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

Sean, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Footy Factory has transitioned a few times through our 8+ years in business. Originally, it was an idea for a state of the art soccer-specific training facility. Nothing like it existed at the time, and I wanted to create something that I always wanted as a college soccer player who needed somewhere to train during the off-season. Then, after working in that space for a little while I realized it may not be the most resourceful business idea to lead with because of the high operational overhead. This led me to begin building the substance to eventually put inside the facility down the line. Over our first 6 years, we built a complete soccer institution with grassroots programs feeding all the way through the pathway into our academy/semi-professional teams. Then COVID hit, and we were forced to pivot again. Although the structure of the organization was nearly complete, we realized the scalability was not there. We wanted to own an asset, not just another job. It was during the pandemic that we decided to streamline the company and stick to private training by appointment only. Our current growth model is building a network/community of independent trainers in major markets around the world that we support with education, marketing, and administration. We aim to have a globally recognized brand with online programs, courses, and resources that help inspire and facilitate the growth of coaches/trainers/players/parents everywhere.

Sean, 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?

My background in soccer started from the moment I was born. As soon as I started walking, I was kicking a ball around. My dad is from Iran and played at a good level, so it was always in my blood. Growing up in Dallas I was naturally drawn to other sports as well, and it wasn’t until 14 that I committed to soccer full-time. I had plenty of natural ability and caught up to other competitive players in the area very quickly but I missed the most important years for technical development from 7-14. I still managed to have a good enough high school career to be accepted to play at one of the strongest NCAA II programs in the country at West Texas A&M, but I again missed another critical developmental period from 18-22 with constant injuries. It was during this time that I really observed the way other players trained, played, and carried themselves on/off the pitch – especially the international players. I was so aware of where I came up short that it became my mission to get healthy and maximize my individual potential. Coming out of college, I had my most dramatic growth as a player from 22-26 and picked up on so many training methods as I was simultaneously building my business and coaching career. I wanted to find the formula for developing elite players and what I’ve realized is that there are many formulas. The Footy Factory training methodology is a blend of every piece of the puzzle. We train every attribute in an isolated setting, but always within the context of the game. The question is always – how does this technique translate to a specific situation the player may see? What makes us unique is that our training directly applies to the game itself so players get repetition with movements they will actually make in real games. This is why so many of our clients show immediate improvement in competitive environments, because they have been lifted with the confidence to do more of what they already know having experienced it in training many times before. This is the reward for us. There is so much value in individual training that cannot be created in a team environment. When we see a sequence or insight that we gave have an impact on a player that goes beyond the confines of our training conditions, it gives us the energy we need to repeat that output again and again and again.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

That there are limits to what we can achieve. I never had someone who accepted me, believed in me, supported me, and encouraged me to achieve personal greatness. This kept me from putting myself out there in a way that could really broaden my horizons and stretch my boundaries. I always had the will and determination to be successful, but I never really thought I could because no one else around me did. I had to unlearn those limiting beliefs. Of course, everyone wishes they could go back and do it all again with what they know now. I am no different. With a little more of the right guidance I could’ve done great things as a player. Now as a coach/trainer, I refuse to let any of my players fall short of their own potential.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The story I shared earlier highlights the major pivots we have made in business and is just a brief overview of the complexity of those decisions. It’s important to think all the way through those decisions, but also don’t be afraid to move either. If you have a clear vision for the direction you are headed but you see a roadblock in your way – change the path you take, not the goal. In every adversity, there is opportunity. Even then, it’s one thing to see the opportunity, and another to act on it. The most influential business leaders have a strong intuition for making decisions quickly and effectively to keep the ship rowing forward, without fighting against the tide. This principle applies to life just the same. Be fluid and flexible, like water. When the waves come crashing into a rock, they simply move around them and continue flowing downstream.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.footyfactory.us
• Instagram: @footyfactory
• Facebook: Footy Factory
• Linkedin: Footy Factory
• Twitter: @footyfactory
• Youtube: Footy Factory
• Yelp: Footy Factory

Image Credits
Peter Nieves Nick Nguyen