Diana Wilson of ProFileSports.TV originally ProFile Sports LLC.
Tell us about yourself?
Christian Business Woman, wife, mother, traveler. artist, friend and reader of books. I am the founder of ProFileSports.TV, dba-does.art and numerous business ventures I call “learning experiences” I have over 25 years experience at the helm of Media companies, Design firms and Live Corporate Events businesses.
Have done work for several Fortune 500 companies including Adidas America, Hewlett Packard, Disney, and Intel plus even more start-ups you have never heard of. I have made other people successful and a lot of money.
For the past 10 years I have been passionate about empowering athletes to take charge of their own careers, start managing their public image effectively, from an early age and help families afford higher education and athletic opportunities for their athletes by using their sport video footage to apply for scholarships using our channel; ProFileSports.TV – Watch more – Win more.
Previous Board-member of the Phoenix Advertising Federation and the Phoenix Film Foundation since 2010 Now traveling the country in our RV with husband Wade.
Visiting all the National Parks and exploring this beautiful country – still working remotely from everywhere.
What do you think is the single biggest misconception people have when it comes to startups?
The biggest misconception in starting a new business is the notion they can just quit their day-job, hang out a shingle, and the business will come.
If you are not ready to be consistent with your marketing, particularly social media, and willing to pick up the phone to make the sales yourself, it will not work. It is not magic. It is not a matter of luck.
Those things help. But with God’s favor and a lot of hard work, it is the most rewarding thing one can do.
Creating something from an idea you have come up with, that you are passionate about, is the most rewarding thing you can do.
If you could go back in time to any moment from your journey, and give yourself one tip, what would it be?
Sell more. Stay disciplined and believe in yourself. People will believe in you and what you are offering only if you do.
What makes you stand out as an entrepreneur?
Dogged persistence. I like to think of myself as pleasantly persistent, but frankly I wish I were even more so at times.
And other-times it can be a real detriment. I can get myopic when I run into a problem, I can just keep digging. Sometimes you need to know when to stop, maybe sharpen your tools and start back fresh.
What are some of the best working habits you’ve gained over the past couple of years?
I have always had a motto for myself, and I tried to instill this in my kids by showing them that 1. people come first, 2. then things, 3. then money.
I don’t know if I am wrong. And maybe I would be more successful if I arranged those three things differently, but I have created more good memories and experiences this way. So it depends on how you measure success.
Give us a bit of an insight into the influences behind the company?
The concept for ProFile Sports incubated at a media company that I worked for in Tempe Arizona. Tempe happens to be a center for Major League Baseball Spring Training, and there was an article in the Business Journal about a law firm that was planning to focus on helping professional athletes.
To assist with their contract negotiations and endorsement deals.
My thought was that Sports would be a good business to be in, because in researching the sports industry, I discovered that Sports had never (at that point-in-time) experienced a down season. Sports has grown year-over-year since they started measuring the industry. Even during the Great Depression, ticket sales continued to grow.
People turn to sports as an escape from their troubles, and escape from politics (at least until recently).
So, what we, as a media company intended to do, was to compete for this business, by building a website for the law-firm that would be way more than just a static website.
Rather, we set out to create a useful tool, an interactive portfolio that would provide a living dossier of the athlete’s achievements. a Pro(fessional) File. ProFile Sports. Part digital score card, video, and resume.
When the law firm took their business in another direction, and the economy took a downturn, I still believed in the concept and decided to purchase this graphic assets and all IP from the media company that I worked for, and start the business myself.
Where do you see your business in five years?
I have always seen ProFileSports.tv as the next ESPN, but instead of watching professional athletes or NCAA teams, our fans are watching the players they truly love, the littles just starting out, all the way up to junior collage or their dads and moms, sisters and brothers playing the sports they love.
What do you think the biggest challenge will be for you in getting there?
Our concept is to offer the game videos free-to-view 100% sponsor supported to get the most eye balls watching possible.
This is the best and fastest way to grow. We measure our ROI and provide monthly viewership reports to our sponsors every month.
The biggest challenge is getting a sales team to stick with the program long enough to see success. So far I am our best salesperson, bringing in local Dave & Busters, Hotels, Whataburger and NAPA Auto parts stores and more.
But I can’t continue to do everything myself. Covid was an unexpected set back, and we are digging our way back. Now the audience is roaring back with a vengeance after being cooped up for so long.
Talk to us about your biggest success story so far?
My biggest success was finding Pixellot A.I. camera systems that allow us to record and stream games indoors or out of doors without the need for a film crew or staff.
Everything is scheduled and automated. You would swear there was a camera man operating the camera. The video is ultra-high definition and reliable.
How do clients and customers find you? Are you much of a salesperson for yourself?
Most customers see our signs, and cameras at the venues where our cameras are located.
They have met me personally at my display in the venues and probably had a conversation with me about our service, or they have seen our commercial spots, slider ads, video or social media ads, our facebook posts, Insta and twitter posts etc.
We also have produced the websites for our venues and do a lot of cross pollinating and promotions through emails.
What one tip would you give to fellow startup founders?
Keep your promises. Your word is your bond and the best advertising money can’t buy. Reliability is what makes your reputation. Protect it with your life.
And finally, what do you hope the future brings both you personally, and your business?
I will feel like I have made it when ProFileSports can make it whether I am active in the business or not. A business isn’t a real business unless it can scale.
And I believe that I have come up with a business model in ProFileSports.tv that will scale very big.
Otherwise all you have is a job you created, and I want to see ProFileSports.TV expand to a national brand. Help tons of kids and amateur athletes achieve their dreams (or at least look like superstars on TV) 🙂
Follow ProFileSports.TV originally ProFile Sports LLC on Twitter or Linkedin.
