Episode 83 - Having A Clear Eye View with Jaylon Smith
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What a thrill it must be to get a call from Jerry Jones and be told you’re going to get to play professional football with the Dallas Cowboys. That was the case for Jaylon Smith in 2017. Even at a young age Jaylon was noticed for his athleticism and talent, being named “Mr. Football” in the state of Indiana and then winning the spot as Linebacker his Freshman year at Notre Dame. Jaylon joins us today to talk about how he overcame what could have been a career ending injury and what he’s doing off the gridiron to inspire change and invest in the next generation of rising entrepreneurs.
Episode Transcript
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William Norvell: Can you walk us through that moment? We don't have many people in the show that have gotten a call from specifically, as you mentioned, the greatest franchise in one of the most well known owners, if not the most well-known owner in the game as well. What was that moment like when Jerry called? I mean, a face of him pop up on the caller ID and you were like, oh, my gosh, that's him
Jaylon Smith: when I was in actually Dr. Jerry yesterday, by the way. But I just walked in to my Draupadi and I was selected maybe like seven minutes after I walked in because I was third pick in the draft on that second day. So it was like boom, boom. But when draft started, I sat down by my brother, Rod Smith, who was actually playing for the Cowboys at the time. Soon as I sat down, maybe a minute later, I got a call and it's two one four two one four number. That's the Dallas number. Mind you, I had surgery by the Cowboys physician four months prior. So they had a little more inside information on my healing process and the sting operation and things of that nature. But to see that it was a two one four, no understanding that it was me and my brother's dad's favorite team, America's team, the Cowboys. And then the fact that he was on the team, it was like, wow, I'm going to get a chance to play with my brother.
William Norvell: Welcome back to the Faith Driven Investor, we are so excited that you took the time to join us today, to take the time out of your day to listen to what God's people are doing through investing throughout the world. And we are just so excited about our guests today, were so excited about the conversation that we get to have. And we're pleased that you joined us, grateful that you're here, always grateful for our audience coming in. And today we get the incredible, incredible, exciting opportunity to welcome in Jaylon Smith from the Dallas Cowboys. How are you, Jaylen?
Jaylon Smith: And I am blessed, definitely blessed and highly favored. I'm thankful to be able to speak with you today. This wonderful man.
William Norvell: Well, we're grateful for you and we're grateful for what you're doing. We're going to get into that a little bit. And as our audience knows, one of the first places we would love to start this program is shocking for our audience. I went to Alabama, so the fact that I'm not going to start with a football conversation is a big thing, but I'm going to save our audience that right now, Jalen was was a star at Notre Dame and a first round draft pick. And we're going to get to that, I'm sure, in a story. But we would love to start there. Jalen, tell us a little bit. Who are you? Where did you come from? How did you end up where you are today and how is God walking alongside you?
Jaylon Smith: Yeah, Jalen Smith, linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys Amen. There was a brother from the Hoosier State born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana. My old dad saved my family's from Uniontown, Alabama. So he's Alabama fan. So definitely some connections there. But I believe and go to Macfarlan, Delmar is just an incredible experience is being from a basketball state. But and we play some football as well there and especially out there and stuff in Indiana. There's just been a wonderful journey answering my sixth year in the National Football League. I've dealt with adversity, I've dealt with adversity, and I've been able to to have a clear view. I've been able to have a focused, determined belief in ERG dreams. That's really what helped me get to where I am today and all the battles that I've kind of endured and persevered through, all by the grace of God and then putting in work. So I'm just like I said, I'm happy to be here today to speak with you all and just to have a conversation. And it's this is dope
William Norvell: cos it's fun and tell us a little bit. So obviously you've got the athletics and we're going to jump into that, you know, where did faith and work come into your world? Where did God kind of push you down your professional journey that, you know, obviously we're going to get into what you're doing on the side of being a professional football player, which takes a lot of time. Where did those intersections happen in your life to where you started seeing that there could be good holy work in the marketplace?
