The first thing you notice about Molly is that no matter what, it is paramount that she is helping people. Whether that be fellow agents, aspiring women in the industry, or most importantly, her roster of clients. She is not shy about telling the truth about the sports business, and it is clear she wants to forge a unique route in the world of representation. She has had experiences outside of sports, and it has shaped her perspective on the world and career. Molly wants everyone to realize, differences make people great, and there is more than one path into the sports business.
Molly cheers on other agents within her firm, Caric Sports Management located in Las Vegas, but she ultimately wants to see her counterparts at rival agencies succeed as well. It comes down to what is right for the client, an admirable trait in a competitive arena. Sports Agent Blog sat down with Molly to discuss some little-known details about her path to the sports industry as an NFL player agent, and the ever-changing landscape of sports representation.
SAB: When did you realize you wanted to become an agent?
MM: At 19 years old the dream came together in my mind. I knew I wanted to have a career that somehow combined law and sports and this was the natural option that came to mind. Once it came together in my head, I immediately researched how to become an NFL agent and the plan was set in motion. At that time, I was only in my second year of college and hadn’t even transferred to a 4-year university yet. I had a long way to go and a lot to accomplish, and sometimes the plan deviated, but fortunately, life always led me back to it and here I am.
SAB: You took a different path for a moment in law school, indigent defense with the Public Defender in Orange County. Tell me about that experience and how that shaped your view of society, and how that contributed to your professional life now?
MM: I’m so grateful that my path to becoming an agent didn’t consist only of sports-related or sports-centric jobs, classes and internships. The main thing my Public Defender internship provided me was prospective. The people we represented had all experienced extreme hardship and it really makes you realize what’s important in life and makes you really appreciate your blessings. While I love my job in sports, there are big problems in the world and so many people experience hardship because of those and having that perspective reminds me that my stresses and problems are blessings in actuality. That experience was so rewarding in that regard and I’m grateful those clients allowed me into their space. I think in sports we get really wrapped up in this small bubble and it is good to have life experience that allows you to see outside of the bubble.
SAB: What does a typical day look like for you during the season vs. the off-season?
MM: My life is actually similar in most regards during the season and off-season because my priority is always taking care of whatever is most important to my clients at that time. During the season, we deal with more injuries, job attrition and I’m traveling to games, but it’s all under the same umbrella of just helping my clients with whatever they need day to day and moment to moment. Our motto at our agency is that whatever is most important to our client at that time is most important to us, so while the tasks might vary during the season and off-season, my levels of interaction and communication with my clients never do.
SAB: The sports industry has seen some major shifts in the past few years, both socially, and in how agents are representing clients. Where do you see the agent industry heading in the next five years?
MM: I think we are on the brink of a major landscape change in this industry because of the NIL laws changing at the college level. Without fully knowing what the NCAA plans to do in order to regulate and facilitate it all right now, it’s hard to fully forecast the future, but it is definitely going to change things for better or worse.
But beyond the business side, I’m hoping the diversity continues to increase across the agent business because as we have seen lately, you can be successful in this industry no matter who you are once given adequate opportunity. We are seeing more diversity at the top but not in the industry as a whole. The number of women isn’t changing much, even though we are seeing more women experience success at higher levels. I hope we see more women become agents, more women in high level positions at agencies and more women getting opportunities to actually represent talent across the league.
SAB: How do you see your role changing with the new NIL laws? What kind of challenges could this pose in the landscape of both college sports and your recruiting process?
MM: Since I already negotiate and procure marketing and endorsement deals for my clients, my role itself won’t change much, but our clientele will. Depending on how the NCAA decides to approach this, college players will be seeking representation for marketing deals. Because of that, it’s going to change the landscape of recruiting because now relationships will start much earlier in college than they did previously. I’m sure that schools will be heavily involved with the process of students hiring marketing representation as they are with the agent selection process so students don’t risk their eligibility, so in that regard, it will probably be similar to our recruiting processes now, just for different services and earlier on in their career than what we’re used to.
SAB: If you could give any advice to women trying to break into this industry, what would it be?
MM: Be yourself. Don’t try to fit the mold that’s already present in the industry. There is enough of that and we won’t change anything if we just become one of the “good ole boys”. We have to use our differences to create change and to give players another option than what’s always been out there. What makes us different is what makes us powerful.
SAB: There is the old adage that “you don’t know what you don’t know.” Most people learn by doing, which makes it difficult to know what bases to cover while trying to break into the business. What do you wish someone had told you on your journey to becoming an agent?
MM: I wish someone had told me the advice I just gave. I think a lot of young agents come in and try to be what they think an agent is supposed to be — from the way we dress for meetings, to the way we talk on the phone, to how we use social media or create relationships. I started finding my success when I did things my way and that’s not surprising because authenticity is valuable. You are going to be so much better at any job when you do it your way; you have to do your job with integrity and being true to yourself. Trying to emulate someone else’s path or voice or way of doing something will always lead to emptiness because you will be exhausted, always feeling outside of yourself. You may find success in terms of dollars or promotions or worldly accolades but you will still feel unfulfilled because you are having to fake your way through so much. The right people buy into who you are and if this is truly your purpose and calling, you have to do it your way. Anything less is not just selling yourself short but the world short of your personal gifts and talents.
For more information on Molly McManimie:
Twitter: @MolllyMack
Instagram: @mollymack
For more information on Caric Sports Management:
www.caricsports.com