How Blake Corum Is Changing The Way Young Athletes Make Money

Forbes

2 hours ago

To be transparent, when I found out that I would be interviewing Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum, I wasn't jumping with joy. As a loud and proud Michigan State University graduate, it felt unpatriotic to entertain a conversation with the man who nearly won the Heisman while sporting a Michigan Wolverines uniform.
However, what began as a mere execution of my journalistic duty turned into one of the most riveting conversations I have had in quite some time.
Blake Corum Is More Than Just A Great Running Back
You see, Corum isn't your run-of-the-mill college football star turned NFL pro. Yes, he is a physical anomaly whose frame is just as daunting on a Zoom call as it is to defenders trying to tackle him in the open field.
But he's also a savvy businessman and aspiring real estate mogul. Corum revealed to me that he's hardly had to spend any of the money he made in NIL during college. Instead, he lives off the profit he's made from the investments he used his money for. In one instance, Corum even negotiated an NIL deal that involved giving him a two percent stake in a real estate venture, which now nets him between $15,000 and $20,000 a year.
To Corum, it isn't about how much money you make. It's about how you grow that money after the fact. Cash flow and equity reign supreme in his kingdom. Corum advocates for his football brethren to say "no" to the $20,000 chains and "yes" to joint real estate endeavors. The kind that can bring you consistent income for the rest of your days.
Corum is dedicated to his craft as an NFL running back. During training camp, he even keeps his phone in his locker to avoid any outside distractions from the day-to-day grind. But Corum also understands that this life can't last forever, and that he needs to have income in place to last him long after his playing days.
Speaking of real estate, Corum has been diligently building his portfolio through his company, Rectortown Enterprises. Alongside his father, James (who, from an early age, instilled in his son the value of investing in property), Corum owns over a dozen single-family homes. Together, the father/son duo personally oversees and participates in the entire renovation process – to ensure that these houses are suitable for the future families that live in them.
Being so deeply entrenched in the real estate world, Corum is acutely aware of the housing crisis and the difficulties many families face in trying to own their own home. As a result, he is currently pushing for a program at the University of Michigan where the school acquires old houses for athletes to have the chance to witness the rehabilitation process firsthand. After the houses were revamped, they would then be donated to a family in need. This would both help combat the housing crisis while also allowing young athletes to learn more about fixing up houses.
Corum's insights on investing and real estate are sentiments that I will (admittedly) try to implement in my own life. But what really blew me away is Corum's new project, which could change the entire way we think about NIL.
Peak NIL Could Change The Entire NIL Landscape
Much to my chagrin (and that of all Sparty faithful), Corum is one of the most well-accomplished college football players of the last decade. And since NIL only became legal in July of 2021, few athletes have benefited from the ability to profit off their name, image, and likeness the way that Corum has.
For some people, this level of success may make them ignorant to the plight of the less fortunate. However, it has had the opposite effect on Corum.
"When I was in college, I wouldn't do a deal for less than $50,000," Corum revealed to me. 'But, for a lot of guys, all they want is $150. This really bothered me because those players don't put in any less work than I do. They just don't have the same platform that I've been blessed with. Being the type of person who always likes to help others, I felt like I needed to do something.'
Here's one thing you need to know about Corum. He isn't just some social media ally. He puts his money where his mouth is. This brings us to PeakNIL.
"Peak NIL is a two-way marketplace, where brands and athletes can come together on one platform. In college, Celsius gave me an NIL deal for 60,000 dollars. That's $60,000 for promotion on one social media account. With Peak NIL, we gather up hundreds of athletes (across all different college sports) and have them split that 60,000. This gives more people a piece of the pie and gives these companies more exposure because one hundred college athletes are going to have a larger following than just my one account. So, it's a win for both parties." Corum explained.
As I'm sure Corum would gladly reaffirm, sports are all about having a great team, not just great players. And this ambitious idea never would have been able to come to life had it not been for the help of Corum's fellow co-founders – Gregory D. Jackson (Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer) and Brian Siegrist (Co-Founder & Chief Revenue Officer).
Funny enough, Jackson and Siegrist met one another in a PlayStation chat nearly a decade ago. Given Jackson's experience as a coder (he actually helped build Linkedln's website) and Siegrist's expertise in business, the two eventually began collaborating on what is now PeakNIL. Soon enough, they were introduced to Corum through a mutual friend. The two offered him a spot as an advisor. But Corum recognized that this is exactly the kind of cause he was looking to pour his soul into. He requested a larger role, and now here he is today as PeakNIL's Chief Operations Officer.
"I remember, I told them, 'I can do more than just an advisory role.' This isn't some car dealership that I know nothing about. NIL is right up my alley. Very few athletes understand it as well as me," Corum exclaimed.
Now, here we are today. PeakNIL has just completed its beta phase (raising seven figures during their safe round), and they are ready to change the way we think about NIL forever. It's time for them to push the pedal to the metal and go full-throttle in their quest to help athletes all around the country acquire sponsorship opportunities.
I'm calling all brands right now," Corum proclaimed. "Let us help your brand with our athletes."
"I really think this is going to be the next big thing."
For those interest in learning more about this program, be sure to visit their website, peaknil.com.