We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Craig Gunter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Craig below.

Alright, Craig thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

I would like to believe that the majority would say that Craig Gunter demonstrated that power of one human being can have a enormous , positive lasting impact not only todays generation, but many generations to come. I am often told that my reach is much farther thank I can imagine. That statement alone, brings me to believe that the work I am doing today is building my legacy in Realtime, Each student athlete that STM encounters is being groomed to carry on life long values. Our hopes is to have such an positive impact, that our student-athletes take those values and practice them in their own lives, but also take them and share them in locker rooms across America so that the legacy grows.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My entrepreneurial journey is quite unique, an evolution that took my life from ordinary to extraordinary. After a successful 20-year corporate career that had me traveling and away from my family every week, I traded my business suits for sweat pants and a life dedicated to my passion: creating the ideal experience for everyone involved in youth sports. Rising daily with a purpose to help today’s youth turn their dreams into reality. A true entrepreneur who lives for building relationships one handshake at at time. As a former athlete and father, and mentor of student athletes, I understand the importance of youth sports in shaping the lives of our youth.

Simplified Team Management (STM) was founded with idea of bringing smart, high-integrity processes to youth sports; allowing coaches to coach, parents to spectate and athletes to play full out in a supportive environment.

STM’s approach is a blend of Craig’s sports experiences as well as his work as a former VP in the financial services industry where rigor and process made his clients feel confident in entrusting their hard earned assets and life savings with him over the years.

STM’s unique programs (STM Recruit, STM’s T2 service, and STM Team Management) provides guidance, insight, direction and support that is needed in order to maximize all of their personal and professional opportunities.

STM Recruit: College Recruiting Advocate Helping Student-Athletes and their families Navigate the complex road of the College Recruiting Process. We have come to know that the recruiting process is a complex, winding journey that is directed largely by the student-athlete. The more you know about the recruiting process—and the more effort you put into getting the results you want—the better chance you have to fulfill your dream of competing at the college level. Employing his commitment to exceed client expectations, Craig brings solid business structures, transparent communications, event planning as well as budget planning and management to youth sports team management.

A mentor and trusted advisor to student athletes all over the country, I have a keen insight into the unique pressure’s kids and parents feel as they go through the recruiting process both on and off the field. The number 1 reason STM became the main pillar of my business. I am very sensitive to the demands, pressure, and anxiety that come with going through the recruiting process. I have a true desire to bring out the best in a kid who may or may not be playing to their highest potential. As a sports dad, and someone who myself experienced the process , I am privy to the candid thoughts, fears and conversations student athletes really have about the recruiting process.

STM Team Travel Experience (T2 service) : Taking the Stress out of Team Travel. STM Experience is a program designed and devoted to supporting the growing phenomenon of the traveling Athlete, Team, Club, Coach, and Parent. Creating a fun experience within the team’s budget and fun for all.

STM Team Management; Is a full-service youth sports management agency. That strives to be the liaison between the coaches parents and the student- athlete. Too often Parents feel unheard; unsure how to express their concerns or ideas to their coach and to the club. Wildly supportive of their young athlete, they want to know the financial and time investments they are making being valued and appreciated. Coaches, while paid for leading competitive teams, find themselves drowning in paper work and administrative tasks that take valuable time away from practice and game-day playbook planning. The demands of parents, club meetings and “real” jobs leaves little to no time for a balanced life. Committed to doing their best, learning and developing, Athletes sometimes second guess in-game decisions and have their confidence shaken as they fight to listen to their coach and drown out the reprimands being shouted from the sidelines. STM partners with teams to ensure parents can confidently invest, coaches can focus on coaching and athletes can play-out in a supportive environment. Employing my commitment to exceed client expectations, Team STM brings solid business structures, transparent communications, event planning as well as budget planning and management to youth sports team management.

I founded STM in 2016 , because I understood that coaches, parents and athletes are each making significant investments of time and resources to participate in youth sports. I believe these investments deserve to be honored and valued.

What problems do we solve in the recruiting process. First I would state as I do to every student athlete that in consult with. You have 3 choices. 1. You can do nothing, and I GURANTEE you will not get a scholarship. 2. You can decide to take control of your recruiting process. Although I can’t guarantee you a scholarship, i f you doo the things we direct you to do, something good will happen for you. A million student athletes have went through this daunting process before you and a million will do it after you. 3. You can hire with a recruiting service out there, but at the end of the day you still have to do the work. Option 2 is a pretty solid option. However when a student athlete chooses option 3 and partners with STM, we have one goal in mind and that is to close the deal, by bringing the athlete and their future home for the next 4 years together. Their desire to solve this recruiting problem and my years of experience of coaching student athletes in the recruiting process is the what we are doing over here at STM, but they have to commit.

