How would your business measure up at the NFL Combine?

Posted on March 02, 2019 by Evan Carter, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.

Height/Weight = Measures if the body can stand up to the beating in the NFL
Business equivalent: Balance sheet

This gives us an idea about how healthy the business (or player) is RIGHT NOW but it doesn’t tell us the whole story. It lists what we OWN, what we OWE and illustrates the business’s net worth. It’s a good start, but we need to keep digging and put you through some more drills. Look at Brock Osweiler (overpaid journeyman backup quarterback who was paid for his 6’7” height), he had one of the healthiest Balance Sheets at the combine a few years ago…

1st Round: I hired a financial advisor to create Balance Sheet and oversee on a monthly basis, while teaching me how to update it monthly
2nd/3rd Round: Utilizing the Quickbooks balance sheet
4th/5th Round: Downloaded a template off Google and think it about right
6th/7th Round: I have a spread sheet with my debt on it
Undrafted: I don’t need a balance sheet, I need sales!

40 yard Dash = Measures speed and quickness
Business equivalent: Income Statement/P&L

This is what most novice investors (and coaches) get the most excited about. The income statement shows you “in theory” how much the business made over a period of time. The one thing it does NOT show is the CASH. While it is most definitely important, I wouldn’t base my whole draft pick over this, and neither should you. John Ross (drafted 9th overall in 2017, played 3 games year 1, and 13 games year 2 with 21 catches) ran a 4.22, Enron had a nice Income Statement… (it’s much harder to commit fraud on a 40 yard dash, but it doesn’t tell the whole story)

1st Round: Talked to an accountant about the importance of an Income Statement and had one personally designed for my business.
2nd/3rd Round: Utilizing the Quickbooks income statement
4th/5th Round: Read a blog and downloaded the attachment
6th/7th Round: I keep my receipts
Undrafted: I don’t have income yet

Bench Press = Measures strength & endurance
Business equivalent: Statement of Cash Flow

How strong is this business? How long can it last? The Statement of Cash Flow will tell us if the business is healthy, and how long it can sustain being healthy. If we don’t consistently bring in cash (continue with the weight room after the combine), we will lose the power we need to continue.
Strength can only go so far for an Offensive Lineman… if he runs out by the 4th quarter, gives up a sack and loses his QB for the season.

1st Round: I had a financial advisor create a template and oversee cash flow, but I am managing it on a day-to-day basis with a full understanding of how long my company can survive
2nd/3rd Round: I watched YouTube videos on how to manage cash flow and built a system.
4th/5th Round: I’m tracking cash on a spread sheet to the best of my knowledge
6th/7th Round: I check my bank account every morning
Undrafted: I’m expecting some big checks to come in soon, things should work out

Broad Jump = Measures explosiveness
Business equivalent: Marketing
This is a great test for EXPLOSIVENESS. In business, marketing (and explosiveness) can help you a ton, but you need to be able to convert those marketing leads into sales. A Defensive Lineman can be the most explosive man in the field, but if he can’t use his hands, the big Offensive Lineman across from him is going to engage with him first and have full control.

1st Round: I created a full campaign utilizing paid advertising, a content strategy and social influencers, generating leads that flow into a funnel that measures conversion rates. As well as budgets and timelines.
2nd/3rd Round: I’m maximizing my personal connections, all my social platforms and brand to generate leads until I can build up a budget.
4th/5th Round: Posting on social media that I have a product or service
6th/7th Round: Emailing random businesses at “info@potential-lead”
Undrafted: Direct mail campaigns

Vertical Jump = Measures lower body strength, leaping ability
Business equivalent: Sales

Lower body strength is one of the most important things in football. Just as sales is to a business. Sales are the lifeblood of the business. Sales solve everything. Well, almost everything. Have you ever seen a business with a ton of sales, really fancy offices, private jets for board members, expensive dinners for “clients”, bonuses for executives, acquisitions… then suddenly go bankrupt? Sales is a key element for success, but having optics into your finances and a trustworthy CFO is JUST as important. A Wide Receiver can have unbelievable leaping skills, but if he can’t come down with the ball in the corner of the end zone, then it’s all just for show.

1st Round: A process that is measured, accountability at all levels, a competitive pricing strategy, automated lead flow and software being utilized at full capacity.
2nd/3rd Round: A sales script, price book and an accountable sales rep
4th/5th Round: I hired a guy who can sell “sand at the beach”
6th/7th Round: I got a friend who is a good talker
Undrafted: People will like my product and give me money

3 Cone = Measures agility and change of direction
Business equivalent: Leadership team/Owner

You can’t hide your athletic ability from the 3 cone drill. A great company must have agility, the ability to adjust with the markets and change direction when appropriate. A great leadership team knows they can’t fool the markets. Eventually it will catch up to them. They need to focus on agility and not hide behind only brut strength and speed.

1st Round: A Level 5, self aware leader with no ego and truly wants what’s best for my company
2nd/3rd Round: A leader who has made mistakes in the past and learned from them, and has a mentor
4th/5th Round: A leader who has read some leadership books and has “a good idea about how the company should be run”
6th/7th Round: A leader who is in it to look good
Undrafted: A leader with an ego like Johnny Manziel

20 yard Shuttle = Measures acceleration, the ability to stop on a dime
Business equivalent: Understanding your Ideal Client

In football, if you run in a straight line, you may pick a few yards. Maybe even a first down. Yes, you should “run down hill” if you are the ball carrier. But there are also large men sprinting at you to make the tackle or block you from making the tackle. You must be able to accelerate, stop quickly and adjust to the play. A good business understands their ideal client and will pick up a few first downs. A GREAT business asks their ideal client what they want, adjusts their plans, provides it to them and scores touchdowns.

1st Round: Utilizes data, creates personas of ideal clients and refers to them daily. Listens to what they REALLY want.
2nd/3rd Round: Created personas, but lost them in the Google drive, uses social media data from intern
4th/5th Round: I did a couple of survey back in the day
6th/7th Round: Asked family members if they liked their product
Undrafted: “Knows what the client wants and doesn’t need to listed to them”

Interview: Measures mentality, honesty and handling adversity
Business equivalent: Company Culture
Going into an interview with Coach Belichick, you better be overly prepared and have self-awareness. The interview process at the combine is meant to break you. They will ask you questions that may spark anger or even be flat out illegal. You need to have your mind right and know the direction you want to go. I view company culture as how your company, as a whole, will act when things get tough. Are you guidelines established and communicated properly so that 100% of the staff members are able to list them off the top of their head? Do they go to them in hectic times?

1st Round: Staff is able to react confidently under pressure and refer back to the core values and mission of the company.
2nd/3rd Round: Has the core values on the wall, and staff pretty much knows them
4th/5th Round: Created a mission statement that lives on the owners desktop computer
6th/7th Round: Has a “family” mentality, but staff can take 2 hour drinking lunches
Undrafted: “If my staff is having fun, then I’m doing my job”