Entrepreneur Business Athletes

Published: April 24, 2008
Mike Smith, founder and owner of Aerocom, Inc., an agency that helps businesses find the best telecommunications services available, runs his company a little differently than most: He hires former college athletes.

Founded in 2003 on a small budget, Smith struggled to find and hire worthy recent college graduates. He got the idea to hire athletes from his wife, Carrie, who told him to just duplicate himself. “Sports taught me how to persevere, work really hard, even when things are difficult,” says Smith, who played sports in college. And those are values he wants in a potential employee.

With four employees, Aerocom is a small company with a fun, young work environment. But he hopes to expand his company, while also maintaining a staff of former college athletes who work well together. “It was something that helped with recruiting in the beginning, and it gives me something to base off of for the future.”

— Kristen Schott