“we can’t help a student-athlete until they commit, But once they commit we wont let them fail.” That is one thig that sets us apart.

What makes us Proud. In this business the reward at the end for the student athlete is finding the right fit academically, landing an athletic scholarship to reduce their college debt. For STM the reward is good, but the journey from start to finish is what brings us the most joy. The process of transferring that anxiety of the process from the student athlete to us.

What we want people to know: We are here to provide value in everything we do. Simple when you think of college recruiting you think of STM Recruit because of the daily value we provide. When you partner with STM we commit to assisting you by sorting through the obstacles and clear the path for you to land on the radar of college coaches.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Living in the world f entrepreneurship, you better know how to be resilient or learn really fast. There are many blueprints, but every journey is so different when you are starting and building something special (an empire). When dealing with Student -athletes many in their teens, parents and add in college coaches who all have demands. Learning how to manage expectations is must. Throw in the curve ball of growing with employees now you really have to become good a t juggling. I take the approach of everything is my fault. If an employee doesn’t work out out, its my fault because I hired them.

As every business owner face. You have a service or product that you provide which is great, but you also have to have someone e provide that service or product to. Until you learn how to close that gap, you better know how to be resilient, because you are going to hear the word NO ALOT. Honestly I didn’t know that you could say the work no in so many different ways.

Here I was with this great service but for some reason not everyone believed in my vision as I did, There were lot of excuses why STM was no the solution to their problem. Even after I laid out the problem in front of them and show them the benefits not only to them but for their athletes. Still is was a NO or not Now.

This is how it played out with STM Recruit. Day after day I would approach clubs with idea of helping them and their athletes navigate the recruiting process and I was given the door in a nice respectful way. I was told we have it under control. Well that was what we would call FAKE NEWS. They didn’t have it under control and would have paying parents come to believe that they are willing to do whatever it takes to help get their kid t the next level. Well not much work was being done to keep that promise, but a lot of credit was being taken for work that wasn’t being done. I wasn’t mad, I was just determined to be the change needed and change the narrative.

That’s when I had to take resilience to the next level. The name of this recruiting game is relationships. I quickly pivoted my approach and recognized that if I didn’t have an in through the club door I would build my own door. In order to get recruited there has to be a connection between the student athlete and the decision maker which is the college coach. Insert STM to connect the 2 parties. My resilience and willingness not to take no as an answer gave me the courage to spend hours traveling to various Universities and colleges, emailing, and spending countless hours on the phone, shaking hands and introducing myself building relationships with college coaches who ultimately trusted me to take my call. One thing I know is that todays youth are very intelligent humans. I am a firm believer in the power of Social Media. Student athlete started to take notice. The growth of STM trajectory stems from students athletes recognizing that if they want to accomplish their goal of competing at the next level they are going to go to the place that can help them solve the problem It may be the club. Yes some club coaches have some connections, however we believe our database is very impressive across all levels D1, D2, D3, NAIA and JuCo. and athletes know that. There hasn’t been one day in the last a 3 years where I haven’t had some form of communication with a college coach. Moral of the story If you cant get the club. Create the door that athletes want to come through. Future entrepreneurs build your own door.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I am a big reader and I look to many successful business minds. When I think of who or what has had an big impact on me as an entrepreneur I would have to put Gary Vaynerchuuck at the top of the list. Gary is a Social Media Mogul and digital creator who has help me mentally and professionally. He is not for everyone, however I believe if you read to become an expert there is nothing that says you have to take everything you read and apply it. Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Phil Knight of Nike, Onward by Howard Schultz of Starbucks, Rick Rubin and my most recent read The 2% Way by Dr. Myron L. Rolle are all reads that I would suggest. A lot of prayer doesn’t hurt the cause either.

To any other entrepreneurs out there, I will leave you with this. Swing for the fences, seriously go big, I mean moonshot. You want it? Work longer and harder for it because this is your baby. There is no one else to blame if all fails, but if you look at the experience , the networking, the lessons, how can it ever be a failure? Don’t hear the boos and don’t hear the cheers. Stay focus and love the process. We lose 10% of momentum everyday we don’t take action.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.simplifiedteammanagement.com/
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