Ex-Hull rugby prop Charlie Beech is proving he’s a success not just on the pitch but off it, too.
The former Wasps, Bath and Yorkshire Carnegie player has been busy launching a number of ventures including Front Row Support - an outsourced business development company - which harnesses his experience in professional sport, applying it to companies’ new business strategies.
His number one goal is to aid the transition of ex-sporting professionals into business, leveraging the skill sets they’ve gained through their game to maximise their opportunities to succeed. He has drawn inspiration from a survey by the Professional Players’ Federation found that one in two ex-players of the 800 who responded did not feel in control of their lives within two years of finishing their careers.
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He said: “When ex-professional sports players come to the end of their career, losing their identity can be overwhelming, with many experiencing loss, regret and devastation. I have worked with many ex-pros in one capacity or another, and I see that it’s vital to their ongoing success to utilise the skill sets they have achieved in sport and apply them to business. They just need a guiding hand to steer them, which is where I come in.
“I’m now not only assisting ex-players but also those who are starting out in their professional sports career, providing them with the tools they will need ahead of taking next steps when it comes to their own retirement.”
Front Row Support is also an outsourced business development company operating on a membership basis. The Front Row team supports organisations in their growth strategies as well as running networking events with the intention of ultimately building a network of great businesses and individuals and helping them grow successfully.
And this September Charlie and his Front Row team will be hosting its first outdoor event, the Late Summer Show at The Motorist in Sherburn-in-Elmet. Staying true to a rugby heritage, those attending will be able to enjoy a spot of live five-a-side rugby, with star players - sport pundit and ex-Leeds Rhinos player Danika Priim and ex-England and Huddersfield Giants pro Eorl Crabtree – taking part.
“Bringing the world of sport and business together through events that can connect great talent, both on and off field is my passion and the reason I’m doing what I’m doing,” added Charlie.
