Turning name, image & likeness into a real business plan.
I'm an independent brand strategist working one-on-one with student-athletes, brands, and local businesses to build NIL partnerships that are profitable, sustainable, and fully within the rules.
A freelancer, not an agency — and that's the advantage.
Thompson-Carmelo is a solo brand strategy practice. When you work with me, you work with me — no account handoffs, no junior staff learning on your dime, and no cookie-cutter playbooks.
I sit at the intersection of athletics, marketing, and small business. That means I can translate a booster's interest, a brand's budget, or a local shop's goodwill into a structured plan an athlete can actually act on — and defend if anyone asks how it was built.
Every engagement starts with the rulebook. Strategy that ignores NCAA and NJCAA compliance isn't strategy; it's a liability. I build the two together, from day one.
Mission Statement
To give athletes, brands, and local businesses honest, expert NIL guidance — building partnerships that create real value while protecting eligibility, reputation, and trust every step of the way.
Good NIL deals should make everyone stronger: the athlete, the business, and the community around them. My job is to make sure they also stay clean.
Services
Strategy for everyone at the table.
Whether you're an athlete, a brand, or a local business, the work is tailored to your situation — and always grounded in what the rules allow.
Athlete Brand Strategy
Personal brand positioning, audience growth, and a deal roadmap that fits your sport, your season, and your goals — on and off the field.
Brand & Sponsor Advisory
For companies entering NIL: athlete-fit strategy, campaign structure, and activation plans that deliver measurable results, not just logos.
Local Business Partnerships
Helping neighborhood businesses build affordable, authentic athlete partnerships that connect with the community and stay compliant.
Deal Structuring & Negotiation
Fair-market-value guidance, deal terms, and negotiation support so every agreement is balanced, documented, and defensible.
General Business Strategy
Beyond NIL: budgeting, pricing, brand voice, and long-term planning to treat your name and image like the business it truly is.
Compliance Review
A rulebook-first check of your plans against current NCAA and NJCAA policy, plus your school or conference's specific requirements.
Compliance
Built around the rules that protect eligibility.
NIL rules are real, they change often, and getting them wrong can cost an athlete their eligibility. I treat compliance as the foundation of every engagement — not a disclaimer at the bottom of a proposal.
My work follows NCAA and NJCAA guidelines along with applicable state laws and school policies.
“The NCAA is committed to ensuring that its rules… protect and enhance student-athlete well-being.”
NCAA Interim NIL Policy, effective July 1, 2021
A strategist, not an agent. I don't recruit you, sign you, or take a cut of your deals. As an independent freelancer I give you the plan, the guardrails, and the confidence to protect your own name, image & likeness — you stay in control.
Rulebook first
Every plan is checked against current NCAA and NJCAA policy before it ever reaches a signature.
No pay-for-play
Deals are built on legitimate name, image & likeness value — never as an inducement to enroll or compete.
School & conference aware
Institutional and conference-specific rules vary. I account for your school's disclosure and approval process.
Documented & disclosed
Agreements are structured to be transparent and reported through the proper channels when required.
Note: Thompson-Carmelo provides business strategy and consulting services and is not a substitute for legal advice or your institution's compliance office. Athletes should always confirm arrangements with their school before signing.
News & Updates
The latest from Thompson-Carmelo
Announcements, insights, and behind-the-scenes strategy. Follow along across platforms for day-to-day updates.
Latest
Now booking NIL brand strategy sessions
Taking on a limited number of student-athletes, brands, and local businesses for one-on-one strategy work this season.
Insight
Building a brand that outlasts eligibility
Why your name, image & likeness is a long-term asset — and how to structure deals that still pay off after the final whistle.
Compliance
Staying inside NCAA & NJCAA guidelines
A plain-English look at what athletes can and can't do under current NIL rules, and how the right plan keeps you protected.
Follow the journey
Connect with me directly and keep up with the latest NIL strategy content.
Tell me a little about who you are and what you're trying to build. I'll follow up to set a time and walk through how a compliant NIL strategy could work for you.
