Jay D.

School Leaders

Senior Consultant

Partner with a trusted firm that brings together experts in Facilities, Maintenance & Operations, Business & Financial Services, and Leadership & Administrative Support.

Consultant

Success Coach

Empowering Athletes in Pursuit of What's Possible Beyond Sport

On a mission to empower athletes to thrive beyond the realm of sport. The pursuit of what's possible after your athletic career is an extraordinary opportunity for personal growth and achievement.

There are unique challenges athletes face as they transition into new endeavors. That's why we have developed a comprehensive and proven approach to help athletes successfully apply their skills and characteristics learned in athletics to the world of business.

Our time-tested strategies are backed by rigorous research and have been approved by countless athletes who have already walked this path. We are proud witnesses of the transformative power our approach holds, as it has enabled individuals just like you to unlock their full potential and enjoy a fulfilling post-sport life.

Through our programs and services, we provide athletes with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to navigate this transition with confidence and success. Whether it's through personalized coaching, workshops, or networking opportunities, we are committed to guiding athletes on their journey towards greatness.

If you are ready to embrace the boundless possibilities that await you after sport, we invite you to connect with us. Join our transformative community and let us empower you to unleash your true potential.

Founder

Simon & Schuster

• Utilized athletic insights and data-supported mindset elements to guide budding entrepreneurs and future CEOs.
• Developed a proven playbook to accelerate the journey from idea to ownership, leading to faster CEO status.
• Leveraged self-awareness and emotional intelligence to achieve substantial personal growth in the entrepreneurial world.

After The Game: Bridging The Gap From Winning Athlete To Thriving Entrepreneur

Entrepreneur Media

The Entrepreneur Leadership Network's Leading Expert In Transitioning Athletes To Business Success Using Neuroscience And Cutting Edge Private Equity & Venture Capital Playbooks

Writer

Barney

It started by making 150 outreach a day. Developing relationships, serving others, and hard work.

Now, it has turned into an M&A leader in North America.

Co-Founder

Project Frog

Lead business acquisition for high growth scalable infrastructure that can be applied anywhere along the build process. Leveraging the efficiencies of prefabrication coupled with program-specific technology solutions, the company partnered with AutoDesk to deliver on their software applications.

GQRE

Nationally featured ultra-modern residential and commercial brokerage with world class technological backbone:
• Personally recruited and onboarded a top-performing team of 25 real estate agents and brokers.
• Spearheaded significant business development through online, digital and social media marketing.
• Introduced efficient business and technology solutions including CRM and document management.
• Gained market share and industry recognition, leading to merge with a larger company.

East Cooper Mechanical / HVAC

Built, grew and oversaw sales lifecycle management for a residential and commercial HVAC service company.
•	Accelerated sales to and grew team of 26 employees.
•	Interfaced directly with customers on projects from quote to installation.
•	Recruited and retained team of technicians and contractors to execute projects. 
•	Analyzed financials per project to meet profit margins.
•	Implemented business and technology solutions including Cloud contacts and document storage.
•	Sold business to a local investor

Field Specialist

Berkeley County School District

High School Teacher

FirstService Residential

Urban Property Manager (formerly Merit)
Led new business unit managing 3 high-rise residential and commercial properties in downtown Los Angeles
•	Influential in business development, client acquisition, and account retention efforts.
•	Worked with vendors and clients to schedule and complete projects on time and on budget.

•.     Promoted from Associate Community Manager (ACM) in corporate office to new business unit.

Business Unit Manager

About Me
I’ve had boardroom wins and locker room losses—and I proudly own both.
From the football field to the founder’s seat, my 20+ year journey in business is part highlight reel, part blooper reel. I’ve co-founded and sold three businesses, advised on over 50 M&A deals, and helped public institutions rethink how they fund and execute multi-million dollar facility projects. I've been featured or recognized by Harvard, the NFL, Vox Media, and some of the brightest minds in business. But I’ve also…
-Trusted the wrong people.
-Missed red flags in diligence.
-Lost equity in a bad buyout.
-Started projects too fast.
-Burned out because I wouldn’t ask for help.
-Every L gave me leverage. Every stumble taught me what can’t be taught in a classroom.

