Where Athletes & Enterprises
Build Equity Together
A curated, education-first ecosystem connecting established Black business owners with professional athlete partners — built for readiness, credibility, and long-term growth.
Built for Black Business Owners
Ready to Scale
The Athlete & Enterprise Exchange (The Exchange) is a multi-city platform designed for established, vetted Black business owners seeking growth, strategic partnerships, advisory relationships, and expanded access — not guaranteed funding.
Through structured education, curated matchmaking, and live engagement, The Exchange prepares you to engage at the highest level — with athletes who bring capital, brand power, and influence, and with institutional partners who can accelerate your growth.
The focus is on readiness, credibility, and long-term value creation. You've built something real. The Exchange is designed to help you take it further — responsibly, strategically, and on your terms.
The Exchange connects established Black businesses with professional athlete partners through a structured, risk-managed ecosystem. We prepare business owners for high-level partnerships while ensuring every interaction is governed, ethical, and built for lasting impact.
Three Pillars of The Exchange
A proven pathway from education to curated introductions — structured, intentional, and built to protect the integrity of your business at every stage.
Education & Coaching
Business owners gain exposure to structuring for partnership, financial readiness, governance, strategic collaboration models, and long-term growth — positioning them to engage in high-level relationships while protecting the integrity of their businesses.
Curated Relationships
The Exchange facilitates intentional, high-quality connections between qualified business owners and Professional Athlete Partners (PAPs) — not open pitch cycles or mass cohorts. These curated interactions may lead to strategic advisory roles, brand-aligned partnerships, and long-term collaboration. Every interaction prioritizes fit, shared values, and informed decision-making.
Certification & Oversight
The Exchange includes a structured education and certification process ensuring all participants engage from a baseline of understanding, accountability, and shared expectations. This framework supports responsible matchmaking, reduces risk, and reinforces trust across the ecosystem. Participation does not guarantee funding, investment, or partnerships — the program's role is to prepare, protect, and position participants.
The Business Owner Curriculum
Seven modules designed to position established entrepreneurs for strategic partnership, scale, and high-level engagement — with a focus on readiness, credibility, and long-term value creation.
Structuring a Business for Partnership & Growth
Prepare your operations, governance, and leadership structures for external relationships and expansion — so your business is ready for the level you're entering.
Financial Readiness & Transparency
Strengthen your financial reporting, forecasting, and controls to support strategic conversations with high-profile partners and institutional stakeholders.
Understanding Athlete Stakeholders
Learn how professional athletes approach ownership, reputation risk, and decision-making — so you can engage them as true partners, not just investors.
Governance, Compliance & Accountability
Establish the internal systems that support trust, oversight, and sustainable growth — building the credibility that serious partners require.
Strategic Collaboration Models
Explore advisory roles, joint ventures, brand collaborations, and other non-traditional partnership structures — and understand which model fits your goals.
Communicating Value Without Overpromising
Present your opportunities clearly, ethically, and realistically — building trust while protecting your integrity and your partner's confidence.
Long-Term Growth & Exit Awareness
Understand how decisions made today impact future scalability, valuation, and optionality — so every partnership you enter builds toward lasting legacy.
Business Owner Qualifications &
Curated Engagement
The Exchange is not an open-enrollment program. Participation is intentionally limited to qualified, established business owners who demonstrate operational maturity, ethical leadership, and readiness to engage in strategic relationships.
This initiative is designed for businesses that are beyond the startup phase and are positioned for thoughtful growth through partnership, advisory collaboration, or aligned capital. We prioritize quality over volume, ensuring that every engagement within The Exchange ecosystem is purposeful and mutually beneficial.
General Qualification Criteria
Participating business owners typically meet the following criteria:
Meeting these criteria does not guarantee placement or partnership, but it positions businesses for consideration within a curated ecosystem.
You May Be a Strong Fit If…
- Your business has been operating for 2+ years with verifiable revenue
- You are ready to engage in strategic, long-term partnerships — not transactional deals
- You have existing financial reporting and governance structures in place
- You are open to education, coaching, and structured vetting as part of the process
- You are seeking credibility, brand alignment, and expanded access — not just capital
- You hold or are eligible for an MBE, DBE, WOSB, or similar certification
This May Not Be the Right Fit If…
- Your business is in the early startup or pre-revenue stage
- You are seeking direct investment or guaranteed funding from athletes
- You are not prepared to complete a structured education and vetting process
- You are looking for a quick pitch cycle or mass-market exposure event
- Your financial records, governance, or legal structure are not yet in order
- You are unwilling to commit to program governance, disclosures, and oversight
The Business Fast Pass
Already a certified MBE, DBE, WOSB, or hold another recognized third-party certification? The Exchange offers a Fast Pass to reduce duplicate vetting and enable qualified companies to move more efficiently into the ecosystem.
