Founder, L.E.A.D.
CJ Stewart came to Guide My Brand looking to establish himself as an expert on the declining number of African Americans playing baseball and to share the solution he has created.
In 2008, CJ founded L.E.A.D., a nonprofit foundation in Atlanta dedicated to developing at-risk youth through the sport of baseball. Since its inception, L.E.A.D. has graduated 100% of the young men who have participated in the program – compared to just 58% of all students in Atlanta Public Schools. A whopping 92% of L.E.A.D. participants have gone to college on baseball scholarships.
Unfortunately, CJ had been unable to gain widespread recognition as an expert, and L.E.A.D.’s success went largely unnoticed.
The first thing we did with CJ was sit down and discuss his goals, both personally and for L.E.A.D. We refined his “why” statement and identified successes that were worthy of press coverage.
Within our first week working with CJ, we landed him interviews with USA Today and ESPN as an expert on the declining number of African Americans on Major League Baseball rosters. We continue to pitch CJ weekly as an expert source, and we are working with him on media training for future television pitches.
In addition, we are currently working with CJ to develop a speaking campaign that will put him in front of corporate leadership in Atlanta in order to increase corporate sponsorship for L.E.A.D.
Examples of some of the coverage CJ has gained while working with us . . .
CJ was quoted in this article on ESPN’s The Undefeated showing off his expertise on the decline of African Americans in baseball.