What Happens When the Calls Stop: Derron Smith on the NFL, Real Estate, and Building WIN

In this episode of Own Your Revenue, Malique Micenheimer sits down with his former Fresno State teammate, NFL veteran, and WIN Private Wealth co-founder, Derron Smith for a real conversation about money, identity, and the transition out of professional sports.Derron shares his journey from playing safety at Fresno State to being drafted in the sixth round by the Cincinnati Bengals, stints in the AAF, with the Minnesota Vikings, and what happened after his playing career ended during COVID. He opens up about buying a triplex in Cleveland while still in the league, the numbers behind that deal from purchase to refinance to sale, starting and eventually selling a cryotherapy recovery business, and the moment his NFL signing bonus taught him a hard lesson about taxes.Malique and Derron dig into why so many athletes wait too long to take their finances seriously, what the NIL era means for today's college athletes compared to their own experience playing for free, and why the transition out of sports hits harder than people expect once the calls from agents and teams stop coming. They also talk about why athletes are wired to become great entrepreneurs, the story behind choosing Fresno State over bigger offers like Nebraska, and what finally led Derron to co-found WIN Private Wealth alongside Malique.This episode is for current and former athletes, NIL earners, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to understand how to make their money outlast their career.Topics covered:Life in the NFL locker room and the financial mindset of pro athletesThe real numbers behind Derron's triplex investment in ClevelandWhat it's like seeing a six-figure signing bonus cut in half by taxesNIL money and what today's college athletes are doing differentlyWhy the transition out of professional sports is harder than people thinkWhy athletes make great entrepreneursThe story behind WIN Private Wealth and the Navigate pillar of the WIN FrameworkReal estate as a wealth-building tool for athletes and entrepreneursConnect with Derron Smith:Instagram: @DerronEmail: [email protected] Private Wealth