Fake commutes are a thing
Good morning. Start your morning with some pleasant news from us and the bubbly, brighten your day type of athletes at CG Sports.
Natalie Hinds did an Instagram Takeover with arena USA last Thursday, and here's what we learned about real life in the ISL bubble:
First things first, life as a professional athlete might be fun, but it isn't all glitz and glamour as you may expect.
Schedule changes every day - keeps you on your toes. 🗓️
Athletes get single rooms.
Pack a suitcase full of snacks. Food isn't always available. 🍿
Natalie is a pull-up queen.
Team spirit is lit in the ISL. 🔥
Two athletes are chosen for each event from each team - it's an honor to race.
Regular training during their week off of competing. 💪
ATHLETES IN THE MEDIA
Kara Lynn Joyce...Unfit?
Not the kind you think. Kara brings the fun to the Unfit Podcast, talking journey to the Olympics, Touch the Wall, and fulfilling what she believes to be her life's purpose. LEAD, Don't Follow episode on the Unfit Pod.
RAWring Twenties with Elizabeth Beisel
Retired at 25...Elizabeth Beisel had a different experience than most athletes and individuals through her twenties. How'd that go? Listen and find out her take on achieving success, dedication, sacrifice, identity, self-believe, mental skills and more.
Elizabeth Beisel is the first swimmer to become an EcoAthletes Champion
Passion for protecting the environment and fighting climate change has evolved into activism. Founder of EcoAthletes, Lew Blaustein, believes Elizabeth "brings a much-needed infectious enthusiasm to both fights (ocean health and climate)." Read Beisel's take on the new title.
Need some advice? Maybe from Olympian Elizabeth Beisel?
Send in your questions and stories for some feedback from the pro.
CEJIH EXPLAINS
We talk a lot about branding and how important it is for athletes to invest in their brand development early in their careers. The brand becomes the foundation for an athlete to build a successful business upon. Below are three methods I want to highlight and explain why these are opportunities every athlete should be considering.
1. Mission driven, athlete founded companies: This type of business is for athletes who recognize a problem in the market and are on a mission to solve it. They have the entrepreneurial spirit to build a business around their passion and the resourcefulness to jump right in. It takes a team to get a new business launched, but it is something we have seen multiple athlete clients execute successfully over the past few years, with more on the way. Great examples include: The LEAD Sports Co. (founded by Kara Lynn Joyce in 2016); Back2Back Swim Camp (co-founded by Jacob Pebley in 2018) and Swimmers For Change (a non-profit co-founded by Lia Neal in 2020). These require more time and commitment by the athlete, but often lead to the most rewarding outcomes both personally and financially.
2. Direct fan engagement: Fan engagement can in itself be a full-time business for athletes. When done well it can also be very lucrative. Athletes are very powerful influencers and this makes them very attractive to sponsors and advertisers who want to connect their products with an athlete's audience. We are seeing more cases where athletes are able to offer items of value directly to their fans. This B2C relationship is becoming more common and presents an exciting opportunity for athletes to create a new revenue stream associated with their brand. One such company that allows athletes tremendous flexibility is the popular app, INDI (which is short for 'individual').
INDI allows athletes to offer paid video tips, product recommendations, 1-1 video feedback with fans and other ways to easily begin generating revenue around their passions. Platforms that lower the barriers to entry for fans and athletes to engage in commerce will continue to be a big market opportunity.
3. Athlete Merchandise - because who doesn't love a good t-shirt of their favorite athlete: In today's media heavy market - athletes are in front of fans and audiences constantly. Moreover, they have the opportunity to show off their authenticity and create a stronger direct relationship with fans. This leads to opportunities for the purchase of customized athlete merchandise (t-shirts, hats, hoodies, stickers, water bottles, notebooks, etc.) by more consumers. Our partners at Chlorine Deckwear do an especially amazing job of creating customized athlete shops for Olympians. For the athletes, this adds an extra revenue source to tack on to speaking gigs, camps, clinics and virtual engagements.
We will keep diving in to the business of athletes, sports marketing and branding so stay tuned. As always, feel free to contact me directly with an topic ideas or feedback at cejih@cgsportsmanagement.com
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HALLOWEEN UPDATE
Spooky Szn 2020 has a Winner
Congrats to Todd AKA Forrest Gump, the winner of our costume contest. Execution was perfect.
We hope you got the best chocolate in the box!
CURRENT HAPPENINGS
WFH or Live at Work? // The Commute is Calling, and You Should Go
While WFH is becoming a well-supported option for corporate professionals, it has become "Live at Work" for some. The difficulty in balancing work life and home life can take a toll, and professionals are opting in for a fake commute. Why?
Mental Health Wins.
10 minutes, 60 minutes, whatever it takes, can make a big difference when transitioning from prepping the kids for school, or making your breakfast, to opening your inbox and getting to work... Add in a morning cup of tea, neighborhood walk, bike around town, or dare I say 20-30 minutes to shower and actually get dressed up for the "office", whether that's at your desk, or in the living room. Get more ideas from the Sydney Morning Herald!
PODCASTS
Champion's Mojo - Ep 88: Penny Oleksiak, Olympic Gold Medalist
Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist - and Canada's youngest Gold Medalist, Penny Oleksiak, knows a thing or two at just 20 years old. Listen now!
Career Competitor - Ep. 64: Kal Jhugroo - Athlete, Artist, Agent
From the water to endurance sports and the music industry, Kal has made his mark in multiple industries. Building a label and management company for Europe's best talent - Kal has found his passion with Underground Artists. Listen to the episode and share the message!
Career Competitor is presented by TallSlim Tees.
TRIVIA TIME
Back to the Regularly Scheduled Programming
It's Election Day! What year was the first presidential election?
UPCOMING EVENTS
"How to Become Financially Well - Prepare for Life after the Podium" presented by Nav.it, Thursday 11/12
Join us for a presentation from Nav.it Co-Founder and CMO, Maia Monell, alongside Financial Expert, CEO of Utor Wealth, Jenifer Sapel on Thursday, November 12, at 1pm PST. Topics include:
financial wellness
long-term planning
how mindfulness plays a part in your finances
