Latest / The Standard / From Co-Founding Sohoodie to Legacy NIL — What Building Athlete Brands From the Inside Actually Requires | Ep. 73 Michael Baruch

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From Co-Founding Sohoodie to Legacy NIL — What Building Athlete Brands From the Inside Actually Requires | Ep. 73 Michael Baruch · The Standard

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the Standard Podcast, where we raise the bar, rebuild the culture, and call out the lies or misconceptions that nobody else will.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_01: This isn't motivation, this is a movement.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Thomas Rowe alongside my co-host Aaron Sarles, co-founder and CEO of Blueprint to Blue Chip.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: And today we're super excited.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: We're sitting down with Michael Birch, a sports marketing and athlete partnership professional with 11 years of experience spanning NIL, collegiate licensing, brand development, and direct-to-consumer growth.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: Michael currently serves as director of scouting at Legacy NIL, where he works with Division I athletes, coaches, and brands to create marketing opportunities that maximize athlete value.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_01: Before that, he was co-founder of So Hoodie, securing partnerships with athletes including Travis Hunter, AJ Green, Michael Vick, and Aaron Darnold.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_01: While contributing to the company's NFL licensing effort and national retail expansion, he later helped drive the growth of the game, a collegiate headwear band where digital marketing initiatives contribute to significant increases in website traffic, social media engagement, and online sales.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: A former college football player at Dean College and Townsend University, Michael's known for identifying athletes and consumer trends early and for building creative partnerships that connect sports, culture, and commerce.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: He has spent over a decade working at the intersection of athlete identity and brand opportunity.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: And today he's here to talk about what the intersection actually looks like when it's done right and what it costs athletes when it's done wrong.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: And we're diving into the truth behind what it really takes to build identity, discipline, and legacy in sports and in life.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_01: Let's get into it.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: Michael, we're super excited to have you join us.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_02: Thomas and Aaron, thank you guys very much for having me.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_02: It was a pleasure.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_02: That was a great intro.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_02: I really appreciate it.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, of course.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Mike, you spent 11 years in the intersection of NIL, collegiate licensing and brand development, and athlete partnerships.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: What does raising the standard mean to you in this space?
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: And how does it how does it matter how you move forward with athletes and families and colleges?
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know, for me, raising the standard it's pretty simple.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's about hiring the the level that makes everybody around you better.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_02: I think ultimately you want to be a part of a good team, whether that's in sports or in business.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_02: And so to, you know, to get the most out of everybody, you want to raise that standard and keep that bar at a high level.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_02: You know, that depends, right?
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_02: So technically, a lot of people will try and do everything they can to be the best they can.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_02: But ultimately, you want to try and strive for goals that are unattainable to raise everybody else.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_02: And if you can do that every day, in and out, you'll find ways to continue to raise that bar and in this sense raise a standard.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_01: And what do you think is the biggest lie or misconceptions?
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: The sports marketing and NIL industry is selling athletes right now about their value, their brand, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts beyond a single deal.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, Tom, I would say, you know, I've learned this over the last five, six years specifically, working with key athletes at the Division I level.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_02: And it's talent is not just enough, right?
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_02: A lot of these guys are three, four stars, maybe even some five stars out there, and they're being told that due to their athletic significance, that they can achieve everything they want once they get to that certain level.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_02: And it's just not the truth, right?
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_02: Like at the end of the day, you have to be super disciplined in your approach.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_02: You have to understand that talent is very important, but it's only part of everything that you're going to be doing and contributing to be successful at that level.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_02: So for me, I think the biggest lie is talent is not just enough.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, definitely.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that's you know, that was actually the inception of blueprint to blue chip we were talking about because I was, as a sports performance coach, I was always focused on bigger, faster, stronger.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_01: And Aaron was like, you know, what about the character, integrity, and discipline, right?
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_01: What about the athlete who they're when they're not playing, when they're off the field and in post-athletics?
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_01: And I was, you know, that was an aha moment for me.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_01: So you're right, talent isn't enough anymore.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_01: Mike, you played uh college football at Dean College and Talenton University before building your career on the business side.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: How did your experience as an athlete shape the way you approach working with athletes?
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: What do you understand about what athletes are going through that most people don't really see or can't sit on?
