On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we chat with Cory Camp, former D1 swimmer, podcast host, founder and CEO. 

Tell me about your experience growing up playing sports.

"I started taking swim lessons when I was 4 years old, and continued that throughout my childhood. I really took to the water and really enjoyed it. I wouldn't say I was a natural at it, but I was decent enough and more than anything, I just loved the time in the water, and that was a theme that continued to propel me onwards. As my life progressed, I tried some other sports. I tried baseball for a little bit. It was fun, I enjoyed it, but I didn't enjoy it as much as my time at the pool. It got to the point where 7th grade came around and it was that pivotal decision...it was becoming a lot to juggle 3 morning practices a week for swimming, and afternoons, and baseball practice. My parents were like, what do you want to do? Ironically, I was better at baseball at that time but because I enjoyed swimming, I just said, I feel closer to my friends in swimming. I want to go do that. Thankfully. that seemed to be the right choice. That was how we ended up landing on swimming. And it wasn't until probably freshman year of high school that the dream of wanting to be a D1 swimmer, to be on scholarship and then eventually maybe even make an Olympic team started to become a little bit more of a reality. That was when I was able to qualify for Junior Nationals and get some timestamps that put me on the radar of some colleges, where now it became a legitimate possibility."   

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On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we chat with Bernard Robinson, former college basketball and NBA player, strategic consultant and founder of ES&E consulting and management.

Bernard on networking while you're still in college:

"Some of the greatest advice I ever got was to not ever forget about the students that you're going to class with and professors that you're dealing with. These are your future CEOs and future founders. Start to spark those conversations. When you're in that environment, you don't necessarily think of those things, despite people thinking that it's the natural thing to do, you don't think about those things. I call it being in the clouds. You're in the clouds, and everybody knows you. You feel like you're the band. Everybody is talking about the next game, and that's just the life you're in. If you don't take the time out to focus on those things and create your own strategy while you're in college...it will be difficult for you."

Bernard's advice for athletes preparing for the transition out of sports:

"You become great when you transform yourself and you put on a performance. So you understand that in sports, but who are you when you leave sports? Really define those things. Really be sure of those skills. Dive down into what your mindset is and the type of vision that you need to have. Can you visualize who you are at the pinnacle of your success? Have you ever done that? In sports, the end result is that championship, and you dream about that. You work towards trying to be that." 

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On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we chat with Phillip "Phenom" Robinson, former collegiate runner, ESPN + Producer, Youth Success Coach, and successful Podcaster. 

Have you seen some of the challenges that athletes are facing when they get hurt or when they are done with sports?

"Most definitely. There are always going to be challenges. I even had challenges myself because your whole entire life and schedule is revolving around your sport. Especially when you're in college, it is 10 times harder. Once you are nearing the end, it is difficult, depending on what type of athlete you are...Were you the athlete that was trying to go pro, and maybe you are coming up short, and you were putting all your eggs in one basket? And now you're not necessarily sure what you're going to be doing. Or, were you the athlete that knew that you didn't want to go pro, but you've already started networking, going to conferences, and you made sure you were taking care of business to prepare yourself for after college? So it just depends. I've seen both spectrums, and both spectrums have their own challenges."

The big thing right now is NIL. Give me your thoughts on that.

"I am all for it. I'm loving it, honestly, and I'm actually working with a marketing company that helps athletes get NIL deals. You know, as college athletes, we weren't allowed to make money off our name, our brand, or anything like that. There was even a rule within the NCAA that we weren't allowed to have jobs. I had to hide my job from my coaches. So I'm loving now that college athletes can make money off of their personal brand because if the university is going to be selling all these jerseys and things based off of the performance of a person, the athlete should be able to make money from that as well."

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In the latest episode of “ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey” hosted by Alumni Direct, we speak with Chantelle Lott, former elite collegiate runner, literacy advocate, and the CEO and Founder of Bounceless. 

Tell me about growing up playing sports and how that shaped your personality, leading up to college and beyond. 

"Track was my thing. I started running track in middle school and I ran through college. Really, the mindset of an athlete: starting something and sticking to it, that started early for me. I think I've always had this winning mentality, because even before track, people are always racing, and at some point girls are faster than boys, so I was like, "yeah, I got this!" That was my thing, just to keep running and chasing people."

On transitioning out of your sport:

"I think that whatever sport you do can still very much be a part of your life, but don't let it consume you. You are more than your sport. Whatever you studied, you chose that major for a reason, so tap into those passions, because if your sport was your only passion, then what would you do without it? So that's where you have to learn yourself."

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In the latest episode of “ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey” hosted by Alumni Direct, we speak with Corrine Milien, former golf and basketball player, graduate assistant for the Tennessee Lady Vols, co-founder and entrepreneur.

Did the University of Tennessee do anything as far as developing programs to help athletes think about what comes next after sports?

