Press

Press. Bios, photography and approved phrasing.

Board bio

Marques Colston has spent his career on both sides of the business of sports, usually at the same time. While playing ten seasons for the New Orleans Saints, where he holds franchise records and won a Super Bowl, he owned and operated the Harrisburg Stampede, a club with no media-rights revenue, and led it to a championship. He went on to own the Philadelphia Soul through back-to-back titles and served on the Arena Football League's business development committee, which secured partnerships with Facebook, DraftKings and William Hill.

He has advised the NFL Players Association and NFL Players Inc., including OneTeam Collective partnerships with WHOOP, Fanatics and Fan Health Network. He developed Columbia Business School's executive education program Venture Investing for Professional Athletes, taught Leadership and Entrepreneurship as an adjunct professor at the University of New Orleans, and co-led a John Templeton Foundation–funded study there on the effectiveness of financial education. He has held executive roles growing consumer, health and sports businesses, including Main Squeeze Juice Co., Timeless Herbal Care and Virtua Health's Center for Innovation. He is a former investment adviser, held Series 7 and 66, and a co-founder of Kompete.

Today he is Managing Partner of Champion Capital. Through his own practice he delivers keynotes and workshops, advises athletic departments, conferences and players associations on strategy and capacity, and coaches a small number of leaders.

Headshots

Approved phrasing

Marques Colston, Managing Partner, Champion Capital
Former investment adviser, held Series 7 and 66
Co-Founder, Kompete

Testimonials

“We invited Marques to share his 'Creating Separation: Mindset, Strategy & Resilience in Uncertain Times' discussion with our conference attendees. In our post-event survey, his talk was the most positively reviewed session. Attendees valued his insights on how his experience equipped him to navigate uncertainties in the business world. With so much changing in the world of tech — from AI, shifting economies, etc. — this fireside chat was timely and engaging.”

— Juan Garzón — Innovate Charlotte

“Marques is a thoughtful speaker whose message resonates with diverse audiences. During our fireside chat, he connected with college students and alumni of all ages. He was accessible and hands-on in planning for the event, and a pleasure to work with. Just like in his football career, he puts in the work preparing for his speaking engagements, and it pays off! I have worked with Marques several times and hope to continue to do so in the future.”

— Pam Kennett-Hensel — Chair in University Management, Professor of Corporate Social Responsibility and Marketing, University of New Orleans

“I was really nervous about this year's event and award ceremony being virtual, so I was THRILLED that the keynote was such an enriching experience for our students, teachers, parents, and judges… you did an amazing job of creating a sense of community, of shared purpose, and of continued growth.
You were extremely generous with your time — from logging on early, to the quality of the video presentation (which we could tell was custom tailored for our event) to allowing live Q&A with the students… You are also an excellent storyteller, and you did a nice job weaving it all together in a relatively short keynote.
I have already mentioned to other colleagues that you were a fabulous speaker and that I would recommend you for other keynotes in invention/entrepreneurship education.”

— Roxanne Moore — Georgia Tech, K-12 InVenture Prize

“Beyond expectations; we don't get access to these insights and experiences everyday.”

— Jinan Glasgow-George — Founder, Neo IP

“Marques is an elite coach. His commitment to his clients, focus on driving results, and discipline to do the work each day is infectious. He approaches the work with a humbleness and level-energy that I found refreshing. Working with him, you quickly gain familiarity with the mentality and the intangibles that drive sustained excellence.”

— Andrew Jacobson — Co-Founder, DIG Food Group

“Marques's wealth of knowledge, combined with his practical insights, has allowed me to develop a clear vision for my company and implement strategies that have led to measurable growth and improved outcomes.”

— DJ Johnson — Founder and CEO, Baldwin & Co. Books

“Marques's unique vision and thoughtful approach have allowed us to take an unstructured plan and turn it into a formalized business model that has positioned us to take things to the next level. He made quick work of becoming a critical member of the center for innovation team.”

— Adam Glasofer — Chief Innovation Officer, Virtua Health System