Are Your Representatives 'Repping' You The Right Way?

There is a general perception of athletes that we are nothing more than dumb jocks, only excelling in athleticism and in sport - but failing miserably in other matters of business. As an athlete, I WOULD take offense to that…if that narrative didn’t hold true for many of my male and female counterparts in sports. 

The part of the story you don't hear concerns the trust factor. As athletes climb the success ladder, the list of trustworthy individuals grows shorter and shorter by the day. So, what is a baller to do? Recognizing that business concepts, money matters, and other topics aren’t most athletes’ strengths, who should they trust to help them? As passionate beings, many of us choose our representatives based on emotion rather than logic, putting family members, friends, and those who make us ‘feel’ good in trustworthy positions.

Now, that decision can work out to be a good one…IF the appointed manager or representative is qualified, professional, and understands how to separate the personal from the business. However, far too often, an athlete’s growth and success is hindered, because his or her representative isn’t representing him or her properly.

The top choice for most athletes is to hire a family member to guide them. Now, there is a place for a qualified relative around you, but there are also ways inexperienced family members can earn their salary. If you just want to give them money (which Kobe Bryant and I highly discourage), allow them to earn an appropriate salary for their skill level and job duties, then encourage them to get educated and qualified. The same goes for friends who no understanding of the business of sports and how to properly represent you and add value to your brand.

With athletes being magnets for attention, requests, opportunities, and lawsuits, any person representing an athlete in any way must balance protecting them from the public, while also searching for opportunities for growth. As President of The Athlete’s Nexus, I relied on over a decade of experience to add a Business Management component to my representation model to meet this under-served need of players across all sports. Our model covers financial representation, general business representation, marketing representation, lifestyle management, and more. We frequently have to speak on our clients’ behalf, and both professionalism and insight in the industry are required.

Now, for any athlete evaluating who to add to their professional team to represent them in any way – whether this is an agent, business manager, personal assistant, or other professional - understand that whomever you place in this very important position of leadership is an extension of you. Sometimes, this person is the only contact the public will have with you and your brand, and the perception of your representative can easily become the perception of you. For example, if your representatives are unprofessional, rude, inexperienced, and more, it can cause a poor image to be attached to you and your brand. I can’t tell you how many people have reached out to me over the years with, “ You need to work with _____! He needs some help!” because their representatives are clearly unqualified to hold such an important position.

So, what questions can an athlete or other professional ask to evaluate who they should choose to REP them properly? Well, here are a few suggestions to take heed when adding value through your representatives:

1.      Does this person have the educational background or experience RIGHT NOW to serve in this position? Have they done this before? While people can absolutely grow with you, be mindful of the precious time you may waste in capitalizing on career opportunities.

2.      Does this person’s lifestyle lend to being able to serve an athlete’s fast-paced and competitive lifestyle, oftentimes during unorthodox hours? Unfortunately for many, this business moves FAST. Your representative must understand that and thrive on the unpredictability of the business, because it is highly competitive.

3.      Is the pay associated with this position in line with what someone with similar experience and qualifications can expect to earn elsewhere? There are options, such as financial gifts or errand duties, that may be more suited for relatives or others simply needing a paycheck.

4.      How do you measure their success in adding value to your brand? There should be an easy way for you to measure your representative’s impact; i.e. saves you money, makes you money, expert knowledge in an area, saves you time, etc. Otherwise, you run the risk of allowing personal bias to cloud your decision-making and return on your investment.

5.      Do you get positive feedback about your representatives’ professionalism, promptness, and work ethic from others? Did you check their references? If your representative doesn’t help you build or maintain relationships, you may want to know why. There is a difference in being firm when protecting you and being rude. One can still be polite when being firm.

6.      Does their appearance lend to being professional? Your representative’s dress and appearance is a part of your brand. And people will judge you through your rep. He or she has freedom in their dress code (as long as it aligns with the impression you aim to leave on the public), but they must be able to dress professionally when needed and always appropriate for the occasion.

7.      Are they eager and excited about working with you? Nothing is worse than having someone represent you that obviously doesn’t want to be there. Their energy, their attention to detail, and their attitude will hurt you more than it will help you.

8.      Do they frequently experience personal problems that distract from their ability to do their job? Everybody always has something going on. However, it is very difficult for someone to manage you and handle business for you when they struggle to do the same for themselves.

9.      Is their online presence one that is offensive or derogatory to others? Athletes are role models, whether they want to be or not. A large part of an athlete’s fan base usually includes children, other young athletes, and other diverse groups. Your representative is an extension of you and should take care in maintaining a non-offensive social presence.

10.  Do they take tasks off your plate or are you always having to do things and double check their work? This is counterproductive! Why pay someone to make your life harder? It’s business.

BONUS: Are they afraid to tell you NO? This is very important, as the people around you should protect you from others AND from yourself. If you have a representative in place, trust their judgment or fire them. While they should be honest with you, you must (at least) seriously consider what they have to say.

If you answer some of these questions, you should easily be able to determine if the person is the right one to represent you in the best professional light. If all athletes hired competent, trustworthy representatives, not only would they be more successful, they would give players an overall better business image. Even if you start with a particular team of professionals, you have the option to make 'trades' until you get it right. It's business, remember?

My mission is to educate, empower, and elevate athletes, and you can learn more about my athlete arsenal at www.tywannasmith.com. I manage the lives of professional athletes through The Athlete’s Nexus, and I prepare aspiring professional athletes for the ‘lights’ through my best-selling book blueprint and athlete coaching system - both entitled ‘Surviving the Lights.’ I also offer a coaching system for business professionals who want to break into the athlete market and better serve athletes. Please email me or visit www.survivingthelights.com for more information.