21:53
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
people, damon, business, marcus, football, book, nfl, life, struggle, coach, helping, years, trust, job, sports, players, persevere, paid, athlete, money
SPEAKERS
Damon Pistulka, Marques Ogden
Damon Pistulka 00:00
Everyone welcome once again to the faces of business. I am your host, Damon Pistulka. And with me today, I’ve got a special guest, Marcus Ogden. How are you today, sir?
Marques Ogden 00:10
Doing well? How about yourself? Damon?
Damon Pistulka 00:12
Just fine, just fine. Well, for those of us that may not know, Marcus is a former NFL player, a keynote speaker, a business coach, executive coach and consultant and I just really feel honored to have you here today, Marcus, because we’re gonna talk a little bit about how boards and overcoming challenges really led you to where you are today. And I think your story is is something that is inspiring, and help others. So tell us a little bit about your background. First of all, sir, yeah, so
Marques Ogden 00:47
I’m from Washington, DC. I went to St. John’s College High School, the same high school that Kevin plainclothes underarmour went to, I ended up having a really successful career in high school. I got a scholarship offer one scholarship offer go play football and Howard University for the bison. That’s where my dad went to school. He was also a vice and he was actually the first class to get scholarships and Howard athletically, I got a scholarship athletically to go to Howard. I want to be an investment banker when I stepped foot on campus, but I became a starter I was why am I a redshirt freshman year I was a four year starter and the NFL had other plans for me.
As I tell people they started coming out watching me coming to different practices game scouting, I got invited to different you know, events combine. I went to the hula bowl, where Matt Brown who now is the head coach back in North Carolina was my coach during the hula bowl, and then I had jack Harbaugh, Jimmy John’s father was my old line coach, and I was drafted to the National Football League. I’m asking the first and only of Lima Damon to ever be drafted from Howard the National Football League. Wow. Wow. That’s cool.
Damon Pistulka 02:00
Yeah, so the one thing that that I think that a lot of people that are not around sports at the level a just through the collegiate level, don’t understand that. And I really think that I want to ask you a couple questions about it is how much do you think sports in high school and college gave you the skill set to be able to take this defeat, not defeat but just take failures and and disheartening situations and be able to turn them around and come back out of them? positively?
Marques Ogden 02:37
Well, dammit, that’s what football does. Because you’re going to get beaten football, I don’t care who you are, I don’t care how great you are. My brother was the best left tackle NFL history, he got beat. That’s just the way it is. So in life, you’re gonna have you’re gonna get beat, you know, someone’s gonna be better than you someone’s going to have more talent than you someone’s going to be his have a better day than you. But in life like in football, you can’t quit if you get beat.
You can’t stay down like Muhammad Ali says, Now how you get knocked down how you get back up. And I was actually made a post on social media a couple days, which was yesterday talking about Float like a butterfly sting like a bee, your hands can’t hit what your eyes can’t see. And that’s the way pain and that’s the way he put himself into position to win, which is why I Lee is the greatest, you know, boxer of all time and an activist and a great person for perseverance and what he’s went through to be a champion. And that’s what football taught me how to be a champion in that regard.
03:37
Yeah, yeah, there’s
Damon Pistulka 03:38
no doubt and I wanted to I wanted to just have you touch on that briefly. Because I think a lot of people look at sports, and they don’t really understand how much it teaches young people in their formative years of that, because because I’m just gonna be honest with you, I think we live in a society in the United States where we’re, we have become so accustomed to getting so much of what we want, just because we want it rather than having to work for it that Whoa, amen.
And I see I see in children, this, this and some entitlement. I mean, my kids had it and and if my son wouldn’t have had to play sport, or wouldn’t have chosen to play sports away, he didn’t have to, he chose to play him. But that’s sports, teach children that you got, you have to work to get to be able to be on the field to perform well to do that. And they think when you do get beat down, like you said, the children that understand that if I go back into the gym, I go back onto the field, I work with the coaches and work harder and get better and get my chance again, I will perform better that that translates to them understanding that same kind of principle but can can be used in life,
Marques Ogden 04:55
what it took to know what you said Amen, because every time I do a podcast, I take notes and that’s it. exactly correct. And I think you’re 100% spot on. People today want immediate gratification. And that’s the way life works. I am now in my, I’m going into my seven and a half. I’m at the seven and a half year mark for my business. My first two and a half years daymond not one paid jobs zeros was de nada.