Jaylon Smith: I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur, probably since I was about 11 years old and I fell in love with the business aspect and not having a lot of knowledge of it, but just understanding that that's a way that I could be able to shed light and put smiles on people's faces through that education. It's all about freedom, financial literacy, the financial freedom, and develop some mentors along the way. Our first mentor, Michael, later became my mentor since I was 13 years old. Now he's my business manager, operating out of a family office that he owns, Colibri Sports Advisors, which helps athletes become entrepreneurs and run themselves like entities, providing governance, expert partners, et cetera, et cetera. For me, my cousin Eugene Parker rest in peace, who's arguably the greatest NFL agent of all time. He represented D-R Sanders. He represented the Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Curtis Martin, Ray Lewis, Rob Watson, a bunch of guys, Hall of Fame players. And he kind of taught me how to understand the value of cost and just through platforms, being able to gain access to quality relationship quality, deal flow through going through an amazing high school sports high school where we won four state championships, by the way. And then. Wow, four for four. Yeah. And then headed to Notre Dame to be a part of the Global Institute, you know, in the in the transition to play for the Dallas Cowboys, America's team, which is the most valued franchise in all of sports, any sport. So all of these things I've learned from those of the most high, I'm a sponge and I soak everything in and it's all about minimizing the mistakes and growing that. So it's an everyday process for me. Like I said, I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur and God has blessed me with the gift to be able to play the game. I love that I've been playing since I was seven years old. So it's a wonderful thing that.
William Norvell: That is and I'm curious, was there something specific that triggered you wanting to be an entrepreneur at such a young age? I don't I don't think that's super common. You know, you mentioned, you know, just really 10, 11 years old. You know, did you start a business? Did somebody shed light on that journey? Is there something specific or was it just kind of in you and you just felt that from the Lord?
Jaylon Smith: Yeah. Something that was just in me, honestly, and developed through time. My mom always preached to me on being observant, always seeing through a different lens and then through work with my mentors, just learning how to think, understanding that it's OK to think the concept, the value of that is so critical and crucial to our growth as humans. You know, I'm just blessed to know that I'm on the right path and I'm just constantly seeking peace.
William Norvell: Absolutely. Absolutely. And so I want to transition a little bit and hear how, you know, a setback really could have shaped, you know, your life a little bit. And you're senior in college. I feel like I was watching this game. I just remember this. You know, you were projected top five draft pick. You know, everything in the world was going incredibly well. And then you had a season ending injury, which I remember. Right. It wasn't even season ending. I mean, this was probably going to hold you out of your first year of the NFL as well. Yes, it was a devastating injury. How did that change you? How did that change your view of life? Could you walk us through that season of life?
Jaylon Smith: Really just understanding that, you know, injury is a threat. You know, when you're playing the last gladiator sport that I play in football is something that I was definitely aware of, but I didn't think that I would get hurt in my final collegiate game. Fiesta Bowl is a bowl game. Notre Dame versus Ohio State had no intentions of our understanding that that would be when I would get hurt. But it was a career threatening injury, ACL, LCL. But the severity of it was I have peroneal nerve damage, which gave me drop foot so I couldn't lift my foot up for about a year. While still I stepped out on faith. I still entered the NFL draft. I was going to be a top three pick. And, you know, because of the injury, I got word that I would fall out of the first round and probably be drafted the next day. I didn't know when or where I was going to be drafted, but I just needed one team to take a chance on me and I would make sure that they got their return on their investment. And that's what the Cowboys did. The Cowboys took a chance on me, and I'm just happy to continue to be delivering in that moment. It was all about my clear view. It was all about my clear view, which is my core values. It's how I live my life to walk through life. And it's broken down into three pillars focus, vision of determined belief in ERG dreams. I'm a focused vision is just about having a laser beam focus, really being able to see clearly what you want to accomplish, where you're trying to go. What's that next step being in the present, the determined belief is the second pillar, and that's about a belief capacity. It's about a belief in God that he has your back on my belief in yourself, a belief in others, understanding that there are people out there who do believe in you and who are writing for you. And then finally, that third pillar is about ERG dreams. It's about sweat equity. It's about how bad do you want it? It's about, you know, what work are you willing to put in, you know, to accomplish that. So I think everyone should have a clear eyed view in all aspects of life, whether you're a firefighter, whether you're a stay at home mom, whether you're a janitor doesn't matter the profession. Everyone should have a clear view. It'll help you persevere. It'll help ground you for sure. So that's how I live my life. That's really what's helped me by the grace of God. I'm just thankful that.
