By Troy Vincent
NFL Player Engagement
Our annual Rookie Symposium was a tremendous time for teaching, where we all learned a lot of lessons to succeed after our playing days.
For instance, we discovered that it’s never too early to start your own business, or in the case of Travis Daniels, multiple businesses.
Daniels, a free agent cornerback who played last year with the Kansas City Chiefs, spoke to the rookies about his entrepreneurial enterprises, which include a marketing company, a barbershop, and a photography business.
His message was magic for the incoming rookies, and represents what we advocate here at Player Engagement.
“The National Football League is a huge platform for me and all players, if you know how to use it,” exclaimed the seven-year veteran Daniels.
“We have all heard that NFL can mean ‘Not For Long,’ but what the NFL really means to me is that it is a platform for a lifetime of top-tier connections.”
A stage that Daniels maximizes daily, and was pleased to preach about from the podium.
“The Rookie Symposium was a mind-blowing experience for me, since I sat in those seats seven years ago,” said Daniels. “I had a lot of fun, and it was my first one as a panelist, but hopefully not my last.”
He will likely return, since his story is one that resonates with rookies.
“Next year is never guaranteed in the League, so you have to prepare yourself with a plan for the rest of your life, particularly while playing since it seems like a fantasy world,” stated Daniels, who came into the League from Louisiana State University in 2005, but balanced his businesses while still pursuing his degree.
“I walked across the stage in 2011, ten years after entering LSU, to accept my degree in Arts & Sciences, and told the rookies that they very much need their college degree,” he proudly proclaimed while remembering that he was redshirted as a freshman, leading to his later graduation timeframe.
But he ultimately got it done through effective time management since he accomplished this impressive achievement while still an active player who was running three companies.
“I started my marketing company in South Florida early in my NFL career by doing birthday parties, showers, and such just to get my name out there,” recalled the Hollywood, FL native who was drafted by his hometown Miami Dolphins and later played with the Cleveland Browns. “Then I also opened a barbershop in Atlanta since my older brother is a barber, and now we have a good client base with seven barbers and a DJ booth, so we call it Kutz Remix.”
Daniels also made good use of his time at team facilities, picking up photography while with the Chiefs which turned into yet another new business.
“I set short-term goals, took it upon myself to get things lined up, and looked up one day and suddenly was successful outside the League,” Daniels reminisced.
Proof positive that making the most of every waking minute today pays off tomorrow when your playing days are over.