I got my first paid job five years ago this month, April 2016 was my first paid job as a speaker I was 35 years old 15 $100 for Miller mock college, drove to Wilmington, North Carolina, I was their 100 commitment graduation speaker at the Augustana looking at what I do today responded back then I probably did the my huge injustice but I just did the best I could.
And it didn’t happen overnight for me with football to happen to me with my construction company that went belly up didn’t happen with me and my business today and our team that we have around us Damon has a unified a line vision, we have an alignment around a shared unified vision and because of that, Damon we are pushing forward towards goals which we all see and want to turn those goals Damon into accomplishments
Damon Pistulka 06:20
Yeah, yeah, that’s good is said it well Manny so well because I think that you know, you you’ve demonstrated throughout your your life that how that those lessons learned to help you to continue to move forward and persevere because it’s so funny you say that because I just I just came back from the airport dropping my wife off today and and I was listening to Napoleon Hill Think and Grow Rich and it was talking about the very thing perseverance,
that word that we use, and that word over and over and, and the fact that most people will quit, they will simply quit at the first sign of challenge the first sign of adversity, but those that persevere and continue to persevere like you said two years of, of not getting paid until you get paid for the first one. And you know, it goes in there.
07:08
Two and a half, two and a half. There
Damon Pistulka 07:10
we go two and a half.
Marques Ogden 07:13
Right. 30 that’s a it’s a man. 30 months Dame our job? Yeah, yeah. Football private training coach. I was a custodian. I was a seven seven camp orchestrator. I was a birthday clown for birthday parties, done it all man, play football, birthday parties. And I did all of that, while pursuing my goal and my aspiration of becoming a keynote speaker. And it took me a while to accomplish it.
But now I’ve done a speaking, I’m consulting, I’m coaching, I’m consulting with one of our clients. daymond is the second largest supplier of ketchup in the world, red gold. And they’re phenomenal, great people, great organization. We’ve got some great businesses, I’m part I own part businesses as my speaking. I’m part of a toothpaste company called grime oral care, but all these things come into unison. That didn’t happen overnight.
Damon Pistulka 08:13
Yeah, yeah. That’s, that’s, that’s, that’s an incredible testament to to the power of perseverance and, and seeing yourself different than where, where you’re at today. And and what your potential and what you can do. That’s so cool. That’s so cool. So you wrote a book A while ago, and it was called the sleepless nights the NFL. So what, what brought you to writing a book a book about your time in the NFL?
Marques Ogden 08:42
Well, you know, I wanted to because I wanted to speak and I was struggling to get a paid job, I thought it’d be a great idea to write this book as a platform booster as something I could utilize to set up and get more opportunity. But unfortunately, it wasn’t that case. Because the book got published in 2015. October, I still didn’t get another paid job for November, December, January, March, April, so another six months.
So I mean, well, but it didn’t work. Like I thought it would but you know, and I didn’t make any money off that book. Because the publishing house I work with very nice people. Nice organization. But they did not I didn’t make any mice’s put it that way. Yeah. The first book was just kind of a platform built there to help us get to a higher level to speaking.
Damon Pistulka 09:38
Yep. Good. Good. Good. That’s the end. That’s good to know. I mean, cuz a lot of people I think, will write that first book, and they’ll go, Oh, I didn’t do anything. And there again, they stopped. And I liked the way you said it, that first book. So I did I obviously didn’t look, I didn’t see a second book in here or you must have a second book that’s getting ready.
Marques Ogden 10:00
Do I did. So that’s called the success cycle. And the success cycle is about three major keys, ambition, drive and hard work. And that’s something that I feel everybody needs to understand is necessary in business.
Damon Pistulka 10:18
Yeah,
Marques Ogden 10:19
well get the ambition, the drive and the hard work on people. It’s not going to, if you don’t, if you don’t proclaim that in your business, if you don’t profess that to your work, it’s not going to get you to where you want to be.
