Meet Juice GQ | CEO
We had the good fortune of connecting with Juice GQ and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Juice, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It all started with me trying to find my purpose and feeling stuck in my career. I knew I just wanted to be of service and of value to people, but in the dopest way possible. Luckily, I was working in a creative space that guided me into learning how to create something out of your life experiences, dreams, and creativity. This was the legendary Cam Kirk Studios, by the way. It’s a creative hub in Atlanta that gives creates the space to create and bring their projects to life. While managing this space and dedicating myself to the growth of its music department, I began to shoot and work with people in music industry, such as Benny the Butcher, T-Pain, and Russ just to name a few.
However as a former athlete, I began to wonder why the athletes I would work with on the rare occasion didn’t really have a creative team to support them like a musical artist would. There’s no full on team unless the athlete puts one in place, versus a music label that facilitates all of their artists’ team in order to reassure their return on their investment. Athletes just have to figure it out. This is just the background story to how I came up with Tycoon Sports Media Group.
Here is where we specialize in athlete development, on and off the field/court of play. Focusing on the creative process it takes to create a marketable brand and financial team that can help any athlete grow and elevate.
What should our readers know about your business?
To begin, my business stands out as the pioneering entity in its field. Essentially, we are a creative sports agency that collaborates with athletes to secure brand partnerships and develop creative campaigns. Additionally, we operate a production house responsible for creating content for these athletes, as well as providing ideation and management services for the brands they establish and cultivate.
Our scope extends beyond professional collegiate sports, primarily focusing on the growth and education of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) for high school and collegiate athletes. NIL represents a new era for high school and college athletes, enabling them to monetize their names, images, and likenesses while still participating in their sports.
While NIL presents challenges for the sports community, as athletes have never had to market themselves in this manner before, we are committed to guiding them through this process. Our goal is to assist athletes in building the brand they desire, enabling them to capitalize on these newfound opportunities.
As the first agency of our kind, we’ve got our own set of challenges, but we’re not going to give up easily. We’ve decided to build everything from scratch, taking the long way instead of the shortcut. Right now, we’re hosting a workshop for athletes called the NIL Game Changers Workshop. We’re teaching the basics of NIL branding and marketing, so athletes and their parents can learn together and get inspired to build something bigger and invest in themselves. That’s what I’ve been most proud of as of recently.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Hey, that’s a great question! But first, let’s take them to see my family at Cam Kirk Studios. They need to experience the purest Atlanta vibe and authentic space that’ll put them in the mood of the city. They recently moved to the beltline, so there’s plenty of great food, places, and scenery for them to explore.
The next day, I’ll probably take them to see my family at Magic City. My friends at The Kitchen are famous for their food, and you can’t come to Atlanta without trying some of their dishes, especially their wings.
After that, we’ll try to find a Mercer & Prince activation. They’re a whiskey brand that partners with us on all our 21+ events. They activate in different parts of the city at different restaurants, so we might end up at a day party or a lounge party. Who knows? It could be anything! And finally, I’ll make sure they get some chicken from JJ’s with the extra white powder. You know, the secret ingredient!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Absolutely, my shout-out would have to go to my team, honestly. And that includes everybody from my parents to everybody that works with us at Tycoon, and finally anybody that has supported us in our journey thus far.
Naturally, my parents are the first to receive my gratitude for bringing me into this world and supporting me throughout my life. From a young age, they have been my pillars of strength and humility that keeps me going. I just wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for all the sacrifices they’ve made for my sister and myself. It’s been tough, but we know that they’re always there for us, and we appreciate it more than they know.
About my team, I feel like I have the best team in Atlanta, and even better, the best team in the world! Everyone on my squad has been incredibly supportive, especially the first few people who joined us. And that doesn’t take away anything from the people who’ve joined us more recently because everyone’s contribution is so valuable to our process and progress.
A big shoutout to everyone who’s supported us on this journey! Not being native to Atlanta is a huge reason why I have to give back to the community and be accepted by it. If you don’t genuinely care about what you’re doing or the people you’re helping, people won’t believe you or what you’re doing. You have to work hard to earn their trust and be held accountable for the inspiration you give every day. I’m so grateful for the acceptance that Atlanta natives have shown me and my brand and company. It’s giving us the chance to grow and give back to the athletes of Atlanta first, and then the world.
Website: https://www.tycoonsportsmedia.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juice_gq?igsh=MTc1cTRwbzhhaHpweA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
Mooke Micheaux – Kevin Brown
Adrian Scott
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