Athletes to Entrepreneurs: The Alumni Journey

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Jason Price, former All-American track athlete and founder & COO of NextPlayU.

Jason talks about growing up playing sports and how he ultimately settled on track. He shares what he learned through sport, his advice for current athletes, and what he's doing today.

Jason's advice for his younger self (and all college athletes):

"Connect with as many different people as you can, who you have rapport with and who you admire what they're doing. Have an emphasis on non-athletes. Go to those extra club meetings, interact with people outside of your circles. Put effort and time into expanding your circles."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Tom Nolan, former college baseball player and golfer, and the CEO of jewelry brand Kendra Scott.

Tom talks about everything that sports offered him, including the chance to go to college:

"The more I put into sports, the more it gave me back, and the better I got, and I really kind of unlocked this and saw this, and it's changed my life, and really was rooted in sports."

"Baseball taught me a lot about life, it taught me a lot about people...it gave me an opportunity to go to college. I was the first person in my family to graduate high school, so that might not have been an opportunity had it not been for sports. I'm thankful for the game of baseball and for all sorts of sports, and for the lessons it's taught me and continues to teach me."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Dalton Crossan, former professional football player and Managing Director for Hotaling Insurance Services.

Dalton discusses the impact sports had on his personal development, the importance of financial literacy for athletes, and the role of networking and connecting while still playing. He also emphasizes the importance of mindset and discipline in achieving success, both on and off the field. 

"Sport teaches you so much about life and business...discipline, work ethic, coachability, teamwork...you learn so much from sport that ultimately translates to real life and business."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Jay Dixon, former Division 1 football player, entrepreneur and founder of Success Coach, an organization with a mission to empower former athletes to thrive in the business world after their sport ends.

Jay talks about growing up in sports, his dreams of going pro one day, and everything he learned along the way.

On the importance of networking:

"The art and skill of networking is about developing trust...Networking is one of those things that doesn't pay off right away, but it always pays off in the long run."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Dre Baldwin, former professional basketball player, author, speaker & entrepreneur.

Dre talks about growing up playing sports and how it shaped him, plus he shares some valuable advice for current student athletes:

"Take advantage of the college experience! Enjoy yourself and have fun, because when it's over, it's over."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Chris Soulier, former professional baseball player & coach, consultant & founder.

Chris talks about the values he learned through sports and how his grandfather encouraged him to have a learning and growth mindset from early on:

"There are people that you can tap into as mentors, as coaches, and ultimately you just need to really be present when you're around those individuals because there's so much that you can learn."

Chris advice to current student athletes:

"Treat your successes and failures the same. Enjoy it for 30 seconds and then move on. Let it go."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Samuel Barrington, former NFL player and the President of Sky Limit Crane & Rigging.

On learning the ins and outs of networking:

"My first few years out of the NFL, every networking event that was had...I was making sure I was there front and center. And I think what I gained from those events, beyond anything, was understanding how to communicate with professionals."

Samuel's advice to student athletes:

"Run your own race. You've got time. Forget about the external validation. Find out who you are and surround yourself with likeminded people. Enjoy the process, because you're never going to be a 22 year old with no responsibilities again."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to McKenzie Hollenbaugh, professional soccer player, event planner, and marketing coach.

McKenzie discusses the impact sports had on her life, the importance of networking and connecting as an athlete, and the pros and cons of NIL.

She shares some advice for student athletes and tells us about what she's up to now as an event planner and marketing coach.

"You never know how strong you are until you push yourself a little further."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Sierra Hendrix-Williams, professional runner and founder of Great Start Mental Wellness Training.

Sierra discusses his transition from sports to entrepreneurship and his passion for mental health and wellness. He shares about his experiences growing up playing sports and how it shaped him.

Sierra also talks about the support and programs available for athletes transitioning out of sports and emphasizes the importance of networking and connecting, both during and after sports.

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Jori Davis, professional basketball player, founder and CEO of WEVOLV.

