When an athlete is in his or her prime during their career, one can assume their main priorities comprise of playing well and staying healthy. But what if there’s more? What if when an athlete is at his or her prime, they’re thinking about what they want to do after they’re done competing athletically? What if they’re constantly strategizing for their game plan for what is to come when they put up their jersey? What if they’re not waiting until their athletic career is over to start plan B?

Athletes like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Dwayne Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Udonis Haslem, Nneka Ogwumike, Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, J.J. Ridick, Jalen Rose, and Richard Sherman are just a few names of athletes who have trailblazed a path for other athletes to follow when trying to set themselves ups for life after playing sports. And now to join this list of athletes are Merry Maids franchise owners Sharrod Neasman and Brandin Bryant.

During the month of February this year Neasman, Bryant, and their business partner Chris Tyler (a former college football player) signed on the dotted line with Merry Maids to become franchise owners for a location in Davie, FL.

“As everyone was in their own avenues and lives, business was something we all were like – we should approach,” said Tyler. “We’ve been talking about it long enough. We’ve been talking about it for years and years. We’re getting to that age where we can actually act on the thought. It was a great opportunity for us all.”

On Friday, April 13, 2018, the trio had their franchise’s grand opening. In attendance for the maintenance cleaning service’s grand opening was family, friends, other Merry Maids franchisees, ESPN’s West Palm Beach radio station 106.3, and the Davie-Cooper City Chamber of Commerce.

“It was much better than we expected,” said Bryant. “It was a good start to the business.”

Although new to running a business and owning a franchise, the three owners see a lot of similarities between managing a business and playing football. They see the things needed to be successful in football (discipline, adaptability, accountability, hard work, and competitiveness) are also needed in the business realm.

The traits they see that are found in both the football and business world are the same traits that helped the three friends have success on the gridiron.

After appearing in Super Bowl LI in 2016 and helping the Atlanta Falcons finish 10-6 in 2017, Neasman is looking to sign a new deal with a team for the upcoming season.

As a rookie, Neasman signed a two-year deal with the Falcons as a free agent after he did not get drafted in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Palmetto, FL native played his collegiate career at Florida Atlantic University.

Neasman walked onto FAU’s football team in 2012. In high school, Neasman played wide receiver for Braden River High School. He did not receive any Division-1 scholarship offers. Knowing he was could play at the D-1 level, Neasman worked two jobs (FedEx and PacSun) for two years to save money so he could attend the college he planned to walk-on at. Through a family friend, Jack Daniels (the head coach at Dwyer High School), Neasman was able to get in touch with Jeff Sims (FAU’s then associate head coach, WR coach and recruiting coordinator). Sims told Neasman that he would have to try out for the team. Of the 53 students who tried out, only five made the team and Neasman was one of the five. In addition, he was switched from receiver to defensive back.

“That was something new for me, but I just wanted a chance to compete,” said Neasman.

During his freshman campaign, Neasman performed well enough to earn playing time in the team’s secondary and special teams. In his sophomore season, the defensive back played in eight games before he tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) which ended his season.

With a new coaching staff, Neasman was not sure what his future on the Owls’ team would be like. Fortunately, he was able to rehab his knee properly and after performing well during the fall camp right before his junior season he was awarded a scholarship. After his junior season, Neasman was named the team’s comeback player of the year. Neasman was also named team captain and student-athlete of the year his senior season.

The student-athlete of the year also graduated from FAU in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Bryant, an Omaha, NE native comes from a family of football players. His grandfather, Charles “Bruzzy” Bryant, was an All-American, a Hall of Famer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the first black letterman at NU (since 1913), a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, a South High School Sports Great Hall of Famer, and the first black head coach in the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area. His father, Robert Bryant, was an All-American at the University of Southern Colorado. He signed a free-agent contract with the New York Giants.

Coming out of high school (Omaha North High School), Brandin wanted to follow in his family’s legacy and play linebacker at the collegiate level. He wanted to play for the Huskers, just like his grandfather. However, they did not offer him a scholarship, nor did any other Division-1 football program.

Believing in himself and his talent, Bryant accepted a scholarship from Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, KS. He wanted to use the time at Fort Scott to improve as a football player, so he could get offers from D-1 schools.