How It Started:
I began as a high school English teacher and football coach. That early blend of heart, hustle, and mentorship still shapes how I lead teams and build businesses.

How It’s Going:
Co-founded of a successful M&A advisory firm in NYC
Founder of SuccessCoach.com, helping athletes become CEOs
Author of After The Game, a best-selling book endorsed by the NFL, Ivy League, MLB, FIFA, Vox, NCAA Champs, and many CEO's.
Built a K-12 leadership firm for school districts through School Leaders, a trusted firm that brings together experts in Facilities, Maintenance & Operations, Business & Financial Services, and Leadership & Administrative Support.

Core Beliefs:
Joy, family, and integrity over ego
Growth is earned through friction, not comfort
Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice—it’s about creating space for others to lead

If you’ve ever failed forward, built something from scratch, or believe in second chances—you’ll probably get where I’m coming from.
Let’s connect and build something that matters—on and off the field.

The pursuit of what's possible post sport is defined by the ability to successfully apply the skills and characteristics you learn in athletics, and apply them to business. We enhance the lives of athletes after sport and sit at the intersection of Private Equity and Ex-Athletes.

Notre Dame just made history — and not the kind that builds legends.

For the first time ever, an entire team collectively decided to skip a bowl game because it wasn’t the College Football Playoff.

On the surface, it looks principled: “We don’t play for participation trophies.”  
Respectable, even empowering.

It was a public declaration of identity:

“If the stage isn’t the biggest, my effort isn’t worth giving.”

That single sentence is the #1 killer of post-sport success I witness every single year.

The athletes who become truly happy after football aren’t the ones who had the most talent, the biggest NIL deals, or even the most prestigious college careers.

They’re the ones who learned — deep in their nervous system — how to bring elite intensity to things that feel small, unsexy, or beneath them.

They’re the ones who treated the Quick Lane Bowl like the National Championship.  
Who showed up to spring ball when they were already academically senior and NFL-bound.  
Who finished.

Because business is 97% off-Broadway.

It’s the second factory you open in a town nobody’s heard of.  
It’s the 18-month plateau where revenue is flat and investors are quiet.  
It’s the partnership that isn’t sexy but keeps the lights on.

The moment you wire your brain to believe “only the biggest stage deserves my best,” you have pre-sabotaged your ability to win in the seasons that actually determine who gets rich and who stays stuck.

University of Notre Dame seniors just taught every underclassman (and every young professional watching) a devastating lesson:

It’s okay to quit when the spotlight dims.

Except the real world punishes that mindset mercilessly.

I’m not mad at the players.  
I’m worried for them.

Because the same guys who will be asking for $5M seed rounds in 2030 just broadcast to every future investor, partner, and employer who knows ball:

“We go hard when it’s easy to go hard.  
When it gets hard, we go home.”

But, it’s about this:

“The reps you hate the most are the ones that make you rich and happy later.”

Notre Dame just voluntarily skipped the reps they would have hated most.

I hope I’m wrong.

But I’ve seen this movie too many times.

The ones who finish — no matter what — are the ones who win when the jersey comes off.

Everyone else just becomes a story that starts with “Remember when he was All-American…?”

What do you think — was this leadership, or the most expensive lesson they’ll ever learn?

Drop your take below. I read every comment.

#Leadership #Entrepreneurship #CollegeFootball #LifeAfterSports #Grit

Jay Dixon

Builder of People & Biz | Creator | Published Author | Girldad | Dude

Friendly reminder this holiday season. 

Be the change you wish to see in the world. Be humble.
Be kind.
Help others. 
It’s more rewarding than a paycheck.

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Educators and teachers union. The way to help our students succeed is built in sport. My thesis is use AI for individualized learning and sports/arts for the skills that build champions.
Sports literally rewires the brain in ways that predict elite business performance. In the appendix my book, I lay out the 10 neuroscientifically-proven principles that athletics builds and why athletes make exceptional leaders and entrepreneurs.

