The Athlete Brand Advisor Podcast

Talking NIL and women's hockey in Minnesota with Heather Rule

In this episode of the Athlete Brand Advisor Podcast, host Greg Glynn sits down with Heather Rule to explore the evolving world of sports journalism, the rapid growth of women’s ice hockey, and how athletes are becoming powerful influencers through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).
Heather shares her journey from general news reporting into sports journalism, her experience covering Minnesota’s iconic hockey scene, and her passion for telling underrepresented athlete stories. The conversation also dives into Heather’s work as a children’s book author, including her latest book focused on NIL and how it’s reshaping opportunities—especially for women athletes.
Heather Rule is an award-winning freelance sports journalist based in the suburbs of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. She has covered professional, collegiate, and high school sports for a wide range of media outlets, with a strong focus on women’s ice hockey. In addition to her reporting, Heather is the author of 13 non-fiction children’s sports books, many of which are featured in school libraries and focus on topics such as women in sports, the Olympics, and athletes as influencers. She is also the lead writer behind The Written Rule of Sports, a platform dedicated to thoughtful, in-depth sports storytelling.
🎧 Episode Overview
🏒 Key Topics Discussed
• Heather’s Path Into Sports Journalism
Heather reflects on her early career in news reporting and how she transitioned into sports journalism, ultimately carving out a niche covering hockey at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels across Minnesota.
• Covering Women’s Ice Hockey in Minnesota
Greg and Heather discuss the growth of women’s hockey over the past decade, including improvements in skill level, physicality, visibility, and leadership opportunities. They also touch on the importance of Minnesota high school hockey as a developmental and cultural pipeline.
• Athletes Transitioning Into Media Careers
The conversation explores how former athletes are well-positioned to enter sports journalism, content creation, and media roles after their playing careers end.
• The Written Rule of Sports & Substack Launch
Heather explains why she launched her Substack under The Written Rule of Sports, aiming to provide deeper coverage of sports and athletes that often receive limited mainstream attention.
• Spotlight on Influencers in Women’s Hockey
Heather shares insights from her in-depth profile of Winnie Brodt- Brown, a major influencer and leader in Minnesota women’s hockey, highlighting the research and storytelling that went into the piece.
• Writing Children’s Sports Books
Heather discusses her work writing non-fiction sports books for school libraries, including series focused on women in sports, Olympic athletes, and sports history.
• NIL and Athletes as Influencers
A major theme of the episode centers on NIL and how it has changed the landscape for women’s sports. Heather and Greg discuss how NIL has allowed athletes to build brands, increase visibility, and generate income—often exceeding traditional earnings in women’s professional sports.
• Notable NIL Examples
The conversation references athletes like Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and Simone Biles as examples of how NIL has unlocked new levels of opportunity and influence.
🎯 Key Takeaways for Athletes & Brands
Storytelling is a powerful brand-building tool for athletes
Women’s sports are growing rapidly, but visibility remains critical
NIL allows athletes to monetize their platforms while staying focused on performance
Journalists and content creators play a key role in elevating underrepresented sports
Athletes should think long-term about career paths beyond competition
🔜 What’s Next
Heather shared that she is currently:
Working on a new children’s sports book
Writing non-sports features for an outdoor and hunting magazine
Continuing to expand coverage through The Written Rule of Sports
📬 Connect with Heather Rule
🌐 Website: https://www.heatherrule.com📰 Substack: The Written Rule of Sports📧 Email: heatherrule@gmail.com📱 X (Twitter): @HeatherRule📸 Instagram: @heather_rule

