What work did you previously do?

I spent ten years as a professional footballer in England.

I was fortunate enough to progress to Port Vale’s Academy after joining at the age of 8, and went on to play for the first team, as well as Luton Town, Leicester City and Fleetwood Town, before deciding at the age of 26 to pursue an alternative career.

I then spent five years working in marketing positions at various sports organisations, from football clubs to governing bodies and sports technology companies.

What are you doing now?

I now own and run a digital agency called DRIFT.

I work with professional athletes to help them start and scale their own businesses, parallel to or after their sports career. It is a true privilege to be able to combine everything I have learned in the field of marketing and communications with my love for sports.

We’re seeing more and more athletes pursuing their passions off the field and turning them into business ventures, so I think it’s an exciting time to be in this space.

Why did you change?

I decided to step away from my professional football career much sooner than most people do.

It was a decision I made of my own accord, and not forced by injury. I was always aware of the reality of a second career, and when I felt that the trajectory of my football career was not going in the direction I wanted or envisioned, I chose to be proactive in charting my next path .

The arrival of my daughter accelerated things and gave me a new purpose to try to move forward with my next chapter. Instead of trying to extend my athletic career and keep playing until I couldn’t run anymore, I wanted to enter my 30s ahead of most and in a position of strength.

When was the moment you decided to make the change?

It was during a low point in my career.

I was told that I was not part of the manager’s plans and that I would be forced to train with the youth team until I found a new club. During this period I chose to study sports journalism, with one eye on my future career, making optimal use of the Professional Football Association scholarship.

I had become somewhat disillusioned with the lack of opportunities over the past few seasons, so chose to look inward, at what I was passionate about, and chose to tap into my love of storytelling, writing and creativity – and I eventually ended up in marketing.

How did you choose your new career?

By being curious, asking lots of questions and making connections.

A door opened for me to become head of media at my local football club, AFC Fylde, after writing a column for the Blackpool Gazette. It really highlighted how important it is to put yourself out there because you never know who is reading.

The idea for my company came about very organically. Because I had kept in touch with many old teammates and still had many contacts in football, I was approached by them to help them grow their business.

It included everything from building a website to social media strategy, content creation and email marketing.

It’s evolved a lot since then as I now offer full go-to-market services, but that was a brilliant way for me to start producing what I was doing. It allowed me to take all my new skills in marketing and connect them with my old world as a footballer, adding a lot of value along the way.

Are you happy with the change?

Absolute.

I am now able to offer a truly unique service within a niche space, but also positively impact the lives of professional athletes by enabling them to achieve success outside of their sport.

I have struggled with the change in identity from a professional athlete, so it is extremely satisfying to be in a position to bridge that gap for others.

I don’t regret it at all.

What do you miss and what don’t you miss?

A career in top sport is unique.

It’s high-pressure and brutal. You train 90 minutes all week and live in the pockets of others for ten grueling months every season. It’s a roller coaster, with many ups and downs.

In a strange way you miss the intensity of it all. The camaraderie and brotherhood that you are a part of. The relentless pursuit of winning and being better than the person you’re up against.

The locker room is not an environment you can recreate and it’s best to accept that early on.

Today’s wins are a little different: customer wins and overtime, instead of three points! As an athlete you also fall into a routine, so it’s important to create your own routine when you’re done, whether it’s staying fit or managing your time.

How did you go about making the switch?

I ran DRIFT on the side of my day job for about six months, which gave me the opportunity to build my customer base before taking the plunge.

I hear a lot of stories about people starting on day one without a single client, but I wanted to make sure I had the right market validation and that the services I was offering were appealing to my audience. With a family, it is a little more difficult to give up a stable job with a guaranteed income.

I reached a tipping point where I could match my 9-to-5 with what I was bringing in, and so the transition to running my own ship wasn’t as intimidating.

How did you develop (or transfer) the skills you needed for your new role?

By doing.

I’m a big believer in staying stuck in something, even if you lack certain skills or experiences. In my first role I knew nothing, but had to learn quickly and on the job.

Yes, courses are a great way to upskill and higher education may provide some of the basics, but nothing beats on-the-job learning.

Having a mentor who answers ideas and questions is also very important, and the one thing I have realized in recent years as I have been growing my own business.

There are many transferable (and highly desirable) personality traits that an athlete can take with them into their second career, but there are also many knowledge gaps.

How have you arranged your finances to make your service possible?

I am in the fortunate position of having a wife who is very career-oriented and who has been able to support the family financially during my transition.

Going from being a full-time professional football player to nothing creates a huge financial shift. We were able to reduce our expenses and create a life that was affordable for us.

This is very important for anyone looking to change careers, as you may have to go through a salary drop if you want to start over.

Without the support around you or without preparing for this, you will really struggle to make it work and your priorities may shift from ‘finding a fulfilling career’ to ‘where’s the next paycheck?’.

What help have you received?

To be honest, not much.

I was blessed to have a really understanding line manager in my first marketing role, who understood where I was in my career and understood the transition I was going through, which I thought was really important. The PFA supported me with my training.

In addition, it was up to me to create my own path. As a footballer you are used to things being done for you and your agent creating new career opportunities for you. But once you step out of that bubble, you are on your own and have to step outside your comfort zone.

I became very active on LinkedIn to build my own personal brand, connecting with people who I thought could open doors for me and putting myself in rooms that I probably wasn’t qualified for. Only then do things start happening. No one owes you anything.

What did you learn during the process?

I learned how important it is to build a network.

I became active on LinkedIn purely because I loved writing. This has allowed me to build an engaged online community and network, which I can now reach for many different reasons.

Building this is such a game changer, and I wish I had done it much sooner.

I think letting go of your past and going all-in with your new career is imperative if you want to make the change a success.

You notice that you look back a lot. Friends who remind you of certain moments from your previous career, making you reminisce. You find yourself trying to hold on to your old identity, and it can be difficult to create a new one.

All my life I was known as ‘Joe the Footballer’, and one day that identity disappeared. It started to get easier once I let that go, accepted it and started carving out my own path, focusing on the present and the future.

What would you advise others to do in the same situation?

I would encourage others to think proactively about their next career, especially if they are no longer enjoying it.

There is no shame in changing course. You may experience feelings of guilt, especially if people sacrificed things along the journey to help you get where you were. But it’s important to prioritize your own happiness.

If you see a better opportunity elsewhere and are passionate about it, go after it.

To find out more about Joe’s work, visit https://driftdigital.uk

What lessons can you take from Joe’s story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.