‘Go all in’: GMA’s Strahan joins former athletes-turned-professionals at Bob Wright Symposium
Successful athletes-turned-businessmen took the Columbus Convention and Trade Center stage Tuesday to offer business advice and share how they made transitions in their professional careers.
Former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan and former Atlanta Hawks small forward Dominique Wilkins were two of the many speakers at the annual Bob Wright Symposium, a group that included Heisman Trophy winner Warrick Dunn and bodybuilder Lee Haney. ABC News chief correspondent Byron Pitts served as the moderator.
The symposium sold out with 705 attendees and “completely exceeded all expectations,” DGL Communications consultant Danita Lloyd said.
Strahan, the keynote speaker of the symposium and co-host on ABC’s Good Morning America, said his inspiration each day comes from his desire to set a positive example to his kids. But his main advice was for individuals to step out of their comfort zone.
“I’ve yet to have a job that I was supposed to have,” Strahan said. “Convince yourself to like anything you want to like.”
He keeps busy — Strahan said he works 11 jobs. He filmed GMA Tuesday morning, then hopped on a flight from New York City to speak at the symposium. His jobs range from Thursday Night Football and Fox NFL Sunday, to SMAC Entertainment, which manages music stars, including Wiz Khalifa.
He spent his entire 15-year NFL career with the Giants and won the 2007 Super Bowl, racked up more than 100 sacks and made the Pro Bowl roster seven times.
Strahan, who retired from the NFL at age 36, said other players in the locker room jokingly called him “old man” towards the end of the career. In NFL terms, that may be accurate. But at 36, Strahan still had much of his life remaining. Seeing the names of other NFL retirees and the problems they faced served as extra motivation, he said.
Strahan said his perception of himself — as an athlete trying to break into a different field — held him back initially at GMA.
So, he taught himself to enjoy it.
“You committed, so go all in,” Strahan said. “If you don’t have butterflies, there’s something wrong with you. ... You have more value in your attitude than you do in your bank account.”
Wilkins, vice president of basketball for the Atlanta Hawks and analyst for FOX Sports Southeast, knew from age 12 he wanted to be in the NBA.
A former small forward nicknamed “The Human Highlight Reel,” he stands at a towering 6-foot-8, was inducted into the NBA’s Hall of Fame in 2006 and averaged nearly 25 points per game. He played 12 seasons with the Hawks and eventually got his business start in a management position at the franchise.
He started putting money away early in his career — advice he gave to the hundreds crowded into the ballroom — which he said helped him transition from athlete to businessman.
“I learned at an early age to have that rainy-day account,” Wilkins said. “I teach my son the same thing.”
Wilkins lived on his own starting at age 16 and worked multiple jobs so he could buy his mom her first house, which he did at age 18. He thought about life after basketball while still a student at UGA. He learned the importance of discipline while playing in the NBA, which he said translates to his professional career.
The Bob Wright Symposium was designed to expose members of the minority community to successful entrepreneurs who are industry trailblazers and respected thought-leaders within their fields. Proceeds from the symposium benefit the Alpha Onward & Upward Foundation, non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to college bound students.
Editor’s Note: Dominique Wilkins is the vice president of basketball for the Atlanta Hawks. An earlier version of this story included the incorrect title.
This story was originally published July 30, 2019 at 7:18 PM.
