Meet Sarah Jackson | Certified NFL Agent

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
While I work and operate under Sudden Change Sports & Entertainment, a sole proprietorship that I own and operate solo, I think the most important decision I made was to NOT cut other people out of the journey. I lean on mentors, others in the business, and trusted friends to help me grow in this industry. I wouldn’t be where I am today without these people, and know my best decision by far was to ask for and accept help. Being a solopreneur is great, but I don’t believe we can best serve others while entirely on our own. Making the decision to lay down my ego and my “I can do it myself” attitude has allowed my business to grow exponentially, especially in the last year where I doubled my client base while partnering with some truly extraordinary people.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My career is just getting started! While I have been working in sports since 2016, I feel like I am finally starting to hit my stride, and I am so excited about it. I am one of very few female NFL agents, and have had the pleasure of connecting with and working with several others who started out just like me. These other women are such an encouragement, both directly and indirectly, because they show me what it looks like to succeed in an industry that can still very much feel like a good old boys club.

Back when I first got my license in 2019, I think I may have been the youngest female to have passed the NFL Agent exam. I often felt like I had both my age and gender working against me, but looking back, I feel like those were excuses I made to explain why I wasn’t able to close on signing elite recruits. I didn’t really want to admit that these things take time; businesses and brands aren’t built overnight, and persistence and prayer really can elevate your work. I feel so humbled by the fact that I even had athletes sign with me despite having no background of success in the industry. Even more so, I am so appreciative of those who have stuck with me, even when their results have not come easily and dreams have not come to fruition in the ways they would have liked.

I think a great example is one of my oldest clients, Nick Jaworski. Though he never played a snap of football in college, his film as a kicker was convincing enough to have several agents pursuing him. After a couple of weeks and phone calls, he decided to sign with me in February 2020, only a couple of months after I’d become licensed. Of course, COVID hit shortly thereafter, limiting all athletes’ opportunities, including those for someone who was not draft eligible and had never played a college snap. 2020 came and went and no opportunities presented themselves. Nick could have fired me to go with another agent, seeing as I had not been successful in getting him on a team. It would have been easy for him (or me) to give up after 2021 passed and he was still not on a team. But through persistence and prayer on both of our parts, he landed his first opportunity to play professionally in the Indoor Football League in his home state of Wisconsin. Playing in the NFL is the end goal for any football player, but having this opportunity was very validating for both of us in that we both are finally seeing our hard work paying off.

Both personally and professionally, the biggest lesson I learned is to invest in YOU. You can’t invest in others if you aren’t all there yourself. For years, I’d been running myself ragged, making sacrifices for others and not putting nearly enough time or resources into what I really wanted for me, or for my athletes. It can sometimes feel selfish in saying “I want this,” and even more selfish when you say “I want this AND I am going to do something about it.” Acknowledging your goals is one thing – actually pursuing them is when you really start to see things come together. Since turning from supporting someone else to investing in myself and my work, my first clients have started to get more opportunities, and I’ve doubled my client base with some really remarkable young men, all whom I’ve very much enjoyed getting to know and serve.

The other big thing I learned in the last year is to really live with purpose. That sounds cliche, but a few months ago I took some time to re-read Purpose Driven Life. Having a purpose to live for, and to work for, makes every late night, early morning, and cancelled plan worth it, knowing that it is impacting my athletes’ lives and, ultimately, God’s Kingdom. As I’ve started living in this way, people around me have seen a noticeable difference in my demeanor, how I carry myself, and ultimately, how I am able to approach difficult work with confidence and enthusiasm.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Atlanta has so much to offer, it would be difficult to hit everything! The city and surrounding areas are so versatile, which I know my friends would love.

When I first moved to Atlanta, I was very spoiled to be living just a mile from downtown Decatur where so many lovely restaurants sit. In terms of food, we would absolutely have to hit Iberian Pig in Decatur and Arepa Mia in Avondale. Because I am a transplant from the north, I would also have to bring my friend to a Waffle House, because they are few and far between above the Mason-Dixon line!

In terms of drinks, I have a couple of breweries I find myself going back to again and again. Three Taverns is the first brewery I went to here and I always look forward to when Creamweaver is on tap. Not far from there is Wild Heaven with its famous Emergency Drinking Beer! Tucker Brewing Co. would also have to be a stop because of the great vibes and live music.

I am a sucker for a great view, so there is no way I would let my friend leave without going up to Sundial at the top of the Westin for a cocktail and beautiful skyline sunset. For some fun, we’d have to hit up Skyline Park at the top of Ponce City Market and the Painted Duck in West Midtown. While I am naming these cool urban places, I also love the great outdoors. I’d definitely taking my friend to a cooking class in the Botanical Gardens (something I didn’t even know about until my friend took me last year to an event hosted by Friends of Refugees!), and to Stone Mountain to hike or kayak around.

I would also love to check out more of the art scene with my friend. I’ve done a couple of the immersive experiences at Pullman Yards, but think there is so much more that I have yet to see, and am sure I would love to see with some old friends.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Absolutely. Like I mentioned before, one of the best decisions I’ve made is bringing other people in on my journey. This journey would not have been possible without US Sports Management, a sports representation agency in Charlotte, NC. I first interviewed there for an internship in 2016 with two really fantastic young women who were working there at the time. While both have since changed career paths, I still lean on them for support as I continue to pursue my career in sports as a woman. At the time, there was another intern working with me, who has shown me what the path can look like being young in the industry – he is a couple years older and ahead of me, but, like me, he wanted to run his own agency, and within 5 years he had a first round draft pick in the MLB. Finally, and I would say most significantly, is the person who was behind it all – Robert Walker. He continues to run US Sports and is the one who brought us all together. He has taught me so much about how to work in the industry as someone of integrity, and has shown such kindness and generosity both in business and in life. I look to him very often as a mentor, and am super excited to have the opportunity to be working with him in co-representing a client in this year’s NFL Draft.

Instagram: @scsemanagement and @sarahjacksonsports

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-jackson-707513a4/

Twitter: @scsemanagement

Image Credits
Photo with white male in hat – Sarah Jackson with Nick Jaworski Photo of field at Michigan – image of Pro Day at the University of Michigan 2017. I am the lone female on the benches, sitting alongside key NFL executives as they watch athletes run the 40YD