"Yeah, I really got a chance to see that up-close at Tennessee. She (Pat Summit) won 8 national championships, but she also poured into a lot of great athletes, on and off the court. And we have Lady Vols who have their own companies, we have Lady Vols who are broadcasters...To summarize what she said, "I use them for 4 years, I expect them to use me for the rest of my life." And I was really able to see that at its finest. Again, winning 8 national championships, winning all these games, but making sure the student athletes felt like the doors would be open for them. This was a global brand at the time. And if you wanted to fail, you could, but if you showed up, you were going to succeed as a Lady Vol."

What kind of interaction did the schools have in terms of alumni athletes coming back as a resource for current athletes?

"Before starting my own business, I spent 7 years in a nonprofit developing minority student athletes who wanted to work in sport media entertainment, and really going in to be a partner with athletic departments in some of that professional development. And meeting them where they are. By the time they graduate and they are alumni, all they know is their sport, and now they have a degree with some letters behind it, but there's no experience. So I really didn't concern myself with what wasn't happening on campus or how they weren't being engaged...I really tried to be a resource to remind them to make sure after they graduate that they are reaching out to say  "Hey, I'm in Louisiana now and I'm trying to get a job. Is there anybody in the network that you can connect me with?" Because there are limited resources on campus, and in most cases it's 1 or 2 people that are responsible for 22 sports, and it's easier to help those that come into the office. So if you were that guy who knows you didn't go into the office as much as you should, what are you doing now to make those connections?"

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In the latest episode of “ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey” hosted by Alumni Direct, we speak with Darrell Devaul, founder of the PoweringU Foundation. 

Darrell on the importance of teaching young athletes about financial literacy and NIL: 

"That's where I come in. I'm just really educating these high-school kids on how to build their brand, how to say the right things. Because content kills. Content helps you out. Whatever you put on there that's good, from your character, your leadership, your social, and giving back to the community, is going to help you take the next step."

As you're working with these student athletes, what kind of advice would you give them?

"Transitioning from the athlete side, your goal is to brand yourself. Educate yourself. And that goes back to the 4 things that I talk about in my foundation: Character, Leadership, Social and Community. Make sure your character is right...Doing things that are going to make you different. Updating your LinkedIn. Being a leader on and off the field. Giving back to your community. The key to a smooth transition is doing those things that are going to help you in the future. You can't play and not do anything else...if your social media is right and you're doing things on and off of the field, you're going to make some money. And eventually, people are going to see you and you will eventually get a job or have internship opportunities."

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In the latest episode of “ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey” hosted by Alumni Direct, we speak with Keith Sconiers, former college basketball player, podcaster, speaker and entrepreneur. 

Did sports have any affect on shaping how you approach life?

"The thing that really shaped who I was and who I am as a person today really had to do with the relationship I had with my high school coach- the one who got me started playing ball. Prior to him meeting me, I had been expelled 6 times before I got to high school. My freshman year in high school I had a 1.3 GPA and had already been kicked off campus...I was going down the wrong road. And one day, we sat in the car after a booster meeting. He was giving me a ride home and we stopped at a stoplight. And he just looked at me in a very specific way and said "Hey, if you're not going to take this serious, I'm really not gonna mess with you." And it was at that point that I realized that if I didn't get my act straight, then I wasn't going to have an opportunity. And ever since then, I've tended to treat every single opportunity that I have access to with a certain level of professionalism and tenacity that it takes to see the job through. And so, I wouldn't say that it was necessarily the game...it was more the expectations of how you should approach life, that was shaped by that coach. That really had an impact on how I approached life, the sport, and everything that I attempt to do today."

Give me your thoughts on NIL.

"Man, I think it's a great opportunity. I think that if you're an athlete that's a creator, that can create a followership and can create a personal brand for yourself and can leverage that into opportunities, not only for yourself but for the community that you care about making an impact on, I think that is fantastic. I think it's great. I don't think that it's a silver bullet that's going to solve issues, per say, for athletes, because we still have professional athletes that make millions of dollars that difficulty transitioning. And so, I think that if it's not properly handled as it relates to a holistic offering to help an athlete really develop as a person and a professional, then I think that it could exacerbate the issue when it comes to transition, because now how are you going to handle not having the attention from organizations if you haven't done a good job in creating a personal brand that is beyond just who you are as an athlete? If you lose your voice after you're done playing a sport, and you're no longer a great partner for these brands, now how are you going to handle that? And so, I think it's a great opportunity, but with all opportunities come new responsibilities, and I think that if an athlete can approach it with the right mindset and the right support, I think it is a tremendous opportunity."

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In the latest episode of “ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey” hosted by Alumni Direct, we speak with Patrick Venzke: former NFL player, real estate entrepreneur, and motivational speaker. Patrick is the first ever German-born athlete to make it into the NFL. 

