A Passion Project

One of the reasons that I love working within the world of strategic branding for professional athletes and influencers has absolutely nothing to do with the glitz and the glamour. In fact, the parties, having my name on guest lists, and rubbing elbows with sought after "A-listers" doesn't do it for me. What I love most is everything that goes on behind the scenes. I love getting to know these individuals as simple humans - for the things that make them unique and most importantly, relatable. I love when they confide in me when real life things are happening. Or when they just want to be "normal" and not have to maintain any sort of image or persona in front of the cameras, fans, or media. 

It's one of the reasons that I was so excited to launch a passion project with Terrell Owens. Shortly after working on a business endeavor with TO I was invited out to YouTube HQ in San Bruno, CA to meet with their influencer team. After getting to know the ins and outs of the platforms (and also touring their insane campus that's fully equipped with everything your could imagine) TO was the first person that came to mind to launch a channel. The main reason being the fact that as we continued to worked together on a start that we were both involved in, I got to know him beyond what most people see. I came to understand his true personality and savvy business skills. It sparked my passion that I mentioned earlier in regards to my favorite part of this business, and pushed me to want to let the rest of the world in on the real TO that I had come to know. 

One of our scheduled shoots earlier this year happened to fall shortly after Kobe Bryant's tragic accident. After a few tough yet endearing conversations it only made sense to find a way to put together a dedication to Kobe, told through Terrell's point of view, sharing his personal experiences and memories. It has come to be one of my favorite episodes that we have done - for a multitude of reasons. One, of course, being the fact that I was a huge Kobe Bryant fan myself, and am proud to say that his #24 Lakers jersey is the only jersey that I've ever owned (I was born and raised a Bulls fan, but followed Phil Jackson from Chicago to LA and shortly after became acquainted with a star named Kobe Bryant - and as with most, the rest was history). I also loved this project because it was one more opportunity to sit down with Terrell in his element, in the comfort of his own home, and listen to him tell his personal stories of his time spent with Kobe. 

In honor or Kobe Bryant Day yesterday I shared my favorite portion of the YouTube video on my IGTV. You can watch the full episode on TO's channel. Make sure you subscribe while you're there. 

Rest in peace, Kobe. I continue to pray for Vanessa, their girls, and all of their extended family and friends. #mambamentality