By John Ingoldsby
Engagement Insider
LOS ANGELES, CA – With the freshest crop of rookies now embarking upon careers with their new NFL clubs, they would do well to follow the advice of a former 49er turned investment company executive.
“The three things they should know are preservation of capital, the power of compounding, and delayed gratification,” recommended Junior Bryant, a former defensive lineman who is now the Vice President and National Marketing and Sales Director of Pacific Global Investment Management Company near Los Angeles.
Elaborating further regarding their newfound riches, the Notre Dame graduate stated, “Don’t spend it and let it grow, which simply means have some fun but set some aside, since all of a sudden you look up and you’re 40 years old.”
Words of wisdom the Class of 2015 would be wise to follow since Bryant capitalized both on and off the field during his eight-year career in San Francisco from 1995 to 2002, where he started his career as part of San Francisco’s last Super Bowl winning team.
“Being in the League gave me a certain visibility that provided me with opportunity, and being close to Silicon Valley during that time of the Internet boom allowed me to be always around successful people, so I would be playing golf with Fortune 50 executives and Venture Capitalists,” he noted, adding. ”That gave me a passion to work for and with smart people.”
It also led to an interest in business, which was shared by many of his ‘Niner teammates in that fertile economic location.
“Many of us in the locker room had an interest in entrepreneurship and investing, and we had a lot of fun doing it during that time,” reflected the Omaha, Nebraska native.
That led to interesting career path for Bryant, who said he pulled a “reverse” following his football career
“Most people go to college, work for a company, and then perhaps become entrepreneurs, but it was the opposite for me since after football I was more of an entrepreneur before working full-time for a corporation,” he recalled.
Those early days included various relationships with a variety of companies, like Internet businesses, but also led to him moving to Southern California, getting married and being there to help raise his three children, and even getting his pilot’s license.
“It worked out quite well as I decided exactly what I wanted to, and I was fortunate to have a great network in place through my Notre Dame and California connections,” he noted. “I was always about what’s next.”
What was ultimately next for Bryant came five years ago when he combined his marketing major from college with his investment background to join Pacific Global, a firm with approximately 30 employees and about $800 million in assets.
“We manage money for investment institutions and individuals, and in my role I set the market strategy,” he stated. “I could not have asked for a better situation since I have incredible latitude in my job and flexibility with my family.”
He expanded upon that by adding, “I talk to people about their objectives and goals, which I enjoy immensely, since I love to learn how they got to what they are in life and how we can help them achieve their dreams. I really enjoy the industry.”
But that’s not all, as he learned how to give back as well.
“For the past 10 years, I have been on the Board of Directors for the Forever Young Foundation, which was started by my former teammate Steve Young, and it has proven quite fulfilling as a follow-up to a non-profit organization I had when I was playing,” said Bryant.
“I believe there is no set path for people, and everyone just needs to forge their own way in both their life and career, and I got to go in the direction I wanted to go,” he reflected.
Just a few last words of wisdom from a former player whose journey and recommendations would work well for new players to heed as they begin to forge their own path as they begin their NFL careers.