Jori discusses her journey from sports to entrepreneurship and the challenges athletes face during their transition. She emphasizes the importance of networking and building relationships, as well as the need for better support systems and resources for athletes.

Jori also shares her thoughts on the NIL debate and the potential impact on athletes. She shares some great advice for current athletes and discusses her upcoming venture, the WEVOLV app.

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Walter Sabrin, former college tennis player, entrepreneur, and the Chief Talent Officer of Vensure.

Walter talks about the need for better transition support for college athletes, the importance of networking and connecting, and the value of athletes in the workplace.

He also shares advice for athletes transitioning out of sports and talks about his company, Vensure.

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to AJ Donaldson, former college football player, mentor, and founder of the EPIC Foundation and United Mentors.

AJ discusses the lack of support for athletes to help them prepare for the transition out of sports, and emphasizes the importance of networking and building relationships. AJ also talks about the positive and negative aspects of NIL for athletes. He offers advice to his younger self and highlights the need for mentorship and supplemental education for student athletes.

AJ explains how Epic and United Mentors are making a positive impact on education and offers ways to connect with their organizations.

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Larry Long Jr., former college baseball player, author, founder & motivational speaker.

Larry talks about growing up playing sports and what it taught him:

"I moved around a lot as a youngster. Sports is that universal language that everyone speaks. I remember going to middle school, as the new kid...but I could hold my own on the basketball court, and that got me in with my crew.

"I learned so much. I learned the power of setting big goals, having big dreams. You set those goals, and you learn real quick that you better practice, and you better practice some more, and you better work at your craft, at your game, at your skills, or else you will not be in a position to have success. And that transfers over to life skills."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Josh Burger, former tennis player, professional tennis coach, sports psychologist and founder of TieBreaker Psych.

Joss discusses his journey from playing sports throughout his youth, discovering tennis, playing at the collegiate level, and eventually transitioning into a professional coach.

Josh's advice to current athletes facing a transition out of sports:

"Really try to be clear about what your strengths are. I think that's important. Hopefully you have some sort of a network built...so use what's at your disposal, and have conversations...with coaches, with teammates, with friends.

Sometimes by talking to other people, they can help you discover what you're really good at, what makes you special, what makes you unique. And then it can be a little bit easier to understand sorts of jobs or roles could be good for you."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Mark Thompson, former professional football player, human resources leader and founder of the Career Transformation Academy.

Mark discusses the impact football had on his leadership and life skills, the importance of networking and alumni engagement, and shares his thoughts about Name Image Likeness (NIL) in college sports.

Mark talks about his personal journey from college football to the CFL and his eventual transition into the corporate world. He also provides advice for athletes transitioning out of sports and highlights the benefits of hiring athletes in the workplace.

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Brett Hundley, former NFL quarterback, entrepreneur & philanthropist.

Did you dream about becoming a professional athlete?

"I really always wanted to play football. My Dad and my uncle played football, so I came from a football background, and I always knew that I wanted to make it to the NFL."

What advice would you give to your younger self?

"This opportunity, regardless of whether you go to the NFL or not, can really help your life going forward, so make the most of it. And have an understanding of how to network, and how to keep up with people. Really start using the college's networking opportunities while you're still playing."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to J.R. Butler, former college hockey player and the founder & CEO of Shift Group.

Talk about how growing up playing sports shaped you.

"I really grew up in the rink. I would say a lot of the ways that I approached life, like my mindset, I owe it all to hockey and growing up in the environment I grew up in...things like discipline, things like teamwork, things like always having a growth mindset, focusing on getting better every day, those are all things that were inherent in my childhood, in my household, and the rink we went to every day."

What advice would you give to your college self?

"You want to have fun, but you need to approach it with balance. And have as many conversations with as many people as possible, from an alumni and parent perspective."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Lexi Mickens, former college basketball player and the founder of the nonprofit organization Run It Back.

Tell me about how growing up in sports shaped you.

