Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Wood.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started a football camp back in 2017 as a way to give back to the community in which I grew up called Haralson County, GA. My goal for this camp was to not only teach kids football skills but also life skills. Our motto from the start has always been “Finish”. That means finishing what you started in all aspects of life. This camp has also given us to the ability to raise money for the community. The Brandon Wood Football Camp back has given over $50,000 to the Haralson County community as a whole, with over $31,000 going directly to the football program at Haralson County High School. Along with this being a fundraiser, it also gives the kids in the west Georgia area an opportunity to train with current and former NFL and College football players at a very low price of $35.
My face and name is what you see, but without the team that I have, none of this would be possible! Lisa Parris, Randy Patterson, Mindy Moats, Mary McPherson, Tammy Miller, Lakesha Wood, Megan Prichard, Leigh & Chad Cantrell and Belinda Patrick are the heart and soul for sure. We start planning for our two events in early January that will take place in April and June. I am so grateful for all the support the community has shown us, we have so many amazing sponsors that help make all this possible.
Last but not least, I have to give a huge shout-out to my amazing family for supporting me through these years. My wife Haley has been a trooper through it all with the understanding that this can sometimes pull me away from our family. I am very thankful for my wife and kids for the roles they have played.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think there were a couple of challenges we faced in the beginning with planning and getting people to buy into what I was wanting to do. We had to find sponsors that believed in us, we needed a website, I needed coaches that were willing to drive all the way out to Haralson County. On top of all of that, I’ve never run a camp before! I think what helped me was my experience with working other people’s football camps. I was able to see firsthand the good and the bad. With that in mind, I was able to build my own blueprint of how I wanted my camp to run. Since 2017 we have come a long way, at the end of each camp we have a post-camp meeting and that has given us the ability to improve for the next year.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a District Manager for a rep agency in the Industrial industry. I sell products in all sorts of what we call vertical markets, that meaning food & beverage, pulp & paper, forestry, automotive, government, etc. My job is to help a customer get their product from point “A” to “out the door.” I think what of most proud of is how I’ve grown in the industry and the relationships I’ve built. My customer base trusts me and doesn’t hate to see me walk in the door. There are a lot of salesmen that people really don’t care to see and I’ve always worked not to be that guy.
My other job is being a D1 college football official. It’s such a joy to be back on the football field and giving back to the game I love.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Integrity and being self-motivated.
Image Credits
Natalie Pierce