Here they are:

Creative Thinking
Sports activates the parietal lobe → companies with high creativity deliver 70% above-average shareholder returns (McKinsey)
Resilience
Strengthened prefrontal cortex = superior stress regulation and ability to lead through disruption
Curiosity
Enhanced hippocampus function → lifelong learning and market adaptability (HBR)
Reliability
The #1 predictor of CEO success — candidates with proven reliability are 2× more likely to get the job and excel (HBR)
Intrinsic Motivation
Dopamine-driven passion that turns leaders into multipliers of team performance
Empathy
Activated mirror neuron system → higher trust, engagement, and transformational leadership outcomes
Leadership
Collegiate athletes consistently show superior leadership behavior and interpersonal skills in the workplace
Competitive Mindset
Enlarged anterior cingulate cortex in athletes → sharper strategic decision-making under pressure
Metacognition
The self-awareness and deliberate practice that separates top performers in any field (Geoff Colvin, Talent is Overrated)
Coachability
The ultimate superpower: the willingness to receive feedback, adapt, and continuously improve — the trait that keeps winners winning long after the final whistle

The science is clear — athletes don’t just bring grit. We bring a cognitive edge that drives financial performance, innovation, and culture.
If you’re a former athlete wondering “what’s next?” — your brain already has the answer. You were built for this.

Grab After the Game. It’s the playbook we all wish we’d had the day we hung up the jersey.
#AthleteEntrepreneur #Leadership #Neuroscience #EntrepreneurshipThroughAcquisition #AfterTheGame

On a Mission to Help Others Find Identity, Direction & Ownership

I had the privilege of teaching and coaching the 14th draft pick in the nfl. But, it wasn’t all peaches and cream to get him there. The public education system wanted to kick him out, and tried feverishly to do so. 

I was a high school English teacher and football coach in a 100% free and reduced lunch school. My hall of teachers were folks who had never been outside the walls of education, having gone from school as a student to school as a teacher.

Javon would sleep during class. Not pay attention, and never have his materials. He was kicked out of class all the time by my hall of teachers.

When I would see him sitting in the hall, kicked out of class, I would bring him into mine and let him sit at my desk. 

The teachers didn’t like it, and the superintendent and principal even came to my class to reprimand me. They told me it wasn’t how we educated and that my classroom was disorganized. 

I told them to leave. They weren’t allowed to come in my class any further. I had many meetings with the career educators that went from school to school. 

Why did I do it? Because Javon didn’t have a home to go to after school. He slept in class because he would sleep on a couch and not have the proper nutrition. 

I got to know him. Fed him. And drive him to a home after practice. I told him he didn’t need to read Romeo and Juliet, the curriculum wouldn’t serve him and it was bad. I was honest with him. So, I would spoon feed him the way to get through the course. Had him watch the movie rather than read it, and write me what he had learned, along with the idioms and other English language arts items necessary. 

Soon enough, he graduated and was able to play football in college. I knew sports would be the best education for him, not what the high school curriculum demanded. 

And when he was drafted 14th overall, I couldn’t be more proud of my decision to go against the grain of the superintendent and principal. They had no idea what he was dealing with in high school, nor, did they care. Their job security was more important.

You see, sometimes, it takes a bold character and selfless nature to help change our world. I still see it today, some in education are wielded by the higher ups that are influenced by vendors and politicians. I don’t blame them, I just ask that everyone working with young lives do what’s right, not what’s prescribed. 

While Javon is one story, there are many others. Many business lessons were learned by he and I about being honest, being vulnerable, and chasing dreams together.

Write your script, just be sure it’s the script you decide and not what the masses prescribe.

#athlete #education #leadership

I'm currently seeking one former athlete to back financially and sweat that wants to own and operate their own business. 

Salary will be paid during training and search process and the deal will be funded allowing you to own equity shares and be the CEO of the business. 

If you or anyone you know is interested, please reach out. 

#athlete #entrepreneur #careerchange

Odell Beckham Jr ran through nearly $60m in earnings. When I tried to help him two years ago, I was blocked by wealth advisors from having a conversation. It’s easy to fix this story, here was my playbook I eas offering him.

First, let’s start with the mindset transition from athlete to entrepreneur and CEO. Start with my empirically backed mindset assessment to find the strengths and weaknesses. Then, in collaboration with Harvard Psychology, the 15 mindset techniques take 8 weeks to master and will build the foundation for his next championship to pursue in business and life. 