"I think growing up in sports shaped me entirely. There were so many different life skills that weren't taught in the classroom unfortunately, such as time management, cognitive thinking, personal branding, pitching yourself...I mean, just showing up and being 110% in the moment. I had a great opportunity to continue sports throughout college, and even sports today is still teaching me so much of who I'm becoming and want to be, just because of the determination and discipline, I would say. Without sports, I don't know what my identity would be like, honestly."

Lexi talks about her transition out of sports and into the corporate world:

"I think the mindset shift was a bit difficult to navigate those first few months, but I think a lot of the skills that your coaches teach you about communicating loud, early and often, being super aware and hyper present of your environment and the team that you're working with, really just takes your work ethic to the next level, especially in corporate."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Bo-Dean Sanders, former college football player, motivational speaker, author and TV host.

Bo-Dean talks about his mother's reluctance to allow him to play sports, his passion for it, and everything he learned along the way.

Share your thoughts on NIL:

"I knew folks' parents who owned businesses throughout the area. Just imagine the opportunities I could have had because of the relationships I had...It would have been at least an opportunity! So I'm all for Name, Image and Likeness. All for it."

Bo-Dean talks about having a strong support system as a student athlete:

"I had great mentors on-campus and off-campus. There's just so many people that had a positive effect on me as I became a senior."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Blake Williams, former football player & NFL coach, entrepreneur, financial advisor and podcast host.

Blake talks about the lessons he's learned through sports.

"There's a lot of life lessons in sports, I tell people all the time. I think it's the ultimate microcosm of life; every season is like a life of it's on. It's like reincarnation every year. You have this family, you come together, you have losses, wins, injuries...you have adversity, you have joy, you have a lot of lessons learned. And then you go on and you do it again, you know, the next year. It taught me a ton in life."

Blake talks about the importance of athletes understanding how to prepare for their transition out of sports:

"The more that can be taught and the more programs that there can be for that ahead of time, and have those conversations ahead of time, I think we can help solve a lot of issues on anxiety and depression, some of those things that happen when athletes leave the sport, often not of their own volition. Somebody's told them, get off the train, you can't play anymore. And they don't have a proper plan in place...and that can cause a lot of angst sometimes."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Ben Fagan, former college baseball player, author, motivational speaker and co-founder of the DNB (Define New Boundaries) lifestyle brand.

Tell me about how sports shaped you growing up?

"There was nothing more fun to do than being on the ballfield, getting to play, getting to play hard, getting my uniform dirty. So I think that, along with my brother who introduced me to the game, having those coaches who instilled the right way to play, and the pure joy of the game, was something that I think played such a big role in ultimately getting me to where I am in my career."

Ben shares about walking away from his last baseball game and what it meant to him:

"During my senior year in college, I began to work toward becoming the most consistently great baseball player I could possibly become...And it culminated in me eventually becoming the player I actually wanted to become. And in my last at bat, I ended up striking out, and I remember I was walking away, and there was a photo of me taken, right after I struck out, baseball career over...and there's a smile on my face. That's become one of my favorite moments because in that moment, by all intensive purposes, I failed. I stuck out, I lost, baseball is done. But there was a smile on my face, and that represented to me that I had become the player I wanted to become...I think that to be able to walk away from the game with true fulfillment, being genuinely fulfilled with what I had accomplished, allowed me to go into the next phase of my life relatively seamlessly."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Erika Fay, former water polo player, marathon runner, therapist and coach.

Erika shares about the health challenges that she had prior to playing sports, and how her sport helped her get her health back.

Erika's advice to athletes to help them establish an identity outside of sports:

"How else do you define yourself besides being an athlete? What else is important to you? Look at what your qualities and skills are, not just academically, but what people tell you you're good at, or what you're doing in your sport. All of those are actually transferrable skills, and I think getting an awareness of that can be one of the foundations for looking at the bigger question of who am I, really?"

