Without being a star player, without a huge following, and without an agent...
Step 1: Watch the video below
You see the quarterback announce another deal. A teammate posts the free gear he got sent. Creators your age are getting paid on the same apps you scroll every day.
And somewhere along the way you decided it probably isn't for you, because nobody knows your name, you barely play, your school is small, and your sport doesn't get attention.
So you wait to get discovered. Or you sign up for a marketplace, scroll a few ten-dollar shoutouts, and never hear back. Maybe you send a DM that dies unread, or you post for two weeks, feel stupid doing it, and stop.
Here's what almost nobody tells you: the money in NIL is mostly unclaimed. Brands are actively looking for college athletes to work with, and most of that budget never gets spent, because most athletes were never taught how to package themselves, pitch a brand, and close.
What's missing is a skill, and skills get taught. You're already doing the hard part... classes, lifts, practice, film, travel. You have the discipline. Nobody's handed you the system.
He learns your story and your goals, and you leave with a personalized content calendar: 30 specific ideas built on your actual life, your actual sport, and what you're already good at talking about.
Monday is brand-building on whatever members need that week. Friday is the live video-review workshop: send your draft in and fix the hook, pacing, and captions before it goes live.
Learn how to find the right brands, write the pitch, and follow up. A brand slides into your DMs and something feels off? Send it to us before you reply.
Athletes across every division and sport reviewing each other's content, supporting each other's posts, and stacking wins. Building alone is where most athletes quit.
The step-by-step system for building on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Every call is recorded, so travel and season don't put you behind.
Content planning tools, a virtual media kit, and outreach support. We'll walk you through everything the app includes when you come in.
I played D1 basketball at Colorado State and LSU.
I've been creating content since I was a kid, so when NIL became legal in 2021 I had a head start nobody planned for. My first deal was an ice cream shop in Fort Collins. Then came national brand partnerships, a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon deal, Amazon Prime's "The Money Game" alongside Livvy Dunne, Angel Reese, and Jayden Daniels, and an invitation to speak before Congress about NIL. I was one of the top NIL earners in the country while I was in college.
The teammates who used to clown me for making content started asking me how to do it. That's how the coaching started, and it's why I named this program for the 99% of athletes who won't go pro but did everything right anyway.
Most athletes are running the same silent plan: play well, blow up, let the deals come. But look at the actual top NIL earners and you'll find backups, walk-ons, and mid-major athletes out-earning five-star talent. Attention doesn't follow stats. It follows connection. Talent earns you a roster spot. Connection is what gets you paid. And unlike your ranking, connection is a skill any athlete can build.
Highlights create admiration. Story creates identification. And people don't follow athletes they admire, they follow athletes they see themselves in. Your losses, your routine, your view from inside a world most people will never touch. That is what strangers screenshot, share, and buy from. The tape got you recruited. It will not build you an audience.
Right now you have something you will never have again: guaranteed attention. The jersey, the locker room, the access. Most creators would trade anything for it, and it expires the day you stop playing. The athletes who win convert that borrowed attention into an audience they own before the window closes. That is the difference between a career that ends and one that compounds.
This isn't theory. It's the system Trace used to build his own brand as one of the top athlete earners in the country... and the same one he now teaches athletes across every division and sport.
Some members came in with a few dozen followers. Some had been posting for years and couldn't get it to move.
“When I started working with Trace I had a brand new account with zero followers. I was working a full time job and honestly had no idea if building a personal brand was even realistic for me. Trace and the 99 Network gave me the framework from day one and walked me through every step, what to post, how to stay consistent, how to actually turn attention into income. Within the first year I grew to over 900,000 followers and built a side income while still working my 9 to 5. Eventually the brand got big enough that I quit my job completely. Now I'm getting multi 6-figure opportunities I never would have imagined, and I get to give back as a coach inside the network helping other athletes do the same thing. This changed my life. If you're serious about building your brand, Trace is the guy.”
“Working with Trace has been a huge help in building my brand and social media. Since I started working with him, I've grown from around 8,000 to over 50,000 followers on Instagram. He was always willing to give me advice, help me think through content strategy, and challenge me to stay consistent. Having someone like Trace to bounce ideas off of and provide direction made a huge difference, and I'd definitely recommend him to anyone serious about growing their personal brand.”
“Trace and the 99 Network helped me grow 41k followers across platforms in 8 weeks. I had been posting content for a few years prior to joining his program but I was never able to grow my account intentionally and get in front of my ideal viewers. This same traction led me to launching my first digital product and making over $1,000 in sales in the first month. After being in the 99 Network and learning from Trace, I'm confident that I can continue to grow my online presence and turn social media into a strong stream of income.”
“The 99 Network has been one of the best investments I've ever made. It has truly changed my life. I never realized how much building a personal brand matters in today's world until Trace taught me the keys. From the opportunities that continue to come my way, to the connections I've made and the lifelong relationships I've built, it truly feels like an overflow of blessings. All of my social media platforms have grown, my personal brand is stronger than ever, and it's only getting better. I can't wait to see the continued life-changing opportunities the 99 Network has to offer.”
These are individual member outcomes, and they aren't promises about your numbers or your timeline. Every athlete starts somewhere different. What the stories show is that the system holds up across very different starting points when you do the reps.
Trace has built a powerful brand that serves as a model for student-athletes everywhere. His framework is practical and proven.
Trace has proven success building athlete brands. His framework for personal branding and deal-making is invaluable for any program.
Trace has the credibility to speak on NIL because he's lived it. His experience closing 70+ deals gives him a perspective that resonates with our athletes.
Trace understands NIL from every angle: athlete, brand, institution. That 360-degree perspective makes his insights uniquely valuable.
The platform Trace has built gives athletes a real blueprint for success. It's not theory... it's actionable and it works.
What sets Trace apart is his authenticity. Athletes trust him because he's been in their shoes and built something real.
Trace bridges the gap between athletes, brands, and universities in a way I haven't seen before. He understands the complexities of the NIL landscape.
You can keep waiting for a brand to find you. Or you can build your brand the same way you built yourself as an athlete: a plan, a coach, film review, and reps.
Apply For The 99 →A few honest questions about where you're starting. We read every application.