Home Based Franchises

Home-based business franchise helps high school athletes land college aid
NECP College Prospects, Lenexa

Owner: Jeff B. Nelson

The business: NECP College Prospects was founded in 1994 and has more than 30 franchises owned by recruiters nationwide. Nelson, who established his franchise in February, helps high school athletes in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Nebraska get recruited for college play.

Telephone: 913-940-1233

Web site: www.necollegeprospects.com

Employees: None

Fork in the road: Nelson was an athletic trainer for 15 years in more than 20 schools.

“I noticed tremendously talented athletes who had the skill to play at the next level, but they weren’t being recruited to play in college,” he said.

Nelson works with athletes and their families to help them get exposure, choose schools and meet college coaches.

The right base: Nelson said this kind of franchise was a good match for a home-based business.

“A brick-and-mortar office doesn’t fit our corporate model. We don’t operate from foot traffic,” he said.

Most of his meetings with students and their families are held in the families’ homes.

Qualifications required: NECP mandates certification through a training program.

Rewards: Nelson said the favorite part of his business is “getting a phone call from a parent telling me his son or daughter just got offered a scholarship or funding from the coach to play at college.”

Commitment: “You’ll find me at athletic events, watching practices and talking to coaches about seven days a week,” Nelson said.

| Su Bacon, special to The Star

www.kansascity.com