← Upcoming WebinarsSports Law · Entrepreneurship · Risk Management

Beyond the Game: Managing Risk, Building Success

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

12:00 – 1:00 PM ET

Virtual · Free

45-minute discussion + 15-minute Q&A

Professional athletes spend years training for competition and far less time preparing for what happens when the game ends. Entrepreneurs and business owners face a version of the same gap: talent and ambition can get a venture off the ground, but the decisions that determine whether it survives are legal and structural, not just competitive. Who you partner with, how you structure the business, and how you protect what you build determine whether that business succeeds or struggles years down the line.

Join former NFL player and entrepreneur Marques Ogden and Cogent Law partner Tracy L. Schimelfenig for a candid fireside chat on building a business after sports, and the legal and business decisions that shape long-term success. The discussion moves deliberately: from evaluating new opportunities and recognizing risk, to choosing the right partners and business structure, to the lessons learned through failure and rebuilding.

Briefing Agenda

What You Will Learn

How to evaluate a new business opportunity and recognize risk before it becomes a major decision
Why choosing the right partners, advisors, and business structure matters as much as the idea itself
What contracts, governance, and ownership structures actually do to protect what you build
How the transition from one career to the next requires its own kind of preparation
What Marques' setbacks in business taught him about resilience, accountability, and rebuilding
How to build a foundation designed for long-term success, not just a fast start

Audience

Who Should Attend

Former and current athletes preparing for a business career after competition
Entrepreneurs and founders launching or evaluating a new venture
Business owners looking to protect what they've built and plan for growth
Executives and leaders weighing new partnerships, contracts, or ownership structures
Nonprofit leaders and board members navigating governance and risk decisions
Advisors, agents, and consultants supporting athletes and entrepreneurs in transition

Meet the Speakers

Speakers

Marques Ogden

Former NFL Player & Entrepreneur

Marques Ogden is a former NFL player who stepped into the business world with confidence and financial resources, only to face setbacks that changed how he approaches leadership and success. Today, he shares that story with audiences across the country, helping leaders build resilience, accountability, and sustainable business practices. His journey offers a firsthand account of the decisions that make or break a business once the game is over.

Tracy L. Schimelfenig

Partner, Cogent Law

Tracy L. Schimelfenig is a partner with Cogent Law who advises athletes, entrepreneurs, founders, nonprofits, and growing businesses on the legal and strategic decisions that shape long-term success. She helps clients evaluate opportunities, structure companies, negotiate contracts, and manage the partnerships and ownership questions that protect what they build. A former collegiate athlete, Tracy brings a practical, business-first lens sharpened by firsthand experience in sports.

Event Details

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET · 45-minute discussion + 15-minute Q&A

Virtual Event — Free to Attend