Next, we will explore the PE/VC landscape of strategic capital allocation with a tiered system of risk, along with involvement and opportunity for Odell to put his energy into and chase the championship of each. Everything from angel investing, growth capital, search funds, and venture funds. 

Then, we write his playbook and work with him each day to build his new team after the game. 

It’s proven, research backed, and athlete approved to help athletes like Odell bridge the identity gap post sport and thrive in business and life after sport. 

And, we include the physical transition and new physical energy activities to ensure he never has to leave the athlete identity on the field. 

If you are an athlete or ex athlete seeking the next championship, feel free to reach out and we can discuss the next big win.

#athlete #leadership #education #athletelife #nfl

Consultant | Published Author | Girldad | Dude

Do you have an athlete or former athlete on your gift list? 
Ever felt that post-game void? 
I know the struggle of trading cleats for real life. 
That's why I wrote "After The Game: Bridging the Gap from Winning Athlete to Thriving Entrepreneur" it's the playbook to turn athletic talents into business wins.

Backed by NFL legends, Olympians, and Ivy League pros, this book blends real stories with actionable strategies to master mindset, acquire businesses, and build empires. 

Don't just retire – reinvent!


#AthleteToEntrepreneur #SportsToBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessMindset #AfterTheGame #AthleteLife #SuccessCoach

If you’re family gave you love as a child and no money as an adult, you’re way ahead of the game.

School Consultant | Published Author | Creator, Athlete-Entrepreneur Accelerator + Mindset to build championship-level teams and cultures in their organizations | Girldad | Dude

Featured in The Sporting News alongside Mario Lemieux... yes, that Mario Lemieux...in an article about the massive wave of athletes becoming business owners.

From saving the Penguins (twice) to potentially buying the team outright, Mario is the ultimate example of what’s possible when elite competitors take their game off the field and into the boardroom.

And right there in the piece? Me.

“Jay Dixon, a former Division I football player, is helping lead that charge.”

That line hit different.

Because every single day I get to work with retired NFL players, MLB veterans, and pro athletes who are quietly (and not-so-quietly) buying companies, building wealth, and rewriting what “life after sports” actually means.

We’re not waiting for endorsement deals to dry up.
We’re not hoping for a broadcasting gig.

We’re creating CEO's with mindset strategies and a research backed formula and opening the world of buying cash-flowing businesses using Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition...the same model MBAs from Harvard & Stanford have used for years...except we bring something they don’t:

The relentless drive of someone who’s had to make a roster, recover from injury, and perform when 70,000 people are screaming at you.

Through Success Coach, we give athletes three things most programs don’t:
World-class coaching (mindset + strategy)
Real access to capital (we co-invest)
An operator-friendly playbook that actually works

We’ve already helped a former Dodgers player close his first deal and multiple NFL veterans acquire their first (and second) companies.
The trophy case is closed.
The new scoreboard is the cap table.

If you’re a current or former pro athlete and you’re tired of watching everyone else build real wealth while you’re still trading time for money… send me a DM.
Your next championship ring might just be a signed purchase agreement.

Link to the article in the comments 

#AthleteEntrepreneur #EntrepreneurshipThroughAcquisition #SuccessCoach #HumanizeCapital #LifeAfterSports #WealthBuilding #MarioLemieux

Ran this poll recently and the results about athletes finding their purpose in life and careers after sports. The data is clear. 
If you are an ex athlete, a current athlete, or an administrator of athletes, I’m happy to help them solve this identity gap after sports. 

#athlete #sports #leadership #education

I’ve failed and been on the bench a ton. The exercise of doing a Failure Resume was not only humbling, it was motivating and encouraging to see how I’ve kept going. 
I encourage everyone to do a Failure Resume and see how many times they have sat on the bench in life and business.

#athlete #leadership

The best education is on the field or court. Did you know, playing sports improves your meta-cognition? The ability to decide with speed and conviction, the top predictor of success. Business schools cant teach it. Heres one way its learned:

Remember your coach telling you to see the game and yourself making big plays before the game was played?
You likely began visualizing and playing the game in your head nights before kickoff or tipoff. The feelings were illuminated and the hairs on your arm began to spring. Then, came game time, its like you had already been there, and those plays were second nature. 

