Aside from the journal, The Sports Business Exchange is all about giving young sports business professionals a platform to share their ideas and connect with each other. Today, we’ve decided to highlight two young sports business professionals, Brian Manning and Tom VanHaaren, who have quickly become entrepreneurs in the industry. Brian Manning’s 360 Sports Software, LLC is already up and running. Tom VanHaaren’s U Recruit is still being developed but will be launching shortly. We asked them both to fill out a short questionnaire for us. Here are their responses:

Name: Brian Manning
Age: 25
Twitter: www.twitter.com/brimanning
Name of Company: 360 Sports Software, LLC
Website: http://oneplaybook.com

360 Sports Software, LLC - In his own words:
“360 Sports Software, LLC has one product, OnePlaybook that is sold on a yearly subscription basis to sports coaches and sports teams. I am the principal employee, though I’ve had a few interns and consultants come in, most of what OnePlaybook is and does was created by me.”

What challenges have you faced in getting 360 Sports Software started?
“The biggest challenge I have faced is getting my idea out there and the resistance to change that some coaches may have. Everyone I get to show OnePlaybook to loves it, but there are a lot of people who are scared that it will add to their work, when in reality, what they’re doing right now takes a huge amount of work and OnePlaybook really simplifies and streamlines their efforts.”

Do you think you’ve encountered any unique challenges because of your age?
“Sometimes with people who don’t feel comfortable with computers. Here I am, a kid as they see it, with a newfangled approach that seems confusing at first, but was built specifically for coaches who may not feel totally comfortable with computers. At times, I may seem unrelatable, but I’ve talked to hundreds of coaches about OnePlaybook and have built it for people who aren’t plugged into their computers 24/7.”

Name: Tom VanHaaren
Age: 26
Twitter: www.twitter.com/TomVH
Name of Company: U Recruit
Website: www.recruitforu.com

U Recruit - In his own words:
“U Recruit is an online network that connects football prospects with College football coaches. There are plenty of websites out there that do this, but we have a key differentiator. Our site will allow for interaction, advice, information sharing, and life lessons given to the recruits. The main difference is our two approaches. The first is allowing the recruit to take the process in his own hands, and market himself however he’d like. The second is our hands on approach. We will offer a comprehensive approach to getting the athlete recruited, and getting his name out to the right people, the right way. We will offer every aspect of what will be needed including highlight films, communication lessons, marketing pieces, and full access to my knowledge.”

What challenges have you faced in getting U Recuit started?
“The challenges that I’ve faced is monetizing a service like this. With the economy the way it is, families can’t afford a lot. By no means was I trying to get rich quick off of this, but needed to make sure that my costs weren’t exceeding the price. We came up with some numbers that are very very easy to swallow for families, and easy for us to sustain the business. The second challenge has been getting the college coaches to really interact, and become apart of the difference we offer. It’s starting to get easier with the new wave of social media, but their schedules only allow for so much.”

Do you think you’ve encountered any unique challenges because of your age?
“I think the challenges with my age come into play with the coaches and the prospects family. Getting people to trust someone who is barely out of college is often difficult. On the other side of the spectrum, I think I have an advantage with the recruits because of my age. Being a younger male, I am someone they can relate to, and can easily build a bond with.”

Do you know of other young sports business entrepreneurs? Email us and tell us why they should be featured in an upcoming TSBX Blog.