While in Kansas, FSCC’s head coach Jeff Sims changed his position from linebacker to defensive end. In addition, the Greyhounds redshirted Bryant. Bryant continued to adapt to the changes around him and in December 2011 Coach Sims accepted a coaching job at Florida Atlantic. Sims brought Bryant with him.

Besides the new scenery, Bryant was met with playing a new position: defensive tackle. Bryant excelled at his new position while at FAU. During his redshirt freshman and sophomore year Bryant played in every game for the Owls. However, during the last game of his sophomore year, Bryant tore his ACL.

Bryant was motivated to come back and not miss the season opener against the team his grandfather played for (Nebraska). He dedicated his spring and summer to the rehabilitation of his knee.

The 6’2 defensive tackle kept his promise to himself and was back on the field for the season opener in Lincoln, NE. Things were going well for Bryant and then five games into the season Bryant tore his ACL.

Familiar with the injury, Bryant knew what to do and came back for his senior season in 2015. He too was named comeback player of the year.

After the season, Bryant graduated from FAU in 2015 with a double major in communications and political science.

Similar to his teammate once on the field and now in business (Sharrod Neasman), Bryant went undrafted during the 2016 NFL Draft. After the draft, Bryant signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Bryant played in all four of the Seahawks preseason games. He was waived during the final cut before the 2016 regular season.

After being cut by the Seahawks, Bryant signed with the New York Jets during the same season and was placed on their practice squad. While with the Jets, Bryant performed well enough in practice to get promoted to the Jets active roster.

Unfortunately, before the Jets first preseason game for the 2017 season, Bryant got injured and was released afterward.

Now, Bryant is healthy and is speaking with several teams about signing a contract for the upcoming season.

“I had a couple of workouts – lots of phone calls so – it’s pretty much out of my hands. It’s in God hands, NFL owners, and GM hands. I’m getting the calls, just staying in shape, and taking it day by day because it can happen at any minute. Other than that, I have plenty of CFL opportunities. I don’t want to sit out this year … the dream is the NFL, but if I don’t get signed by a certain date that me and my agent talked about then I’m going to go to the CFL and put my best foot forward. Hopefully, I’ll play a great couple of years and come back down to the NFL or however it may turn out. I’m just looking forward to getting back on the field.”

Playing the quarterback position requires an athlete to be able to game manage time during a game and also his 10 other teammates on the field. In business, as an owner, one must be able to manage his or her business efficiently if the owner wants to see growth. Tyler, a former quarterback turned defensive back knows all about managing and doing what needs to be done in order to excel. When Neasman and Bryant are away in another state or country playing football, Tyler will be the owner left in charge to make sure Merry Maids’s daily operations run smoothly.

Before Tyler and Bryant became business partners, they were high school teammates. Tyler played quarterback and defensive back for the Omaha North High School Vikings. Besides football, Tyler wrestled for the Vikings.

Tyler a former assistant manager for Enterprise has been waiting for the opportunity to be a business owner his whole life.

“I’ve known Brandin for a very long time,” Tyler said. “Talking to him about being business owners and being bosses kind of carried over through life.”

As a wrestler, Tyler was named state champion his junior year and competed in the state championship finals his senior year. Although Tyler had a bright future in wrestling his heart was in football.

“A lot people kind of thought that [wrestling] was the route I would go, but my heart was in football at the time.”

Tyler accepted a scholarship to play quarterback for the University of Nebraska-Kearney (a Division-2 program) in Kearney, NE. After a year at Kearney, Tyler decided to transfer to Iowa Western Community College. While in Council Bluffs, IA, Tyler switched his position from quarterback to defensive back.

At IWCC, Tyler helped the Reivers win the 2012 NJCAA National Football Championship. After his redshirt sophomore year with the Reivers, Tyler accepted a scholarship to continue his education and play football for the University of South Dakota (a D-1AA program).

Tyler graduated from USD with a bachelor’s degree in business.

With the characteristics and work ethic, the three owners developed through life lessons football has taught them the franchise owners of Merry Maids Davie are ready to dominate in the area of business.

As players who constantly watched film on their opponents, the new owners have done their research and understand what is needed to excel in their franchise’s industry. All three individuals had to work hard and fight to get to where they are at now and expect nothing less when it comes to owning a franchise.