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_02: That's a great question.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_02: I think you can only answer that question by being in the fire of the huddle and in the locker room, understanding personalities that are maybe different from your upbringing, all that comes from sports.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_02: So for me, I think the lessons that I learned, especially growing up on Long Island, playing football, junior college in Massachusetts, and then going out to Maryland, is you're going to be faced with a lot of different types of ethnicities and people that are coming from different backgrounds.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_02: So you have to find a way to fit in and understand them for who they are.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_02: At the end of the day, in regards to football, it's the ultimate team sport.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_02: So you really have to have a high level of respect for those individuals that are part of the team, whether that's coaches and players.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_02: Fast forward to the business side, I think it's it gives you the ability and the insight to relate a lot more with these athletes, specifically with So Hoodie doing a lot of the things that I did right out the gate with just messaging these guys, right, on social media.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_02: It's like, well, you got to talk to them a certain way.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_02: They don't just like you know, you're in the huddle or in the locker room with these guys, you're not gonna talk to them in a business sense, right?
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_02: Although that's the objective, but you really want to relate to them.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_02: And I mean doing that at an early stage helped me get into a lot of different relationships with certain players that would then lead to introductions with other players, and you kind of just step by step.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_02: You also understand everybody is different.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_02: So to have the same approach with that with each and every player is not the right thing to do.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_02: You want to kind of really understand each person for who they are and what they stand for.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_01: No question.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_01: No question.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_01: And you're also the current you're currently director of scouting at Legacy NIL, working with D1 athletes, coaches, and brands to create marketing opportunities that maximize athletes' value.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: What does maximizing athlete value actually mean?
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: And why do so many athletes leave significant opportunities on the table?
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_02: So I I would look at it from two ways in terms of having them maximize their potential.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_02: That was the question, correct?
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I would look at it from two ways.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_02: One, your your style and play on the field and what you can contribute on the field is just as important as what you can do off the field.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_02: So let's just, and I'm making this up, right?
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_02: Let's say you're a three-star athlete, you get recruited by Clemson, and you go down there and you have a really good freshman year.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_02: And going into your sophomore year, you're like, okay, I'm the guy on the team, I'm gonna do great things based off of what just took place.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_02: That's not always guaranteed, right?
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_02: Going into your next year.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_02: You have to always continue to maximize, stay in the gym, do things that are gonna keep you at a level to be consistent.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_02: And then off the field, you know, let's say you've had that success.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_02: Well, what does that turn into?
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_02: What brands are you gonna start to get involved in?
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_02: What people do you want to network with?
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_02: I think in today's today's world in sports, it's very important to broaden your horizon, right?
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_02: If you're a player of class and somebody who is is a strong player on the program, there's more ways to maximize your potential other than just being a good ball player.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_02: So that's very important.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_02: That comes first, but then second, it's you know, how do I find the right people to network with and understand how to get the most out of what I just accomplished?
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_01: Right um, no doubt.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: And you co-founded So Hoodie and secured partnerships with Travis Hunter, A.G.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_01: Green, Michael Vick, and Aaron Darnold.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_01: Those are four different athletes at four different stages in their careers.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_01: What did building those partnerships teach you about the difference between an athlete who has built a brand worth partnering and one who was just starting to build one?
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_02: Great question.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_02: I'll start with Mike Vick.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_02: Mike was somebody who we got introduced to through a former player, used to play from the Miami Dolphins.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_02: Chris Chambers was a wide receiver.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_02: Put us in touch with Mike.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, Mike's background, I grew up idolizing Mike.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_02: His you know, picture was on my desktop and posters were on my wall.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, huge fan of the Madden cover playing his game.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_02: So for me, understanding that Mike Vick can open doors and leverage relationships, that was the key for Mike with us.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_02: I knew that Mike could help us in that aspect.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_02: Aaron Donald, when we were talking and doing deals with Aaron, he was at the time the best player in the NFL.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_02: Went to two out of the three Super Bowls in that time span.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_02: I'm sorry, went to two Super Bowls, one lost the other, was defensive player of the year, was basically ranked 99 on all the charts.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, not a really high marketable guy at the time.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_02: But if you're if you know ball and you really loved the sport, you knew that he was maybe one or two of the best players in the game.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, now a lot of people know, and his career speaks for itself, potentially might come back this year.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_02: We'll see.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_02: But no, having him be able to do promotion for us in season was was huge, right?
