By Lisa Zimmerman, Player Engagement Insider
For a decade Adalius Thomas was a force to be reckoned with on the football field. As a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots he was always a feared member of the defense. Now, as a businessman, he hasn’t lost a step.
Thomas was raised by his mother, a seamstress for Russell Athletics, and his father, an electrician, in the tiny town of Rockford, Alabama in Coosa County. Although a talented athlete, the NFL wasn’t something Thomas focused on. For him, football started simply as a way to get a college education, which he knew he wanted as the foundation for his future. In fact he was initially interested in sports administration and chose that as his major at the University of Southern Mississippi. But, as it turned out, football became more than just a means to obtain a college degree.
In 2000, the Ravens selected Thomas in the sixth round of the NFL Draft and that changed the trajectory of his future. However, for all of his 10 years in the league, Thomas was acutely aware that the end of his football days was always right around the corner. While he was playing, he dabbled in real estate, but upon retiring he knew he wanted something more.
A friend suggested the restaurant business and Thomas was immediately interested. He ultimately opened a restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina, which then led to his opening two others, one in Durham, North Carolina and one in Ellicott City, Maryland. He loved the combination of the business and social aspects and the purpose it gave him every day. They all remain open and successful.
But he wasn’t done. Still struggling with the transition from the NFL, Thomas experienced relief and a resurgence of energy after attending an NFL event for transitioning players when he realized that the emotions he was dealing with were commonplace among his peers. He also realized that the skills and traits needed to be a success in the NFL, like discipline, focus and competitiveness, applied in the business world as well.
He knew he needed to keep moving forward and over a period of time he took both NFL-sponsored and non-NFL-sponsored courses at Rice University, the University of Michigan, the University of Notre Dame and Babson College all focused on business and entrepreneurship, and many of which included other entrepreneurs as classmates.
“Here you are, a football player as a rookie in a new field of work,” he recalled of those classes. “As the days go on, different things come up and my thinking process is just as good or sharp as people who own their own business. At that point I realized I can start another business and do whatever I want. It’s just a fear of the unknown, but you learn different things along the way and that’s what inspired me.”
And that created the launching pad for his latest venture, FSV Tech, the company he started in 2015 along with his partners, former NFL running back Fred Taylor (Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots) and former NFL offensive tackle Todd Wade (Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, Washington Redskins and Jacksonville Jaguars).
The company currently distributes the Shutter Valve a new, patented technology that is the first valve to come on the market since the 1950s and which offers dramatic technological improvements over the existing valves available. Through a series of meetings and investment opportunities, Thomas came across the Shutter Valve and discovered that valves in general are a multi-billion dollar international business – and one where there is a dearth of minority business owners.
“Once I got into it I started to dig deeper into what exactly the valve industry seemed to be,” Thomas, who is African-American (as is Taylor), said. “So I went to the World Valve Show in Houston. I didn’t see any minorities. That’s when I knew I was in the right area. The minority component we are trying to bring to the table, that’s a big thing. We’re the only minority distributors. Any state or government job has to have a 30% minority component to it, so if there’re no other minorities it gives us a great opportunity.”
Thomas and his partners continue to look ahead; their company, FSV, stands for Fulfillment Service Value, with the idea that they can expand and grow into providing fulfillment services for other products.
Now Thomas is in a good place with thriving businesses and with a purpose that drives him every day.
“I’m happy with where I am,” he said.” “And I want to be a success story for other NFL guys.”