What It Was

Athletify was an NIL marketplace built to help college athletes connect with local businesses for paid brand partnerships. The company was created during the early wave of NIL, when athletes were newly able to monetize their name, image, and likeness, but many local brands had no simple way to discover, contact, and work with athletes in their area.

My Role

I led Athletify from concept through marketplace strategy, athlete outreach, business development, brand positioning, and early execution. My work included identifying the market opportunity, building the original product thesis, recruiting athletes onto the platform, connecting with local businesses, and shaping the marketplace around a simple idea: make athlete-brand partnerships easier, more local, and more accessible.

Lessons Learned

Athletify gave me early experience in marketplace dynamics, athlete monetization, local brand partnerships, and startup execution. The company was ultimately acquired, becoming one of the first major entrepreneurial chapters that shaped how I think about building around underserved communities and emerging markets.