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_02: We had some we had some things where he was promoting during the Super Bowl and helping us, you know, leverage our brand in that regard, which was great for awareness and support.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_02: Aaron Donald, I'm sorry, AJ Green, not the wide receiver, but the YouTuber, AJ Green.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_02: So a lot of people, it's a little tricky.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_02: A lot of people think that it's AJ Green from the Bengals, but it's not.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_02: It's a YouTuber who in today's world, and I think this podcast makes perfect sense for him to be brought up on it, is what what he was able to grow and do in the football community on a YouTube level and a broadcast channel was incredible.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_02: And he skyrocketed in the years from 2017 to 2020, grew his channel to about 2 million followers, and is now right now basically known as the number one football YouTuber uh in the world.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_02: So being able to leverage his impact and have him wear our brand, do certain things that help scale the company was huge.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_02: And you would say, well, how does how does that even make sense?
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_02: You guys were working with so many football players.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_02: You know, what made you take the leap to work with a YouTuber?
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_02: At first, I was against it and thought that it really wasn't going to be the best situation for us, but it took our brand to a whole other level.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_02: And a lot of the times, right, you think of these athletes, they can only really do so much, right?
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_02: They're getting involved with all these other companies and other brands that are helping them or they're helping those brands.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_02: And AJ at the time was all in on the product and wanting to get the most out of it.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_02: And for us, it was like, well, how do we shy away from that?
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_02: So helping him build his platform as well as you know, he was building ours, it was a good relationship that that truly helped the uh the company.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, you just can't shy away from internet or social media opportunities.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, athletes, yeah, they're incredible and they have a but they have a short window, right?
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, not all of them, unless you're a you know, a Michael Vick or somebody, but some of these athletes just fade off after and they don't embrace the whole social media aspect and opportunities.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: Blueprint to blue chip is built on the belief that identity has to come before opportunity.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: That uh who is an athlete who is settled before the brand deal arrives, from where you sit on the brand and marketing side, what happens to athletes who get the NIL opportunity before they've done the initial work?
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_02: It's a great question.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_02: In some cases it works out, right?
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_02: So I'll start by saying in some cases it it does work out, in others it doesn't.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_02: And I think if we just focus on the ones that it doesn't, there's a lot of times where players are getting the money, getting these deals.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_02: And sure, it supports their family, it supports their short-term goals, but I would question what was the first goal, right, that they had.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_02: And if it was to make a lot of money, great, but I don't think that's in most cases what these guys are are truly about.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_02: They want to they want to play at a high level, and whether that's getting to the NFL, maybe playing overseas, Canada, or being a top player at the college level, you have to keep that in mind.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_02: And I think for me, I've seen a lot of guys have that opportunity, right, with these brands, these marketing deals, and the idea of playing the sport gets lost, which is tough because you know, at the end of the day, that's what it is.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_02: It's a sport you want to play and be successful at.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_02: All the other things that will come along, that's gonna be based off of your, you know, your skill and what you're able to do on the sport and on the field.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_02: But for me, I think it's more so finding ways to be in the level set of that and understanding that the deals will come, money is always there, but you really have to prove yourself.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_02: And if you don't, you know, it can get taken from you pretty quickly.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: No question.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_01: No question.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome, Mike.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: On this one, I'm gonna turn it over to Aaron for Culture, Commerce, and the Athlete Identity.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron, take it away.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: Great.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to dive into you've helped drive the growth of the game, a collegiate headware brand using digital marketing to significantly grow traffic, engagement, and sales.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: That work lives at the intersection of sports, culture, and commerce.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: How do you think, how do you think about building something that connects all three authentically versus chasing a moment?
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: Or how do you teach even these athletes that yeah?
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I just want to be clear on what you're asking.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_02: You're you're basically saying what's the best way to teach athletes how to interconnect with the brands?
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, and I think bring it together where it's not uh kind of segmented or where they're only focused on it to just have an opportunity, but where it could really grow their brand.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_02: So for me, the answer would be in the moments, the key moments that are gonna display themselves throughout that year or that time period, an athlete wants to gravitate to those moments.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_02: For example, you see every day, you know, and I just mentioned to you guys before one of our athletes just signed to North Carolina yesterday and did a whole entire thing with the Jordan brand, which is one of the biggest uh the Jordan Shoes, which is one of the biggest brands at North Carolina, and being able to understand that in that moment, utilizing that aspect of a product is key.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_02: So with the game caps, if you know so many guys that commit will put pat on their head and you know, choose that school through that moment.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_02: To me, it was understanding how to get the the most out of that and understanding that you know certain athletes might not want to do it, might feel obligated to do something else.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_02: But if you could put that in front of them and be a part of that moment for for that athlete and their family, it's it's certainly kids.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: Perfect.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: That's yeah, I think you have to see some moments that are in front of you.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: So you also, when you're scouting athletes at Legacy NIL, what are you actually looking for beyond the on-field performance?
