There’s no ‘I’ in “team,” as they say.
There is an ‘I’ in “tennis,” however. And in “golf professional,” if that’s not too much of a stretch.
If you’re setting out on the long, lonely road to collegiate and/or professional golf or tennis, you’ll need to do some things differently than your team-player peers.
For starters, you may need to find a sponsor for your ambitions. A career in tennis or golf doesn’t come cheap, after all: tournament entry fees, equipment, coaching, travel all cost money.
If you’re in the market for a single sponsor (or composite sponsorship) for your career, follow these tips.
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Turn to Friends and Family
Entrepreneurs look in all manner of places for early-stage funding. Why should aspiring solo athletes be any different?
For many budding business owners, close friends and family members serve as irreplaceable sources of seed capital during the pre-revenue “death zone.” If you’re blessed with a relatively well-heeled network — or one or two loaded relatives — you’d be remiss not to do the same. Make it clear that their investments are loans, not grants, and you’re good to repay ‘em once you start placing in tournaments.
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Consider a Self-IPO
Once you’ve exhausted your friends and family, make like a true entrepreneur and opt for a self-IPO. Sports entrepreneur Ryan Nivakoff helped pro golfer Daniel Mazziotta avoid a self-IPO, but Mazziotta told the Fort Myers News-Press that he was fully onboard with the strategy. Perhaps you’ll be the one to show him just how well it works.
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Start a Crowdfunding Campaign
“There’s an app for that,” ran the old iPhone commercial.
These days, the slogan might as well be: “there’s a GoFundMe for that.” Sporting aspirations are a fair bit happier (if no lower-stakes) than cripplingly expensive health emergencies, it’s true, but the idea remains the same. Another upshot of crowdfunding: the option to offer rewards to individual investors.
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Hustle, Hustle, Hustle
Use the meager moments you have off the court or links to hustle your way to solvency. Pick up a part-time job or freelance consulting work to make ends meet. Every dollar you make on your own terms is a dollar you won’t have to beg for later.
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Network With Boosters and Alums (But Stay on the Right Side of the Ethical Line)
Your college or university alumni network almost certainly includes deep-pocketed fans willing to support your athletic endeavors. The tough part is staying on the right side of the ethical compact to which you must adhere as a student athlete. It’s probably best to connect down the line, once you’ve severed your ties with your alma mater.
Be Your Own Brand Ambassador
As a solo athlete, you don’t have the luxury of leaning on a front office or athletic department staffed with marketing pros. You’re your own best brand ambassador — perhaps your only brand ambassador, save for the friends and family members you’ve convinced to sport your swag.
You could look at this at yet another obligation that your team-player peers don’t have to deal with. Or you could see it for the opportunity that it is: an opportunity to set yourself apart not only from your fellow competitors, but from the non-athletes who’ve chosen the easier, less exciting path.