Young Brittney Rogers Succeeds as a Women Entrepreneur in Boxing
Brittney Rogers is a big name in the boxing scene. Yes, I said boxing. Rogers runs BAM Boxing Promotions Inc, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. She is the youngest of women in traditionally a male industry.
During one of Mike Jones’s workouts for the Boxing World Title, Rogers came to watch as a spectator and a man behind her bluntly said “what is she doing here”. Rogers turned around; while the man said to her, yes you. Rogers said she was watching the boxer’s footwork and continued to talk about Jones’s strengths and weaknesses. She went on to talk about specifics and detailed hooks and jabs. The rude man looked at her and said “you really know what you are talking about”.
Rogers home is in Philly, but “grew up in [the] Frankford/Wissinoming section of Philadelphia and also in Southampton”. She went to William Tennent High School and has two brothers who are not interested in boxing at all except if it is related to her company directly.
BAM Boxing Promotions Inc was created by Brittney Rogers, while she was still a college student at Temple University. During her senior year, she interned at Blue Horizon and worked with legend J. Russell Peltz. This sparked her thoughts on starting her own company. Peltz asked her “when are you going to start your own company”, which Rogers took jokingly. Rogers kept thinking about what Peltz said and decided that it was the perfect time to start her business because she had the guidance of her mentor and support from her family and friends. That is how the beginnings of BAM Promotions Inc came about.
What exactly is a boxing promoter you may ask? Boxing promoters are in Rogers words “event planners, along with overseers and marketers, they are a jack of all trades”. She constantly is running around at boxing events making sure everything is set up, boxers are where they are suppose to be, security is in the right areas, and that the facility is okay. They make sure nothing goes wrong during an event.
Rogers believes that being a woman in a predominantly male athletic promoting field is honoring. When asked about the hardships of being a woman in a male-heavy career, she responded that it is an equal playing field for both. “I only say that because if the field was unfair in any way for women, I would not be here now” said Rogers. She has this infectious tone in her voice, which makes you understand the passion that she has for what she does. Her stern yet soft voice captures what she believes, especially her “women can do anything” attitude. Rogers spoke of her determination and skills, which are powerful factors when men try to stereotype her.
In the beginning stages of BAM Boxing Promotions Inc, Rogers said it was tough due to the fall of the economy in 2011. For Rogers, tough is nothing, she strives to overcome obstacles and uses them to stimulate her drive towards success. When asked why she started up her company during the economic downfall of 2011 rather than wait till the economy became healthy, she said she knew she had to jump on the opportunity.
Her family and friends are her support system. When trying to start up her company, she used a grassroots approach and sent a letter to all of her friends and family. She also looked for possible sponsors in companies around the area. They were extremely supportive and remain that way. Most of her volunteers are family and friends who help out during her boxing shows.
Rogers believes that if she never would have started her company when she did, she never would have. Rogers’s advice to anyone that wants to start a business regardless of age, gender or anything, you should take the jump now if you have an advisor or someone that can mentor you. If you don’t take the jump you never will. She also believes that you should ask tons of questions to your advisor, so you limit your mistakes and have a successful program, event, company. She is also a big believer in using your mentor or advisor as a “learning tool”, and to get as much information from them. They are there to help you and support you. She learned from her mistakes, but stresses to ask questions to limit possible struggles. Peltz is still Rogers mentor and advisor, as well as he right hand man.
When asked what makes her different from all of the other boxing promoters, she answered “yes, I am a woman and that makes me stand out. That’s obvious. But, my knowledge, skills and character separates me [from my peers]”.
Ultimately, a woman can thrive in a man’s world because all that really matters is skill. Just like in the ring, if you can knock someone out, it doesn’t matter how you are or where you came from. Rogers wants people to respect her because of her knowledge, skill and not only for her gender. She enjoys when she gains respect and draws attention because she is a female that is knowledgeable about boxing. From people stereotyping her and other hardships, Rogers uses those struggles as a stepping stone to fuel her success.