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: And what does that what does an athlete look like who has built something real?
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, go ahead.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: Go forth.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_02: To answer your first question, we were just at a high school here in New York, and we met with a defensive tackle who's ranked the number one defensive tackle in New York State.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_02: He's a sophomore, class of 2028.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_02: He's already bench pressing 405 and squatting 415.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_02: For a player of his age who just turned 16, that's pretty impressive.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_02: What was more impressive is when he walked into the room, shook our hands, gave us great eye contact, eye contact, and conducted himself like a student athlete should.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's what is going to catch these coaches' eyes is how you conduct yourself, how you're well spoken, your mannerisms, all that's super important.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_02: I think, you know, being a part of scouting, that's the first thing you look at.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, that comes from family foundations, how you're raising that that individual, and that transcends.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_02: I think that is is number one.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: And part two of your question was part two was what's you kind of just touched on it, but what is that you touched on his home life, the way he shows up, versus I think somebody that doesn't have any foundation.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, have you seen those guys out and about or interacted with them?
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: Like kind of, I think so our audience can understand what's the trajectory and why is I think character, the intangibles, almost more important than the on the field stuff, which is equally as important, but I think coaches are looking for the intangibles.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_02: For for those that might lack that, we'll say I think it's just gonna come down to how you set yourself up in front of people in general, right?
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_02: If you're that way in front of coaches or other teammates, you're gonna be that same way in business.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_02: The sport is not forever.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_02: I think everybody's understanding of that.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_02: So it's how you really conduct yourself after that's gonna leave the the blueprint and the imprint on how you can be successful in this life.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_02: So for me, I've seen that a little bit more on the seven-on-seven circuit.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you have these high-level teams that are flying in competing against other teams, and you can tell right off the bat who's taking it serious from the level of top to bottom character, high play, how they conduct themselves with others.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_02: And then you see the other, you know, athletes and players that are not as serious, maybe just there for the ride, there for the moment.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and that's I think you know, just from the IL aspect and contributing from scouting, you see it, but I'm sure it that heightens at the coaching level when they're scouting as well.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_00: That's a great answer.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: Show up to be your best kids.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_00: What's one truth you wish every college athlete understood about NIL brand partnerships and what it actually takes to build something that lasts that most people aren't seeing in the space right now?
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_02: Consistency.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's uh it's something that you're building towards every day.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_02: Just because you're a four or five star, and I think I kind of mentioned this earlier in the call, it's it's consistency.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_02: You want to you want to work at it every day.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's a privilege to be in that competition, right?
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_02: To have success, whether that's on the field or off, you know.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_02: Take time off and let's just say three stars and it's off season right now.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_02: You're playing video games, you know, like what what are you doing?
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_02: I think there's a an important aspect to you that every day, whether it's prepping, whether that's in the weight room, whether that's watching film, find ways to network what's agree.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_02: These guys should be being paid, but ultimately it's about you know finding that consistency and working towards it every day.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you've earned your stars, but you've got to keep earning your stars every day.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: Just because they said five star once doesn't mean that's forever.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's a really great point.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_00: With that, I'm gonna kick it back over to Thomas.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome, Aaron.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Mike.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_01: You were once a collegiate athlete, and this is kind of if you knew then what you knew now.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, first off, can you imagine if we had NIL opportunities back then, besides other than the just the secret$100 handshake?
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_01: My God.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_01: For those athlete for those college athletes who are just entering the NIL space, freshman or sophomore transfer, when they're building their profile or starting to get interest from brands, what do they need to understand before they sign anything or post anything?
