KC Sports Network - BJ Kissel

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in content creation but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with BJ Kissel, Founder, and CEO of KC Sports Network, located in Overland Park, KS, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We're a sports media network based in Kansas City - focusing on podcasts, videos, newsletters, and social media. We cover all of the professional Kansas City sports teams, as well as the three large local colleges (KU, K-State, and Mizzou).

Our consumers are fans of the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Sporting KC, and KC Current of the local colleges mentioned above. We offer daily shows on these teams with a squad of more than 35 hosts specific to the team/school they're hosting shows about each week. Our hosts are former players, insiders, and/or analysts.

Tell us about yourself

Personally, I've been working in digital sports media for more than a decade - primarily spending my time covering the Kansas City Chiefs. After beginning my career as an unpaid blogger in 2019, I was able to build up an audience for my content, which led me to be hired by the Chiefs as their own official team reporter in 2014. I worked there for six years before trying a different path in sports media for a year, and then made the decision to join a few friends and create/build KC Sports Network.

At this point in my career, I'm motivated to help create a platform for passionate Kansas City sports content creators to be able to share their excitement for their team and give them the resources to build their own personal shows and brands.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

We didn't think that KC Sports Network would grow at the rate that it has over the past 20 months, so there's a lot we're proud of with what we've done to this point. But personally, I'm proud of the fact that we have more than 25 shows and 35+ hosts that are able to create fun, engaging content that allows them to feel good about what they're creating and gives them the creative freedom to build their shows in their own vision. And what we've done with the KCSN Foundation will always be atop the things we're most proud of with how we've utilized the platforms we're building to give back to our community. We have several community campaigns throughout the year, and altogether we were able to give back more than $30,000 to our community in 2022.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

It's all on you. You don't have "departments" to handle everything from marketing to finance and taxes and HR. You have to figure it out and understand that finding good people to help alleviate some of that burden is the most important thing you can do to determine how well you grow.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Just get started. Nobody knows everything, but you won't learn until you try it.
2. Everything is always about people. Treat everyone fair and equally, and know when to step in.
3. Give yourself a break from time to time. It's easy to carry a lot of baggage, and it'll always be there, so give yourself some grace.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.kcsportsnetwork.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCSportsNetworkChiefs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kcsports.network/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kcsportsnetwork
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kc-sports-network/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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