Meet Devon Brown

We had the good fortune of connecting with Devon Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Devon, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
To be honest, there was no other option. I couldn’t hold down a job. Everything I had done I started to hate in just a few months. Eventually it became so unbearable that I just had to quit. This happened a few times before I finally realized that working for someone else just wasn’t for me. The draw of entrepreneurship was always there, but I had suppressed it because it was “too risky”. It wasn’t until I tried it that I realized that the biggest risk was never trying it at all.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
What really sets NextGen Athletics apart from other cheer/tumbling businesses is our emphasis on mindset and personal development. We believe that by becoming a great person, becoming a great athlete is inevitable. By building the habits and lifestyle of an elite athlete, the prowess and skill will come.

Business-wise, it was a lot easier than you’d expect. I came into the cheer world as a national champion graduating from the University of Michigan. This allowed me to quickly get clients and build a network. There were definitely growing pains, mostly legal stuff, but you make it happen when you know what’s at stake.

I’d say the most important lesson I’ve learned is that it’s not always about what you know, but who you know. Connections beget connections. Clients bring clients. You can know everything in the world, but if you don’t know the right people, you won’t always get the kind of success you want.

For my brand and story, I want the world to know that we are doing everything we can to bring the Next Generation of athletes to a completely new level–not just of athletic competence, but of self-confidence, self-efficacy, and a commitment to service.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m gonna shout my mom out on this one. A lot of people don’t have the luxury of a family that supports them, but that wasn’t the case for me. My mom was always there for me through this journey, and the value of that can’t be understated.

Website: https://www.nextgenathletics.net

Instagram: @nexxtgenathletics

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083031145592