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I think you know, what they should understand is, you know, you're making a commitment, not only to the team, but to yourself.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_02: So to follow that commitment and understand that, you know, this is maybe one of the first biggest decisions you'll make in your life.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_02: I think you mentioned it before.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_02: The idea of, you know, the underhand, the under the table handshakes, those still exist today, believe it or not.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, it's not as mentioned because you have a lot of this overhang of these deals and all these different types of ways that NIL can capture you.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_02: For me, I would say, you know, you want to just find that that niche, that niche way of of being a smart individual before you sign that that contract and understand that you know you're not part of a rival's ranking anymore.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: You're a part of a team.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_02: And that team, right, based off when you get to camp and showing is to really dictate how to run your life.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_02: You have to accept that being a professional and boss.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_01: And what advice do you or your team give to athletes when they truly understand the pitfalls of taking on a new responsibility like an NIL deal?
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_01: Because keep in mind they still have to go to class, they still have to remain eligible to play.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_01: And then they also have to learn the playbook and understand the offense, the X's and O's of the game.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_01: And then now they've just taken on a third responsibility.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_01: What advice do you give these athletes, these families, to make sure they understand exactly what they're getting into and not getting in over their head to where all three are compromised?
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_02: Be yourself.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_02: Be yourself.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_02: Don't try and, you know, there like you just said, it's a lot that's going on, but you got there because of being you.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_02: And I would say to all the athletics that are aspiring to have all that success, you look at the ones that have done it at the highest level.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_02: Their foundation is what is driving them.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_02: Whether that's taking on a handful of different tasks through school, through football, or through branding, be who you are, understand that, and go all in.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_01: Sure, sure.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_01: And on that one, as far as NIL and the transfer portal, it almost seems like peanut butter jelly that it goes hand in hand.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_01: But you and I both know like to really build a legacy on a campus, you have to endure adversity and hardship.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that and that means if you go to a power for school, there's going to be the guys that are playing ahead of you are also high school all Americans.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_01: How do you mentor these young men to just understand that there is adversity and don't hit the emergency exit as soon as things get hard or troublesome?
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's a great question.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it's it's tough, right?
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_02: Like you're being told through the recruiting process that you're the guy, you're the one that's going to come on campus and develop and flourish in that program.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_02: And sometimes that's just not the case.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, that's why you see so many of these individuals going from program to program and trying to find that area where they can be successful.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_02: My advice is to stay the course, right?
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_02: You have to have belief in yourself.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_02: You have to have a work ethic that's going to last and outlast your teammates.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_02: Like at the end of the day, that's that's still what this is.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_02: There are some deficiencies, whether it's certain metrics that don't match up to other players, and that's tough, you know.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_02: And if you're a fullback that's 215 pounds, and the other fullback in front of you is 295, 28, 285, that's going to be a hard thing to jump.
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_02: But I would say there's other ways that you can make your mark on the program, right?
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_02: There's special teams.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_02: There's being a great teammate.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_02: There, I mean, there's probably a handful of guys that we don't even know their names that were such great teammates through networking and understanding how to be a team player that they're very successful now off the field.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_02: That would be my recommendation is do not get caught up in the failures of not being a successful athlete based off of everything that encompasses, but find ways to find your own truth and ways that you can be successful.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_01: On that one, Mike, I'm gonna turn it back over to Aaron for rapid fire round.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron, it's all yours.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_01: Take it away.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_00: So this one's fun.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_00: So I just start a sentence and you're gonna finish it, okay?
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: Discipline equals consistency.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_02: Faith equals legacy equals character equals being well, can I do more than one word?
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_00: Sure, sure.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_02: Being yourself.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I love that.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_00: What is one thing that you would never compromise on?
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_02: Me personally, my integrity.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_00: I love it.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_00: And my final question before I kick it back to Thomas is if you could put a billboard for the next generation of athletes, what would your message on that billboard be?
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, I love that question.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_02: That's a good one.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_02: No, no, I'd say your future is built by the little things you do every day.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_02: I think going back to being consistent and having a strong foundation, if you can, if you can build by build every day, that'll show up in your future.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I think that's thoroughly important.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_00: That's so great.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_00: I thought you were gonna say be yourself, because I've gotten that out of this, and I love that message from you.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_00: I think I think it gets lost.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_00: I think people are trying to be who they're not, and you gotta be who you are.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_00: But that promises back to you.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks, Mike.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_01: Before we wrap it up, we always like to turn it over to our guests.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_01: Is there something we didn't touch on today that you feel athletes, coaches, or anyone building an NIL or sports marketing space, what they need to hear or understand?
