We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gerardo Hernandez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Gerardo , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

The trend of name, image, and likeness (NIL) is rapidly changing the landscape of college athletics in the United States. One of the biggest trends in this industry is the growing number of college athletes who are now able to profit from their name, image, and likeness.

Prior to the changes in NIL regulations, college athletes were not allowed to make any money off of their athletic abilities while they were still enrolled in school. However, recent changes to NCAA rules have allowed athletes to monetize their social media accounts, sign endorsement deals, and participate in other types of commercial opportunities.

This shift has opened up a wide range of opportunities for college athletes, who can now earn significant sums of money through their athletic prowess and shining personalities. For example, a star quarterback might be able to earn thousands of dollars from an endorsement deal with a local car dealership or restaurant, while a popular basketball player might be able to make a similar amount from an apparel deal.

Of course, with these new opportunities come new concerns. One of the biggest worries is that these changes will create an uneven playing field, with some athletes being able to earn far more money than others. Additionally, there is the concern that some athletes may be taken advantage of by unscrupulous agents or companies. This is why at Optimal Sports Management, we take great care in selecting our brand partners to ensure that they align with our players’ interests and values. We believe that our players should only endorse products and services that they truly believe in and that reflect their personal brand. This approach not only helps our players maintain their authenticity and credibility, but it also helps to build long-lasting and meaningful partnerships between our players and brands. By prioritizing our players’ interests and values, we can ensure that our brand partnerships are not only financially lucrative, but also beneficial for all parties involved.

One example of our commitment to aligning with our players’ values and interests is our partnership with Greenleaf Café. At Optimal Sports Management, we understand the importance of health and wellness to our players, and Greenleaf shares that same commitment. Their focus on customer health and well-being, along with their attention to ecological and social concerns, makes them a natural partner for our players. USC DB Fabian Ross, for example, shares this common interest in health and wellness and has been a strong advocate for living a healthy lifestyle. Through our partnership with Greenleaf, we can support our players in promoting their personal brand and values while also promoting healthy and sustainable choices for our community.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m CMO and Co-Founder of Optimal Sports Management, a sports marketing agency that specializes in securing Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) deals for our clients. My passion for sports started at a young age, and although I didn’t have the talent to play professionally, I knew I wanted to work in the sports industry. So, I took every sports-related class I could at the University of Southern California. When the news about NIL hit, my partner Christopher and I knew it was the time for us to create our own agency.

Fast forward to today, and I’m proud to say that Optimal Sports Management is helping high school, collegiate, and professional football players secure endorsement deals with companies that align with their interests and values. We have a very meticulous onboarding process where we take the time to get to know our players and their families really well. From there, we use their interests and values to scour the web for companies that would be a good fit for them.

What sets us apart from other sports marketing agencies is our small and elite roster size. We intentionally keep our roster size small to ensure that we can give each and every player our absolute best. We also stay up to date with the latest college football and NIL news by reading every article we come across.

One of the things I’m most proud of is the positive impact we’re making on our clients’ lives. Our services help our clients secure deals that provide financial support and create opportunities for them to give back to their communities. We also help them build their personal brand, which can help them long after their playing days are over.

For potential clients, followers, and fans, I want them to know that we’re passionate about helping athletes achieve their goals both on and off the field. Our meticulous approach ensures that our clients are paired with companies that truly align with their values, and our small roster size means that they get personalized attention every step of the way. We’re committed to making a positive impact on the lives of our clients and their communities, and we’re excited to continue helping athletes navigate the changing landscape of NIL.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

As a marketing professional it took some time for me to unlearn placing so much value on the metrics. My schooling had always taught me to place heavy emphasis on data. While the data may still be helpful, at the end of the day we are dealing with unique individuals with a unique story. We lead with that unique story before getting into conversations about engagement and how many followers our players have when dealing with prospective brands.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Christopher is one of my dearest friends. He and I go way back to our college days. I was his big brother in our fraternity, Delta Tau Delta.

Christopher and I always had big aspirations and we would stay up many nights talking about them. We both took the same sports business class at USC when the NCAA made the decision to allow collegiate athletes to make money off of their own name, image, and likeness. We instantly knew that we wanted to make a splash in the world of sports.

Contact Info:

• Website: optimalsports.net
• Instagram: thegerardohern
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerardohernandezosm/