Alex O'Brien wasn't sure what he'd do with tennis. “I was ranked No. 5 among juniors in the United States, but I was just a pusher,” an unaggressive player, or what he compares to a “human backboard.” “I was pretty small and didn't know much about the game. I don't think I would have been a pro unless I went to Stanford.”
Things worked out all right for the native of Amarillo, Texas. O'Brien ascended to the No. 1 doubles ranking in the world in 2000 and won the U.S. Open men's doubles title in 1999 with Sebastien Lareau. O'Brien credits then-Cardinal coach Dick Gould, '59, MA '60, and his assistant (now coach) John Whitlinger, '76, for shaping him into a successful player. “[Gould] taught us the joy of competition. . . . He helped me a lot with my tennis and everything after tennis.”
The “everything after tennis” began in 2001 when O'Brien retired from the Association of Tennis Professionals tour. O'Brien's family has been in the cattle business for four generations—in 1927, Alex's great grandfather, Will, made one of the biggest cattle purchases in U.S. history up to that time, according to the Amarillo Globe-News. “I wanted to be a part of the family business, but I also wanted some independence from my father,” O'Brien says. Their company, Texas Beef, provides meat for wholesaler JBS Swift. Alex O'Brien decided to sell Prime (top grade) steaks directly to consumers over the Internet.
They are not the only Internet purveyors of gourmet beef. But because O'Brien's family ranch provides the meat, he controls the steak from “ranch to retail. I thought that was a great way to add value to the family business.” He began his company, Littlefield Ranch, two years ago with less than $10,000. Within six months the business turned profitable, and the steak has earned the plaudits of everyone from tennis legend Pete Sampras to HBO executives and cattle nutritionists.
Starting an Internet business was pretty new for the athlete. Stanford buddies were able to help out in that respect, explaining the intricacies of online advertising, promotion and search optimization. But beef is old hat for O'Brien. “I grew up working on our ranch: branding and cutting the cattle, giving them shots and taking care of them,” he said. “When I was 8 years old, I started working with my dad, sorting cattle. I spent days working the gate and putting the animals on pasture.”
