Click the above image to learn more about former NFL Offensive Lineman turned Entrepreneur, Author and Motivational Speaker Marques Ogden
What was it like to grow up in the Ogden household as a child? How did sports (in particular football) influence or impact your upbringing? Growing up in the Ogden household was really awesome. We were raised by a single father, with a HUGE emphasis on education. I did not play football until my freshman year of High School. So, growing up sports was not a big part of my life, until I got to high school, and started playing it organized for the first time.
What was NFL draft night like for you and your family? Was there any added pressure or hype given your brother (Jonathan) was already playing in the NFL? The NFL draft was extremely nerve racking, and filled with stress and anxiety. I was hoping to go earlier in the draft, but as the draft kept going on, I literally thought I was not going to be drafted at all. Then I got the call from the Jaguars and I finally saw my name go across the bottom of the screen on ESPN; I knew I was finally going to get a shot to prove myself in the NFL.
No, there was no extra pressure because of my brother. My family was very supportive (including my brother) so that made things very non-stressful for me.
If you could go back to your pre-NFL days (right before your first NFL paycheck) what financial advice would you give yourself? I would tell myself to invest my money, and not get into construction. I would tell myself to get into something that I had more experience and knowledge in. So, in short, I would tell myself “to be more frugal with my dollars, after my career was over!”
What was the hardest part of transitioning from the NFL to the business world? The hardest part was I did not have a power team around me, to help me like I did in the NFL. When I left the NFL, I had no one except my brother for support. I just lost my dad, and I was an emotional mess. Plus, when you make that move into the business world and you don’t have any idea of what you really want to do, you tend to struggle and flounder until you find your way. So, the hardest part for me when I left the NFL was trying to figure out what I was good at in life, other than football.
What is your biggest failure (personal or professional), how did you overcome it and what have you learned looking back? The biggest failure I had was going bankrupt in 2013, from spending millions of dollars in a short period of time, and not getting paid back by my client. I overcame that by stopping to blame everyone on earth for my problems, took some accountability and decided to get my life back on track!
What is your biggest success in life and what can you attribute it to? My biggest success in life is my FAMILY, and I attribute that to GOD (and Match® LOL) because they both connected me to my wife!
What does “performance driven leadership” mean to you and why is it important? Performance Driven Leadership is the art of leadership where you SERVE those that work for you, and by doing this you create a healthy and profitable sales environment, which allows your brand and company to flourish. When a leader truly SERVES those that he works with, that leader earns the respect and trust of his team, and that drives everyone to perform better, therefore creating a winning culture and mentality!
What are you up to now? How did you get into keynote speaking? I got into keynote speaking to help others succeed in life where I struggled! I am blessed to have clients like AXA Advisors, Home Depot, NFL Player Engagement, and many others.
What is the #1 advice you would give to future leaders regardless of their career path? ALWAYS BE CONSISTENT! Consistency is the #1 trait in high performing achievers!!!
Quick Hits:
- Favorite city to play football in or visit: I love visiting Baltimore. Baltimore was my favorite city to play in.
- Hardest opposing NFL player to block: Kevin Williams (WAS A BEAST LOL)
- Favorite quote: ” Leadership is the art of getting someone to do what you want done because they want to do it” – General Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Biggest mentor in your career: Mel Robbins (she is amazing and has helped me and my brand so much)
- Top professional goal for the 2019 year: Give a Keynote in Europe.
- Best advice for balancing a professional career with family life: Be sure when you are with your family you are PRESENT, and when you have to go work, get your stuff done! This way you are not trying to do work when you are with your family.
ABOUT MARQUES OGDEN:
Growing up in a single parent home with a father that inspired perseverance and fairness, Marques Ogden learned how to define his values and set goals. Ogden attended Howard University from 1998-2002 where he played Division I football. He then followed his dream and his brother Jonathan’s footsteps, eventually getting drafted into the NFL in 2003. Overall, he played for 5 years as an offensive lineman with the Titans, Bills, Ravens and Jaguars. Even during the off-season, Ogden helped train football players in Europe, both physically and mentally.
Marques’s best-selling book, “Sleepless Nights — The NFL: A Business and Family” chronicles significant lessons he learned growing up in Washington, as an NFL athlete and a business owner. This autobiography
follows him from his birth to his NFL career, rise and fall in corporate America and beyond.
For more information, be sure to check out Marques’s website: https://www.marquesogden.com/
Twitter: @Marques_Ogden
In Sleepless Nights, Marques Ogden tells his story, focused on core values and goal setting that can help structure your life. With hard work and determination, he became a motivational speaker and marketing leader, helping to build others up to succeed. A must read!
Ogden was drafted into the NFL in 2003. Overall, he played for 5 years as an offensive lineman with the Titans, Bills, Ravens and Jaguars before making his career transition.