Damon Pistulka 10:34
And you’re speaking my language here, here speaking my language here, because those are the three keys that I think if anyone ever looks at as someone that’s very successful, it didn’t get didn’t come easy. I don’t care who you are. It didn’t come easy. Oh,
10:49
absolutely not.
Damon Pistulka 10:51
And that’s great. That’s going to be a good one. That’s going to be good. And so in as you’re moving forward now what what are you you’re typically helping people do is you as you’re doing your your executive coaching and your your consulting work? How are you helping people doing that?
Marques Ogden 11:07
So what I’m doing right now damos, I’m helping them create strategic plans, tactical, tactical execution strategies, with overall culture, enhancement, helping with sales strategies and improvement. It’s there, you know, I’ve been very fortunate to build a very large network in this arena, and it’s taken me a lot of time, I’ve really worked hard I have a phenomenal team around it. It’s also helped me really, really work hard. And what I like to really put into this whole process is really helping anybody who just wants to advance themselves right Damon to the next level. with clients I have a lot of one on one coaching clients.
I have consulting clients like red gold quality, yeah, Lulu press A we have also Liberty home mortgage for life mortgage, we have different people yelling in mortgages risk as I said, you know, book publishing, having food and food products and nice really enjoy them when they anything is helping anybody get to that next level.
Damon Pistulka 12:16
Yeah, yeah. And that’s that’s really a it’s fun to do when when you see people do that. Make that break through that they just realize that now i can i can do something that I didn’t think I was ever going to be able to do and then watch him do it. So that’s got it you got to get a lot of satisfaction when that happens. So when you’re when you’re out and about now, do you spent it looks like a five years in the NFL six years? Six years?
12:47
Six years?
Damon Pistulka 12:49
Yeah. So what what did you learn from your time in the NFL, off the field.
Marques Ogden 12:56
What I learned is Damon that accountability, teamwork and leadership. Most importantly, servant leadership are the keys to success. Every owner I play for the weaver family phenomenal people when it wasn’t was a Nine West shoe. The modelle family and the machete family and family Steve made a ton of money in the recruiting business. The Wilson family were real estate tycoons. But as his family were in the oil business, learned a lot about professional and personal development on the Beale but also in the game of life. And basketball.
What really matters most because every athlete will become an ex athlete. Or to get back to the next level and life after football where I struggled for many months in almost years really trying to adjust. That was the problem football taught me a lot. But what I always wish I could do if I could go back and kind of turn back time is go back to when I was 2627 year old charge course I’m 20 years old and have a plan.
And that’s six months of degrading my body. I’m just I’m very fortunate David to still be here from excessive drinking and nightlife because when I left the NFL, I got into a deep depression, unfortunately, like the like the young man killed five people in South Carolina, you know, the former athletes struggling, you know, all that kind of stuff. It was horrible, absolute putrid, but that’s
14:33
a young man who was
Marques Ogden 14:34
struggling with health issues, other problems and was just absolutely devastating and a heinous act that should have never happened in that field. He was like a lot of athletes and unfortunately right they man they didn’t get that next plan of action.
Damon Pistulka 14:50
Yeah, yeah, that’s that’s I just I feel it just makes breaks my heart because because those, those those athletes Especially now that we’re learning more and more about CTE in the in the effects of that and unfortunately that took some famous people to get it and die from it and cause as some problems, their own struggles and like you mentioned this one it’s just it is that next plan I mean it it’s in any sport to I’ve my experiences with professional baseball and and the it’s the same they’re almost two you know the these people yes, you’re gonna have the the superstars that come out and they’ve got enough money that it won’t matter usually.
But the the, the league player in whatever league you’re in, is still going to have to have some sort of income after they’re done usually. And they’re going to have to figure out life after in a much different way. Because in and correct me if I’m wrong on this, and I won’t spend much time on it. But you’re you’re you’re off traveling. I mean, you’re taking care of as you’re traveling to games, your track your training, all this stuff is taken care of for you. While you’re during the season and such and then all of a sudden you’re done playing and it’s like, okay, Marcus, you’re you’re on your own your own country.
