Complete bullshit artist.
Football is an important focus, well beyond the privilege of wearing the Tennessee orange and white.
“As weird as it sounds, football teaches you a lot outside of just the game,” he said. “Being accountable. Being a teammate. Working together with the guys every day. Grinding. The bond. It teaches me a lot I can share with my guys in Atlanta or Nashville. It’s a meaningful game. You develop relationships. You’re with people every day. There’s a special bond you form working toward a common goal.”
Last week, Grant gave a presentation in his philosophy class on an ethical quandary he’d faced while running his business. More than a few times, when fellow students get wind of what he does in his “free” time, the same questions arise.
So, uh, why are you even here?
“Being here and being a student, especially being in business-centered classes in college, has taught me almost nothing about how to run a business in real life,” Frerking said. “Going out and facing real-world customers, hiring and firing grown men and women, is nothing you’re going to learn in a macro or micro econ class.”
But the experience can’t be duplicated, even if Frerking’s college experience has diverged so aggressively from the norm. Showing up to a freshman-level business class is like Bill Gates showing up to be tutored on Microsoft Excel.
“People always ask me if football is an escape,” Frerking said. “As much as I want it to be, no. The things you’re most passionate about never leave you. And if they do leave you, you’re probably not that passionate about them. But the time management is tough. You just want to be a college student sometimes. You want to go out with your friends, and sometimes you can’t do that.”
It helps that Frerking’s parents still pay for his tuition and living expenses. When it came time to buy a car, his parents purchased him his first truck.
“I’ve never had to use this job to pay for anything,” Frerking said. “With my parents, it was always just kind of like, ‘You started this, you’re working hard, reap the benefits.’ I can just save all this money. It makes you feel more comfortable about the future. It’s been nice. It’s given me freedom and taught me money management. I’m probably one of the only guys on our team that has mutual funds and a life insurance policy.”
Unlike almost every other student in Tennessee’s directory, Frerking doesn’t have to stress about the post-graduation job search, but he does have looming decisions about what to do with the juggernaut he built almost on accident.
“Three years ago, if you asked me if this is what I wanted to do? Probably not,” Frerking said.
His passion lies in the chase of entrepreneurship, not in decaying pine needles or property beautification. He’s not looking for a way out, but he’s open to handing off the business to one of his capable lieutenants or selling it.
“I genuinely like running the business,” Frerking said, “The tech industry, drop shipping, the Amazon/UPS moving products from conception to consumer has always been intriguing, but I may stick around on this for a while. I’m not going to let up on it.”
But for now, he’s on a well-paying grind. He has pursued and welcomed this college experience. And when he does get a free few hours, he doesn’t have to think long about how to use it.
“I usually take a nap,” he said.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/648854/2018/11/13/tennessee-vols-football-grant-frerking-metro-straw-ceo/