Finding Your Purpose with guest Stephen Seidel

In this episode of the Athlete Brand Advisor podcast, Greg Glynn, founder & CEO of Pliable Marketing talks about athlete branding and finding purpose with Stephen Seidel, founder of the award-winning PR firm The Seidel Agency. 
Stephen Seidel is a TEDx keynote speaker, media expert, and founder of the award-winning PR firm The Seidel Agency, amplifying artists and Fortune 500 changemakers. A best-selling author, and creator of the Top 10 Apple podcast Wolves Among Us, and co-founder of men's mental health community GentsJourney.co, he is driven by a mission to do good, give back, and make an impact by using connection as currency to reclaim your purpose and story. Seidel is originally from Bucks County, PA, and lives in Lexington, KY as a proud #GirlDad. With a BSIE from Penn State, he remains loyal to cheesesteaks, pretzels, and his Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles.
In this episode, Stephen discussed his background and experience working with athletes, emphasizing the importance of branding, storytelling, and connections in sports. He highlighted the 80/20 rule in building an athlete's brand and shared his work with college athletes, including his involvement with Penn State and Oregon football. Stephen also mentioned his creation of the Gents Journey card deck to help athletes build meaningful relationships and understand their teammates better.
Personal Branding and Connection Strategies
Greg and Stephen discussed the importance of personal branding and connection in professional and personal contexts. Greg introduced Stephen, highlighting his achievements and expertise in PR, podcasting, and men's mental health. Stephen shared his experience as a Philadelphia Eagles fan and how connecting with others over shared interests can lead to meaningful relationships and opportunities. 
Building Strong Personal and Professional Brands
Greg and Stephen discussed the importance of building a strong network and personal brand, emphasizing that connections are crucial for success. They highlighted the need to focus on one's mission, message, and community before pursuing financial gains from NIL deals. Greg shared a story about two college softball players who used their NIL and brand platform to raise awareness for childhood cancer, demonstrating the power of passion-driven athlete branding. The conversation included Stephen's work in men's mental health and his involvement with Gents Journey.
Journey to Empowerment Through Connection
Stephen shared his personal journey, including his childhood dream of becoming a great father after his parents' divorce and his recent losses of both parents. He described how these challenges led him to create the Gents Journey Collective, a support group for entrepreneurs facing personal difficulties, and how the group evolved into a product to help other men. Through his experiences, Stephen emphasized the importance of connection, resilience, and reclaiming personal power in overcoming adversity.
Supporting Expectant Fathers' Emotional Journey
Stephen and Greg discussed the lack of resources for expectant fathers and the importance of men expressing their feelings. They highlighted the 7 Pillars of Manhood and introduced the Gent's Journey card deck, which contains 50 questions designed to foster meaningful connections between people.
Building Meaningful In-Person Connections
Stephen and Greg discussed the importance of fostering meaningful in-person connections and relationships. They emphasized the value of face-to-face interactions over digital communication, noting how technology like Zoom can enhance connections when in-person meetings are not possible. Greg shared his approach to building relationships by surrounding himself with positive and like-minded individuals, while Stephen highlighted the significance of being present and authentic in relationships. They also discussed the concept of going from "good to great" in relationships, emphasizing qualities like gratitude, empathy, accountability, and transformation.
Finding Joy and Resilience Through Sports
Stephen shared his personal journey of finding happiness through sports and meditation, emphasizing the importance of coming from a place of joy and play. He discussed his work as a mentor, particularly with athletes at Penn State and Oregon, focusing on core principles like resilience, grit, and the power of love. Stephen also shared his TEDx talk on the hidden power of grief, highlighting the idea that love is never lost and that letting go can lead to greater creativity and connection.
Brand Building for Athletes
Greg and Stephen discussed the importance of building personal and athlete brands, with Stephen offering insights and resources for brand development. Stephen shared his website and social media details, including a free giveaway of four PR platforms for building a brand. They also discussed the value of sharing personal reflections and experiences, with Stephen encouraging listeners to reflect on childhood aspirations and share them with others.
Show Resources:
WebsitesPliableMarketing.com
TheSeidelAgency.com
StephenSeidel.com
Men’s Group: GentsJourney.co/join
Get Deck on Amazon: https://rebrand.ly/journeydeck
TEDx Talk + Speaking Reel: https://rebrand.ly/seidelspeaking
4 Steps to Secure Your Own Media Coverage:
https://theseidelagency.com/services/media-platforms/
Social Media
@PliableMktg
@StephenSeidel
@TheSeidelAgency
@GentsJourneyco