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Kathy Judson, former college runner, pro triathlete, author, and pharmacist.

Kathy shares about her dream of becoming a professional athlete:

"I started dreaming of becoming an Olympian when I was 12 years old, because at that point that's the highest that women could go."

Kathy's advice to current athletes preparing for the transition out of sports:

"Have a lot of grace with yourself and know who you are. Learn to have an identity outside of sports; learn that you're more than just competing. You're more than just a basketball player, or a cyclist, or a runner. There's so much more to who you are than what you do."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Alex Bolowich, former soccer player, coach, and the founder & CEO of Elite Mental Performance.

Alex shares about his love of soccer, his thoughts on NIL, and about his own transition out of sports.

Alex's advice to student athletes about the importance of networking while they're still in school:

"There are people in your university right now that have a massive web and network of connections. And they can't read your mind, so they don't know that that's what you want to do. So you have to get out of your way and say, 'hey- I want to step into this world and I don't know where to start or who to talk to or, do you have any advice?' And you'll see immediately they'll be like, let me get you in contact with so and so. And it's that simple- it's just a conversation."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Chris Weedon, former professional soccer player & the founder of Mentally Shredded.

Christopher speaks candidly to fellow athletes:

"Speaking to you athletes out there: You can wake up and you can go get a paycheck. You can clock in, you can clock out, and you can live the rest of your life like that. But if you've already lived and performed at a high level, something's going to be missing if you live your life like that."

Christopher talks about the importance of taking action on your goals and dreams:

"I didn't wake up and say yes, I want to do this, and it was just here. There has to be action. That's where faith comes in; faith is action. You have to take action in order to create what you want."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Dr. Jo Shattuck, former elite racquetball player, neuroscientist, founder and CEO of Panther Tec.

Dr. Shattuck shares about her instant love of racquetball, the need for programs to help athletes transition out of sports, her thoughts on NIL, and how she learned to network after starting her company, Panther Tec.

Dr. Shattuck's advice to current athletes:

"I can't say enough about learning to network and ending every call with 'Great, how can I help you?"

Dr. Shattuck's advice about exploring your interests outside of your sport:

"When you start to see the end for yourself...or even during the off season...listen to podcasts, listen to other athletes, take a cooking class...There's so much out there that you don't know because you've been so consumed, as I was...So if you like it, try it."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Ross Hamilton, professional BMX rider, real estate investor and philanthropist.

"Sport is mind, body & soul. Having that physical outlet in life is really important. You can’t just be there staring down at your phone all the time- you have to get your body moving.”

Ross talks about transferring the skills learned in your sport into your career:

"Sports, when you have the right mentality, creates healthy competition, which ties in very well with business; you have to be able to cooperate, be a part of a team...I think it really gets you set up to be a successful entrepreneur if you take your mentality in your sport and move that into business."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Nick Silverthorn, former college swimmer and sales manager at LearnIt.

Nick tells us about growing up playing sports, his dream of becoming a pro athlete, his thoughts about NIL, and his advice to current student athletes.

Nick's thoughts on starting the networking process early:

"I don't think it's ever too early to start having informational interviews...or if you live in the same area as an alum, getting together, getting coffee or even hopping on a zoom call and just talking through what their day to day looks like."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Brendan Shaw, former college hockey player, investor and partner in Rival Media.

Tell me about playing sports growing up and how it shaped you?

"I think sports was a huge part of my upbringing, my background. I have 3 brothers that also played sports. My parents came from a generation where there wasn't a lot of organized sports but they were super supportive, all in on us, myself and my brothers, getting involved in sports. It taught me so many lessons, and as I tell people today, hockey still continues to give back to me, so I always try to give back to it."

Brendan's advice to current athletes:

"I think you have to be aware that your time is going to end. And how do you continue to develop your skills to prepare, increase and improve your network, and at the same time, prepare yourself for when it's done, so that when you are done, you hit the ground running?"

