Super Bowl Champ to Gatorade Marketing Director – Inside Martin Nance’s Path from NFL Player to Corporate Executive
“It was my awesome story that holistically, I really wouldn’t change because it’s shaped me in a way that I really appreciate.”
Episode Description
Wisdom from disappointments and triumphs from a career spanning the iconic multi-billion-dollar Gatorade brand as well as four winding years in the NFL, there’s much more depth to Martin Nance’s story than a flashy headline.
The former favorite college receiving target of Ben Roethlisberger, Super Bowl champion, Michigan MBA, and now Director of Marketing at Gatorade, Martin is much more than his resume and it’s his substance that will inspire you to see what’s possible with the right perspective.
Hear how Martin Nance made his big jump from pro athlete to a corporate executive with the right perspective, positivity, and pushes along the way.
Guest Info
Martin Nance got his start as Ben Roethlisberger’s Wide Receiver at Miami of Ohio. He was drafted into the NFL with the Buffalo Bills. He then played with the Minnesota Vikings and eventually earned a Super Bowl ring with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. After his career, Nance attended the Harvard Business School (Executive Education) and University of Michigan (MBA). His first internship out of college was with Gatorade and he has stayed there to this day where he is the Director of Marketing And Athlete Activation.
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Show Notes
“He’s an old soul” [1:55]
Earliest memory playing sports - Four-Year Old T-Ball Player [2:21]
The Nance Parents [2:46]
“The more you can do, the more you can play, the better” [3:40]
Starting the Conversation [5:23]
Realization of a Possibility [6:05]
Ben Roethlisberger’s Miami Pitch [7:07]
Unspoken magic with Ben [8:02]
Importance of Chemistry [8:41]
Stay Ready, College vs. NFL [10:05]
Game Day Surprise [12:07]
Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover [13:55]
Humbling Experience - The Low Man on the Totem Pole [15:47]
An Appreciation for the Inner Circle [17:08]
Defying Odds by believing in yourself [19:01]
Field of Dreams [20:13]
The Turning Point… Now What? [22:10]
The First Step Towards the Big Jump [23:36]
Endless Opportunities of Business [24:36]
From the Comfort Zone to Michigan [25:59]
“I didn’t miss it“ [27:12]
Transitioning from an Additive Identity [28:05]