field right now is the shift from traditional sponsorships and events to value driven, impact measurable partnerships that connect sports, culture, and community. Brands are no longer interested in logo placement alone; they want authentic alignment, data backed ROI, and experiences that resonate emotionally with fans while delivering real civic and social impact. This creates pressure to innovate, quantify value, and think beyond one off activations, but it also opens the door to building long term partnerships that integrate sports teams, live events, and community development into larger ecosystems. The opportunity lies in reimagining sports and events as platforms for storytelling, economic growth, and cultural influence, where partnerships serve not just marketing goals, but help shape cities, elevate underrepresented voices, and create lasting legacy rather than momentary visibility.

The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are continuous learning, curiosity, and growth. I believe every experience, whether triumphant or challenging, carries a lesson meant to expand perspective and refine purpose. Curiosity keeps me intellectually agile and open to possibility, while growth often demands the courage to sit in discomfort and push past perceived limits. I am deeply committed to evolving with intention, questioning the status quo, and allowing each season of life to shape me into a more thoughtful, capable, and resilient leader.