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

Frances, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

I served as the Director of Corporate Visibility for a boutique firm in Alexandria, Virginia, where I focused on building the individual brands of the staff while expanding the firm’s overall marketing reach. During this time, I had ongoing conversations with several professional athlete contacts about their experiences with their current agencies, particularly about brand development. Many expressed dissatisfaction, feeling they weren’t getting the support they needed.

Over a weekend, I decided to address this gap by launching Firestarter, a firm dedicated to managing athletes’ and coaches’ marketing, public relations, and event planning needs. I quickly consulted with my attorney and got the necessary paperwork in order. Within days, Firestarter was officially up and running.

Once Firestarter was established, I introduced our services to my network of athletes, coaches, and sports administrators. The response was overwhelmingly positive, confirming the need for a more dedicated approach to athlete branding and support.

Frances, 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?

As you know, I’m the founder and CEO of Firestarter. For more than 20 years, I’ve been able to lead award-winning marketing and PR campaigns, manage events, and help clients with their philanthropic endeavors. My current role at Firestarter focuses on developing, managing, and protecting the brands of some of the nation’s most prominent high school, collegiate, and professional athletes, coaches, and sports executives.

Under my leadership, Firestarter has built an incredible client roster, including the Denver Nuggets, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, and the University of Pittsburgh’s Alliance 412. We’ve also had the privilege to work with the San Francisco 49ers’ Jon Feliciano, Aaron Donald’s AD99 Solutions Foundation, Deatrich Wise’s Wise Up Foundation, a number of collegiate athletic programs, and many individual athletes, coaches, and professional service providers at various levels.

Brand building and NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) are areas I’m deeply passionate about, and over the years, I’ve been fortunate to share my insights through speaking engagements and media features. I’ve appeared in publications like O Magazine, Athletic Business, Front Office Sports, and The Washington Post. I’ve also been a guest on various radio and TV shows and podcasts, and in 2014, I had the opportunity to appear on CNN’s Live with Piers Morgan. 2016, I was honored to be recognized as one of Alexandria Chamber of Commerce’s 40 Under 40 award recipients.

I’m most proud that I’ve maintained an ‘education first’ mentality over the past eight years. I don’t produce flashy content that exploits my clients. I post educational content to help people feel inspired and empowered to manage their brands. Additionally, my DMs remain open for athletes or parents seeking information.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Over the past eight years, my reputation has been built through relentless networking and consistently delivering exceptional results for my clients. In the sports industry, where word-of-mouth drives success, producing innovative and impactful work ensures that your name circulates quickly. By maintaining strong relationships and exceeding expectations, I’ve been able to grow my influence and trust within the community.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part of my job is the meaningful impact I help create for my clients. Many of them run charitable organizations or youth camps, and being able to support their efforts in making a difference in their communities is incredibly fulfilling. Knowing that my work contributes to positive change and helps them extend their reach is what makes it all worthwhile.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yourfirestarter.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firestarterceo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firestarterbrand/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourfirestarter/?viewAsMember=true
• Twitter: https://x.com/yourfirestarter

Image Credits

All images courtesy of Firestarter