We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Briana DuBose a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Briana, thanks for joining us today. Looking back at the decisions you made early in your career, particularly whether to join a firm or start your own, do you feel you made the right choice for that stage of your career?
Right now I am reading Originals by Adam Grant, in which he talks about how some of the world’s most prolific business founders are quite risk averse and are more like calculated risk takers instead. I like to think of myself as the same. I knew after graduate school that I needed to learn a lot about consulting (client management, business development, communication, creative ventures, multi-sector education etc.) & running a business before I thought of running my own. When I was first starting as a management consultant three years ago, I joined Quest 2 Consulting, a local DC area firm(which I am still at to this day). This choice was perfect for me. My boss is very action-oriented and affords me the independence to do our work in a task-oriented style, while also learning different facets of our business. He also takes the time to use instances with clients as teaching moments and always gives me opportunities to be pulled into meetings with upper leadership. With all this information to reflect on daily (because no day is the same) at Quest 2, it has given me the confidence to start my own consulting firm too.
Briana, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Remember that calculated risk I was just talking about? Well, that is about to come into play right now. In 2020 I started a brand that I eventually trademarked called black&ballin’. I was creating content around Black athletes and where we were at as a society. For the first time I was seeing Black athletes speak up about injustices that they have faced and strong stances around the state of Black lives+ welfare of Black people. This advocacy work was a beautiful sight to see. As a former D1 athlete and Black woman, I had a lot to say about these topics at hand. I had previously done similar research in graduate school, but I wanted a way to reach people that was not so dense & distant like academic research sometimes is––enter in b&b’. After a while I felt like I had more to say because my content creation turned into athlete preparedness tips beyond the game and advocating for wellness resources during and after they played. I realized after some preliminary research that there was no overview of the college athletics experience. There was no guide out there on how to navigate this multi-billion dollar business housed under higher education. I decided to write one. I spent roughly a year between 2021-2022 and wrote a book with soon-to-be & current athletes, their parents, and coaches in mind. The process was rough but it got done. I would not call myself an author per-se, I’m just the type of person to see gaps in an industry and want to address those needs for the greatest social impact possible. In tandem, as the book is coming to fruition, I got an opportunity to become an advisor and later an adjunct professor for the Georgetown University Sports Industry Management program, this just furthered my mission! I teach about college athletics, I work as a management consultant addressing some of organizations greatest needs and challenges, and then I wrote a book on the college athlete experience. Simultaneously these things are swirling around me all at the same time in 2022, little did I know is that eventually they would feed off each other! Maybe it’s the athlete in me of not wanting to leave folks behind, especially not the most marginalized, but at my core equity is the inspiration behind the work that I do. After I created the book, people started asking me to speak at high schools, colleges, organizations, and conferences. I knew it was time to LLC! With the push of a friend I decided to LLC my company BLD, pronounced build, at the start of the new year (2023) and have been growing it ever since. Under BLD I do all of my speaking engagements and consulting work for high schools + college athletics departments. For high schools, I mainly address the gap in education for players and parents around what to expect as a college athlete and how to find resources for success. For colleges, I speak to them on their organizational culture as well as support for athletes transitioning out of sports. 99% of college athletes don’t go on to play sports professionally, and often they are severely underdeveloped socially as compared to their non-athlete peers due to their collegiate obligations as an athlete. The more an athlete is invested in as a whole person, the more that they will want to engage with the organizations that helped shape their lives for the better.
All in all, I feel like my story is similar to that of the Alchemist. My journey is truly preparing me for my ultimate prize and what I am seeking to do for widespread social impact for athletes and other groups. There have been so many lessons learned along the way in my life, but that is truly the beauty of it all. When I really reflect, the people that have shared this journey with me (both new &old) have made it that much worthwhile. I have so much gratitude!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
My strategy for growing my clientele is split in 4 primary ways that have been the most effective for me:
1. Outreach is key. Start with who/what you know! I work with my marketing consultant and we put together an outreach plan to be able to introduce myself and the work that I do to a specific niche group of potential clients. Also, outsource if you can. While yes, it may be a little nerve racking to let someone else come close to your baby (your company), if you want to go far you must go with others––if you want to go fast, go alone.
2. Networking is crucial (both online + in person). I go to events & conferences and am open to meeting new people and networking both horizontally and laterally in my field and in different sectors. I also LOVE LinkedIn, this is where the major players play. Most folks are more accessible than you think. Weekly I send at least one introductory message or voice note and ask for a brief conversation, most people get back to me. I love hearing other folks’ professional stories, beginnings, and where they want to go. What I realized is there may be synergy in places where you least expect!
3. Media coverage. Sometimes article features or interviews (podcast/tv) have really pushed me and my business forward and gotten my name out there to people who may not otherwise have known about me and my work.
4. Listening more. Taking a moment to do preliminary research noting what the industry wants and needs has done wonders. Sometimes the answers I seek are hidden in the everyday conversations I have or content I consume, all I have to do is listen.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Oh absolutely! I have so many but the most recent that continue to resonate & inspire me include:
Books
Storybrand- Donald Miller
Designing Your Life- Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
Originals-Adam Grant
The Alchemist-Paulo Coelho
The Gifts of Imperfection- Brene Brown
You Are Only Just Beginning: Lessons for the Journey Ahead- Morgan Harper Nichols
Videos
Caroline Wanga keynote on Authenticity for MLT.
Anything with Lisa Nichols, she’s a brilliant speaker, her story is inspiring.
Rocky’s inspirational speech about ‘Taking the Hits’ life throws at you.
Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs a Champion TED talk.
Contact Info:
- Website: brianadubose.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianaldubose/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briana-dubose/
- Other: Where to buy my book: The ABCs for College Athletes https://www.amazon.com/ABCs-College-Athletes-Practical-Sports/dp/B09S2331KP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2OPBVLW7F7J8A&keywords=abcs+for+college+athletes&qid=1684525946&sprefix=abcs+for+coll%2Caps%2C75&sr=8-1