COULD YOU DEFINE YOUR WORTH
The National Football League (NFL) season is finally upon us. I never get a chance to say I told you in my line of work, risk management and cybersecurity, but at least here I can. Does anyone find is striking that the NBA setup something similar to what I described back in March and their league is thriving...a locked down bubble. As a risk management professional, I get called crazy or told I'm worrying about nothing but there is usually always solutions for my customers to reduce their risk...they just have to determine if the cost is worth it.
The NFL has had a chance to watch the success of the NBA and they've decided some stadiums will have NO fans and others will be at roughly 25% capacity because the game must go on...but I ask at what cost. I remind you that without an NBA bubble like scenario the National Hockey League had to start and stop their league play multiple times and ended up moving their games up to good ole Canada --- a safer environment for the players health. Major League Baseball has had a number of instances where outbreaks have happened in various clubhouses as it harder to create a bubble with a much larger player base. One thing is for sure, the games will go on because there is toooooo much money to be made. Need more proof, look at the Big 10, a college conference for teams mainly in the midwestern part of the US. They assessed the risk and canceled the fall football season. The backlash has been swift --- cities, fans who are bored, and even some players are less concerned about the outbreaks on campus and more worried about Ohio State's revenue impact to the city of Columbus or the University of Michigan projected revenue loss. It would be funny if it weren't true, but I'm afraid it is --- many schools require players to sign a waiver and that's where I come in. Risk Manager to the rescue -- a waiver ensures that if any of the players get sick or die, the player (or their family) cannot hold the schools liable for their health concerns. So I ask you, how much would it take for you to put your health at risk and play a season knowing you could get sick??
Would you be like college football players --- and play for free?
If it came down to it, do you truly know your worth? That is the question I wanted to pose to my readers today. When I was a young lad coming out of college, I had these rigid set of principles...imagine that. I used to tell anyone that listened or that worked for me --- you need to test the job market about every 3 years. It's easy to get complacent and fall in love with a routine of "working" everyday while others are hustling, learning new skills and challenging companies to pay them what they are worth. There are good reasons to no rock the boat and stay put...but what's the harm in Mr. Market telling you what you are valued. I got complacent for a few years and got into a zone where your employer convinces you that it needs you soooo badly things would go wrong if you ever took vacation and terribly wrong if I ever left. Well I'm here to tell you that companies move on and time moves on...no one person is that valuable and if you are you better be sure they are paying you a king's ransom. So I reminded myself a few years ago that Mr. Market determines my value and my employer simply needs to determine if they agree whether I'm worth it...it's not personal. Many people are quietly cheering this statement at home but if I asked you whether sports players are overpaid...everyone is quick to say yes. haha I wonder if it's because the majority of athletes in some of our biggest sports leagues are minorities...people of color.
If I asked you to work for NO pay because I'll give you pay for your training courses, would you take it? Probably NOT. Then why do people get up in arms at college players making billions of dollars for college sports but not making a dime...even off of their likeness.
When Cowboy fans and fans in general are in an uproar about Dak Prescott rejecting a contract extension worth roughly $33 Million a year --- he's called a overpaid crybaby. LeBron is told to shut up and play ball. But Patrick Mahomes and just the other day Deshaun Watson earned contracts that far exceed Dak's offered pay package so fans should you shut up and cheer him on (oh wait that's an oxymoron). I wonder how much of it has to do with the fact that fans usually complain when the player is a person of color, a black man making big time bucks? I find it odd that no one, I mean NO ONE ever complains at the owner. The owner of most sports teams are white, worth billions of dollars and can afford to pay one man that amount WHY --- because they are bringing in way more that that in revenue. Many owners are business persons and investors like myself...just with a lot more commas in their bank account. My investment buddies are a who's who of owning sports teams:
Investor David Tepper (Carolina Panthers),
Businessman Tilman Fertitti (Houston Rockets)
Investor Mark Lasry (Milwaukee Buckets)
Businessman and Investor Mark Cuban (Dallas Mavericks)
WHO PAY'S YOUR FAVORITY CELEBRITY'S BILL'S?
Lucky for you the good folks over at FIVETHIRTYEIGHT asked this question awhile back too. Aside from Shahid Khan (the Pakistani-born owner of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguar football team) and Michael Jordan (who I believe recently sold a majority or all of his stake in the Charlotte Hornets), ALL other owners across the 3 major sports leagues are white.
NFL Ownership: 97% White
MBL Ownership: 98% White
NBA Ownership: 98% White
Source: The Institute For Diversity And Ethics in Sport
FINDING VALUE - INVESTING IN YOURSELF (GROW YOUR BUSINESS AND PORTFOLIO)
I write this post because my startup cybersecurity firm just signed it's first client and hired and placed my first employee. I couldn't be more proud in trying to accomplish my mission to place talented people of color in corporate IT jobs. I was laughed at along the way, low balled, and even towards the end the companies almost tried to cut me out of my own deal. However; I am a risk manager and with contracts and an knowledge of what I'm worth and what my team is worth --- we won't settle and we didn't. I did it all without a company website because my skillset is the product. I set a target to get my first employee and engagement where I wasn't directly involved or managing the project and determined the profits would pay for my website and official launch. Know your worth, when they laugh work harder, and always be a triple threat player. I have a 9-5 job, manage a growing startup, and actively invest in the stock and real estate market. 3 Threat give me flexibility to shoot, pass, or drive to the basket. Here are my stocks expiring within 1 month, all profitable except one and the one trade that is down is actually good. I own that stock and when that trade is down, it means my stock is up. Know your Worth: ALIBABA (BABA), ROKU (ROKU), NOVAGOLD (NG) , FACEBOOK (FB), JUNIOR GOLD MINERS ETF (GDXJ), DRAFTKINGS (DKNG), KOHLS (KSS), CRONOS (CRON) - Note: Most of these trades w/ exception of Facebook, Cronos and GDXJ were recently added in the last few weeks and are profitable.
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