✨ All the feels ✨

Good morning. Thought we could get through this without mention of the SuperBowl, but you'll want to watch the Toyota commercial.
Other big news this week:

• World Champion Mick Dierdorff is defending his title this week in Sweden at Snowboardcross World Cup

• Colleen Young released her merchandise

• Alex Massialas re-signed sponsorship with the Swoosh

P.S. Add us to your contact list so we don't get lost in your inbox!

ATHLETES IN THE MEDIA

McKenzie Coan Interviews with NuMotion for NWGS
Watch the video above or read the blog post here!

Swimming World Honors Female Athletes for National Women & Girls in Sport Day

These stars share advice for their younger selves, feeling empowered as a female athlete and how you can make an impact. Some baby photos even made the cut.

Mandy Marquardt talks Competing Clean & Staying Accountable with TrueSport USA

Join the TrueSport Network to get access to these chats in the future!

Get to Know Maddy Banic!

Follow the University of Memphis Instagram to get the update!

CEJIH EXPLAINS

How we pitched Maggie Steffens to new sponsor, UCAN by Dane Vanderkaay, Manager of Athlete Partnerships

We recently announced a new sponsorship between Olympic legend Maggie Steffens and her new nutrition partner UCAN. Today we share a behind the scenes look at how this deal was brokered, breaking it down into three major steps:

1. Telling the story
First we had to tell the story of Maggie's brand which is an amazing story in itself that you can read more about here. Our favorite way to showcase our athlete's stories is through a highly visual slide deck. We outline their greatest accomplishments as well as what their brand stands for and how that brand is represented in the media. For Maggie it was important to showcase that Maggie is a 2x-Olympic gold medalist, a 2x-Olympic MVP, has started her own company, had numerous media exposures in some of the biggest media outlets (CNN, ESPN, Sports Illustrated etc.) in the country, and comes from an amazing family with a rich background in water polo. 

2. Authenticity lays the foundation
When it comes to storytelling, authenticity is the name of the game. Where we aligned right away with UCAN was in their firm belief in true product authenticity. UCAN was in no rush to sign a deal until Maggie had ample time to try their amazing products and ensure she noticed the UCAN difference in her training. After several weeks, Maggie had nothing but positive feedback. The UCAN team was very thorough in their questions of how Maggie used the product and how they made her feel. Maggie confirmed that she was a fan of the product and we worked on how we could make the partnership beneficial to both parties. 

3. Creating the deal with creativity
One thing we pride ourselves on is how we deliver value to our clients' partners. Most sports agencies will sign a deal between their athletes and sponsors for the rights to Name, Image, Likeness and the show stops there. We want our partnerships to bring success to all the parties involved so we are always looking for creative ways to enhance the partnership. With Maggie and UCAN, we pitched several creative video campaigns to showcase Maggie's use of UCAN before, during, and after her daily training. This video series can be blasted out on all social channels, added to Maggie's website as well as UCAN's, and included in the newsletter you are reading right now. 

This is just one example of how we try to bring value to our sponsors so that they can grow with us. Congratulations to UCAN and Maggie. We look forward to helping you both succeed and grow in the coming years.

LETS HAVE FUN

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FINANCIAL FITNESS

Best Retirement Strategies for Self-Employed (Part 2)
by Liz Alterman

If you want to bank a bundle…
You can set aside even more with a solo 401k because you act as both employee and employer.

• As an “employee” (even though you’re self-employed), you can contribute up to $18,500, plus 25 percent of your compensation as a sole proprietor (business owner). Cha-ching! Just keep in mind that combined contributions can’t exceed $57,000.

• Long-term benefit: Like with an SEP, contributions to a solo 401k are tax-deductible (so you can reduce the amount you have to pay to Uncle Sam come tax time). But unlike an SEP, this plan also allows you to contribute more at lower income levels because you can set aside a percentage of income and an “employee” contribution.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Legends of Water Polo
Founded by Maggie Steffens and Tony Azevedo, 6-8 sports analyzes your game to help you peak perform. Unique performance analytics populate right to your app. Leverage the data and invest in your game with 6-8 Sports.

PODCASTS

Champion's Mojo - Episode 102
Navigate your headspace with confidence. Reframe your reality.

Career Competitor - Thrive Amongst the S***
How resistance fuels your fire. Get fired up.

WHAT’S HOT

• Alex Massialas re-signs with APS/Nike Fencing through 2022

• Colleen Young launches her first piece of merchandise

• Cejih shares the importance of brand development

• Maggie Steffens signs multi-year deal with Jolyn!