William Norvell: BAM Amen, yeah, it had to be an amazing time, I remember watching the draft, too, I love the draft and I remember when they said you were going to go early second round and just, you know, it was a big story. It was a big story that they took a chance on you there and you have earned their return made Pro Bowl. I mean, I'm curious, though, can you walk us through that moment? We don't have many people in the show that have gotten a call from specifically, as you mentioned, the greatest franchise in one of the most well known owners, if not the most well known owner in the game as well. What was that moment like when Jerry called? I mean, the face of him pop up on the caller ID and you were like, oh, my gosh, that's him.
Jaylon Smith: Well, I was actually talked to Jerry yesterday, by the way, but I just walked in to my Draupadi. And I was selected maybe like seven minutes after I walked in because I was third pick in the draft on the second day. So it was like boom, boom. But then draft started. I sat down by my brother, Rod Smith, who was actually playing for the Cowboys at the time. Soon as I sat down, maybe a minute later, I got a call and it was two one four two one four number. That's the Dallas number. Mind you, I had surgery by the Cowboys physician four months prior. So they had a little more inside information on my healing process and the sting operation and things of that nature. But to see that it was a two one for no understanding that it was me and my brother's dad's favorite team, America's team, the Cowboys. And in the fact that he was on the team, it was like, wow, I'm going to get a chance to play with my brother, you know? So that was just the first thing that I was about through through by to answer the phone is Jerry Jones. And it's like everybody hears about Jerry Jones. But, you know, you get a chance to really talk to him. It's like, OK, is extra confirmations.
William Norvell: That's amazing. It's like dreams coming true on top of dreams coming true not only to the NFL, but with your brother to the Cowboys. What an amazing story that God was weaving there. And, you know, especially through crisis. And, you know, unfortunately, I found in my life that God speaks the loudest during crisis sometimes and during struggles. Is there one or two things maybe as you reflect back on that season that you could share with our audience that maybe God was teaching? You might have been in your points earlier. So apologies if I'm asking you to repeat things, but just wonder if there's a couple of things that God torture during that time that you might want to share.
Jaylon Smith: God taught me faith. He taught me resilience. He taught me patience the most patience. He taught me awareness. He taught me how to be present because I had no choice and I had to face those. That was the first time, the first love of my life football was taken away from me. Honestly, I have never been hurt. I've been playing since I was seven years old. That's when I made the decision that I was going to play in the National Football League. So. I've been laser being focused on this dream, so really I learned a lot and I'm still learning to this day because constantly healing, constantly work in this world. There's so many things that has happened in this world in the past year, year and a half that you just got to make sure your your faith is right. You've got to make sure your belief capacity is right. And like I said, what helps me is my clarity.
William Norvell: Amen Amen. Well, I'm going to move over to investing a little bit. You know, I would love to hear just you know, investing is sort of taking the world by storm. I feel like it's happening in a lot of different spheres. I feel like every day, even this morning I saw Kevin Durant invested in this and Tom Brady invested in a crypto exchange with Jazelle FDX. I'm curious about investing in the NFL. I mean, you can give us some insight here. Is this something people are talking about a lot or is it still a niche industry? Tell us more
Jaylon Smith: is definitely a niche industry, but the conversation is being brought up more. A lot of players are understanding that our careers are short and there's life after football and there's power and having more than one revenue stream of income. It's OK to be more than an employee, but it requires work and requires education. It requires trust in a team because you can't do it alone. We don't have the time to do it all on our own due to our main thing, which is employees in our profession. But there's so much room for growth out here that I think it's just a matter of time before, you know, everybody's on board with it. So we're learning. We're learning access matters in equity matters. Equity creates freedom. So I'm happy with where we're headed. We just got to keep growing. You got to keep digging.
William Norvell: Absolutely, and I want to switch now to the Minority Entrepreneurs Institute, and I know we got connected through a good friend, Jay Hein, at Sagamore. Well, I know he's been working with you a little bit on this. Could you tell us a little bit? Tell our audience, where did the idea for Minority Entrepreneurs Institute come from? How did it get started?
