Catherine Clark: This really must be kind of your life basically on supercharge – you’ve built an impressive career across business, leadership, and philanthropy, but now you’re also a part owner of the Toronto Tempo. What is this moment like for you?
Reetu Gupta: This moment is more of a movement for me. So I’ve been working on this for the past year, and the Tempo asked me to join early last year. Now that it’s real, and we have a team – and we had our home opener on Friday, May 8 – it is such a surreal feeling. And it’s so much more than an investment, right? It feels so much bigger than that. It is a huge movement. We can’t even say it’s progress for women, it’s just a new era for women. I could go on and on. It just means so much, and I feel like it’s a huge blessing to be here.
Jennifer Stewart: It’s so neat that you’re involved, and I think there are so many other women cheering you on and cheering women in sports generally. But I want you to put on your business cap as well—what’s the business case right now for investing in women’s professional sports? What sold you on it specifically, and what would you say to other investors?
Reetu Gupta: You know, for me personally, to be honest, it wasn’t about the dollars and cents. As I said earlier, it was so impactful to me. I love our city – I was born and raised in Toronto, and I’m a huge Raptors fan, so I’ve grown up with basketball as something I’m a part of. Unfortunately, I have no talent whatsoever, no athletic ability.
I grew up in a generation where women weren’t allowed to talk about sports, we weren’t really allowed to like sports. If you joined a conversation about sports, you were sort of immediately pushed aside. So I decided to make basketball a part of my business. I read all of Phil Jackson’s books, he’s an NBA coach, or was, and I used all of his strategies in my business.
So I feel like I had already brought basketball into my business, and honestly, it was a dream that one day I’d be able to say I’m a part owner in a team. And when this came about – of course, right now, if you read any headline about women’s sports, it’s not only blowing up, but thankfully viewership is increasing and media rights are increasing at the same time.
So is it a good investment? Yes, 1,000% it is. But I have to be honest, it wasn’t about “I’m going to invest and it’s going to do amazing.” There are always risks associated with it. For me, it was about putting my support behind women, behind the city of Toronto, and this team really represents our entire country.
Catherine Clark: Reetu, can you talk to us about what ownership really looks like in the WNBA? How is it different from other sports, and what does it feel like for you as a woman supporting a women’s sports organization?
Reetu Gupta: I had my first ownership meeting last week, and I hope I can share whatever I’m allowed to share, because obviously a lot of details are being discussed there. It’s public information that Lilly Singh is involved, Masai Ujiri is involved, the Tannenbaums are involved, Teresa Resch is the president.
When I’m in that room, sitting at a boardroom table across from people I’ve been inspired by and admired – again, I’m a huge Raptors fan – being at the same table as Masai was a dream come true moment.
So what does it mean for me as an owner? Being in that room, unbelievable. It was just unbelievable. And what I’m excited about is that as an owner, we have the ability to help shape the team. We can give input on games, on what things will look like, and what we expect.
For me, what I expect is that I want our fans to feel empowered. I want them to feel like they’re part of something bigger. And I also want the team to feel that too, that we believe in them, we believe in their dreams, and we’re there with them every step of the way.
It’s not just about winning. It is so much bigger than that. Now I can use my love for the sport, and my business sense, and help make this into something incredibly beautiful.
Jennifer Stewart: I want to drill down on that – what excites you most from a cultural and economic perspective beyond building the team?
Reetu Gupta: My background is in hospitality. We’re in the hotel business, we have about 25 hotels across Toronto and Montreal. So economically, I feel like this is great for the city.
When the Raptors started their playoff runs and then became champions, the city was on fire. People were talking about Canada, talking about Toronto. So I feel like the economic impact will be similar.
You’ll have fans coming in, going to games, spending money at restaurants. It’s really good for the city. And for me, being in hospitality, it makes a big difference to see game days and understand how the whole city benefits from that kind of fandom.
Catherine Clark: When you told people you were considering investing in a WNBA team, what was the reaction you received?
Reetu Gupta: The reaction I received is probably not something anybody will believe, because I would tell people, “There’s a team coming to town, the Toronto Tempo, it’s a WNBA team,” and people would stop me and say, “Ritu, you’re part of the Toronto Tempo? Do you know how big this is?”
So no one really questioned it, they would take a step back and say, “This is huge. Do you know how big this is?” And I would say yes.
But I think what was so beautiful was that everyone I spoke to reflected it back to me, they said, “This is a big deal, and you’re part of it. This is a huge movement.”
You can feel it in the city. I was at the gym today and a woman walked past me wearing a Tempo shirt. I stopped her and had a conversation. There’s a buzz.
Jennifer Stewart: Can you talk about how the hospitality industry is evolving when it comes to welcoming both female leaders and female guests?
Reetu Gupta: It has evolved so much. When I first started, it was all men across the hotel, which was interesting. Now you see women in every department – housekeeping, front desk, sales – but back then, every department was men.
I’ve had a love for hospitality since I was a child, but I didn’t see women in these roles. So I pushed for change in our company.
A lot of times, maybe 20 years ago, there was unconscious bias. Women were overlooked for promotion. So I would say no – this role is open to the most talented person.
Now my executive team is about 60 per cent female, and some of our best hotels are led by women. It’s really beautiful to see. We still have work to do, but it’s a strong start.
Catherine Clark: How do you factor women’s needs into your hospitality businesses – and how does that translate to what you’re doing with the Tempo?
