You can learn a lot about modern sports by watching what happens before college. Mick Hamilton has lived it from multiple angles: college football recruiting, the first wave of NIL deals, and now the co-founding of The Sevens Football, an invite-only 7-on-7 tournament in Atlanta built to spotlight the top high school athletes in the country. We talk with Mick about why football players are often tougher to market than basketball players, and how intentional athlete branding can change what opportunities look like long before signing day.

We break down what seven-on-seven football actually is, why it’s become the spring battleground for elite skill-position talent, and how The Sevens creates a true showcase environment with media, energy, and a fan experience that feels more like a big-time event than a typical youth sports weekend. Mick shares the strategy behind keeping the tournament selective, donating $20,000 to winning programs, and building sponsor value through both ticket sales and massive organic reach, including a landmark MaxPreps partnership and millions of video views.

The conversation goes deeper than highlights and stats. Mick gets honest about the startup reality, the pressure of looking bigger than you are, and the lessons that come from negotiating vendors, earning trust, and refusing to quit when things get messy. We also look ahead to the future: girls flag football, boys flag football, and why the road to the 2028 Olympics could make women’s flag football one of the smartest bets in youth sports right now.

If you care about high school football exposure, NIL, sports marketing, or building a modern sports business, listen through and tell us what part of Mick’s story hit home. Subscribe, share this with a sports parent or founder friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Follow The Sevens on Instagram @thesevensfootball

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Remember: Your influence is just the beginning. Your legacy is the destination.

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A role can open doors, but a single “no” can protect your future. We’re joined by actor Aspen Kennedy for a candid conversation about faith, purpose, and the real-life decisions that shape a creative career when the timeline feels uncertain. Aspen shares how he found acting almost by accident, why mentorship matters, and what it meant to come full circle in the industry through projects like Queen Sugar.

We also dig into the deeper stuff: influence, humility, and why storytelling is not just entertainment when you’re trying to leave a legacy. Aspen talks about The Forge and the unexpected reach it had across countries and cultures, plus the responsibility that comes with being “graced” to do work that touches people. If you care about values-driven work, Christian faith in Hollywood, and using a platform to edify others, this conversation stays practical without getting performative.

One of the most moving parts is Aspen’s personal testimony around forgiveness and obedience in private, and how God used that heart work to prepare him for a bigger assignment on screen. We also unpack scarcity mindset and career boundaries, including how to turn down opportunities that don’t align with your vision, even when you need the money or momentum.

Listen, share this with a friend who’s in a waiting season, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. If our conversations help you, leave a review and tell us what part hit home.

Before you go - here are three ways to continue elevating your legacy & connect:

1. Follow @ElevateCollection.co on Instagram along with your host, @alexandriareed.co & @Jordanhawkins.co
2. Subscribe to never miss an episode and get exclusive content
3. Share this trailer with three people who need to hear it

Follow @Aspen on Instagram and Tiktok!

Remember: Your influence is just the beginning. Your legacy is the destination.

See you soon, where influence meets legacy.

Gen Z doesn’t fall in love with teams the way older generations did and that’s not a problem, it’s a strategy clue. We’re joined by Arabella Hibbert-Corkhill, a social media strategist whose career spans London, New York, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and now Washington, DC. That global perspective turns a familiar topic like “fan engagement” into something sharper: culture moves faster than campaigns, and the only way to keep up is to listen harder than you post.

We talk about how China’s internet ecosystem shaped Arabella’s love of social, from the reality of Western platform blocks to the innovation of WeChat and Weibo. If you work in digital marketing, brand strategy, or community building, you’ll hear why platform design and cultural norms change everything, and why “one size fits all” social media strategy is usually a quiet failure.

From there, we get into modern sports marketing and the question every team asks: how do we reach Gen Z? Arabella breaks down passion points beyond the game itself, including fashion, music, food, and creators, plus why collaborations like Nike and Skims can work when audiences truly overlap. We also dig into cultural sensitivity, why some launches backfire, and how loud comment sections can be both a warning and a superpower.

Finally, we unpack NIL and personal branding for athletes, the rise of IRL community, and Arabella’s strongest stance: meet the audience where they are and give creators room to tell your story. If you want smarter social listening, she explains why Reddit belongs in your toolkit. Subscribe, share this with a friend building a brand, and leave a review. What’s one brand move you think Gen Z will never forgive?

Before you go - here are three ways to continue elevating your legacy & connect:

1. Follow @ElevateCollection.co on Instagram along with your host, @alexandriareed.co & @Jordanhawkins.co
2. Subscribe to never miss an episode and get exclusive content
3. Share this trailer with three people who need to hear it

Remember: Your influence is just the beginning. Your legacy is the destination.

See you soon, where influence meets legacy.