Was the school doing things to guide athletes into life after sports when you were a student athlete?

"It's funny you should ask me that. I love the idea of your organization so much because back then, I didn't have any connections or any network. Nobody reached out to me to say 'Hey Patrick, do you need an internship somewhere? What can we do for you?' You may play football for 3-5 years, but you have another career for 40-50 years. So you're doing a real service to the people listening right now. You have to have a game plan for after the game. I was so short-sighted and only focused on football, I didn't really care about networking. Now, 20 years later, being a little more gray and a little more wise you may say, my network that I gained through the NFL is my most valuable asset."

At Idaho now, do they welcome back the alumni, as far as going back and talking to the football players?

"Yes. I just came back from Idaho, giving some speeches to the teams...I gave a short speech to the Idaho Vandals team. I was welcomed back with open arms, but Rob, it wasn't always the same, like you said. Many times, they gave me 2 tickets to the game and say 'hey, thanks for coming by', but they didn't want to tap into my knowledge or experience- everything I have to give after 47 years on this planet... but I think that we are evolving right now and the teams are waking up, saying..."listen to this guy because he built businesses after he left here." And the team was very receptive, and it was a great experience for all of us."

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In the latest episode of “ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey” hosted by Alumni Direct, we speak with Renee Washington, a former college hall of fame soccer player, founder and CEO, and ESPN reporter. 

Tell me about your transition out of sports.

"I always have been someone who juggled multiple things. I grew up playing many sports at once...and for me, as I started trying to figure out what I wanted to do career-wise and professionally, as a public relations major I was actively getting involved. Our school made us have at least one internship for the communications department. Through that internship is what encouraged me to continue having internships and to continue to take advantage of the opportunities to get that hands-on experience. It was through that experience that helped me to really understand that there are aspects that I enjoy about public relations, and there are aspects that I didn't really want to do. And so for my passion and the things I enjoy the most, as I was talking through it, it definitely aligned more with being a reporter. And just having no two days be the same. The full irony is that my undergrad degree is in Public Relations and my masters is in Educational Leadership, and for both of those...I didn't even know how it related to broadcasting. But it's not just about broadcasting, it's about the other things that I do. Public Relations work and definitely Educational Leadership directly relate to the work that I do within my organization and my work outside of broadcasting. I always say, there's value in your degree and your education and your learning, because you never know where it's going to make sense."

What advice would you give to athletes who struggle to transition out of their sport?

"Sports are a vehicle to help you get to some other opportunities, so as you talk about networking and alumni connections and different things, a lot of that comes through sports. As you're training, as you're competing, as you're working on winning games and scoring...also take advantage of those opportunities to learn more about yourself and learn more about what you want to do and what you enjoy doing, and having conversations with people, because at some point sports do come to an end. We all get old, we all have to retire, at least at a competitive level, and so then what? So you want to set yourself up to be prepared for life after sports because it will come at some point or another. I still use my sports background...it still opens doors for me. So, do as much as you can within it, learn as much as you can, meet as many people as you can, but always be thinking about what's next too."

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In the latest episode of “ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey” hosted by Alumni Direct, we speak with Scott Fox, former college athlete, coach and founder of the Champion Playbook. 

Tell me how athletics shaped your personality growing up.

"My parents recognized early on that I had some athletic skill. They forced me, literally kicking and crying, to play baseball. I was about 9 years old at the time, and I stepped onto the field, literally kicking and crying, and I came away saying "I like this". My parents knew that it would be good for me, and they were right. It opened me up. I was a very introverted kid, so it helped me to be able to make friends. It really shaped me because it just gets inside your blood. The other piece of it is the challenges that come with it. I ended up creating my business many years after I stopped playing competitively because, when I was playing, I knew I was missing something, and it was the mental and emotional we'll call it, or the non-physical. And that became the basis for creating my business."

Talk to me about your transition out of sports.

"My transition out of sports was not knowing what in the world to do. I had a liberal arts degree and I was growing up in a family of scientists. What I learned how to do was essentially network....I was just asking people, what do I do? And people are very kind. I was an assistant coach for my father who coached youth sports, so there were parents of other kids that we were coaching. And through a series of passing my resume around, I got my first job. Although before that, I mowed lawns. I created a business called 'The Ivy League Gardener' and my family said, that was brilliant! If you would have kept with that, you would probably have a great business and a great life. And actually with a different paradigm growing up, I might have done that. You see, this is the thing about perspectives. I had the perspective of, I went to college, I'm supposed to have a white-collar job. I didn't know anything about entrepreneurship; my parents were both government workers. It's a very, very different way of looking at life. It affects things. And that's really what I do with my client athletes. We go through some interesting mind-body procedures to peel away stuff that can allow them to see the world a little differently"

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