And then it hit me … Doynk! First of all, I realized that did not really bother to understand what LinkedIn WILL BE used for in two or three or five years – so accordingly, I have not bothered at at all to build my own LinkedIn profile For RETIREMENT … and then, it REALLY hit me DOYNK! It’s not just retirement … I realized that, throughout my life, I had been approaching job search COMPLETELY WRONG for my entire career and it’s not hardly just me … in other words, what REALLY floored me is that the general approach thoughout industry, throughout our education system, thoroughout our entire economy is* completely wrong and BACKWARD.

The opportunity to completely disrupt the whole business of how people go about: 1) the process of making themselves available for hire [and also assuring that they can actually DO the job] and 2) how projects and ventures can staff up with the talent required to get a project completed … is the basis of my GYG.be venture. It comes down to a LEGIT, verified version of NIL reputation mgmt [except that it’s about VERIFIED skills, not poses or imagery].

The GYG.be venture is about MANAGING one’s reputation and that means thinking with the END IN MIND. In other words, if we want to be remotely close to being successful and happy in life, we really need to work a lot harder at practicing like we play.

This all about SERVING FIRST … and thinking deeply about how we can indefinitely sustain our ability to serve first … and then DOING IT, as we practice like we play … until somebody asks us to play professionally in their game.

We have all always kind of known that we need to try to make ourselves so useful that we are indispensable to others.

That’s a given – it’s the essence of what we attempt to do with education, with our careers, with our businesses, with our lives.

But, we’ve been doing it all BACKWARDS … because we need to FIRST, before serving others, be able to INDEFINITELY sustain our ability to be able to serve first.

The PRE-REQUISITE and CONTINUING REQUIREMENT of all of our efforts to SERVE FIRST is that we must set SMART goals and work toward personal excellence to have the foundation of NEVER WORRYING, NEVER BEING NEEDY … and then to work at our health and productivity to always be strong, capable and anxious to be called upon to serve … and more than that, we must realize that MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ASK US FOR HELP are simply not worthy of being helping … because they will choose to worry, they will choose to be needy, they will choose to blame others for not doing what they PATHETICALLY ask.

Our personal brand to SERVE FIRST has to be an HONEST and GENUINE reflection of our personal struggle toward excellence … and we must expect those who ask for our help will work themselves in their own personal struggle toward excellence AND we need to leave the dead and those who have chosen to be dead to bury their dead.

We do that best by articulating a vision, defining an agenda and developing a personal brand … building that brand with our own productivity, our our own skills, our own ideas about improving the health of our lives … our own personal brand is about being healthier, being more fit, being more able to defend ourselves, being more able to help others be more fit, healthier, more productive … but ultimately it is about the Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) asset – because we must PUBLICLY reach out to other people around the world to FIND the community of people who share our interests, who might have similar general health and fitness goals, who also aspire to be healthier … AND we need to leave the dead to bury their dead.

16-week syllabus for studying how manage name-image-likeness digital assets and endorsement deals associated with a personal brand

Important Considerations:

The name-image-likeness asset that we will build has to match the personal struggle toward excellence. One area that you must establish an excellent personal compentence in your ability to gather intelligence and consider your options given your own personal values and goals.

Gathering intelligence and being situationally aware of the ENTIRE world around you will PRE-REQUISITE and CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT. Obviously yesterday’s information or situational awareness is flawed for two reasons: 1) It was not perfect to begin with; it reflected your cognitive biases; 2) It’s already dated; you cannot base your life on your musings from looking in the rear view mirror, even though most people do. The world around you will continue to adjust and change, so me must constantly re-adjust/revise our SMART goals and work toward personal excellence.

Remember that this is a rapidly evolving landscape … it’s impossible to be current enough. The NIL space and everything we touch through our work in this space is especially rapidly changing. Stay updated on new developments! It’s more essential to stay CURRENT in these matters than it is to stay current on your real estate, stocks or investment portfolio.

You will NEED develop ways of staying current with applicable laws and regulations. Do not expect your attorney to be current; NIL assets are YOUR assets, not your attorney’s assets – so your attorney can only ADVISE you inside his narrow range of expertise and most established attorneys have little or now background in these areas. You will need to develop multiple sources of legal advice to give you second, third, fourth and fifth opinions. Based on your knowledge of this realm, it is up to YOU to hire competent counsel. It is up to YOU interview, hire and constantly find new legal advice. NIL rules vary by state. It is up to YOU to adapt this syllabus based on your local regulations.

Week 1-2: NIL Fundamentals

What is NIL? The history of the movement, key concepts, and stakeholders (student-athletes, brands, agents, universities, etc.). Legal Foundations: Key legal rulings, a primer on contract basics, intellectual property protections (likeness, trademarks). State Law Overview: Breakdown of regulations in your state, restrictions on activities, and school rules on NIL.

Week 3-4: Building a Personal Brand

Defining Your Brand: Value identification, target audience, creating a distinctive online persona. Social Media Mastery: Platform selection, content strategies, developing compelling personal narratives. Networking Basics: Identifying contacts (agents, potential partners), outreach best practices.

Week 5-6: Digital Assets

Types of Assets: Understanding your potential monetizable assets - social media channels, photos, videos, creative content. Content Creation: Tools and techniques (photography, videography, editing) for DIY creations. Data & Analytics: Setting audience targets and utilizing platform analytics to understand reach and engagement.

Week 7-8: Endorsement Deal Dynamics

Deal Structures: Sponsorship types, compensation models (cash, royalties, equity), typical deal clauses. Negotiation Basics: Setting pricing, protecting your interests, knowing your leverage and BATNA (Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement). Brand Relationship Management: Building mutually beneficial partnerships, delivering agreed-upon value.

Week 9-10: Managing Finances & Taxes

Financial Essentials: Business income tracking, budgeting, managing deal payouts. Tax Implications: Understanding tax liabilities on NIL income, deducting business expenses, estimated tax payments.

Week 11-12: Compliance & Risk Mitigation

Considerations From Authorities/Stakeholders such as NCAA & School Guidelines: Staying up-to-date on relevant regulations and avoiding violations. Brand Representation: Evaluating brand alignment with your values, handling controversial deals. Personal Protection: Avoiding reputation risks, cyber threats, securing intellectual property rights.

Week 13-14: NIL & The Future

Trend Analysis: Forecasting potential changes, the role of technology in NIL marketing. Professional Growth: Leveraging NIL for broader career development, networking beyond immediate opportunities. Ethical Considerations: Balancing profit with personal purpose in NIL deals and self-promotion.

Week 15-16: Real-World Practice

Case Studies: Analyze successful and failed NIL campaigns, drawing best practices and red flags. Guest Speakers: Invite seasoned agents, NIL advisors, or successful student-athletes for experience sharing. Developing an Action Plan: Students create action plans outlining brand and NIL revenue strategy. Resources:

Online Courses: Relevant NIL platforms and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) Books & Articles: Expert opinions, legal insights. Industry Trade Shows & Conferences: Connect with experts and explore trends.

This syllabus is only a rough outline of a starting point for an ongoing syllabus

CONTINUALLY revise, update, renew, customize and adjust this syllabus and seek professional guidance where needed for legal and financial matters. You will want to read ahead, plan to do deeper dives or more specific course elements … but the first weeks assignment is to GROK the entire syllabus and revise / reprioritize it for the months ahead! In other words, you will never finish this syllabus … it is a living document that you will constantly be revising and updating because you will ALWAYS BE WORKING ON YOUR BRAND … ALWAYS!