We recently connected with Derrick Deen and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Derrick, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for Deen Machine Quarterback Training came from two angles – my past and my knowledge of the game.
Growing up, I was a kid that grew up in a lower class, impoverished home. I wanted to play quarterback. That was the dream. Unfortunately, affording a quarterbacks coach was a major issue, so I taught myself everything I could before earning offers to play college football. COVID-19 and no understanding of the college process took this from me.
Since then, I’ve worked as an area scout for the Hula Bowl (an NFL Draft All-Star game), The Podyum Bowl, and I served as the Directior of Recruiting for the Jacksonville Athletic Academy before becoming an analyst with Rivals.com.
Now, as a Sport Management major at Western Kentucky University and managing the flag football program at the Boys and Girls Club of the Bowling Green Area, I’ve put myself in the position to bridge the gap between underprivileged athletes and affordable training at the quarterback position.
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 grew up in Russellville, Kentucky before moving to Bowling Green, Kentucky to pursue a future in sports.
After joining the Army National Guard and garnering experience as a scout, player personnel executive, and a coach, I decided to chase the lifelong pursuit of training quarterbacks.
Clients of DMQB can expect to not only receive top-of-the-line, textbook quarterback training with a focus on mechanics and long-term development, but they’ll also receive recruiting services, aid with their film, strength and conditioning services, and professional development.
The main thing I want people to know about my brand is that it’s here for the athlete. I want to represent the athlete in the best way possible in an affordable way.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
My background is riddled with lows.
Growing up, I suffered from parental divorce, strings of homelessness, and the like that comes with lower class home life.
In 2020, I was sleeping in an attic space, suffering at 250 pounds, and the victim of physical abuse. I joined the Army National Guard to escape, and when I returned, I enrolled at Western Kentucky University.
Now, I’m engaged, I’ve lost 75 pounds, and I’m thriving in most aspects of my life. I know resiliency and I know set-backs: one could even say they’re my best friends.
I want to share that resiliency with clients.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Following like-minded individuals, networking, professional graphics (Canva Pro does the trick!), and keeping the account professional is key.
My advice is to stay patient. Everyone and every business has social media. You’ll have to invest some money into boosting posts and you’ll have to have discipline in consistency with your posts.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/deenmachineqb?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-deen-b86624179?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
- Twitter: https://x.com/derrick_deen?t=yh66gYEFfUY7Vp2IOyda4g&s=09
- Other: My personal Instagram: https://instagram.com/derrickdeen?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==