Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Pieper.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in Chicago Heights to a blue-collar family. My father was a cabinet maker and my mother a secretary. My dad didn’t attend college and my mother got her college degree much later in life (in her 50’s). I attended the University of Michigan and Northwestern Law School. While In Law School, I decided I wanted to be an agent and when I had no luck convincing someone to hire me, I just started my own company representing NFL players.
I had limited success but did land a handful of clients and it was just enough to convince myself that I wanted to do this full time. I was eventually hired by an agency in Chicago (SFX Baseball) and started out as an attorney helping with legal matters and Arbitration hearings. I soon transitioned into being a full-time agent and was lucky enough to land several clients that would go on to become all-stars, MVPs, Cy Young award winners, etc. In 2012, I became the CEO of the entire Baseball Practice while maintaining my role as an agent.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This business is never smooth. Player success and health is often unpredictable which makes the business itself unpredictable. In addition, the agent industry is extremely competitive and cut-throat. Client defection is the norm as is dishonest behavior from other agents. Unfortunately, you learn to not trust anyone other than yourself.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about ISE Baseball – what should we know?
We have been in business representing professional baseball players for over 40 years. We negotiate contracts, prepare and present Salary Arbitration cases, facilitate Marketing opportunities for players, as well as help with various legal, PR, and social media matters, among other things.
I’m most proud of the consistency in our work over such a long period of time and the fact that we have had great success while maintaining a proper moral compass. So many companies in our business have come and gone because they took shortcuts and broke the rules. We have been around for so long because we work extremely hard, rely on our intellect, and refuse to sacrifice our integrity.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
-Intellect
-Personality
-Work ethic
-Integrity
Contact Info:
- Address: 676 N. Michigan Avenue Suite 3000 Chicago IL 60611
- Website: iseworldwide.com
- Phone: 312-837-4620
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iseworldwide
- Twitter: @ISEWorldwide
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