Travels from Washington, USA
Richard Sherman's speaking fee falls within range: $50,000 to $75,000
Arguably the best cornerback in the league, Richard Sherman crafted a global name for himself within three years of getting drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 5th round. Though most may know the defense powerhouse for his insightful media interviews and unflinching confidence, Sherman is also a vibrant entrepreneur, philanthropist, and one of the biggest personal branding success stories to come out of professional sports.
Raised in a gang-ridden neighborhood in Compton, CA, Sherman turned his unsavory circumstances into a motivation to excel. He graduated high school with a 4.2 GPA and athletic scholarship to Stanford University, where he majored in communications while maintaining a rigorous schedule as a wide receiver and cornerback for the Stanford Cardinals. When he was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks as the 154th pick, he viewed it as an opportunity to prove himself and surprise the world.
Since starting his NFL career in 2011, he’s built the Seahawks’ defense into an impenetrable force, played an instrumental role in winning a Superbowl, and emerged as one of the highest-paid and outspoken players in the league. To many he is the face and voice of the Seahawks due to his frequent captivating in-depth media interviews and press conferences. In fact, Sherman is the 2015 recipient of the PFWA Good Guy Award, which honors one NFL player annually “for his qualities and professional style in helping pro football writers do their jobs.”
In addition to his athletic career, Sherman has his own clothing line, recurring guest articles in Sports Illustrated and nearly one million followers on Twitter. His charity, Blanket Coverage – The Richard Sherman Family Foundation, provides children in vulnerable communities with school supplies and clothing. Each year Sherman visits several low-income elementary and high schools to talk with students and inspire them to reach their full potential. His one-of-a-kind personal style combined with his expertise in areas like branding, team building, and entrepreneurship are turning him into an in-demand keynote speaker. Some of his recent events include Adobe’s Business Summit, Experian’s Business Conference and American Express’ Small Business Event.
Richard Sherman was born and raised in Compton, California to a hard-working family adamant on studying and learning. His parents taught Richard, along with his older brother Branton and his younger sister Krystina, at an early age that nothing beats hard work and consistent learning.
At Dominguez High School, Richard played football as a wide receiver, cornerback, punt/kick returner, and ran track but his proudest achievement was graduating with a 4.2 GPA. After receiving numerous offers to the nation’s top programs, Richard committed to Stanford University, becoming the first student in 20 years qualified to attend Stanford on both academic and athletic merits.
Richard Sherman attended the Stanford where he played receiver for the first three years of his collegiate career. Richard played only four games his junior year due to a season ending knee injury and was granted a medical redshirt. As a receiver, Richard caught 84 passes for a total of 1,340 yards and 7 touchdowns.
The spring after his junior year Sherman made the switch to defense, where he found the position that would make him an All-Pro. During his two years on the defensive side of the ball, Richard racked up a total of 113 tackles, 23 pass break-ups and 6 interceptions. In 2011, Richard entered the NFL Draft and was selected in 5th round, 154th overall, by the Seattle Seahawks.
Richard Sherman hauled in 4 interceptions, 17 pass break-ups and 53 total tackles in his rookie campaign with the Seattle Seahawks, earning him a spot on the 2011 All-Rookie team. Since coming into the league, Richard leads the NFL in interceptions (24) and is second in pass break-ups (68). Considered the best cornerback in the league, Richard has been named to two Pro Bowl rosters and three All-Pro teams in his first four seasons in the NFL.
In 2013, Richard Sherman and the Seahawks won their first Super Bowl, blowing out the Denver Broncos 43-8. Winning the Super Bowl capped off an amazing season for Richard in which he lead the NFL in interceptions (8), recorded 17 pass break-ups, and returning 1 interception for a touchdown. He finished the year as an All-Pro cornerback, Pro Bowler, and most importantly, Super Bowl Champion.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback and global celebrity, Richard Sherman reveals how he orchestrated his own non-conventional marketing campaign to make himself a household name. The NFL star details how his rise to fame was not a product of luck, but careful planning and execution that he had put together since his days at Stanford University.
Though Sherman had a clear vision of the brand he wanted to craft for himself, he entered his professional football career well under the radar as a 5th draft pick of a relatively lesser watched team. While he had studied the marketing techniques of other sports figures like Deion Sanders and Warren Sapp, he realized that ultimately he would have to take a different path.
"A lot of people in the Pacific Northwest said that Seattle is always ignored," Sherman comments. "The first thing I told our media and marketing guy was 'they're going to have a hard time ignoring us from now until. Let me get in front of a camera and a mike and we'll see how much they ignore Seattle now.'"
One of the most defining moments for Richard Sherman was when his childhood hero, Magic Johnson, spoke at his high school on setting and achieving goals. Johnson’s presentation had so much influence on how the future football player approached his own career, that he has dedicated time to sharing the secrets he’s learned during the course of his unique journey from Compton, CA to one of the most internationally recognized NFL celebrities.
Known as a “well-intentioned superstar who simply tells it how it is,” Sherman has keynoted several high profile events including Adobe’s Business Summit, Experian’s Business Conference and American Express’ Small Business Event. Drawing from his own entrepreneurial experience building one of the most distinguished personal brands in professional sports, Sherman unpacks how you can carve out your own niche, maintain your authenticity, and not get lost in the masses by falling into cookie-cutter mode.
As a team leader who has helped put the Seattle Seahawks in the spotlight, he offers a refreshingly different perspective on building and leading a powerhouse team. Sherman prefers a moderated Q&A format for presentations.
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“Richard was super easygoing and did an amazing job throughout the event and beyond. The crowd loved him and he was more than happy to engage with them, answer questions and take photos after the show. One of the best speakers we’ve ever had and truly a great person.” Stanford University (event booked by SPEAKING.com).
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