What do athletes and entrepreneurs have in common? According to Nick Hughes — a former athlete, tech founder, and CEO of Founders Live — discipline, resilience, and a performance mindset form the foundation for success in both arenas.

In this episode, we sit down with Nick to explore how his athletic background shaped his entrepreneurial journey. Nick shares personal stories of how early experiences in bioengineering and performance sports laid the groundwork for what would become a global startup ecosystem—Founders Live.

💡 What you’ll hear in this episode:

  • How fitness and sports instilled lifelong principles that Nick now brings to his work with founders
  • What Founders Live is in “99 seconds” — and how it’s creating access, exposure, and opportunity for entrepreneurs around the world
  • Why entrepreneurship is more accessible than ever—even for those without technical backgrounds
  • What the entrepreneurial lifestyle looks like, and how to launch a minimum viable product (MVP) quickly
  • The collision of athletics, entrepreneurship, and entertainment in today’s creator economy
  • One story that left Nick speechless—and reminded him why he started this journey

Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or aspiring founder, this episode delivers inspiration, strategy, and perspective on what it means to build something meaningful.

🔗 Connect with Nick:

🎧 Listen now and learn how to turn passion and performance into a platform for impact.

#Podcast #Entrepreneurship #FoundersLive #AthleteMindset #NIL #Leadership #PerformanceCoaching #StartupLife #EmpoweredAthletes

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      Disclaimer: All of the content created and released on The Players NIL channels are made as a guide and/or educational tools. Please consume all content at your discretion. The Players NIL is not a certified personal development or financial coach and does not guarantee any financial or professional results.

      Mark Koesterer
      Founder

      Welcome. I’m Mark Koesterer, founder of The Players NIL, and I have a deep passion for this work. My background includes a long and extensive relationship with the sporting industry. As a former college athlete, I have first hand experience navigating the collegiate world. As a father of college athletes, I was actively involved with supporting the requirements needed to compete at the highest level, while maintaining focus on broader life goals. As the president and CEO of Sports Studio, I helped build a successful Hollywood sports and entertainment company.

      At Sports Studio, I interacted with athletes, brands, production companies, professional sports leagues, and agents. All of this gave me expert-level experience in digital marketing, branding, production, group licensing, sponsorship, influencer marketing, apparel design and production, and fan engagement.

      It’s ALL of this collective experience that I offer, while bringing you a premier level of service that will help you reach your goals. If you would like to learn how to build your brand and maximize your NIL potential, contact me today.

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