Now, you can take this one of two ways.
Either you’re ahead of the curve, or well behind it. It all depends… You see, for most people, their year has just started. But if you’re reading this, you’re halfway through.
After all, our year starts in August, right?
Anyway, let’s say you’ve been with Ball Business for a few months and have put some ideas in motion… Congratulations! You, my friend, are ahead of the curve.
Now all you need to do is give us a call. We’ll help you really get the ball rolling. Marketing, strategies, advertising, you name it. (Hit the big red button)
However, let’s say you’ve procrastinated. Claiming all the usuals:
- No time
- No money
- No ideas
Well, then, I’m afraid to say you’re well and truly behind. The good news is that there’s still time.
This week we’ll show you why all the excuses in the world don’t matter. Here are 3 players you’d never guess are making big moves in business.
1/ HECTOR BELLERIN – B-Engaged
What is it:
Like us, Bellerin has strong opinions on players being more than players.
He’s the founder of B-Engaged, a marketing agency managing the commercial activities of some of the world’s top talents.
Their services include managing and growing social media profiles and connecting clients with brand deals.
How it works:
Hector uses his creative mind (and a hired team) to create social media content and marketing for fellow players.
He knows the power of social media. Long before B-Engaged, he was Mr. Content.
He saw colleagues missing the opportunity to build an audience. So, he started a company that did it for them.
What you can learn:
Sell a product/service to help people make more money. Look around you. Where are people underutilising their skills, time, or personalities?
The truth is that people want the results but don’t want to put in the time.
Things like social media, meal prepping, investing, and even networking.
Do it for them.
2/ Blaise Matuidi – Origins
What is it:
Matuidi launched the investment fund Origins with two French investors and former player Yohan Benalouane.
They have since invested in ten start-ups. The fund has up to 50 European athletes onboard.
How it works:
Like any investment firm, Origins takes a group of other people’s money (LPs), pools it together, and invests it into businesses.
The idea is for the businesses they invest in to grow and for more money to return to the fund. This way, everyone gets paid.
Here’s the clever part. Origin’s money all comes from high-profile athletes. So not only do they invest in businesses, they promote them too.
The fund has a combined 160,000,000 followers across social media. We smell money.
What you can learn:
Let’s assume you’re not a World Cup winner like Matuidi. So, your boys probably don’t have millions of pounds and millions of followers.
But they might have thousands.
You can still follow this playbook. Leading a group of players to invest in smaller or more local businesses.
They need promoting too.
Or maybe you don’t invest in a business, but you start one together. That way, you can access thousands of followers when the business needs it
3/ Marlon Harewood – AC13 Premier
What is it:
Former journeyman, Marlon Harewood, is running a Pimp My Ride-style business providing flash motors for top players.
AC13 is a car dealer and servicing business tailored to footballers’ requirements.
The company gives him a ticket to continue dealing with top stars like John Stones and Harry Kane, with the footballers now clients who want their sports cars customised and equipped with the latest modifications.
How it works:
After a bad experience with one of his car deals, Marlon asked his now AC13 co-founder Andy, if he could help sort out his next deal.
Once he did and all went smoothly, the idea for AC13 was born.
Not only does Marlon source luxury cars, but he also customises them with paint jobs, sound systems, bespoke leather seats, and new wheels.
Players can even have their shirt numbers stitched on the interior.
Marlon knows everyone in football, so finding clients comes easily.
What you can learn:
Sell to people with money to spend.
Having a network in this arena means he can tailor the business to their needs. Yes, it’s a small market, but it’s also a rich one.
What pain points do you and your teammates all have? How about the owners and sponsors? Your network is your net worth. You can solve these problems better than anyone.
So there you have it. You could start any of these businesses today. You don’t need a fancy website or an office. Start small and prove you can do it first.
- Hire a social media manager for your mate.
- Find businesses looking for investment and be the middleman. Just take a commission.
- Ask teammates if they’re looking for a new car and find them the best deal.
You only need to know where to start, what to do next and vaguely where you’d like to end up. All the other stuff becomes clear on the way. Trust.