From Athlete to Entrepreneur

James Oliver, the founder of Atlas protein bars joined host Greg Glynn for a podcast discussion to share his entrepreneurial journey and business and his development of Atlas Bars.
Clean-Label Food Entrepreneur's Journey
James shared his journey of starting Atlas, a company focused on clean-label food products, inspired by his interest in nutrition and athletic performance. He explained how his curiosity about nutrition, particularly the conflicting information available, led him to dive deeper into understanding food science. James also discussed his athletic background, which included football, lacrosse, and endurance sports, emphasizing the importance of proper nutrition for performance and recovery.
Athlete-Focused Nutrition Journey
James discussed his journey of creating Atlas, a nutrition company focused on providing protein bars with balanced nutrition for athletes and active individuals. He explained that while sugar is not inherently bad, it is often overconsumed by sedentary individuals, but is necessary for athletes during high-intensity activities. James shared his personal motivation for starting Atlas, highlighting his extensive experience as a consumer of protein bars and his willingness to take a risk after graduating from Tufts University.
Entrepreneurial Growth and Adaptation
James shared his entrepreneurial journey, starting with selling bars from his parents' dining room and later funding his company through driving for Uber while training for ultramarathons in Boston. He described how he balanced Uber driving with business development, visiting gyms to sample his bars. James revealed that his company has been in business for 7 years and has gone through significant growth phases, reaching over a million dollars in sales when he was 23. He emphasized the importance of continuous evolution and improvement in business, comparing it to the mindset of athletes who must constantly adapt and progress to stay ahead.
Adapting Products to Market Trends
James and Greg discussed the importance of positioning products in response to market trends, similar to how athletes adapt to their competition. James emphasized the significance of authenticity in partnerships, particularly in the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) market, and suggested focusing on genuine product users who can genuinely endorse the product. They also touched on the potential for college athletes to promote products, highlighting the new opportunities presented by NIL.
Atlas Bars Online Sales Strategy
James explained that Atlas Bars are primarily sold online through their website and Amazon, with plans to expand retail presence once the company reaches a larger size. He noted that getting products onto store shelves is relatively easy, but removing them once there is much more challenging due to the overwhelming number of products consumers face. Greg encouraged listeners to check out Atlas Bars as a low-sugar, high-protein option, particularly athletes seeking such products.
Show Links
Connect with Atlas Bars on Social Media
https://www.facebook.com/atlasbars/https://www.instagram.com/atlasbarshttp://tiktok.com/@atlasbars
Email Atlas
hey@atlasbars.com 
Learn more about Pliable Marketing
https://pliablemarketing.com/

Life After Sport with John Coyle

In this podcast episode, Greg Glynn, founder & CEO of Pliable and John Coyle, founder & CEO of the Art of Really Living discussed John's extensive background in sports, academia, and media. John shared his journey from Olympic athlete to motivational speaker and author, discussing his experiences in cycling, speed skating, and his work in innovation and design thinking. The conversation concluded with discussions about John's upcoming role as an Olympic analyst, his approach to handling stress and performance.
 
Olympic Athlete's Career Transition Journey
John shared his journey from a young athlete to an Olympic silver medalist and his subsequent career transition. He discussed his early love for cycling and speed skating, his struggles and eventual success in the Olympics, and how he reinvented himself after retiring from competitive sports. John emphasized the importance of focusing on one's strengths and highlighted a pivotal moment when he realized his impact on a young skater, which led to a significant shift in his identity and career path. He now works as an analyst for NBC during the Olympics and is a motivational speaker, sharing his story to inspire others.
From Athlete to Inspirational Speaker
John shared his journey from being an Olympic athlete to becoming a successful public speaker and author. He discussed how a colleague encouraged him to give a TED Talk, which led to numerous speaking opportunities and the development of his personal brand. John emphasized the importance of storytelling and the impact of his talks, highlighting that he never knew who he would reach or inspire with his words.
Design Thinking and Innovation Insights
John discussed his career in innovation and design thinking, highlighting his experience studying under David Kelly at Stanford and his work with IDEO. He emphasized the importance of design thinking, a creative problem-solving methodology, and shared that his talks focus on reframing problems to achieve better outcomes. John explained his approach of designing for strengths rather than fixing weaknesses and helping athletes manage stress to perform better.
Stress Management Through Athlete's Mindset
John discussed his approach to handling stress by adopting an athlete's mindset, emphasizing the importance of gamifying challenges to alter neurochemical balance and improve performance. He also explored the concept of slowing down the perception of time, drawing from his upcoming book "Counterclockwise," and shared his previous works, including "The Time Manifesto" and "Design for Strengths." Greg appreciated John's positive approach and suggested ways to share this information with a broader audience.
Embracing Challenges for Growth
John shared his journey of pursuing adventures and writing about them for the past decade, emphasizing the importance of investing time in high-risk, high-reward opportunities. Greg discussed his plans to launch an online course to help athletes and parents understand NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities, acknowledging the rapidly changing landscape of sports and the need to leverage his strengths as a broadcaster. Both agreed on the value of using one's unique skills and embracing challenges to achieve personal and professional growth.
Remote Olympics Analyst Role Discussion
John and Greg discussed John's upcoming role as an analyst for the Olympics, which will be held remotely from Stanford, Connecticut, due to budget constraints. John expressed his disappointment at not being on-site, as he values the in-person experience and real-time communication with coaches and team members. Greg shared his own experience of remote broadcasting during COVID-19 and acknowledged the challenges of not being physically present at the event. They agreed to stay in touch and potentially collaborate in the future, with John offering his services as a keynote speaker for Greg's athletes transitioning out of sports.
 
Links:
johnkcoyle.com
PliableMarketing.com
How to connect with John:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkcoyle1/
https://www.instagram.com/coylejohnk/
https://www.facebook.com/johnkcoyle/
https://www.youtube.com/@JohnKCoyle1
Email: info@johnkcoyle.com