This week on the podcast I welcomed Ernest Wesley, an NIL Sports Agent at Trigg Sports and former athletic marketing intern at Mississippi State University.
To contact Ernest with questions or inquiries, reach out to him through Instagram @theerneswesleyy.
This episode covers topics relating to sports and the professional world—how to take advantage of NIL, how to brand yourself, how to network, and the importance of all this knowledge:
- NIL, its impact on college sports/sports overall
- Importance of developing a strong personal brand for student-athletes
- Advice on how student-athletes can effectively market themselves and their brand
- Identifying and approaching brands for sponsorship opportunities
- Benefits for brands in partnering with student-athletes for NIL deals
- Ernest's most positive/successful experiences so far involving sports/branding/NIL
- Tips for finding the time to brand yourself/get involved with NIL deals and partnerships as an athlete
- Time management tips after going through college/the beginning of your professional career
- Values that have helped him in his career so far (balance, faith, rituals/routines, organization, planning, networking, etc.)
- Networking & building connections as an athlete
- Advice for athletes as they transition to the corporate world
- Using NIL/branding to bridge the gap from college to a professional setting
Timestamps:
‣ 00:00 Introduction
‣ 06:17 Understanding NIL and Branding for Athletes
‣ 14:50 Collaboration Between Athletes and Brands
‣ 25:50 Lessons/Advice for Student-Athletes
‣ 42:16 Closing
Thank you all for listening!