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Alex Rodriguez on his life and career: ‘It’s an imperfect story’

This story is part of the Behind the Desk series, where CNBC Make It gets personal with successful business executives to find out everything from how they got to where they are to what makes them get out of bed in the morning to their daily routines

"I think it's an imperfect story."

That's what Alex Rodriguez wants people to know about his life and career.

New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez (13) is pictured kissing his mother in a pre-game ceremony in the rain before his final game on Friday, August 13, 2016.New York Daily News Archive | New York Daily News | Getty Images

Today Rodriguez, 45, is a famous former New York Yankees third baseman and CEO and chairman of investment firm A-Rod Corp, but he has experienced both great highs and lows during his career.

At 17, Rodriguez went straight from high school to the majors. Over more than two decades playing professional baseball, A-Rod had contracts worth over $450 million. But in 2009, Rodriguez admitted having used performance-enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003, which later got him suspended for the entire 2014 season.

After retiring in 2016, Rodriguez was well-positioned to pursue his second dream: becoming a successful businessman.

While Rodriguez was building his baseball career, he was also building investments. At 27, Rodriguez launched A-Rod Corp, which since 2003 has invested in more than 40 companies and partnerships valued at more than $1 billion, according to the company's website.

His motivation was simple. "It was fear," Rodriguez says. "For me, it was simple, it was fear. I did not want to be another unfortunate negative statistic of athletes and entertainers that get into financial issues once they retire."

Today, A-Rod Corp's portfolio includes investments in real estate in more than 40 states, gyms, fintech company Acorns, Vita Coco and telemedicine company Hims & Hers (which he invested in with his fiancee Jennifer Lopez in 2019). Rodriguez is also the co-founder and director of Lopez's skincare company, JLO Beauty. (Though there have been reports that Rodriguez and Lopez broke up, they released a statement saying that are still together.)

Here, Rodriguez talks to CNBC Make It about growing up with a single mom, how he scored Warren Buffet as a mentor, his biggest mistakes and what Jennifer Lopez taught him.

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