Quicker decision making, better results. 

Now, apply it to business. Visualize yourself and the next big play, the next decision, the next moment that matters. Feel the decision in your heart, let it light up your chest, and play out the scenarios in your mind. 

Then, when the decision is put on your desk, you have already made it, with conviction. 

Thats the athletic education. 

The most powerful education one can receive. 

#athlete #leadership #privateequity

I learned a lot about going from idea to a building with our name on it. I was in my 20’s. Confident, motivated, and tech savvy. My leadership examples were football coaches. 

What I wished I would have know is more EQ and the human side of business.

The game was attracting the top asset managers and brokers to my team.

But, I thought it was all about the idea and the tech. 

So, rather than lead with open ears and empathy, I led from the front and told others to catch up. 

That didn’t work out well. Agents came and went, and asset managers didn’t adopt the technology. 

I should have listened, led from the back, and understood that ideas are cheap, it’s people and relationships that make a business.

This business was eventually sold for little. But, the learnings were incredible. 

#athlete #leadership

School Consultant | Published Author | Creator, Athlete-Entrepreneur Accelerator (200+ alumni building championship-level teams and cultures in their organizations) | Girldad | Dude

Lots of people are calling out the College Football Playoff Committee. But before we get too negative, let me tell you what committee member Coach Ault taught me an so many, and what it means in business: 

- “Circle the wagons.” -rally your team around a unified defense, and protect your core assets first before worrying about new offense.

- “5 minutes early you’re on time, if you’re on time you’re late.” - be the first in the room.

- “Set your jaw.” - push forward with relentless determination no matter how hard the hits come

- “The color red is worn by communist and UNLV.” - well, it’s funny. But, it means to unify as a team around common values and purpose. Wear your colors. 

Good luck to all #ncaa teams as they chase the ultimate prize. 

NCAA College Football Playoff #leadership

School Consultant | Published Author | Creator, Athlete-Entrepreneur Accelerator + Mindset to build championship-level teams and cultures in their organizations) | Girldad | Dude

Get your loved one a recliner this holiday season. 
A man’s best thinking happens right here. The ROI will be better than any other investment.

University of Utah has accepted a $500m investment in their athletics brand from Otro Capital.

The mindset and decision making is vastly different. Most PE funds employ folks that don’t understand the game, the culture, nor the value derived long term outside a spreadsheet.

Many athletic departments and universities employ people that don’t agree with short term spreadsheet decisions and understand that sports is built on emotion. 

While these two may align (I don’t know Otro), the precedence may be setting up for a long term issue for many athletic programs, brands, and university systems as a whole. 

I’ve been in the Private Equity rooms, sold businesses to PE, and studied with many in PE, and I’ve also been a D1 athlete and a football coach in the USA and internationally. 

What could possibly go wrong? 👇

School district leadership is hard. So, I wanted to bring teaching from the most elite athletes and business leaders to schools in California. With my dad, Leadership 2.0 was born.  

Then, came the hatred, negative talks, and the defamation of us. 

From other industry leaders. 

Those that “dedicate” their lives to helping schools. 

Those that influence others across the industry.

I heard it, I listened, and I was shocked. 

I tried to understand why.

Was it because they were jealous, envious, or didn’t see value?

As I dove deeper, I found out it was about money and relationships.

They thought we were going to take money from their pockets with relationships.

“But, you represent schools, children, and tax payers?”
- my thoughts.

We are simply helping leaders lead in a tough environment. And, we are doing it at a loss because we believe in the need. 

Wow, was I wrong. 

The issues with our schools start at the highest places amongst those that forgot why they dedicate their life to schools. The ones who claim to train but only seek more coal for their own engine. 

They wear fancy suits, drive nice cars, and sulk at the idea of anyone providing more value than they. Our schools need so much help, but they don’t care. 

So, rather than congratulate or talk with us, they decided to defame and disparage us. 

Our schools deserve better. The kids and teachers deserve better. 

Change must happen. And, it needs to happen at the top. Californians deserve better. 