Jaylon Smith: Really, like I said, becoming an entrepreneur and having this access to all quality deal flow, doing a lot of alternative investing, getting us some deals as an LP, as a GP, getting some returns, getting dividend payouts. As I'm experiencing all of this now, I was just thinking to myself, how can I provide this access or this create a marketplace for people who look like me that don't have the Notre Dame background or connection or the Dallas Cowboy affiliation and connection? A platform, a huge platform that I have. There's so many people that look like me that that have great and tremendous ideas that can add value to our world. But they don't have the access to financial funding, to mentorship, to help with putting together their infrastructure or strategic execution plan. You know, I was just thinking about how can I help provide that I to help fix this scandal. There's an educational and a wealth gap that exists in this world today. And that's why I created the Minority Entrepreneurship Institute to help close the economic and educational gap.
William Norvell: That's amazing. That's amazing. And could you tell us a little bit more? What are the initiatives? You know, what is the program like? And just take us down a layer deeper.
Jaylon Smith: Yes. So there's two parts. We have educational seminars and we have venture coaches, venture Pitchess business targeting type of vibe and really investing in the black and brown alad next community. We're opening up marketplaces each year. We've opened up Indiana, we've opened up Texas. And this year we'll be opening up the Florida marketplace, having our third annual venture bitch, July 9th this year in Tampa, Florida. It's going to be an amazing event where last year we raised a total of six hundred thousand dollars invested in the five companies, five vegetable companies. The Jaheim has been amazing in helping me with the structure of helping me with doing the due diligence with him and his amazing group, Sagamore Institute. You know, to find our goal is to find vegetable companies that impact investors can believe in investing. So it's the marketplace will growing myself. I've committed two and a half million dollars over the next ten years towards this. So I'm acting as a lead investor. I'm a believer and we're getting some great traction. So definitely anybody that wants to be involved here more, please reach out. Like I said, we're just trying to help close the economic and educational gap that exists in this world. So it is really a bust
William Norvell: and we'll link to everything here. So, you know, if you want to find more information, that should be easy to find and always and let us know if you can't and you want to learn more to get in. So we've had a few guests coming at this from different angles. I'd love your view. What are the needs of minority entrepreneurs? You know, that you're hoping to be able to give access to how are they different at some level or are they not? And they just need more notoriety. Just walk us through some of the people you've met and how you're trying to structure the program and what exactly you're trying to provide that maybe the world is not given right now on creativity.
Jaylon Smith: These companies and people that we're investing in, they have vegetable companies. They've either started or they're beginning to start and they have an amazing plan, a team behind them, a vision on where they want to go. And you just need some assistance. And we all need help in some form or shape. There's just been a huge lack in the black and brown community. So I'm just trying to fill that void, that scandal. These are all people with great ideas, great companies that are fixing to be successful. They just need help. So there's no real format other than that. There's all different companies that we invest in, all creativity. There's no real shot. It just has to be one of your goals, has to be able to really make community impact. So my team does a great job of helping really do due diligence on each deal and each company. So it's definitely a team effort. Sure.
William Norvell: That's amazing and that's amazing. And so, you know, as we come to a close, Jaylen, unfortunately, we have to come to a close with love always. Our closing question is we'd love to hear, you know, kind of where you are right now in your life and what God might be teaching you. You know, if there is specific that just sort of in the season that you're walking through.
Jaylon Smith: Yes, God has been teaching the truth through me. It's extremely important for me to operate off the truth when I'm truthful in every aspect. It brings peace to my life. And that's really what I've been focused on, especially these first two quarters is just peace, a peace of mind, a wholeness as a human being, and just doing things the right way and being myself really exploring and tapping into my creativity and just being someone's who's doing right. So that's that's really where I'm at. I'm thankful God is using me. And I love
William Norvell: Amen. Thank you so much for joining us. It's been a gift. We do encourage everyone to check out Emii and what's going on. Like I said, we'll have links there. But just please check out what Jaylen and his team are doing. And if you want to get involved, get involved. Don't stop. Push forward and make that call and get involved in what the great work they're doing.
Jaylon Smith: Thank you so much. I appreciate you. Besides.