From Pro Athlete to Business Owner: Michael 'Juice' Thompson

In this episode of Clubhouse Talks, Michael "Juice" Thompson, a Northwestern alum and a former professional basketball player, shares his journey from playing overseas to starting his own business and nonprofit, the Juice Hoops Foundation. He discusses his transition from basketball to supporting youth and neurodiversity through his foundation. Juice highlights the challenges of starting a nonprofit, including securing funding and building awareness, and stresses the importance of networking and community collaboration. With community impact goals, he advises aspiring nonprofit founders to plan carefully, leverage resources, and stay positive and dedicated.

Background

Michael Thompson was born and raised in Chicago and gave himself the nickname "Juice" in 7th grade to celebrate his 100% pure jump shot. He played high school basketball at Lincoln Park before starting all four years at Northwestern University. His collegiate success led to a 12-year professional basketball career overseas, where he won championships in leagues like the Arab Basketball Confederation, the Egyptian Premier Basketball League, and the Basketball Africa League. After retiring, Juice transitioned to a new career as a skills development coach and founded the Juice Hoops Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to youth empowerment and supporting neurodiversity through basketball.

Transitioning Careers

Changing careers after many years in the same job can be challenging. Having spent a significant part of his life playing basketball, Juice faced this challenge as his career on the court began to wind down. Unable to let go of his passion for the game, he became a full-time basketball skills development trainer. Juice took the life lessons he learned from basketball, both on and off the court, and chose to share his wealth of knowledge by helping train athletes ranging from as young as six years old to professionals.

Starting a Foundation

While working full-time as a basketball trainer, Juice decided to start a foundation. As the father of a son on the autism spectrum, he understands the challenges of raising a neurodiverse child, which inspired him to create the Juice Hoops Foundation. The foundation focuses on empowering and inspiring youth through basketball while supporting neurodiversity. Juice emphasizes the importance of asking for help and being specific in your requests when starting a business or nonprofit. The lessons he learned from basketball, such as perseverance and delayed gratification, prepared him for the challenges of launching and running a nonprofit.

Overcoming Challenges in Nonprofit Work

The primary focus of nonprofit work is helping others, not oneself. Juice found that lessons in delayed gratification from basketball made the process easier, as building a foundation takes time, and success only sometimes happens. Securing funding is one of the most challenging aspects of starting a nonprofit organization. It's essential to remember that it's a process, and even when facing hurdles like a lack of funding, persistence will eventually lead to success in helping those in need. Like in basketball and most sports, teamwork is key in nonprofit work to ensure responsibilities don't fall on a single person. Maintaining a close-knit team is necessary for overcoming any challenges the organization may face.

Importance of Networking and Collaboration

Engaging in sincere conversations through in-person meetings, phone calls, emails, and other means is immensely valuable for personal and business growth. Networking for a foundation begins by attending events, meeting members of nonprofit organizations, and discussing potential collaborations that can significantly enhance mutual support. Building a nonprofit organization involves many conversations that may lead to rejection, but it's crucial to avoid burning bridges, as paths may cross again. Juice believes that every day and every moment is an opportunity to be open-minded and that a positive attitude can turn what may seem like nothing into something.