#californiaschools

Want to be an effective CEO? Ditch business school and play sports. 
Private equity friends won’t like it as they are burdened in debt to their school, but the results speak for themselves.

The best operators come from the field or court, not the classroom. 

#leadership #athlete

Want to invest in athletes that didn’t make it big? For investors, it’s the highest performing alternative asset over the last 50 years. And for college and pro athletes, it’s a chance to rewrite their identity and win in the business world utilizing their skills learned in sport. 
DM me for the full deck. 

#athlete #privateequity #leadership

A winning sports program can positively effect every aspect of a school at any level. Academic achievement increases, student absences decrease, and disciplinary actions decrease campus wide. 

Invest in sports.

Project Support Services, Inc.

Natassia Melendrez is the Owner and CEO of Project Support Services, a multifaceted organization specializing in DSA closeout, document archiving, and comprehensive project organization. PSS assists certifying hundreds of projects for over eight years, working diligently to resolve problems, organize document keeping systems, and working directly with the Division of the State Architect to fulfill project needs and requirements.

President & CEO 

Koury Engineering

Summary of Employment
Koury Engineering & Testing, Inc. (KET)	01/01/2008-Septemer 2013

Project Closeout Manager
•	Prepared final reports and compiled supporting documents to expedite finalization of DSA verified report forms by supervising engineer. 
•	Reviewed final inspection reports and test results to ensure compliance with DSA procedures. Requested addition information, remediate concerns thru communication with structural engineer or architect. 
•	Provided information, project closeout status, procedures, and concepts to help accommodate IOR with  questions, complaints or inquiries.
•	Lead project closeout meetings with District, IOR, and Design Team regards to testing and inspections.

Operations Administrative Assistant
•	Quality assurance and control for reports during construction including daily inspection reports and lab test results.
•	Gathered and prepared information for non-compliant issues, per project, to inform the architect, structural engineer, and IOR of work that was not in accordance with the approved plans and specifications.
•	Obtained DSA form 5 approvals of special inspectors prior to start of inspections and DSA 292 verified reports when scope of project is completed or if inspector has been terminated.
•	Coordinated and scheduled municipal inspectors per IOR’s request for various school projects with qualified inspectors.
•	Provided accurate billing information to accounting for monthly pay applications. Collected documentation relating to events justifying delays and added expenses to client.

Training & Education
•	Division of State Architect Workshop 152 Inspection Card Process
•	Division of State Architect: Workshop 311 Legacy Closeout Process
•	Division of State Architect: Workshop 301 Formal Collaboration Process
•	Division of State Architect: Workshop 201 Project Closeout
•	California Notary Public Commission Expires 2014
•	Riverside Community College:  Project Planning for Site Construction, Fundamentals Soil Technology

Project Closeout Manager

Natassia Melendrez began her career at a geotechnical engineering, material testing & inspection firm when she was just 21 years old, and because of her integrity, intelligence, and honest hard work, was quickly promoted from dispatch to Project Closeout Manager. Over the years she gained unparalleled experience and continued growing. When she reached her peak growth within the company, she noticed an obscure disparity between men and women in leadership roles - and it was at this point she decided to forge her own path, advocating for women business owners in the school construction sector/industry, especially within the realm of project support services.

At 28 years old, Natassia began independent consulting services with only $1,000 in her bank account, an idea in her mind, and endless gumption to make it a reality.

“I remember thinking - if it fails, I’ll just start over again”, says Natassia. “What do I have to lose?”

Independent consulting soon transitioned into a base of solid clients, and the start of her new business, Project Support Services, was born.

It didn’t take long for Natassia’s resilience to shine through. Her client base continued to grow and grow, nudging Natassia to take the next step of expanding her endeavors and opening up a physical office. Natassia has since hired several amazing partners to help her carry out her vision of a highly successful woman-owned business.

Now, today PSS continues to grow and defy the odds, making up part of the mere 8.9% of women in the construction industry.

Natassia has plans to focus mainly on the project closeout management firm and private firm service needs of her clients, and empower other women business entrepreneurs within the construction industry along the way.

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Natassia Melendrez-Knutson

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