Interview with Howard Hensley Owner of Pro Player Event & Appearances

I’d like to first thank Howard Hensley for stepping up and giving me a last minute interview taking time out of his day. I’d also like to thank John William Carter Robinson (Big John) head of the Bengals Bomb Squad for introducing me to Howard.

With the NFL draft now over, negotiations begin. Teams and agents will start to meet to discuss contracts. So I went to find someone who works in sports and has negotiation experience. Howard Hensley may not have negotiation experience on player contracts with teams, but he brings another element to the table that a lot of athletes need - Charity representation.

Howard Hensley owns and operates Pro Player Events & Appearances. He started working with current and former NFL players providing them with the ability to team up with existing charities and helping them to start up their own Foundations, if they so desire. They also set up autograph sessions, youth football and cheerleading camps and golf outings. They have had camps in Seattle, WA all the way to Miami, FL. He’s been doing this since 2005. 











What first got you interested in doing this job?

I started working with athletes in 2005. I was working in finance for a local hospital and we were asked to get our employees involved more in the community. So I teamed up with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and sent feelers out to local celebrities and the only person who got back with me was a former Super Bowl DB for the Bengals and from there on I started working with other athletes pairing them with causes near and dear to their heart and helping them set up foundations and raise money for their respective charities too. 




What types of companies do you negotiate with?

I have negotiated events with National Organizations, such as the American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, JDRF, American Heart Association, Children's Hospital, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Stynchula Family Foundation, Coca Cola, Wal-Mart, Old Navy and countless other organizations and businesses have worked to assist us to achieve our goals and theirs as well. I've found that networking and creating a win-win situations works best in this difficult economy.

Do you find the negotiation process to be fun or tedious? Why?

Negotiation is like a war without weapons. You have to have achievable and reasonable expectations and be willing to concede to a certain degree and have tangible incentives. You never want to show desperation or excitement and you must be patient above all else… it is acceptable to walk away from the negotiating table and you have to be able to accept failure and understand that for every door that gets slammed shut there is always another door you can knock on…negotiating is like a dance and personally I enjoy the challenge and thrive on it...

How do you separate the people (IE: yourself and the other person) from the problem when you are negotiating?

Personally I handle the negotiating process alone and do not have my clients with me. They may cave or not be willing to maximize the fullest revenue percentage and weakness is not a good trait when negotiating. I will have a general idea of what our objective is and the minimum that we are looking for when negotiating deals and having those parameters enables you to be an effective negotiator. Negotiations require one to have power and trust from clients understanding that clients will get the most out of your own ability...all in all you can not take tough negotiations personally and must maintain professionalism at all times.

How do you handle positional bargaining tactics?

Positional bargaining occurs in a wide array of areas for our business. We have fans that want to acquire items for less than what we are asking and we have venues that may want to charge us an appearance fee when we are asking for an appearance fee. Understanding what your objective is and what the bottom line price you are willing to accept is the advantage one has in this negotiation process...haggling and being willing to work down slightly is the advantage the seller has. I always work high asking for more than we expect and sometimes you get what you ask for! So starting low is not something I would ever recommend...shoot high work down if need must, but stand your ground and understand there are always other opportunities and it is okay to walk away from a deal that does not meet your client or your objectives.

What dirty tricks have you seen used in your experience that new comers to negotiating should look out for?

I am always leery of individuals who are in a hurry and pushy about a negotiation process. People who are unwilling to put in writing an agreement are actually shouting at you to RUN AWAY! Oral agreements are non-enforceable and here say. Whenever you come to an agreement it's best to get it in writing. There are numerous individuals who have their own interests in mind and will always try to take advantage of you and your clients. Certain negotiators may try to use time or claim they can get a player to appear for less than I am asking so I ask for a bottom line number if it falls within our budget we can make things work or again, just walk away.

What is the one single most important piece of advice you can give someone just starting out in the field?

Patience and confidence are the most effective tools to use in negotiating and keeping your emotions in check. Use your poker face, but don't be unrealistic. Determine what your bottom line is before entering in any negotiation process and be realistic. If you aren't willing to bend you eventually will break. Maintaining integrity and being fair will provide you with a positive reputation and open other doors for you. Failing to be fair will keep doors closed for you no matter what you have done; so maintaining positive relations and being reasonable will only benefit you as a negotiato