Marques Ogden 16:13
That’s his thing, Damon, when I retired Oh, in the Oh 708 season, with oh seven play and oh, a playoffs the Super Bowl. Literally, there was no programs there night, you were on your own. You’ve done. You’re done. They didn’t have NFL alumni to do the day they didn’t have the NFLPA full play Association, they didn’t have the trust they’d have.
Today we have that. Players when they retire, automatic give enough years playing automatically how go to the trust. For example, Julian Edelman retirement today, I saw on Facebook on the NFL trust, which they have like, you know, an Instagram page, they put up a 11 year career 3000 Gold champion, retire. great luck and go on good luck in your next chapter. They have that today. Yeah, that when I retire. So guys struggle with what’s next, I’m gonna tell you what they what really hurts players the most lack of time filling in a schedule. They don’t have things with their time. Very, very horrific. Because it puts people in a position right Damon, where they don’t know what to do next.
Damon Pistulka 17:34
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you you you hit I think that the nail on the head there is you went from my time, every minute of my day is scheduled because I have to contribute myself mentally, physically, every bit I can from the moment I wake to the moment I fall a bed asleep at night. It’s scheduled because I have to do that too. I do whatever I want whenever I want. 24 seven,
Marques Ogden 17:57
right. And so now it’s like, you don’t have a place to be. You don’t have a workout to get done. You don’t have to go to breakfast or lunch. And you have if you have made a lot of money. Phenomenal. Right? But everybody did. Yeah. And then some players just are like, it’s like we think of base salary right now.
There was like 650 rifles. Right? And then you go get a job as a kid. I was talking to a young man who had one year with the Chargers his last year he was whenever he was in 17 and 18. I think maybe 100 like 150,000 practice squad. Yeah. Welcome to find a job right now at 28 years old. I think it’s 28. Now he’s got something late 20 years old making a buck 50. Yeah. Not having any qualifications now and they’re just starting out. Yeah. Players also struggle immensely. immensely with what to do next. A lot of struggle. Yeah. Yeah. That’s for sure.
Damon Pistulka 19:00
That for sure. Well, I tell you what, Marcus, I it’s been great to get to talk to you a little bit. I know you’ve got something else you need to get here shortly. And I want to be respectful of your time. If there’s How can people reach out and get ahold of you? If they’re interested in speaking if they’re coaching How can they do that?
Marques Ogden 19:19
So they can go to our website? www dot Markus Mar qu e s Alden? Oh, g d e n. com, shoot me an email Marcus underscore often@yahoo.com. Connect with us, give us a shout or hit us up. We’re always about connecting with people conversate with people so we can do what I say I always take notes on the podcast. I want to leave you with this note. In today’s market, right?
Trying to position yourself trying to succeed in business you have to learn how to sell in the new world right By doing three things and a ghost kit to take critical pipeline, shot, third, third, third, first one is emotion, touch people with your story. Authenticity be real. That’s number one. Number two is trust, build trust, you build trust to operational excellence, outpace competition. How smart competition outperform competition.
20:29
Yeah.
Marques Ogden 20:30
So you have to do is you have to be sure, at your core to rationalize IE logically create a place, create a real reason for people to what they put their money with you. Yeah, do that and show them the return on their investment, what you can bring to them. You’ve got we’re a faces of business. That’s all things are as a business, bring him up. build trust, provide logic, you can do whatever you want to do when it comes to sales for your business, no matter what it is.
Damon Pistulka 21:10
Yes. Hey, he just dropped some knowledge nuggets right there for everyone listening. Thanks so much, Marcus. Appreciate the time. Have a great rest of your week. If anyone wants to get ahold of Marcus reach out to him. Like I said, I also have his links in that in the comments on our posts here live on LinkedIn and also in the blog post when we get up on our website.
Thanks so much, Marcus, for joining us today on the faces of business. And we’ll be back again we actually have a special episode tomorrow with Michelle Gunn. We’re going to be talking about becoming the real you and later in the week, and I just lost who it is going to be on Thursday. But thanks for joining us today. Have a great day.
