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"Changing the Game"

A Newsletter For and About LEADERS at Every Level in the Sports Industry

In This Issue
A Note from the President
NetWorks Spotlight Interview
In Their Own Words
NetWorks Rising Star
Career Advice
Small Business Profile
NetWorks Sports Recommended Book
NetWorks Sports Mission Statement
A Note from the President & CEO

Hello Game Changers,

This is a very special issue of "Changing the Game" for me, someone who shares their birthday with the anniversary of 9/11. With that in mind, we wanted to put out a phenomenal issue of the newsletter for you to enjoy as we turn the chapter and continue to seek the ties that bind us together as a unified nation.

The 10th Anniversary of 9/11 was certainly a fitting backdrop for an exciting weekend of sports.  From Raphael Nadal's poignant post-match comments demonstrating his awareness of playing in the U.S. Open during this emotional weekend to the final seconds of the Jets comeback victory against the Cowboys (my beloved Cowboys)...the second weekend of September symbolized the powerful role that sports plays in many of our lives.

The families & friends of those innocent men & women who lost their lives while working in the Twin Towers or for the NYPD, the NYFD, and the U.S. Military continue to be in our thoughts as prayers.  It is in their memory that we are inspired to continue using our favorite pastime....sports as a platform to do great things!

I hope that each of you will take the next 363 days to be grateful for our blessings and to continue to inspire others to greatness.

In this issue of "Changing the Game" we catch up with one of the top sports agents in the business.  Joby Branion from Athletes First tells us what motivated him to carve out his path in the sports industry and how his client, Denver Broncos rookie Von Miller, became one of the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit against the NFL during the lock-out.

We also caught up with some talented young professionals who are doing great things in their respective industries and a former teammate of mine, Stacy Parson, who started a company aimed at helping her High Achieving clients become "Happy" High Achievers!

We hope that you continue to enjoy our newsletter and find something new to inspire you to do great things in your own career.

Stay tuned on November 2nd as we launch, Game Changers Live, a new online radio for all of you sports enthusiasts out there.  Trust me, this will be something you'll want to tune in for on a weekly basis!

As always, if you haven't already, make sure you sign up for the bi-weekly newsletter.  Also, don't forget to share the newsletter with your co-workers, peers, friends, and family.   

Help us make a difference in someone's life by inspiring them to pursue their dreams!  Enjoy!

All the best,
Angela Taylor Signature
Angela Taylor

President, NetWorks Sports Consulting

 

NetWorks Spotlight Interview
 
NetWorks Spotlight Interview with ... 

Joby Branion

Co-Founder & Executive Director, Athletes First

Written by Tracey Savell Reavis 

 

 

Joby Branion 

For Joby Branion, the route from athlete to agent was about as predictable as going undefeated for an entire season in the NFL. Youth football in his hometown of Wareham, Mass., led to a scholarship to Duke University, where he played four years and earned All-ACC honors. But when the former Blue Devil defensive back got cut by the Washington Redskins, what followed was 10 years in a school administrator's job, grad school and law school, and a stint as a corporate lawyer. 

 

It wasn't until 1996 when a friend of a friend informed Joby of an opportunity to work with Leigh Steinberg's sports representation firm.  His perception of sports agents up to that point had been that they were enablers who told their clients whatever they thought they wanted to hear. Since that was not his makeup, Joby initially wanted no part. It took more than a little research before he decided to give it a try. It was a decision that would turn out to be a wise one.

 

Today, Joby is Co-Founder & Executive Director of Athletes First, a bicoastal sports representation agency that opened its doors in 2001.  As the agency's name suggests, they focus on personalized service. For Joby, that means not only being there for clients, but being honest with them. Even if it's not what they want to hear. In addition to big name NFL players like Mark Sanchez, Matt Hasselbeck and Ray Lewis, Athletes First reps baseball and basketball players and a number of coaches. Among the services Athletes First offers its clients are contract expertise, a pre-draft training program, PR, and negotiating marketing/endorsement deals. It's this work that gives Joby the opportunity to do something he loves - sharing his life experiences so that he helps young men navigate life's minefield of important decisions.

 

Post-draft, post-lockout and, finally, post-season kickoff, Joby spoke with us about some of the benefits of focusing less on a specific destination and instead on enjoying the journey.

 

 

Read More of our NetWorks Spotlight Interview with Joby... 