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Carly Lutz, former college distance runner & sales/marketing professional.

Carly talks about growing up playing sports, how she discovered her love of running at an early age, and the positive things that sports taught her.

Carly's take on the difficulty of transitioning out of sports:

"A large percent of us as collegiate athletes aren't going to transition into being pros. And so that disillusionment, that kind of sense of identity, is going to hit us a lot harder because we're not prepared to lose that part of our identity...so there's a whole other layer of knowledge and preparation needed."

Carly's advice to current student athletes:

"You already have the drive and that entrepreneurial spirit. If you can help find the people and the confidence to transform those skills to create something of your own, I think that can be a really powerful force for athletes. We're such driven, hardworking people, so the sky's the limit."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Ivory Sully, a fellow Blue Hen!

Ivory was a football player at the University of Delaware, went on to play 9 years in the NFL, and today he runs his company, Sully Executive Services.

Ivory talks about starting sports late in life and developing a love for football.

On the importance of Alumni networking and giving back to their school:

"I figured out that knowing people is very important. And giving back and reaching back is very important...I realized that it was invaluable to reach back, or reach over and pick up the phone and talk to people. To reach back and connect with people is one of the most important things you can do."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Jamie Mittelman, former college soccer player, teacher, founder & CEO of Flame Bearers.

Talk about playing sports and how it shaped you growing up.

"Sports were always my favorite part of the day. Growing up I was a 3-season athlete in high school. I played soccer, I ski-raced, I ran track.. And I think personally, it was always the time of day where I connected with friends, laughed with people, got out frustrations from the classroom or annoyances with friends. And it's also something that I personally connected with my family on. My dad was my soccer coach growing up. We had a very active family- we would go hiking together, we would go biking together, we would go skiing together...So I would say many of my best memories are sports-related; I would also say some of my most cringe-worthy and embarrassing moments were sports related, so high-level I would say sports is one of the biggest teachers in my life, for better or worse."

When you were a kid, did you dream about becoming a professional athlete?

"100%. That was definitely my dream. I was born in '88, so the Women's World Cup was '91. I remember watching that when I was 3 years old. That was the first Women's World Cup; there hadn't been a women's world cup before that. And I remember sitting at the TV and just thinking it was the coolest thing ever...The ability to grow up with role models who look and sound like me and play the sport was actually a huge motivational factor for me that led me to do what I'm doing now."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Terrance Dennis, former football player and Assistant Special Teams Coordinator at The University of Central Missouri.

Terrance talks about growing up with a passion for sports, playing football through college, and his transition from player to coach.

What is your biggest advice to current student athletes?

"Ask yourself, what are the things that you're just naturally good at? And I get it, you may have a business degree, but how can you turn what you're good at into a business? It's about connecting all the dots that you've put together over time; it's not that now you've got to figure out something new, it's basically taking what you have in your toolbox to take you to the next step...So, start by figuring out what you're good at."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Chad McGehee, former college soccer player, Director of Meditation at UW Athletics, and Co-Founder of Inner Edge Meditation.

What were some of the lessons you learned through sports?

"The first thing that comes to mind is the joy of playing sports, whether it's the joy of trying to be as dialed in as I can to hit a baseball, to the joy of the creativity on the soccer field, or the joy of just hanging out with my friends after a game. That joy sometimes can escape us as we age, and as the world gives us challenges and adversities...That lesson of coming back to the fun, the opportunities, the connection...That joy orientation is definitely a thread that was easy as a kid, and that I try to keep going in my adult pursuits as well."

Chad talks about the importance of Alumni supporting current student athletes:

"Alumni have so much to contribute to current student athletes. And literally can say, 'I've been in your seat. I know what it feels like.' Where very few people can actually say that, and give them advice to yes, perform at a high level athletically, achieve those goals, AND do it in a way that's sustainable, that's going to support them to be a happy, healthy human. And I think alumni can do a lot to contribute to the kind of community that will yield those results."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Chase Minnifield, former NFL player and the founder of EZOS.

