Note to Parents!

If your child sees themself as the CEO of their own company (with a business card) then their decisions become BUSINESS decisions.

“It’s difficult enough today to be in business. However, it is dangerous to be in business and not know you ARE in business!” – Dr. Dan

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You Inc. The Athlete CEO

By Dr. Dan Schaefer

It happens very quickly. The contract is in front of you, your pen moves across the paper, the ink is still not dry and your business status changes immediately. 

From now on every decision you make, both on and off the field becomes a Business Decision. It’s no longer just football, baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, hockey or boxing. You are the franchise, the talent, and the product whichever way you would like to describe it. Ok! You buy the concept…now what? 

Successful CEO’s are constantly challenged to guide their company toward long- term success. Focusing on their product or service, they become responsible for product development and improvement, public relations, sales and marketing, branding as well financial and legal issues that affect their firm. Success, once reached, requires constant attention. Taking your eye off the ball can lead to disaster.

So CEO’s need answers. They know that they do not have to have all the answers. They need three things; the right questions, the right people to ask and then they need the courage to ask. They also must access their own skills. Do they have to assemble the best team possible or can they carry the ball themselves? If they need a team where does the recruiting start? No sane quarterback would face a defensive line with just himself and the center. 

Success management seems to have it’s own set of rules. They apply to sports as well as business, entertainment and the arts. What can the athlete draw from a successful business practice? 

A SWOT analysis is a formula to quickly assess an individual or company. 

Let’s conduct a quick SWOT analysis:

Strengths… What talents have taken you to the professional level in your sport? Coaching plus your lifestyle choices either add to or take away from your competitive edge. How do you practice and play your mental game? Do you work on focus and concentration? Are you aware those athletes who work on their MIND GAME almost never talk about it. They often describe it as a secret weapon. Teams, using this strategy as a group, insist on a confidentiality agreement. How and when you train, what you eat and drink, where you go and with whom, virtually every decision you make is a BUSINESS DECISION. 

Weaknesses… Where do you need assistance to maintain and assure your business growth? How do you protect your future? First, it is important to identify what you do well. Consider your current financial oversight. Are you asking the right questions of the RIGHT people? Remember, the only dumb questions are the ones you don’t ask. Basically, take the first round draft picks in each area once you have identified what you need. 

Opportunities Question… You are your business. What opportunities are open to you today that you are not taking advantage of, both on and off the field? Personal Strategic Planning dictates, as it does for the CEO, that you look beyond your life in sports, including off season and retirement. 

• Are the questions you are asking focusing far enough into the future? 
• Is my lifestyle a risk to my company, it’s image, or future earning potential? 
• Am I endorsement or commercial material? 

Threats… What threats exist for your company? 

• Letting someone else control your company 
• Asking the wrong questions to the wrong people 
• Not seeking second opinions 
• Inaction and doing nothing!

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The following is an excerpt from Chad Pennington’s forward to Dr Dan’s book, CLICK! The Competitive Edge:

“In 2007 I had a lot of time to think; that’s pretty much what you get to do when you’re spending time on the bench.  It would have been very easy to hear myself echoing the comments of a lot of sports writers and saying my career was finished or that I’d lost my touch.  But that’s not what I chose to do.

Instead, I reached out to Dr. Dan Schaefer.  I first worked with Dr. Dan in 2005 after a shoulder injury.  At that point, we used hypnosis and some other techniques to control my self-talk, restore my confidence and help me get back in the game.  But 2007 was when I really took ownership.

In order to stay in the game – and be successful in it – you have to keep it simple.  This is the biggest challenge professional athletes face. With all the variables – media attention, family responsibilities, pressure from friends and business opportunities – it’s so easy for everything to crumble.  

This core concept of who you are – Dr. Dan calls it “You, Inc.” – is important to the longevity and success of your career as an athlete, but the concept goes beyond the football field.  It goes into family life, financial life, business life. In all these areas success comes back to that core concept. If you don’t remain true to it, you can get involved in things you have no business being in.  

The techniques that Dan and I have worked on over the past six years have truly helped me keep my craft at the center.  Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to provide for my wife and three boys. There’s no manual that tells you how to be a professional athlete – or how to convert your success on the field to success off the field.  This book helps to fill that gap.”

Chad Pennington
NFL Quarterback
Excerpt from Chad Pennington’s forward to Dr Dan’s book, CLICK! The Competitive Edge

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I welcome your 15 minute complimentary call on Zoom to talk about where you want to be.

dan@danschaeferphd.com

Call or text Dr. Dan
(917) 880-6758