The Athlete Brand Advisor Podcast

Choosing the Right College with Shellee Howard

In this episode of the Athlete Brand Advisor podcast, Greg Glynn, founder & CEO of Pliable Marketing talks about helping athletes find the right college and how to get scholarships and reduce debt with Shellee Howard, the Founder and CEO of College Ready.
Shellee Howard is the Founder and CEO of College Ready and a Certified Independent College Strategist who helps families navigate the college admissions process with a proven, personalized approach. A best-selling author and global speaker, Shellee specializes in helping students gain admission to top-tier schools and graduate debt free. With real-world experience as a mother of four college graduates, she empowers students to build standout strategies for academic, financial, and personal success.
In the podcast, Shellee shared her background in college preparation and detailed her approach to helping students develop unique strategies for college applications, including identifying core values and pursuing authentic community service opportunities. 
Shellee shared her journey into the college preparation business, inspired by her son's successful college application process. She emphasized the importance of viewing college as a business and highlighted her son's strategy, which included leadership activities and a focused approach, leading to full-ride offers from USC and Harvard. Shellee now helps families create similar standout strategies for their children, aiming to provide clarity and support in the college application process.
Shellee shared her experience of touring 25 colleges and emphasized the importance of starting the college planning process early, ideally when children express career interests. She highlighted that students in their program start as young as seventh grade and explained the benefits of a long planning runway. 
Discovering Student Core Values
Shellee discussed a strategy for helping students identify their core values, passions, and gifts, emphasizing the importance of individuality and authentic self-expression. She encouraged parents to engage in one-on-one conversations with their children to understand their true interests and aspirations, rather than imposing their own expectations. Greg inquired about exercises to uncover core values, and Shellee suggested focusing on proven achievements and encouraging students to articulate their motivations beyond external influences.
Authentic Community Service
Greg and Shellee discussed the importance of community service in college applications. Shellee emphasized that while community service is crucial, it must be authentic and driven by passion rather than just fulfilling requirements. She advised against common activities like tutoring, which are often seen as easy and expected by colleges. Instead, she suggested pursuing unique and meaningful service opportunities that showcase a student's true character and dedication. Greg agreed with this approach, noting that it aligns with the concept of branding in college applications.
College Admissions and Leadership Insights
Shellee discussed her "vault" tool, which provides real data on college admissions criteria and requirements, helping students understand what each school values. She emphasized the importance of demonstrating leadership and community impact in college applications, highlighting her students' work with EmpowerEducation.World, which supports education projects in Uganda and Mexico. Greg and Shellee also discussed the realities of athletic scholarships, noting that while major revenue-generating sports like football and basketball offer significant funding, students in other sports should focus on combining academic excellence with athletic achievement to enhance their college applications.
Student-Athlete Academic Success Strategies
Shellee discussed the importance of balancing academic and athletic achievements for student-athletes, emphasizing that maintaining a high GPA can significantly increase their chances of college admission and success. She clarified that her organization does not engage in college outreach or NIL deal negotiations but focuses on academic support and intramural sports. Shellee advised parents to prioritize written contracts over verbal promises and encouraged realistic goal-setting for student-athletes.
College Preparation for Student-Athletes
Shellee discussed her approach to preparing students for college and life beyond sports, emphasizing the importance of developing a comprehensive plan. She shared her resources, including free materials, best-selling books, and a complimentary discovery call, as well as her pricing structure for various services. Greg appreciated Shellee's insights, particularly her emphasis on helping athletes focus on their core values and gifts rather than relying solely on sports opportunities. They agreed on the importance of preparing athletes for life after sports and discussed the potential for athletes to pursue NIL deals and community service opportunities.
Show Links:
WebsitesPliableMarketing.com
www.collegereadyplan.com
www.instagram.com/collegereadyplan
https://www.facebook.com/CollegeReadyPlan
https://www.youtube.com/@collegereadyplan
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleehoward/
 
Social media
@pliablemktg on Instagram, X and Tiktokwww.instagram.com/collegereadyplan
https://www.facebook.com/CollegeReadyPlan
https://www.youtube.com/@collegereadyplan
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleehoward/

Former Boxer Uses Athlete Branding to Write Book

Greg Glynn, founder and CEO of Pliable sits down with Mark O'Connor to talk about his boxing career and how he used his talented hands in the ring to then write a book.
Mark is from Saint Paul, Minnesota, and discusses his inspirational book, 'It's About Time,'
In 2024, Mark received the 2024 Minnesota Irish Network Literary Award from Tim Nolan for his collection of short stories and poems.
Mark Connor is a Literary Pugilist from Saint Paul, Minnesota. A lifelong boxer and Boxing Trainer, he runs a service called, Fighting Chance/Boxing For Life. His writing about Boxing, as well as his training services, can be found athttps://boxersandwritersmagazine.com.
He writes fiction, poetry, and journalism. He is the 2022 Boxing inductee to the Mancini’s St. Paul Sports Hall of Fame. He attended the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Regis University inDenver, Colorado, and graduated with a BA in English from the University of Minnesota. He has written and published many articles about Boxing, Irish culture, and people and events related to Irish freedom. He has also published local news and features on business, politics, and current affairs in Minnesota and the U.S.His Substack newsletter, Irish, Catholic, Punchdrunk in Saint Paul, can be found at https://markconnoricpunchdrunk.substack.com.
In this episode of the Athlete Brand Advisor Podcast, Mark talks about why he wrote the book and then shares some of his poetry with the listeners as well. 
Links:
boxersandwritersmagazines.com/books