Chase talks about growing up in the world of football, his journey to the NFL, and his thoughts on NIL, social media, and more.

Chase's thoughts on social media:

"If you can start to learn to actually create value and create another revenue stream outside of your sport, even if that's through social media, then I think that's a plus. That's gonna help kids as they do learn that there's more than sports."

What would be some key words of advice to athletes to help them in their next journey?

"Do something else...You've got to have some type of hobby, some type of skill, that you are learning to turn into some type of income. Ideally, having something that you're trying to do outside of sports...I think is extremely important, and not just being one-track minded."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Kim Brady, former college soccer player and founder of Little Bit Cleaning and Kim Brady Coaching.

Kim tells us about her love for soccer that started at an early age, her experience playing with the best of the best, and what motivates her.

How did growing up playing sports shape you?

"I always say that soccer is my guiding light. When I was just 5 years old, I joined my first team. Soccer gave me discipline. I wanted to compete because I loved the game and I wanted to get better. Soccer gave me the internal driver of life skills of wanting to get better when things are hard. I had this never-give-up attitude of "If I'm good enough, they'll select me, but in order for me to be good enough, I have to do the work."

Let's talk about the importance of networking and connecting.

"Networking makes or breaks you. And that's not just a job situation. I look at networking as building relationships...Everything that I've done in my life is always about relationships and being a helper and being a servant leader."

"The networking piece is just staying true to your core values and aligning yourself with companies and people that sit with your core values, and building great relationships overtime. And that was ultimately what helped catapult me into entrepreneurship."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Steve Ryan, former college athlete, marketing agent, and partner in the National Rugby Football League.

Steve's advice to athletes:

"To network early and often, I think is a big takeaway, and honestly I wish I would have done that more."

"If you're an athlete, working on your mental health is just as important as working on your fitness and your skills in whatever sport you're in."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Jeff Byers, former football player at USC and in the NFL and CEO of Momentous.

How did playing sports shape your life?

"I think sports is a great teaching bed for a lot of really important life lessons. It teaches you how to deal with winning, losing, adversity. And it teaches you how to work with people, be a teammate. And it really teaches you commitment. Whether you're playing sports or a musical instrument or anything, it takes real commitment to be good. And it's like that with anything in life. If you want to be good, it takes commitment and a lot of dedication."

Jeff's advice for current athletes:

"When you have access {to other athletes}, you've got to take advantage of it. You have to build that network. Because once you walk away, leave sport, access becomes a little harder. And people really want to help and support while you're an athlete."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Don Moxley, former college wrestler, sports scientist, and Director at Longevity Labs.

"If you want to be successful, you've got to figure things out. You've got to create an equation." -Don Moxley

Don's advice to current athletes:

"We all stop sometime. Whether you're a high school athlete, a pro athlete, a college athlete, you stop being an athlete at some point. You stop competing. It doesn't mean you stop living."

"Learn to embrace the concept of flow, the things that you've done naturally, and be able to apply those to family, to work, to life in general. You have an advantage there, because you've experienced something that some people may never experience."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Damon Lembi, former baseball player at ASU, author, and the CEO of Learnit.

Damon tells us about growing up playing sports, his thoughts on NIL, and the importance of networking and connecting.

Talk a little bit about your thoughts on networking and connecting as an athlete.

"I think networking and connecting is really important, and it is a skill that happens inherently to athletes when they're playing. Being an athlete, you connect with other athletes, and there's kind of like a bond out there...I think athletes know how to do that. Now when it comes to connecting and networking outside of their own community, whether it's the business world or whatever, I think there is a gap that needs to be worked on and closed. I think that there's a tremendous opportunity for athletes to evolve and develop those skills and then be able to carry them on when they are done with sports."

"I really believe that athletes have the ability to be super successful in the business world, if they're able to network...But it all starts with them believing in themselves, believing in the skills that they have."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Lisa Bonta Sumii, former youth soccer player, founder and CEO of AthMindset, and host of the Athlete's Mindset podcast.

