How Would Your Business Measure Up at the NFL Combine?

Measuring your business rank

If you were on display against the other up and coming small businesses, would you be a top 10 draft pick?

Height/Weight = Measures if the body can stand up to the beating in the NFL

Business equivalent: Balance sheet

This gives us an idea about how healthy the business (or player) is RIGHT NOW, but it doesn’t tell us the whole story. It lists what we OWN, what we OWE and illustrates the business’s net worth. It’s a good start, but we need to keep digging and put you through some more drills. Look at Brock Osweiler (overpaid journeyman backup quarterback who was paid for his 6’7” height), he had one of the healthiest Balance Sheets at the combine a few years ago…

• 1^st Round: I hired a financial advisor to create Balance Sheet and oversee on a monthly basis, while teaching me how to update it monthly
• 2^nd/3^rd Round: Utilizing the Quickbooks balance sheet
• 4^th/5^th Round: Downloaded a template off Google and think it about right
• 6^th/7^th Round: I have a spread sheet with my debt on it
• Undrafted: I don’t need a balance sheet, I need sales!

40 yard Dash = Measures speed and quickness

Business equivalent: Income Statement/P&L

This is what most novice investors (and coaches) get the most excited about. The income statement shows you, “in theory,” how much the business made over a period of time. The one thing it does NOT show is the CASH. While it is most definitely important, I wouldn’t base my whole draft pick over this, and neither should you. John Ross (drafted 9^th overall in 2017, played 3 games year 1, and 13 games year 2 with 21 catches) ran a 4.22, Enron had a nice Income Statement… (it’s much harder to commit fraud on a 40 yard dash, but it doesn’t tell the whole story)

• 1^st Round: Talked to an accountant about the importance of an Income Statement and had one personally designed for my business.
• 2^nd/3^rd Round: Utilizing the Quickbooks income statement
• 4^th/5^th Round: Read a blog and downloaded the attachment
• 6^th/7^th Round: I keep my receipts
• Undrafted: I don’t have income yet

Strength of your business

Bench Press = Measures strength & endurance

Business equivalent: Statement of Cash Flow

How strong is this business? How long can it last? The Statement of Cash Flow will tell us if the business is healthy, and how long it can sustain being healthy. If we don’t consistently bring in cash (continue with the weight room after the combine), we will lose the power we need to continue. 

Strength can only go so far for an Offensive Lineman… if he runs out by the 4^th quarter, gives up a sack and loses his QB for the season.

• 1^st Round: I had a financial advisor create a template and oversee cash flow, but I am managing it on a day-to-day basis with a full understanding of how long my company can survive
• 2^nd/3^rd Round: I watched YouTube videos on how to manage cash flow and built a system.
• 4^th/5^th Round: I’m tracking cash on a spread sheet to the best of my knowledge
• 6^th/7^th Round: I check my bank account every morning
• Undrafted: I’m expecting some big checks to come in soon, things should work out

Marketing your business

Broad Jump = Measures explosiveness

Business equivalent: Marketing

This is a great test for EXPLOSIVENESS. In business, marketing (and explosiveness) can help you a ton, but you need to be able to convert those marketing leads into sales. A Defensive Lineman can be the most explosive man in the field, but if he can’t use his hands, the big Offensive Lineman across from him is going to engage with him first and have full control. 

• 1^st Round: I created a full campaign utilizing paid advertising, a content strategy and social influencers, generating leads that flow into a funnel that measures conversion rates. As well as budgets and timelines.
• 2^nd/3^rd Round: I’m maximizing my personal connections, all my social platforms and brand to generate leads until I can build up a budget.
• 4^th/5^th Round: Posting on social media that I have a product or service
• 6^th/7^th Round: Emailing random businesses at “info@potential-lead”
• Undrafted: Direct mail campaigns

Sales as the driving force

Vertical Jump = Measures lower body strength, leaping ability

Business equivalent: Sales

Lower body strength is one of the most important things in football. Just as sales is to a business. Sales are the lifeblood of the business. Sales solve everything. Well, almost everything. Have you ever seen a business with a ton of sales, really fancy offices, private jets for board members, expensive dinners for “clients”, bonuses for executives, acquisitions… then suddenly go bankrupt?

Sales is a key element for success, but having optics into your finances and a trustworthy CFO is JUST as important. A Wide Receiver can have unbelievable leaping skills, but if he can’t come down with the ball in the corner of the end zone, then it’s all just for show.

• 1^st Round: A process that is measured, accountability at all levels, a competitive pricing strategy, automated lead flow and software being utilized at full capacity.
• 2^nd/3^rd Round: A sales script, price book and an accountable sales rep
• 4^th/5^th Round: I hired a guy who can sell “sand at the beach”
• 6^th/7^th Round: I got a friend who is a good talker
• Undrafted: People will like my product and give me money

leading the team

3 Cone = Measures agility and change of direction

Business equivalent: Leadership team/Owner

You can’t hide your athletic ability from the 3 cone drill. A great company must have agility, the ability to adjust with the markets and change direction when appropriate.  A great leadership team knows they can’t fool the markets. Eventually it will catch up to them. They need to focus on agility and not hide behind only brut strength and speed.

• 1^st Round: A Level 5, self aware leader with no ego and truly wants what’s best for my company
• 2^nd/3^rd Round: A leader who has made mistakes in the past and learned from them, and has a mentor
• 4^th/5^th Round: A leader who has read some leadership books and has “a good idea about how the company should be run”
• 6^th/7^th Round: A leader who is in it to look good
• Undrafted: A leader with an ego like Johnny Manziel

Understanding your customer

20 yard Shuttle = Measures acceleration, the ability to stop on a dime

Business equivalent: Understanding your Ideal Client

In football, if you run in a straight line, you may pick a few yards. Maybe even a first down. Yes, you should “run down hill” if you are the ball carrier. But there are also large men sprinting at you to make the tackle or block you from making the tackle. You must be able to accelerate, stop quickly and adjust to the play. A good business understands their ideal client and will pick up a few first downs. A GREAT business asks their ideal client what they want, adjusts their plans, provides it to them and scores touchdowns.

• 1^st Round: Utilizes data, creates personas of ideal clients and refers to them daily. Listens to what they REALLY want.
• 2^nd/3^rd Round: Created personas, but lost them in the Google drive, uses social media data from intern
• 4^th/5^th Round: I did a couple of survey back in the day
• 6^th/7^th Round: Asked family members if they liked their product
• Undrafted: “Knows what the client wants and doesn’t need to listed to them”

Being self-aware

Interview: Measures mentality, honesty and handling adversity

Business equivalent: Company Culture

Going into an interview with Coach Belichick, you better be overly prepared and have self-awareness. The interview process at the combine is meant to break you. They will ask you questions that may spark anger or even be flat out illegal. You need to have your mind right and know the direction you want to go. I view company culture as how your company, as a whole, will act when things get tough. Are your guidelines established and communicated properly so that 100% of the staff members are able to list them off the top of their head? Do they go to them in hectic times?

• 1^st Round: Staff is able to react confidently under pressure and refer back to the core values and mission of the company.
• 2^nd/3^rd Round: Has the core values on the wall, and staff pretty much knows them
• 4^th/5^th Round: Created a mission statement that lives on the owners desktop computer
• 6^th/7^th Round: Has a “family” mentality, but staff can take 2 hour drinking lunches
• Undrafted: “If my staff is having fun, then I’m doing my job”