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I would say for me personally, and I'm just thinking off the top of my head, you know, I wasn't a five-star recruit.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_02: I wasn't even a two-star recruit.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't have anything handed to me.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_02: Went from a small school in Long Island to a junior college in Massachusetts, and ended up walking onto a Division I double-A program.
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_02: But through those, you know, different ventures, I was able to partner with some of the greatest athletes that were played the game, worked some great brands, created one of my own.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_02: And I think a lot of that comes from what I learned in the process.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, it might not be what you think is gonna be when you get started, right?
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_02: Right for me, I thought I was gonna be a top player in the country and you know, have my name all over that wasn't in my car.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_02: I understand from a from a pretty early age, what was I gonna get out of this experience?
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_02: And I think looking back on it, you know, it it ended up working out for me even better than I could have hoped.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_02: So for me, I would say, you know, continue to believe in yourself, but more so have aspirations that might be not even in your idea of thinking right now.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_02: Because ultimately, if you form connections, you understand people, it'll happen for you.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_01: Mike, you went from the rapid fire to the hot seat, top three sports movies of all time, according to Mike.
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_02: That's easy.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_02: Sport in general or football.
• 29:42
  SPEAKER_02: Sports in general.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_02: If we're going to sports in general, I'm gonna say we did a lot right now.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_02: Number two.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_01: Mike, you still there?
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_01: Also, Mike, you went with from the rapid fire round with Aaron, and now I'm gonna put you in the hot seat.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_01: What are the top three sports movies of all time, according to Mike?
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_02: Awesome question.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_02: I'm a huge movie guy.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_02: My number one is he got game, Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, Ray Allen.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_02: Number two, number two is Friday Night Friday Night Lights.
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's the no-brainer.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_02: Booby Miles.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_02: And then three is the first football movie that gravitated to me was Remember the Titans.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's a real that's a popular one.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_01: That is a that's a really good one.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you know, that's it's a question we like to ask a lot of athletes like yourself on the show because some it's so funny when we get baseball players, like major league baseball players, and then they psych golf, hockey, and like boxing.
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_01: You're like, really?
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's but I guess if you're just around it the whole time.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_01: I've never played hockey in my life, but for me, number one is miracle, number two is rocky, number three is Hoosiers, and everything else after that's an honorable mention.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_01: So there's so many great movies.
• 31:21
  SPEAKER_02: You know, miracles are miracles are honorable mention for sure.
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no question.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_01: No question.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_01: Mike, where can people get a hold of you, whether it's a website, your social media, or an email?
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I'm running the social media pages for LegacyNIL.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_02: Send me a DM.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_02: I'm happy to, you know, talk any way I can help, whether it's recruiting, whether that's understanding where you're at in the stage of the game now.
• 31:51
  SPEAKER_02: My personal Instagram is Michael Barush47.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_02: And yeah, no, I'm definitely interested in helping anybody out that can use it for sure.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_01: Mike, thank you so much for giving us an inside look at what the NIL and athlete partnership world actually looks like, and for being honest about what it costs athletes who aren't ready for it.
• 32:12
  SPEAKER_01: Team, if this conversation hits you, do two things for us.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_01: One, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_01: A college athlete built in their NIL profile, a coach trying to navigate the landscape with their athletes, and a brand looking for partnerships built on something real.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_01: And two, connect with Michael on LinkedIn or some of the handles that he gave you.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_01: We're gonna put attach those in the show notes.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_01: If you're a division one athlete or brand looking to build meaningful partnerships, that's the conversation worth having having.
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_01: Definitely look into hooking up with Mike.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_01: And if you're an athlete parent or coach ready to raise a standard, reach out to Aaron and myself at blueprintbluechip.com.
• 32:49
  SPEAKER_01: We help athletes build identity, discipline, and legacy that goes well beyond the game.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_01: And if this episode has resonated with you, leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts for Spotify.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_01: It helps us reach more athletes, parents, and leaders who need to hear Mike's message.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_01: This is a standard podcast, and this movement only grows when we raise the standard together.
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_01: Talent fades, but truth endures.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_01: Let's raise the bar, rebuild the culture, and become the standard.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_01: Mike, thanks so much.
• 33:17
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron, you both have a fantastic day.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_01: Team, we'll see you next time.
• 33:21
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you, guys.
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_02: It was a pleasure.
• 33:23
  SPEAKER_02: Have a great day.