As promised from my last NIL Summit blog, I’ve put together a list of the most interesting things I learned, people I met, and businesses I heard from. This infant of an industry is so full of potential, but a lot of it is still unknown. Or, as CJ Laboy phrased it, the NIL space is the wild west. With these takeaways, hopefully the west is a little less wild for athletes and businesses alike.

1. Take CARE of your social media — Angel Gonzalez, Meta

CARE stands for consistency, authenticity, relevance, and engagement. From the man himself, these are the ingredients for a successful Instagram account. Post often, post things that represent the real you, make them relevant for your audience, and give your audience the opportunity to engage. The biggest of these four is engagement. With social media, athletic fans are given the never-before opportunity to see what their favorite players do off the court or field or track. This also means that athletes have the opportunity to engage back with their fans such as by answering and asking questions. If you are looking to grow your social media, I would recommend heeding the advice of Meta (they just might know a thing or two)!

Also, can we talk about how cool it is that I met Meta executives!? Ahh!

2. “Go the extra mile.” — Jason Ranne, COO & EVP at Wasserman

In other words, make a good impression by offering added value. This is when an athlete (or any individual) works with a brand or company and goes beyond the agreement in favor of the business. For example, an employee has added value to a company by staying late at work. Personally, I continue to tag Kyle Cavan in my Instagram posts to go above and beyond in support of the brand. This tip is so practical for anyone: whether you’re a student turning in a homework assignment or helping out around the house, doing more than you are asked is the best way to establish a good reputation and show a little kindness along the way.

3. ROI (return of investment) can be measured differently — Chase Griffin, UCLA Football

When deciding whether or not to go through with a business transaction or partnership decision, both the brand and the athlete evaluate the ROI to determine whether or not it is a strategic move. Typically, ROI is measured by dollar signs; however, Chase Griffin, quarterback at UCLA and NIL athlete of the year, sees it a bit differently. Of course, a business decision must be profitable, but he also measures his ROI in regards to how a decision aligns with his morals and how it serves his community. He’s a strong Christian and family man, so he might be willing to partner with a brand for less money if that brand shares similar values to him. Chase's return of investment is not just what money lands in his bank account, but it’s what good is done for those around him as well.

4. Practice before you play. — Ariel Belgrave

In regards to athletics, this is a no-brainer, but it’s different in regards to employment and NIL. Ariel Belgrave suggests that athletes take a lot of reps to get good at transactions, such as starting with smaller deals for your own brand and interning with companies before entering the workforce. So, if you’re a high school student-athlete, it doesn’t hurt to start building up your brand, growing your social media following, and researching brands! Follow the NIL industry, ask your fellow athletes, and take note of transactions you see in your own feed. Be a student of the NIL game!

5. There's a difference between hype and passion. Have passion. — Tim Tebow

While I was fan-girling in the front row, Timmy T was delivering some really good content. He was differentiating passion and hype. Any athlete can get hyped for a game by blasting music. They can get excited by watching film. They can get into the zone by lacing up their cleats. However, it takes a passionate athlete to deliver the consistent day in and day out dedication to their sport. Tim explained how passion was originally used in reference to Passion of the Christ and means that someone is willing to suffer for a cause. Tim put it this way: he doesn’t get excited to get tackled by a 300 pound man, but he is still passionate about it. He is willing to suffer for the sport because he loves it so much. That’s when he referred to the Greek word agape, which is a verb form of love, implying that it is a choice. You might not like someone, and you might not get excited to get tackled, but you choose to love them and love what you do. Tim's goal was to impassion us athletes at the NIL Summit so that we can return to our teams with counter-cultural attitudes. It's the small things, like getting in the ice bath first or getting on the line for the last rep without complaint, that we do to demonstrate that we choose to love our sport even when we don't like it. When athletes do this, they can lead their teams in love.

There were also a lot of good one-liners worth sharing:

• Get to know the non-athletes at your school. You never know where they will be in 10 years. -- Sima Ghandi

• People want to see stuff on social media that they do not have access to.

• When deciding whether or not to partner with a brand, Tim Tebow makes sure it is something he would give to his family.

• Seize the moment & anticipate success. There are a lot of brands (like Breaking Tee) that jump to assist athletes who became overnight stars, perhaps with a game-winning touchdown catch by a backup or a viral social media post. Breaking Tee recommends that athletes are prepared for these moments (know how to make t-shirts, how to monetize, what brands they want to reach out to) within 48-72 hours in order to take advantage of them.

• Brand safety: make your feed clean. If it’s questionable, it’s not clean.

• When there are new platforms or features within existing platforms, be the first to use them.

• When doing deals, don’t be afraid what other athletes are involved.

I learned SO much at the NIL Summit, and I hope that this was a taste of that for you all. At the end of the day, my biggest takeaways are to engage on social media and ensure that whatever you post and whoever you partner with is authentic to your character. There are so many athletes and brands that are dedicated to this space that, as Chase Griffin said at the Summit, failure is not an option.