Athlete to Author with Nick Peck

The podcast episode with Greg Glynn, founder & CEO of Pliable features guest Nick Peck, a former college athlete and award-winning journalist who transformed his football experience into a debut novel called "Only Way Out."
Nick shares his journey from high school football to becoming a successful author, discussing his writing process and the themes of his book which follows a high school athlete seeking escape through sports. The conversation concludes with discussions about marketing strategies, including potential NIL opportunities, and Nick's advice for athletes, while Greg promotes Nick's social media presence and future collaboration possibilities.
Football to Fiction: Nick's Journey
Nick discusses his football career, starting as an offensive lineman in high school, then transitioning to long snapping in junior college and later at Upper Hour University. He explains that writing has always been his true passion, and he used his athletic career as a stepping stone to become an author. Nick then describes his novel "Only Way Out," which is loosely based on his life experiences. The story follows a high school senior named Jalen Pierre who seeks to escape poverty and family issues through football. Nick emphasizes that the book's themes are common among athletes using sports as a means to improve their circumstances.
Nick's Journey and Writing Process
Nick discusses his process of writing a book, waking up at 4 AM daily for six months to write 10 pages a day before his day job as a journalist. He explains that he wrote from a third-person perspective to allow readers to put themselves in the story. Nick shares that his book aims to inspire by presenting a raw, genuine story of his journey, and he plans to continue writing books throughout his life, viewing it as his new purpose after his athletic career.
NIL Opportunities for Student-Athletes
Nick discusses the benefits of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for college athletes, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. He expresses that he would have appreciated NIL opportunities during his time as a student-athlete, as he worked four jobs to make ends meet. Greg suggested that Nick could potentially use NIL to market his book by partnering with current athletes who resonate with his story, an idea Nick finds appealing.
Author's Marketing and Writing Journey
Nick discusses his approach to marketing his book, which includes leveraging social media, utilizing his connections from sports, and working with a publicist. He mentions becoming an Amazon bestseller and his efforts to showcase his post-athletic career. Nick currently works as a journalist covering the stock market for a publication called "With Intelligence," while also pursuing his author career. He has already started on his second book, which he plans to continue writing throughout his life. Nick is based in Austin, Texas, but enjoys a nomadic lifestyle, having lived in five different states and visited 47. 
Nick's Writing and Athlete Advice
Nick discusses his sources of inspiration for writing, mentioning role models like Kobe Bryant, Nipsey Hussle, and Patrick Willis. He explains that his book is available on various platforms and that fans can best connect with him through his Instagram account @nickpeckauthor. Nick offers advice to athletes, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and gratitude, encouraging them not to quit and to appreciate their journey rather than chasing fame and glory.
Links:
Websitehttps://www.nickpeckauthor.comSocial media accounts:Instagram: @nickpeckauthor

NIL Resources for Athletes from Brian DiNapoli of NILInsight.com

In this episode of the Athlete Brand Advisor podcast, Greg Glynn, founder & CEO of Pliable Marketing talks about NIL resources and advice for high school and college athletes with Brian DiNapoli, the founder of www.NILInsight.com.
NIL Insight.com is a passion project for Brian dedicated to supporting student-athletes and their families with trusted resources on mental health, substance abuse prevention, player safety, NIL opportunities, academics, and more. With over 25 years of experience in the public sector, Brian currently works in alcohol and drug prevention, serves as a dedicated community football coach, and helps coordinate housing support for justice-impacted individuals. He also hosts the NIL Mindset podcast, where he interviews athletes, coaches, and community leaders committed to helping student-athletes succeed both on and off the field.
During the episode, Greg and Brian discussed various athlete-led initiatives and community service projects, highlighting the positive impact athletes can have through their platforms and discussing the importance of mental health resources for student-athletes. The conversation concluded with plans for Brian to host live webinars and Instagram sessions to engage athletes and parents.
Greg and Brian discussed the positive impact athletes can have through NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities, highlighting various initiatives and collaborations. Greg praised Brian for his contributions to athlete-led causes, such as Logan Hale's "Putting for Puppies" event, and emphasized the importance of athletes using their platforms for good. Brian shared examples of athletes like Rutgers Women's Soccer team who engage in community service and mental health awareness, challenging the negative narrative about athletes solely focused on personal gain. Greg concluded by emphasizing the significance of preparing athletes for future success beyond their sports careers.
Greg and Brian discussed the importance of mentorship and education for athletes transitioning from high school to college. They emphasized the value of athletes helping each other through shared experiences and highlighted the need for more education about college athletic programs. Brian advised high school and college athletes to focus on paying it forward by helping others and volunteering, using the concept of a "force multiplier effect" to encourage positive deeds that create a ripple effect.
Brian discussed the importance of avoiding poor decisions during idle time and shared his social media presence, including his website, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts, where he promotes mental health resources and athlete-focused content. Greg highlighted the success of Pliable athletes including Cooper Farrall, Hannah Dukeman and Emma Eubank raising awareness and funds for various causes, emphasizing the power of aligning with charitable efforts to build a brand and generate support.
Resources:
WebsitesPliableMarketing.com
NILInsight.com
Social media
@pliablemktg on Instagram, X and Tiktok@nilinsight on IG and X.