Reetu Gupta: I love this question, because before we open a hotel, my dad and I do a site visit and build a mock room. We walk through it, and as a woman I think: what do I need in this space?
For example, when I’m doing my makeup, I need proper lighting. So I always make sure we have that. When we built the Canopy, I was very particular about lighting in the bathroom and counter space.
These small things matter, whether you’re a mom, single, or anything in between, you want space and functionality.
And with the Tempo, we love them at our hotels. We even hosted their media day at Canopy. So now, being an owner, I can say: what do you need? How can I help? It’s really nice to be able to provide that support.
Jennifer Stewart: Growing up, who were your role models and how did you build this level of confidence and ambition?
Reetu Gupta: Both of my parents. My parents came from India with nothing. My dad came to Canada with $100 in his pocket.
I watched how hard he worked, and how our business grew from a small truck stop in Port Hope.
And my mom – who passed away last year – was the most confident woman. She would take me to the bank when I was five and have me do deposits. I was terrified, but she was teaching me confidence.
It wasn’t about banking, it was about walking into a room, speaking to adults, and doing something on your own. She always told me to walk into a room with my head high.
I hold on to her words today.
Catherine Clark: Did your mom know about the Tempo before her passing?
Reetu Gupta: No. That was tough. I can’t say she doesn’t know, because I feel like she knows. It was a tough moment, beautiful, and then tough at the same time.
Catherine Clark: What do you do to take care of yourself outside of work?
Reetu Gupta: Basketball is one of my passions, so getting to go to games is something I absolutely enjoy. I also ballroom dance once a week. And I do meditation and working out, just things that keep me grounded and things I enjoy.
Jennifer Stewart: Have there been moments where you felt underestimated, and how did you handle them?
Reetu Gupta: I think underestimation happens a lot. When I first started, I was the youngest person, the youngest female, and usually the only Indian in the room.
Sometimes you’re just disregarded because you’re a woman.
But I told myself early on: I’m not going to work to prove myself to others. I’m going to work to prove to myself that I’m doing my best.
If I do that, my work will speak for itself. I don’t want to operate from a combative energy. I prefer to focus on myself, and let the work speak.
Catherine Clark: How do you filter out outside noise and comparison culture?
Reetu Gupta: It’s a huge issue. People are constantly seeking validation outside themselves, especially through social media. It causes anxiety and sadness.
For me, I deal with it through meditation and faith. I connect to something bigger than myself. When I come back, nothing else matters.
I know I have a bigger purpose. There will always be negativity, but I choose not to let it define me.
Jennifer Stewart: Was there a moment when your mindset shifted around caring what people think of you?
Reetu Gupta: I feel like that’s always going to be there, right? There’s always going to be someone that maybe doesn’t like you or doesn’t agree with what you’re doing.
And I think it takes so much more strength to say I’m just going to keep going.
I can give you a specific moment. I won an award, and it was mostly women. I walked into a room and they were in circles talking. I would approach a group and they would close ranks so I couldn’t join.
Honestly, I just laughed. It was so strange. I thought maybe this is not my energy.
I walked around, found someone else, and had a great conversation.
These moments happen. You have to choose not everyone will like you. It takes strength, but you keep going.
There’s a quote by Gandhi: first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win. That stays with me.
Catherine Clark: If you look at your leadership and how it’s evolved since you first started your career, what would you say the changes are?
Reetu Gupta: I can actually tell you the thing that changed how I lead, and it was when my mom left this world. It was such a devastating loss for my family. She was the senior vice president of the company, so she and I worked together almost every day. There was not a deal that came out of the company that didn’t have my mom’s signed approval on it. She looked at everything. She was the real boss.
And I think at that time, when you’re dealing with something so heavy, life doesn’t stop. You have to keep going. So there were so many things I essentially had to unlearn as a leader. And I think one thing, as women, we all do is we tend to multitask – we have to be a mom, a sibling, a spouse, and then go to work and be a boss. It is very difficult.
When this happened with my mom, I suddenly realized that as much as my heart wanted to be there for everybody pulling on me, I didn’t have the capacity. So I had to unlearn that trait because I was so used to it.
What I did was I was very honest. I would tell family, friends, and co-workers that I might be a little slow in my replies, I’m dealing with grief, so please bear with me. I didn’t hide it. I didn’t pretend I wasn’t grieving.
There were times when I had meetings with people I had just met and this had just happened. I had a choice: I could pretend they didn’t know and just do the meeting, or I could be honest.
I like to do my work in honesty. So I started the meeting and told everyone what I was dealing with. I said I’m here with you heart, mind, body, and soul, and I want to work with you. I just need a little patience because things may move slower than usual.
And everybody was so loving and so responsive. In one meeting, someone actually started with a prayer. They said, “Before we get into the meeting, let’s do a prayer,” and we did. Then we went into the meeting.
It really taught me that I’ve always liked to work with honesty, but this was different. People will call it vulnerability now, but for me it was just honesty – saying this is what I’m dealing with and asking for help.
Jennifer Stewart: When young women watch the Toronto Tempo take the court, what do you hope they feel about their own potential?
Reetu Gupta: When I was growing up, we couldn’t really dream about being athletes. That wasn’t really something we were, it’s not that we weren’t allowed to do it, but we also didn’t have access to opportunities.
And what I want any young person watching the Tempo to realize is that you can achieve your dreams. And now, if you want to play professional basketball, not only is it real, but it’s accessible. There is actually a path for you to do that.
And I think that is such an empowering thing.