 

In Their Own Words Former Athletes Succeeding in Business

In Their Own Words profiles former student-athletes who have leveraged their experiences on the field, court, and in the pool to buoy their professional careers.  They've had success in the classroom & in their sport, and now are enjoying tremendous success in various sectors around the world.

In Their Own Words with Michelle Yeager-Turner

Michelle Yeager-TurnerAfter a successful experience as a cheerleader at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Michelle Yeager-Turner has taken her passion for fitness, competitive nature, diligent work ethic, and desire to help others to launch her own business in Louisville, KY.

 

The focus & commitment required to be a gymnast & fitness competitor have served as the foundation for Michelle's business endeavors.

Fitness is in Michelle's blood!  She grew up both a competitive gymnast and cheerleader and is currently a national level fitness competitor.  Her passion is helping others, especially getting them into shape.  She is a certified Zumba Instructor and Personal Trainer.  

Find out more about what has lead to Michelle's success in the business world and in competitive fitness.

 

What is your current title and how long have you been in this position?
I opened my own (primarily) women's fitness studio in Louisville, KY twelve months ago. We specialize mainly in Zumba classes although we offer other strength and toning questions. It's an amazing feeling to own my own studio and create a positive community of people that look forward to improving their lives. It's been rewarding both to personally be able to reach and teach our clients but also to train other instructors to do the same.
 

 

NetWorks Future Leaders - Talented Rising Stars Looking for Employment Opportunities



NetWorks is committed to supporting young professionals looking to get their foot in the door in the sports industry.  Our team has received an extraordinary amount of support throughout our careers and are truly impressed with the generation of young leaders who are ready to help take the sports industry to all new heights.  If you know of any individuals like this, please let us know about them.  If you are in a position to hire or recommend these NetWorks Future Leaders, please contact us and we will put you in touch with them.  They are our future!

Today's NetWorks Future Leader is Patrick Henry

Paatrick Henry 

"As evidenced on his impressive resume, not only has Patrick had an extremely successful coaching & administrative career in several capacities and at various levels in sports, but he has also had a monumental & long-lasting impact (on and off the court) along the way.  Patrick's meticulous work ethic, unquestionable reliability, and overall commitment to excellence are quite evident to his managers, co-workers, former student-athletes, and peers.  He has a very bright future ahead of him. "

   ~ Angela Taylor, President & CEO of NetWorks Sports Consulting 


 
Name:  Patrick Henry

College:  Ohio University (Undergraduate) and Mercer University

Degree(s):  Bachelor of Science in Interpersonal Communications. Masters of Education in Holistic Education.


Resume Available:  Yes, upon request (send email request)


More NetWorks Future Leaders w/ Patrick Henry...

Career Advice

 

 

NetWorks Career Advice: How to Ace the Phone Interview

 

 

Phone InterviewYou just got word that you landed a job interview with a company that really interests you -- only there's a slight catch.  You won't be meeting with your interviewer(s) face to face. Instead, you'll be taking part in a phone interview, the results of which will determine whether you're invited to meet with company representatives in person.

 

Many companies use phone interviews as an initial employment screening technique for a variety of reasons. Because they're generally brief, phone interviews save companies time. They also serve as a more realistic screening alternative for cases in which companies are considering out-of-town (or out-of-state and foreign) candidates.

 

So the chances are pretty good that, at some point in your job hunt, you'll be asked to participate in a 20- to 30-minute phone interview with either one person or several people on the other end of the line. In many ways, the way you prepare for a phone interview isn't all that different from the way you'd get ready for a face-to-face interview -- save for a few slight additions to and modifications of your list of preparation tasks. 

 

Here's what to do:

 

Read More on this Career Advice Topic...

NetWorks Sports' Small BusinessProfile

The NetWorks Sports Small Business Profile is a brief vignette that provides a closer look at companies founded by individuals who have been involved in the sports industry at some point in their career. These business owners will share their journey as an entrepreneur as well as insight for those of you interested in starting your own venture.


Knowetry 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name: Stacy Parson

  

Title: Principal

  

Company Name: Knowetry Consulting

  

Company Website:  www.knowetryconsulting.com

 

Blog/Twitter/Facebook:   www.twitter.com/Knowetry

 

 

When did you start your company and what was your inspiration for starting it?
I established Knowetry Consulting in October 2009. My inspiration to start my own business was to spend most of my days doing work that I love. 

