We caught up with the brilliant and insightful CHRISTIAN ROSS-FRANCIS a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi CHRISTIAN, thanks for joining us today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.
My first client was Nikki Burnett better known as Nikki B. I was visiting LA for the BET Awards with some friends where I meant Nikki B. I had notice her from a reality show called “Bringing Up Ballers” I was watching that year and loved her personality. I went over to introduce myself and we connected instantly. We chatted about basketball and then exchanged numbers and Instagram’s. From there we grew a friendship. A year later of us knowing each other I contacted her about assisting her with her branding and marketing. She loved the idea! She told me she wanted to work on her brand and become a lifestyle influencer. From there we worked on her social media content and securing branding deals. I wanted the experience so I worked for free but it was all worth it. Nikki B. and I have been making money together off brand deals ever since and she also connected me to my first big NBA client. Due to her connected me to my first big client I secured my first big deal and paying client and it felt amazing. I was so excited that day and it showed me that I can do this and never give up!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Christian Ross- Francis ( Cris), I am the CEO of Exclusive Brand Agency. I have worked with lifestyle influencer Nikki Burnett, NBA G League Player Kyree Walker, WNBA Draft Unique Thompson, and former WNBA player Ashley Shields to secure branding deals, educate them about marketing and branding, and guide them on turning their brand identity into a marketable and profitable brand. My strategic communications approach enable me to effectively communicate with my clients and bring their visions to life. I also bring my knowledge of brand perception, social media marketing and branding to EBA; so I can successfully tailor my clients’ messages to reach their target audience and to reach their goals.
I recognized my passion for marketing and brand development during my time as a stand-out basketball player on and off the court. With this passion, I spent time with multiple local organizations assisting them with their marketing and branding needs; I then established my non-profit Life Beyond the Rim. Among my other responsibilities in the sports industry, I have served as an Assistant General and a Game Day Operations Manager for a professional basketball team, Dallas Skyline. I also coached AAU, worked as a basketball trainer, and was an assistant coach at Prince of Peace High School. All while staying true to my passion of preparing athletes for life on and off the court and giving back to my community.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of new clients for me has always been word of mouth. People always say how hard working and how professional I am so they always refer people to me for their marketing and branding needs. So by me showing the work I have done for people, people have always referred others to me because of their exclusive experiences with me.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
The lesson I had to unlearn is saying yes to every opportunity. Being the type of person I am, I love to help everyone and I think every opportunity is a great opportunity to advance my career. That is not the case, when growing your brand you have to put yourself first. Putting to much on your plate can hinder your goals that you set for yourself because you pick up every opportunity that came your way. I believe saying no occasionally is ok.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gametimewithcris.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/consultwithcris_?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/cris-ross-francis-8178801a8