"The things I'm doing give me energy. I'm able to use my time more productively and intentionally when I have things that I'm working on that mean a lot to me, that are in my purpose, and that are meaningful."

Give some advice to current athletes about preparing for a transition out of sports.

" I find that those who have the healthiest, most positive experience transitioning out of their sport have other identities that they've already developed, and feel good about and proud of, before they leave their sport."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to David Holmes, former football player at Northern Michigan University, Coach, Teacher, and District Superintendent.

David talks about growing up playing sports, the resources missing for student athletes today, and his thoughts about NIL.

"Our mission as players was always wanting to do your best on the field and prepare and do all the necessary things to do that...It takes dedicated people".

David's thoughts on the importance of networking:

"I share with kids all the time, never ever underestimate the importance of networking...Personnel skills and networking and just being able to be relatable, I think, are very important."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Olivia Atkin, former junior elite swimmer, entrepreneur, author, and host of the Achieving Success podcast.

Olivia tells us about her passion for swimming that began early on, the medical issue that caused her transition out of sports, and her advice for moving forward when the time for transition comes.

Share your advice for current athletes preparing for the next chapter.

"You love your sport. You're not ready to fully leave your sport. Look at, what within your sport has made you so passionate? What is your why within it? What is the impact it has had on you that you would like to pay forward? It's not looking at the next step as closing a door on your old journey, it's looking at the next step as adding value to what you've already been building...Your sport was your block to learning a lot of different tools and resources along the way."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to James Taylor, former basketball player at Lynn University, multi-passionate entrepreneur, and founder of Taylored Athletes & Fifth Quarter Ventures.

James tells us about growing up playing sports, the importance of setting specific goals, his thoughts about NIL, and his advice for current student-athletes.

"I just know that when it comes to basketball, any time I stepped on the court, I loved having the ball in my hands...However, I really enjoyed that emotion, that feeling when that ball went through the hoop and it left my hands."

James Taylor's advice for athletes:

"Be very very open, and very honest about exactly where you are. But you also have to be open about where you want to go."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to John Saintignon, former basketball player at the University of California, world-renowned basketball coach, motivator and author.

John tells us about how academics was always and important part of his life, and shares the mantra he lived by: "Basketball is a tool to get an education".

Tell us about your transition out of sports.

"I'm grateful that my parents stressed early on in life that basketball was a tool to get an education. Once I had my degree, I had choices in life. I could do whatever I wished...That piece of paper could never be taken away. It gave me power, in that I thought I could do whatever I needed to do. So I ended up going to law school, and then quickly discovered that wasn't the pathway for me. I endured a whole year....and then I decided to become a high school coach. I fell in love with it; it changed the way thought, and I was helping younger kids use basketball as a tool."

I do believe there are no accidents in life. Things happen for a reason."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Sydney Supple, current softball player at Northwestern University. In her spare time, Sydney is a journalist and broadcaster and also hosts her own podcast, From The Players.

Sydney tells us about all she has gained from growing up playing sports, her ambitions to go pro, and her perspective on preparing for life after sports.

Tell me about playing sports growing up, and how it shaped you.

"Sports has really shaped me into the woman I am today. I mean, so many intangible lessons that you learn...One, just the hard work, and how if you're willing to put your heart and soul into something, and put your body on the line, amazing things can come out of it.

But most importantly, I think it has just surrounded me with the best relationships I could have ever dreamt of, it taught me the power of having somebody believe in me, and it taught me the power of believing in myself. And when you can combine these two things and be surrounded on a team or in a room full of people who all believe in each other, amazing things can happen."

Sydney on knowing that Softball was the sport for her:

"Right away, I knew there was something special about softball. I think it is the fact that you wake up every day and the game never knows who's supposed to win. And you always have a shot of winning, until you're down to your very last out. Softball is 7 innings, and anything can happen in 7 innings."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Garett Henson, former college hockey player, advertising agent and events marketing specialist.

