Players Show Off Their Business Knowledge at 2014 BM&E Program

By Samantha Kleinman
NFL Player Engagement

On April 3^rd, 26 current and former NFL players descended on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. But they weren’t there for a college reunion (although for a few it served that dual purpose). They were there to spend four days attending intensive business courses, networking with faculty and mentors, and developing solid business plans during the 2014 Business Management & Entrepreneurial Program (BM&E).

After fighting through wind, rain, and many delayed and cancelled flights, everyone arrived and the program kicked off with a panel of former NFL players who have successfully transitioned into the business world. As the focus of the Notre Dame program is social impact, the opening panel featured players with a variety of businesses: J.R. Tolver discussed his recycling company Global Green (social venture), Charlie Batch provided insight into how he built up his foundation (non-profit), Deke Cooper shared some of his learnings from starting a daycare center with his wife (traditional for-profit), and Jeff Faine discussed the importance that relationships and having the right business partners play at his financial services firm (traditional for-profit). J.R., who attended the Notre Dame BM&E Program in 2013 and worked diligently with his mentors and other faculty after the program to develop the concept for Global Green, excellently summed up how a business idea can come to life: “I was in Panama City with friends. They were just hanging out, but I kept on talking to them about all of the cans I saw in the trash. And they didn’t care, but it started an idea in my head.” The best idea can come when you least expect it…

Ideas were the name of the game at this year’s BM&E Program, as the participants were asked to give elevator pitches about their business ideas on the first night of the program. The top five ideas, as voted on by the group, became the topics of the group business pitch competition, which the participants worked on throughout the program and presented to a panel of mock investors on the final day. The variety of business ideas was impressive, and ultimately the group landed on the following five for the group projects:

Residential real estate development/relocation service: Presented by Anthony Armstrong; team members: Darryl Tapp, Will Svitek, Eric Olsen, Zane Beadles, and Ryan Mundy
Shock absorbing foot insoles: Presented by Bryan Scott; team members: Tim Masthay, Shaun Cody, Josh Martin, and Jerome Felton
Farmland and livestock holding company (Kings of the Land): Presented by Austin Spitler; team members: Andy Alleman, Vontae Davis, Joe Reitz, and Brian Arnfelt
Drive-thru coffee hut (Mean Gene Coffee): Presented by Kevin McDermott; team members: Michael Palmer, Sam Young, Brandon Fields, and J.J. Jansen
Posture correcting/protective athletic wear (Titan): Presented by DeMarcus Ware; team members: Andre Gurode, Moran Norris, Dunta Robinson, and Vincent Fuller

Once the business ideas and the teams were selected, the participants were off and running. They spent the next few days learning about financial analysis, diversifying investments, how to build a solid business plan, and how to make the “perfect pitch” to investors and potential partners. Perhaps most importantly, they spent time building relationships with the Notre Dame faculty and the large group of mentors, who were all successful businesspeople themselves and volunteered their time to be at the program. The participants and mentors worked together from early in the morning through the evening talking business, brainstorming ideas, and sharing laughs (the program isn’t all work and no play, we had some fun too).

The work and progress that the participants made on their group projects was evident to everyone on the last day of the program. All five groups stood up in front of their fellow participants, the mentors, and a panel of mock investors and confidently presented well-developed, intriguing business plans that everyone felt had real potential to move forward and become viable business opportunities. Ultimately, there was no “winner” in the group business pitch competition (the judges had too hard of a decision), but you could say that everyone came out a winner because they left the program with more knowledge, new connections, and memories of four days well spent.

If you want to read first-hand accounts of the program from some of the participants, check out the following blog posts by Tim Masthay, Josh Martin, and Bryan Scott (and some musings by Andre Gurode). Make sure to follow the NFLPE blog (http://www.nflpe.sportsblog.com) throughout the offseason for more updates from players.

Day 1, by Tim Masthay

Day 1, by Josh Martin

Day 1, by Bryan Scott

Day 2, by Tim Masthay

Day 2, by Josh Martin

Day 2, by Bryan Scott

Day 3, by Tim Masthay

Day 3, by Josh Martin

Recap, by Tim Masthay

Recap, by Bryan Scott

Musings Part 1, by Andre Gurode

Musings Part 2, by Andre Gurode