Steven Anthony is an accomplished Senior Executive, Entrepreneur and Board Member, with more than fifteen years success across the banking, finance, and hospitality industries. Anthony is a graduate of Dillard University where he received his B.A. in Business Administration & Management and he also holds a Master’s degree from Georgetown University in Real Estate. He and his partner Gil Moody founded Global Sports Management in March 2017.
D’Bria Bradshaw: What prompted you to found Global Sports Management?
Steven Anthony: It was really out of a necessity to see athletes who compete on an international level receive the proper resources that can help them be successful and maximize their earning potential. I’m a finance guy and that’s been my background but having conversations with athletes and hearing some of the horror stories of their experiences when competing internationally, it prompted me to create a company where we could surround them with the resources and services they need to truly be successful. 
DB: The sports industry is very competitive when it comes to signing clients, how does your agency differ from others and what services does your agency provide that others do not?
SA: The main thing that has made us different is our unique niche and focus which is around athletes who compete on the international level and any athlete who’s competing outside of their home country. This focus is what has allowed us to grow so quickly in such a short period of time and adding corporate partners such as our international insurance carrier, international tax attorney and the innovative adaptive services that can enhance the experience for our athletes. We noticed their was place in the market that needed to provide a more holistic approach to what many may consider to be the “mid tier” group of athletes but we believe that group can absolutely be in the best position to maximize their potential income and reach their goals if provided with a firm that values them just as we would our own family.
DB: Why did you decide to become an agent?
SA: Honestly, I had no intention of ever becoming an agent! I always tell my team and the athletes who’ve become apart of the GSM family that it was simply the entrepreneur in me that led to me owning a sports agency. It was about recognizing an opportunity, building the infrastructure, and putting the right people in place to create something special. I’ve always had a love of sports and played basketball for a period of time but it was wanting to make a difference and build a diversified sports management firm that ultimately led me to owning an agency.
DB: What advice would you give to readers who are interested in starting their own agency?
SA: My advice would be to find your niche. As we all know this is a very competitive field and so you need to be able to set yourself apart from the rest and provide a service that makes you unique in this marketplace and be relentless in pursuit of your goals! Understand that each day will bring about new challenges but embrace those and stick to your principles of what made you decide to start your own agency in the first place.
DB:What are the positives and negatives of setting up your own shop as opposed to working for an established agency?
SA: That’s a tough question for an entrepreneur….(Anthony laughs) but honestly the negatives are that your resources are limited and when you’re getting your foot in the door that can be tough and not everyone has the ability to make it through those tough times before revenue starts coming in. You also have to spend a tremendous amount of time of building relationships because that’s what its all about, and you don’t walk in with an already established group of clients to work with. The most important positive to me is that you have the ability to mold the company in the image that you have and can truly create the type of culture that will foster innovation, outside the box thinking and a family atmosphere which is what I’ve enjoyed the most while building GSM.
DB: What does a typical work week look like for you? What types of projects and tasks are you conducting? How much travel does your business entail?
SA:I don’t think there ever is a “typical work week” for me. Every week, every day always brings about something new and challenging. We’ve grown in such a short period of time from a staff of two to a team of 15 so you have to be there for each and every person on your team. The other managing partner, Gil Moody, and myself spend a tremendous amount of time speaking to the athletes before we bring them onboard, meeting with new potential corporate partners, developing strategic partnerships for our athletes and the company as a whole and the list could go on and on. I think we spend a good majority of the time traveling to develop new opportunities for both athletes and the firm but thanks to technology you can be in multiple places at once through video conferencing and such.
Global Sports Management is an international sports management agency that focuses exclusively on providing the services and resources necessary for international athletes to be successful. At GSM they dedicate their time and energy to make sure their athletes achieve their maximum earning potential. The agency has 20+ years’ of experience and it allows them to bring the right people with the right resources to insure their athletes’ visions and dreams become a reality. For more information, visit their website.