What do you do when you realize you can’t be the thing you always wanted to be? Some give up. Some pivot. Edward Davis is someone who pivoted. He wanted to be a football player, and when that didn’t work out, he persevered, continuing in the sports industry.
Edward Davis is an NFL-licensed sports agent. He’s also a businessman: CEO and founder of Checkmate Sports. Davis’ interest was sparked when he learned of Eugene Parker, an African American sports agent. Being that there are few black sports agents, Davis found Parker to be an inspiration. It wasn’t long after that he created Checkmate Sports. It serves athletes looking to go pro. Davis has created Checkmate Sports to be a “one-stop-shop” for athletes. Athletes can get help with everything from career management and contract negotiations to post-career counseling.
While Davis’ success as an agent came somewhat quickly, it didn’t come easy. Becoming an agent is difficult. “[There is] no guidance, no mentors… it caused me to make many financial mistakes that could have killed me both mentally and physically.” Davis said. Finding resources and mentors in the industry became a huge deterrence. Successful agents were closed off. They seemed to operate as part of the “old boys’ network”–generally unaccepting toward newbies. In such a competitive field, it makes sense. That’s why Edward Davis wants to shake things up.
Davis is shifting the paradigm. He says he wants to be “the agent of agents”. He created a sports agent career for himself quickly, and this venture is no different. As someone who creates opportunities for himself, he wasted no time. He created a website, sportsagentmasterclass.com, and has already helped over 70 people get started in the sports agent industry.
Edward Davis’ success stems from his solid upbringing. He came from a city in Georgia, historically known as a rich city. He went on to college, getting his master’s degree in sports management. He had the confidence and determination he needed for this industry and didn’t stop when he hit a wall. “Don’t be afraid to learn and be open to new ideas.” Davis said. It’s that mentality that has kept him going through it all. He doesn’t stop.
Edward Davis plans to grow in the coming year. In just a short couple of years, he has signed two athletes to major NFL sports teams: the New York Giants and the Indianapolis Colts. He has started a mentoring and coaching program. This year he’ll focus on building his brand and expanding his network through YouTube. He hopes to reach 10K subscribers. For others looking to be unstoppable, he has some advice: “Be coachable. Find someone doing what you want to do and pay them their price to learn it.” Davis said.
