HE HUSTLES

Justin Drummond, CEO of Spark C Innovation, was a former NCAA Championship player D-1 and owner of a successful Cyber Security company ( SparkC, LLC), he also mentors millennial entrepreneurs and speaks at schools

He was also featured in the 2021 March Madness Dove Men+Care "Off court champs" campaign celebrating black men off-court. In January of 2022 he published a new game called "Cyber Warriors", a Cyber Educational Gaming Experience for ages 12+

He has also launched a Cyber mentoring academy to assist individuals looking to get into the Tech World.

How did you get your start into entrepreneurship? Tell us about your company SparkC, LLC?

I got my start into entrepreneurship at age 20 while playing high-level Division 1 basketball at the University of Toledo Underneath my passion for basketball, I always had a passion for safety. Even though I was an all-conference athlete, basketball was life for me After seeing many players go into school and come out with little opportunity to play professional basketball long term I have always valued the phrase “Smart people learn from their own mistakes Wise people learn from others' mistakes” Based on this phrase, I started my cybersecurity business at 20 knowing that people knew me and it would be a great place to start. After my senior year, I decided to forgo the opportunity to play professional basketball and went to the University of Maryland to get my masters in Cybersecurity Management & Policy

SparkC is a cybersecurity and training technology that provides services to federal, state and local partners We have a total of 6 full time employees spread out across the country

Tell us about your transition from basketball to full time entrepreneur, what lessons have carried you along the way?