Tell me about how growing up playing sports shaped you.

"Sportsmanship is what gave me my start. You treat everyone like you want to be treated, following the golden rule. But more importantly, sportsmanship really gave me the positive mindset I have. It gave me that go-getter energy."

Garett's views on the outdated mentality that many athletes have:

"I think that athletes, especially Division 1 athletes, have that mindset that there is no plan B, there's only a plan A. And I'll use my grandfather as an example: my grandfather has been a great athlete his whole entire life. He played Division 1 ball at Lafayette. But after college, he did not really feel like getting drafted or going into the pros. I mean, he was pretty good...but I think that athletic mindset, especially when it comes to good athletes in high school, college, and pro: They say, this is my plan A, and when I retire, I retire, and I'll be comfortable. That's not really the case nowadays."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Orlando Arnold, former baseball player at Alabama State University, Sports Agent, Public Speaker, and President and CEO of Pyramid Sports Group.

When you were growing up, did you dream about being a professional athlete?

"Oh yeah. Yeah yeah yeah. If you go look in my senior memory book, I wrote in there that I would be an MLB player. That's what I thought I was going to do. I wrote in there that I would be playing in major league baseball. There was no doubt in my mind. I didn't know how I was going to get there. I knew I was going to have to work hard. I had an opportunity that only 2% of my peers got, which was to play college athletics. That was a blessing and a rarity in itself. I was a senior amongst all my peers. You know, all these guys with these football interests and basketball interests, and I was one of the few that was going on to play Division 1 athletics at Alabama State. So, I knew then that this is what I wanted to do. And so I forged out to do it."

What would be the best advice you'd give to athletes preparing for a transition out?

"The first piece of advice is, be real with yourself. Be open and honest with yourself about whether there is still opportunity for you to keep playing. Have a plan B ready to go. Secondarily, while you're still playing in school, get a mentor who can help you walk through life experiences, who can help you see things from a very high level, that because you haven't lived those experiences, you don't see it. And the third thing I would say is, don't be afraid to ask questions; pick up the phone and call anybody. Those are the three takeaways I would give on that."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we talk to Josh Copeland, former college football player, youth tutor, and motivational speaker.

Talk about playing sports growing up, and share how it helped to shape your life.

"Sports played a big part in my life. I have 4 brothers, and we're a big baseball family. As a way to keep us from fighting, and to keep us out of trouble, my parents put us into sports. Baseball is our first love; we still talk about it to this day and we still follow MLB. I gravitated to basketball and football; I played all 3 growing up. It was great; it was a way to keep us out of trouble. But then, sports teaches you a lot of life lessons. And a lot of how to handle adversity, how to be self-motivated, hard work, dedication. It teaches you all these things...and it molded me into the person I am today."

Talk about your transition out of sports:

"Everybody is different when they transition out, but for me, I really struggled because my whole identity was tied up in who I was as an athlete, because I played for so long. And everybody that I met from about 6 years old to 25, outside of my family, I met through sports. So this whole community around me and the people that I was meeting, I met through sports. That became who I was and I didn't know that I even had to develop "me" as a person outside of sports. Because like I said, my whole world was sports. It was very difficult for me to transition out of it, mentally."

On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we chat with Tim Wright, Superbowl champion, multi-passionate entrepreneur, and co-founder of Dome Audio.

Talk about playing sports growing up and how that shaped your youth.

"Sports was very important to my foundation. That's where you learn how to win. That's where you learn how to lose. And later on in life, I learned that you either win or you learn. So taking the lessons of what you were able to learn in that loss is what you're then able to apply to that game next week or the practice the next day, and really get better. And that's the same thing throughout life and the same thing in entrepreneurship."

Tim's advice to current athletes:

"When I got on the field, I made it count. And that's the most important thing. The time you get, make it count."