From Football Dreams to Tech Triumphs: The Entrepreneurial Journey of Joe Hamilton

Beginning the journey of an entrepreneur requires an unique blend of fearlessness, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of dreams. Joseph Hamilton, CEO and owner of 4 Second Football, shares his compelling story of inventing a product to solve a big gap in the training of young athletes. Read more to get inspired. 

Tell us about yourself and your journey to entrepreneurship/business ownership. 

My journey in entrepreneurship has been an interesting journey. I was never the guy selling baseball cards or candy trying to hustle quick money. I was always thinking of long plans that were fool proof and couldn't be destroyed easily. My first experience in entrepreneurship was with my first company called KnockerballGa. My partners and I ran that business for a couple of years from 2017-2018. That business taught me some very valuable lessons about being an entrepreneur and running a business. Now I run two tech businesses. 4 Second Football, the world's smartest football and Bacchus, a wearable alcohol monitor. I was always fearless and had a relentless pursuit of whatever I went after in life so following my dreams of wanting to be a serial entrepreneur didn't surprise me. My dreams scared me, but I had faith that these products were meant to be introduced to the world, through me. 

I went to Columbus State University where I got my degree in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing. Sales and marketing are what I have always considered to be my passion and probably the most important aspects of running any business. 

I can't say I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. My high school dream was playing in the NFL. I had never worked as hard as I did in high school and college to play football. I quickly realized that my dream may not become a reality as specific goals were not being met by myself. Playing football taught me many hard and valuable life lessons that I carried over into entrepreneurship. It taught me how to prepare for something you want, competition is fierce and there is always someone who wants what you want, results aren't always in your favor, and how you have to start getting ready in an offseason so that you can win when the new season rolls around. 

Can you give us some insight into your entrepreneurial experience? 

Some insights that I can give are that you have to get a competitive advantage over your competition, you must have a lot of patience, and you need resources. Advisors are resources, education is a resource, a team is a resource, and capital is the ultimate resource. 

When I started I didn't have many resources, I sacrificed a lot to get where I am today. I used what I had access to. I studied my competition, analyzed their failures so that I could learn from them, and their successes. The capital that I did have to start with, I knew I had to make the most of it so I leveraged it to get more capital. Every dollar that I spent had to return to me in the form of either more money or something tangible. I had heard stories of people who spent $100-200,000 and literally had nothing to show for it. I refused to be that person. I was laser focused and I didn't try to go fast in the beginning to minimize my mistakes. 

I started 4 Second Football in 2020 during the pandemic. I was watching a video on YouTube from one of my favorite football influencers when I got the idea. I spoke with some colleagues who work in the industry to get feedback on the concept and they thought it was a good idea. I then built an MVP (minimal viable product) and let some coaches see my demo and they thought it was a great concept but of course if it looked better and performed better. That was when I knew I needed to develop a fully functional prototype. 

What is the hardest lesson you have learned throughout your experience as an entrepreneur?

The hardest lesson I've learned as an entrepreneur is how to persevere. Things just happen where it doesn't always work in your favor but how you react is paramount to your success. In my first endeavor finding the right team was paramount. In my next two ventures going into tech Research and Development have been by far the most draining processes. With limited resources being capital and a team, it gets really hard. You have to keep pushing. I have tried to build a team for the record, but from people dropping out due to length of time developing, to others not being able to come to an agreement on splits in the company, I have found myself as a solo-preneur. The thing I'm most proud of is I haven't stopped pressing forward.

What are your greatest accomplishments earned throughout your experience as an entrepreneur?

My greatest accomplishment thus far is the fact that I don't have a tech background and here I am with 2 tech driven products. That truly amazes me. 

How has your business evolved since its inception?

We've evolved at 4 Second Football from inception in 2020 to doing a soft launch in February 2024. It's taken away due to capital needs but we never stopped our momentum and that is key. Never put your project to the side because it may get really difficult to pick it back up. 

Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently when starting your business? 

Yes, knowing what I know today, the thing that I absolutely would do differently is build a team in phase 1. Before spending any money I would source a qualified team. At least the necessary components for this team. I would make sure they are truly committed just as I am and truly believe in what we're building. I would look at capital differently too. I would only spend on things necessary to get me to a place where I can start generating revenue. When starting a business everyone is trying to sell you on a service and tell you that you need this and that. You have to know how to cancel out the noise and truly focus on what is absolutely necessary and what is in the way of you getting to the market. 

Do you represent any other brands/businesses? If so, tell us about the brand and your affiliation.

Yes, I am also the CEO/Owner of Bacchus. Bacchus is a wearable alcohol monitor that will tell someone in real time their estimated BAC level. Our wearable device and smartphone app will also tell someone their estimated time back to sober, call them a Lyft or Uber, and send them constant reminders of tips that will slow down intoxication rate. Bacchus will be your personal drinking buddy. We hope to combat alcoholism and DUI's through awareness and education. 

What are your hopes for the future of your businesses? Do you have any hopes for our community's aspiring entrepreneurs? 

My hope is to grow these businesses to a point where I can provide jobs, build communities, and enhance lives. Technology is supposed to make our lives better in some way and that is my hope with my technology. 

What advice would you give other entrepreneurs looking to take that leap of faith and find their ‘start?'

The best thing is to do as much research as possible before spending a dime. Research your competitors, research their failures and successes, research other companies that tried and failed, perform customer discovery, perform SWOT analysis, fill out a business model canvas, and try to think of everything that you'll need before getting started. You just don't want to waste money or time although it's likely to happen. You want to minimize your risk as much as possible. 

What do you think makes Columbus an exceptional community for startups to thrive? How can our community better support entrepreneurs?

Columbus is characterized by its close-knit community where mutual connections are closer than you think. It is highly likely that virtually every individual in Columbus is only one or two degrees of separation away from someone known to them. This close proximity affords residents the convenience of readily reaching out for assistance or support, as community ties are deeply ingrained. The local entrepreneurial scene can thrive with the active participation of the community. By showcasing entrepreneurs' accomplishments on social media platforms, amplifying their successes, and actively attending events or competitions such as BizPitch Columbus, the community can demonstrate its support. It is important to note that support requires actions to be taken in order to facilitate success.
How can our readers learn more about you and your business?

They can follow 4 Second Football on all platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, visit our website, or they can follow my personal pages on all platforms as well under Joe Hamilton.

Joe Hamilton's journey serves as a testament to the power of perseverance and strategic thinking. As he envisions a future where his businesses create jobs, build communities, and improve lives, Joe's story resonates as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs. Through challenges, triumphs, and the pursuit of innovative solutions, Joe exemplifies the spirit of entrepreneurship that transforms dreams into reality