What's your Elevator Pitch?
The "Pitch": I want people to leave every encounter with me knowing more about themselves and how they fit into the world. "Know your story. Live your story."

 

What I Do: I use an approach of "grounded innovation" -- the action-orientation of a consultant with the reflective, discovery-based methods of a coach -- to help my clients increase their personal and professional influence.

 

The Knowetry(TM) Consulting vision mapping process is at the heart of my coaching practice and helps people visually chart the course from "Now to What's Next." By doing this, my clients create a vision that provides inspiration and lays the foundation for the new ways of thinking, communicating, and behaving required for future success. This simple, creative and practical starting point sets the stage for a coaching experience characterized by innovative methods of achieving real-world results.



More on this week's Small Business Profile...
NetWorks Sports Recommended Book

 

This week's NetWorks Sports' Recommended Book is Ubuntu! by Stephen Lundin and Bob Nelson.

 

ubuntu 

For those who have read Stephen Lundin's morale boosting book Fish! or learned how to motivate & reward your employees after reading Bob Nelson's 1001 Ways to Reward Employees are in for a doubly powerful treat when you read Ubuntu! a book based on an African philosophy "Ubuntu" about partnership, teamwork, and collaboration.

 

Ubuntu, also known as a GNU/Linux based computer operating system, is defined on Wikipedia as African ethic or humanist philosophy focusing on peoples allegiances and relations with each other.  Ubuntu is seen as a classical African philosophy or worldview.  The word has its origin in the Bantu language of southern Africa.

 

Similar to Patrick Lenchioni's books, Ubuntu follows the fictional story of a manager, John Peterson, who like many of individuals today find themselves in a rut both personally & professionally.  In particular, Peterson finds his work environment to be one that is extremely inefficient due to the lack of connectedness between co-workers.  His eyes are virtually opened one night when a co-worker, of African decent, stays behind to assist Peterson.

 

As with Lenchioni's books this is a pretty easy read where the reader may discover the intent of the message well before the book concludes.  The premise provides readers with some very simple principles that should be commonsense but may be lost on many of us in today's corporate culture.

 

Read the entire review of NetWorks Sports Recommend Book here...

 

Mission

NetWorks Sports Consulting's mission is to provide customized and comprehensive strategic consulting & marketing services that will assist every client to effectively position themselves in their respective markets with the optimal goal of helping them to accomplish their stated short-term or long-term objectives while incorporating a social component to the project.

About "Changing the Game" Newsletter

The Changing the Game Newsletter profiles minorities at various levels throughout the sports industry (high school, collegiate, professional, and international) who have impacted the sports industry through their leadership and those who have leveraged their experience as student-athletes to impact their careers & their communities.  Changing the Game is published twice every month.

 

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Vol 1, Issue 5

Angela Taylor

President & CEO,

NetWorks Sports Consulting

Today's Video Spotlight:
This week's favorite video is a behind-the-scenes video from State Farm's Commercial commemorating the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. Narrated by Spike Lee.

Click on YouTube Image below:

Behind the Scenes: Empire State of Mind (Part II) 9/11 Tribute
Behind the Scenes: Empire State of Mind (Part II) 9/11 Tribute
 
Favorites:
Joby Branion

Movie - Pulp Fiction 

Sport (Other than Football) - Lacrosse

Musician - Prince

Quote of the Week:
"Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does." 
~ William James
Sports Poll of the Week:
Should Serena have been fined and/or suspended for her 2nd outburst at the U.S. Open while being on probation for 2010-11 season?



Upcoming Events:

espnW 2011 Women + Sports Summit (Invite Only) 
(September 26-28, 2011)
Marana, AZ


IMG Sports Marketing Symposium
(October 5-6, 2011)
New York City


(November 9-10, 2011) 
New York City

 

 

Athletic Business Conference

(December 1-3, 2011)

Orlando, FL

 




Contributors in this issue:




Exclusive Travel Opportunity

CWOE Globe

Spend 10-days/8-nights traveling through Spain with WNBA Star Candice Wiggins


For more information 
visit:  
www.travelwithcandice.com

Book Promotion:

Purchase a copy of SuperParenting: Raising the Next Generation

SuperParenting: Raising the Next Generation

Click the book to find out more information about SuperParenting a program designed by 2-Time WNBA Champion, Olympia Scott & her mother Dr. J Parker Scott.

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