World Champion, MVP, All-Star, Olympic Gold Medalist
Without a doubt, Kobe Bryant is a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court, having proven his prowess time and again throughout his colorful and exciting career.
With 5 NBA championships, 16 NBA All-Star, and a Finals MVP under his belt, the star athlete is poised to conquer an entirely different ball game. This time he has set his eyes on translating his success to the business arena.
“The finality of my playing days is here. It’s become real. It’s been this distant thing, but now, here we are. You just had an Achilles injury. You know that at any given time, your career could end just like that,” Kobe shares his thoughts on ESPN’s “Sunday Conversation” with Darren Rovell.
So while there have been many titles associated with Kobe Bryant as a professional basketball player, another one is added to the list as Celebrity Entrepreneur.
BodyArmor Sports Drink
Kobe divulged he is poised to start a new company, aptly named Kobe Inc. His very first venture to which he made a 7-figure investment is BodyArmor, which is a sports drink company created by Lance Collins, the founder of Fuze, and Mike Repole of Glaceau VitaminWater.
Aside from being the third biggest investor of the brand, Kobe Bryant will also get a seat on the board.
“The sports drink industry is something I’m very familiar with and it’s right in the wheelhouse with what I do as a basketball player,” he told CNBC’s “Closing Bell”.
“Business has always been very interesting to me, and it’s exciting to start a new journey where I feel like I’m a rookie all over again,” he added.
While the basketball player will not be doing any commercials for the said product, he has every intention of becoming personally involved in every facet of BodyArmor – from the packaging to marketing.
BodyArmor has managed to rake in over $10 million in sales in 2013 and is expected a 100% year over year growth – and that was before Kobe Bryant came on board. It has certainly claimed a niche against the same market dominated by industry giants Powerade and Gatorade.
Starting Your Own Business
What about you? What’s your game plan?
While most of us don’t have millions to expend to venture into a business like Kobe Bryant, starting your very own business should no longer just be a pipe dream.
As Kobe shared, his basketball days are about to end and he needs to set his sights on future ventures. If you have a solid business idea and keen on attaining financial freedom, small business financing can provide you the support you need.
Whether you need cash for your working capital, looking to buy new equipment, or refurbish your property, First Capital Business Finance Loans offers flexible loan and repayment options specifically designed for start-ups and small business owners.
Very few businesses, even with the most brilliant ideas, can get off the ground without any initial funding. With financial plans specially designed for small businesses, you can gain access to loans based on how much you need or how much cash you can afford to borrow.
