Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Dany Garcia on building a successful business empire: Embracing uniqueness is your greatest strength.

The Behind the Desk series by CNBC Make It features personal interviews with successful business executives, revealing their journeys, motivations, and daily routines.

Dany Garcia is the person to thank if you enjoy Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's films.

Garcia, 53, is more than just Johnson's strategic advisor and former manager. She has been his partner in every step of his career, from college to the present, while also building her own business empire with The Garcia Companies, a global brand development and management company.

Her company manages a diverse portfolio with notable brands such as Acorns, ZOA Energy, Seven Bucks Productions, Teremana Tequila (co-founded with Johnson), and Garcia's new fashion brand, GSTQ. In 2020, Garcia became the first female owner of a major American sports league when she, Johnson, and RedBird Capital Partners acquired the XFL for approximately $15 million.

Johnson's ex-wife is also a professional bodybuilder. They married in 1997 and divorced in 2008. She has worked hard to shed the "ex-wife" label, as she and Johnson still collaborate closely.

Garcia explains to CNBC Make It that while the term "ex-wife to a celebrity" is easily understood by people and has a bit of a salacious connotation, it's not something that people can relate to.

Instead of being recognized for her personal life, Garcia desires to be celebrated for her professional accomplishments. After earning a degree from the University of Miami in 1992, Garcia began her career at Merrill Lynch, eventually rising to the position of associate vice president. In 2002, she founded her own wealth management firm, JDM Partners. Later, in 2008, Garcia left to manage Johnson's burgeoning Hollywood career.

Garcia had big dreams from a young age, starting work at 12 and continuing through college.

Johnson discusses meeting Garcia in college, building her own business empire and advice for her younger self.

My aspiration was to amass wealth to ensure my family's well-being as I was raised by immigrants.

Although I was born in Belleville, New Jersey, most of my childhood was spent in Succasunna, New Jersey. We were one of the two Cuban families in the area.

I was a middle child with big glasses, all legs and no torso. I ran track and was a drum major for the marching band. I had one really close best friend during high school.

My parents were young when they immigrated to the US from Cuba. They had to learn the language and adapt to a new culture. My dad worked at a body shop for most of our lives, starting out as a floor sweeper and eventually rising to become the manager.

As I grew older, my drive to become a millionaire and provide for my family evolved into a desire to accumulate wealth to ensure their well-being.

Dwayne Johnson and I shared a desire for more in college.

At the University of Miami, we first met in the weight room. I was a senior on the varsity crew team, while he was a freshman recovering from an injury sustained while playing football.

I was so intrigued by his magnetic presence, even though he had a curly, afro mohawk sort of thing going on.

I met Dwayne Johnson at a bar frequented by athletes. We shook hands and introduced ourselves. It felt like a business encounter.

We shared a passion for strength training and bodybuilding, and we also enjoyed the same music. We both craved more, and we wanted to achieve more. He inquired if I possessed a phone, to which I responded affirmatively. Following that, he began contacting me on a daily basis.

It took a long time for her to stop being referred to as the 'ex-wife'.

Joneswork's public relations team has successfully avoided being mentioned as the ex-wife over the past three years.

Not being an actor is the top priority. It's not widely recognized that "Dany Garcia" is a name.

Your identity in the room determines your future prospects. When I'm present, I am always Dany Garcia, the business partner, and my role as a manager is to take ownership of decisions.

I consistently presented myself as my true self and the person I was destined to be, without allowing others' narratives to influence me. It is crucial to recognize what is within and beyond our control.

Now, I have my own platform and social media, and I have allies compared to the past when only press discussed me, which was a long haul.

Her advice to her younger self was that being different is her unique strength.

I wish I could have told myself, "Your differences are your superpower, and the opportunities you see are what you can create."

I've discussed with my daughter the importance of making decisions that contribute to our happiness, even if they don't align with societal norms. As a woman in a male-dominated sports league, I understand the discomfort that comes with being the only woman in the room.

Despite living with discomfort all my life, I have competed as a professional bodybuilder and faced judgment for my physical appearance. I have experienced both wins and losses.

When I enter the business arena, my mindset is that I have already won numerous games, possess discipline, and have overcome adversity 10 times over. I have already faced challenges.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Dwayne Johnson's former manager and strategic advisor is Dany Garcia.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal and Comcast Ventures are investors in Acorns.

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