Welcome back to the United Journey series. This week we focus on supporting athletes to amplify their voices. Our featured guest today is Danielle Berman, Founder of Tackle What’s Next.
Throughout the interviews for United Journey, I have noticed similarities between my guests’ experiences and my own. This is probably my favorite part of each interview. I see a lot of my own experiences in Danielle’s journey. Still, her story and path are unique to her and I am happy to share.
Who is Danielle Berman?
Danielle is from Baltimore, MD and attended St Paul's School for Girls. From a very young age, Danielle was interested in the behind-the-scenes of events. Danielle always focused on who was running the show more than the show itself. Like so many family and friends of sports & entertainment industry professionals, Danielle’s mom had to listen to her break down the logistics of event operations.
She was able to gain experience in the sports industry through an internship with the Orioles and attended Syracuse University for her B.S. in Sports Management. While at Syracuse, Danielle perfected her communication and business development skills through several roles in the Syracuse Athletic Department. Go Orange!
After graduating, Danielle had goals of working in philanthropy and community engagement for a professional sports team. Like most aspiring professionals, she applied and interviewed for multiple roles. A majority of the positions were based in social responsibility and player development. Danielle ran into an issue that many aspiring professionals face; the roles were interesting but they were not everything she was looking for in a career.
She got the opportunity to intern for a small organization led by a former NFL player and moved to South Florida. Small organizations include various responsibilities outside of the normal roles that helped Danielle understand the business environment she was in. She also began to freelance for nonprofits in Florida and was learning the ins and outs of business development.
“I never thought about starting my own company until I was doing it.”
What is Tackle What’s Next?
Danielle transitioned her experience with connecting athletes to nonprofits and other organizations into Tackle What’s Next in March 2019.
Tackle What's Next identifies as the premier community and support team for athletes transitioning from sport to what’s next. They recreate a sense of team and camaraderie for athletes to find their purpose and create impact in life after the game.
Danielle identifies the main goal of her organization as helping athletes that, “have that desire to make an impact.”
This community is able to set goals, create accountability mechanisms, and develop a network through the TWN Academy. The TWN Academy hosts events focused on career development, entrepreneurship, community impact, and mental, physical, and financial wellness.
Join the TWN Academy - Champions Offer
Collaborative Mindset
TWN thrives on collaboration. There is an accountability group that connects and supports members. The virtual and in-person event lineup creates opportunities for collaboration between TWN and other nonprofit consultants. Tomorrow, November 13th, TWN will co-host a virtual Athlete Activism Workshop at 2:30 pm with Her Next Play and Champions For Philanthropy.
“Collaboration is key. The more we can reach out and incorporate will allow everyone to succeed together.”
Tackle What’s Next was able to host an in-person summit during Super Bowl LIV. This event was able to bring together an incredible lineup of speakers, sponsors, vendors, and volunteers to learn together.
Growth & Development
Through her experiences, Danielle noticed the lack of resources available for athletes to explore opportunities after retirement. TWN was able to pinpoint this need and create authentic relationships focused on developing impact strategies.
TWN focuses on “educating before selling.” Danielle does not see former athletes as deep pockets of money to use, she sees them as individuals with unique passions. Her goal is to help facilitate action on those passions.
Through collaboration and development, TWN was able to bring on a slightly larger staff entering 2020. TWN has been able to integrate an internship program in the summer and fall of 2020 as well. Danielle’s collaborative mindset is evident through her mentorship and opportunity creation for the next generation of young professionals.
Influence of COVID
2020 has impacted us all in unique ways. For Danielle and TWN, the pandemic has provided a chance to step back and reflect. Danielle’s mentality through 2020 has been that “no time is wasted time.” Everyday we have the opportunity to make small steps forward and acknowledging this progress is important for personal growth.
For Danielle, these small steps include having a groupthink mentality and supporting those around her. The uncertainty of 2020 has been overwhelming and led to increased anxiety for clients. By collaborating with her large network, Danielle and TWN are able to calm the nerves of many around sports and entertainment through outreach and the continuation of the virtual webinar series.
What’s Next?
TWN has plans to continue brand development and create impact across the country and across sports and entertainment. Danielle has plans to expand her team and is open to all types of collaboration. There are no bad ideas in the eyes of TWN.
Danielle was clear with me that she is ready to take on any challenge. The TWN community is ready, willing, and able to work together towards positive social impact.
Thank you for reading Danielle’s story. I admire her journey and connect with her experiences. Danielle’s TWN Summit and my own AIM Sports Conference were able to take place 2020. In a way, us hosting those events opened our connections to eventually meet each other earlier this year.
Baltimore United was formed to accelerate goals for impactful organizations. We intend to increase engagement and partnership opportunities for organizations like TWN.
Comment below and introduce yourself to Danielle!