For businesses that already hold a recognized third-party certification, The Exchange offers a Fast Pass (Accelerated Certification Pathway) to reduce duplicate vetting and enable qualified companies to move more efficiently into The Exchange ecosystem. Fast Pass does not waive The Exchange standards — it streamlines the process by recognizing prior certification while applying The Exchange-specific review.
Who Qualifies
The Fast Pass is available to businesses that hold a current, valid certification issued by a recognized national, federal, state, or municipal certifying authority — demonstrating that verification of foundational business legitimacy, ownership, and control has already been completed.
Why Fast Pass Exists
- Respect the rigor of established certification organizations
- Accelerate access for qualified businesses
- Support healthy partnerships and responsible deal exploration
- Build a credible, scalable national ecosystem
What Fast Pass Means
Fast Pass streamlines the process by recognizing your existing certification while applying The Exchange-specific review in three key areas:
Financial Readiness
A review of your financial reporting, forecasting, and controls to ensure you’re prepared for high-level partnership conversations.
Governance & Transparency
Confirming the internal systems and leadership structures that support trust, oversight, and accountable growth.
Ethical Engagement & Risk Awareness
Ensuring your business is prepared to engage with athlete partners responsibly and with full understanding of ecosystem expectations.
Fast Pass Certification
Businesses approved through this pathway are designated as The Exchange Certified — Accelerated Pathway, signaling readiness to participate in a structured environment where opportunities can be explored thoughtfully and transparently.
Important Note
All Fast Pass applicants complete The Exchange onboarding and agree to program governance, disclosures, and oversight. The Fast Pass pathway:
- Does not waive Exchange governance or oversight requirements
- Does not guarantee placement, partnership, or investment
- Does not allow direct solicitation of athletes
Powered by the United Athletes Foundation
& NBBOA
The Exchange is a strategic partnership between the United Athletes Foundation (UAF) and the National Black Business Owners Association (NBBOA) — two mission-aligned organizations committed to economic empowerment, athlete transition, and the growth of Black-owned enterprise.
Every resource, event, and partnership inside The Exchange is built on a shared foundation of governance, compliance, and community — giving athletes and entrepreneurs the structure they need to build with confidence.
The People Behind The Exchange
Reggie Howard
President, United Athletes Foundation • The Athletes Perspective
“The Exchange exists to change that narrative. This is not about quick wins, hype, or risky ventures. It is about preparation, protection, and informed decision-making.”
Having played on football’s biggest stage during Super Bowl XXXVIII and later transitioning into entrepreneurship, Reggie Howard understands firsthand the gap athletes face when the game ends. Through the United Athletes Foundation, he is building a national framework that respects the discipline and influence athletes already possess — while providing the tools, safeguards, and pathways needed to build lasting economic stability and generational impact.
Cherie Shepherd
President, NBBOA • The Black Business Owners Perspective
“This initiative is personal to me. We are not just advocating for equity — we are building the systems that make it possible.”
Cherie Shepherd founded the National Black Business Owners Association to close wealth gaps through systems, not just capital. The Exchange is the embodiment of that mission — a credible ecosystem where athletes and entrepreneurs engage responsibly and strategically. Through structured vetting, education, and oversight, The Exchange creates the trusted bridge that both communities have long needed.
Partner With Us
The Exchange is growing — and we're looking for aligned organizations and individuals to help us build something lasting. There are three ways to get involved.
Sponsor
Align your brand with a mission-driven initiative at the intersection of professional athletics, Black entrepreneurship, and economic equity. Sponsorship puts your organization in front of a curated national audience of athletes, business owners, and community leaders.
Strategic Partner
Join The Exchange as an institutional or organizational partner. We are actively building relationships with mission-aligned organizations — such as minority business development councils, community development financial institutions, and Black-focused economic empowerment organizations — whose networks, resources, and expertise deepen the impact of the ecosystem.
Workshop Facilitator
Are you a subject matter expert in finance, law, entrepreneurship, brand strategy, or business operations? Facilitators lead sessions within The Exchange curriculum, bringing real-world expertise directly to athletes and business owners navigating the ownership journey.
Interested in any of these opportunities? Reach out and let’s start the conversation.
Contact Us to Partner →Ready to Take Your Business to the Next Level?
If you're an established Black business owner ready for strategic partnerships, curated access, and long-term growth — The Exchange was built for you.
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Vetted cohorts only.