Q&A with agent Michael Gaston

Michael Gaston is a new name in the representation business. He is a former graduate of the University of Arizona with a major degree in communications and a minor in business administration. Gaston is a NBA certified agent and he also got the FIBA lisence to better represent his clients worldwide. Michael has a great ability in recruiting perspective talents and its own shop based in San Francisco, California is becoming full of good calibers.

Hello Michael, tell our readers how did you decide to start the representation business?

I have always had a true passion for sports since a young age. I played basketball, baseball and soccer while growing up. I am a very competitive individual and have always been interested in pursuing a career in sports management. The decision of becoming a sports agent was easy for me. I get the opportunity to wake up every morning and do something I truly love to do which is help athletes achieve their professional and personal goals.

Do you have a certification in the US to work as a sports agent?

Yes, I am certified by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).

What is your normal work day like?

What I love the most about being a sports agent is that every day is different. In this business you never know what to expect one day to the next. Being that I live in the United States and have clients who play in Europe, Asia and South America my days start early and end late. My work day usually starts with me answering emails, calling my clients and contacting coaches, agents and general managers. It also includes managing the day to day operations of the business while looking for new opportunities globally for my clients and 1GSports.

You are an emerging name in the business, how do you plan your work for the years to come.

I have always believed that preparation is the key to success. Benjamin Franklin said "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail". My agency 1GSports and my career as a sports agent is a product of preparation, hard work and having a realistic plan for success. In this business, it is hard to plan for the unexpected but as the agency continues to grow, we will still focus on providing world-class service, building strong personalized relationships with our clients and keeping to our core values.

Can you tell us your biggest satisfaction so far?

My greatest satisfaction has been seeing the success of my clients and seeing them develop as men on and off the basketball court. A majority of my clients have just graduated from college and I enjoy being able to share my knowledge and experiences with them. I always tell my clients that I want them to walk away from the game in a better situation than when they began their professional career. When I first meet with a client I ask them where they want to be in five to ten years. From there we sit down together and devolop a blueprint that provides them with a path to success. "The secret of life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes" - Benjamin Disraeli.

Interview with the agent: Darren Heitner

Darren Heitner is the rising star of the sports business. The former graduate of the University of Florida ('07 Bachelors Degree in Political Science) with a Juris Doctorate degree as well ('10 University of Florida Levin College of Law) at only 25 runs Dynasty Athlete Representation, a dynamic boutique based at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Hey Darren, tell us a little bit about you and when did you decide to become a sports agent.

I decided I wanted to be a sports agent upon completing an internship at Career Sports & Entertainment, a full-service sports and entertainment company out of Atlanta, GA. I interned with CS&E in the summer between my Sophomore and Junior year of undergrad. From the first day at the job, I was given tremendous responsibility and used my 3 month of internship to learn as much as possible about the sports representation industry. I have always been an avid sports fan, interested in law, and was a nationally ranked high school debater. I figured that the sports agent profession was right up to my alley. In an effort to stay abreast of sports-agent related news and get my name out of the industry, I started SportsAgentBlog.com on December 31, 2005. Eventually, the site really picked up steam. One of our original contributors and I decided that there was no reason to wait on pursuing our dreams of becoming successful sports agents, and in April 2007, we formed Dynasty Athlete Representation, an LLC in the State of Florida. Since then, I have bought that partner out, and I served as the CEO of the company.

Do you need any certification or license to work in this business in the US?

There are different systems of licensing. Large sport organizations like the MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL all require agents to become certified before representing professional players within their confines. Some of the leagues make an agent pay a fee, take a test, and even go to annual meetings to become and remaine certified. A majority of states require agents to become separately licensed in order to recruit student-athletes from within those states' borders.

Which are the musts a professional needs to possess to work as an agent?

A short memory and perseverance. It never hurts to actually know what you are doing and even be an expert negotiator.

How do you plan to break out with your Dynasty Athlete Representation into the business?

The plan is to stay true to who we are as a company. We stress the family atmosphere and our knowledge of new technologies. We believe that we truly do stand out from the rest. Once we have a client make major headlines, it will be tough for other athletes to see what we are capable of and not be the least bit interested in our services.

You are very young Darren. How do you see the representation business in the next years?

Definitely changing. There will be more rules/laws in the United States, but international organizations like FIBA may also increase enforcement of its regulations. I think athletes will demand agents to justify their fees, and you might find more attorney agents who are charging by the hour.

What's the most stressful side of the job and your biggest success so far?

You never want to see your client get injured and you always fear that a rival agent will make a promise to your client that might persuade the client to change agents. My biggest success is still being in business 3 1/2 years after starting my company with no clients and not much experience.