Jay Dixon
Jay Dixon smiling on a sunny morning near the beach

Every game ends

Who are you when it does?

I'm Jay. I help athletes, business owners, and executives close the identity gap: the space between who you were and who you'll be next.

I've lived it more than once: when football ended, and again when I handed over companies I built. Now I help people see it coming and plan for it, before the final whistle instead of after.

Find your path Read my story

The identity gap

For years, a role answers every question about who you are. Athlete. Owner. CEO. Then the role ends, by choice or not, and the question comes back all at once.

Athletes

“I'm done. Now what?”

That's what I thought walking off the field after my last college game. Research finds that athletes whose identity rests almost entirely on sport report more depression and anxiety after they retire.1 Psychologists call it identity foreclosure.3

Business owners

What do I say now when someone asks what I do?

Widely cited Exit Planning Institute and PwC research found roughly three in four owners felt profound regret within a year of selling. In EPI's 2023 survey, only 44% felt they had planned enough, and the gap was emotional, not financial.4

Executives

“Out of the club; off the team.”

That's how one former owner-CEO described life after the sale, in a study of leaders leaving their companies. Most had not prepared for the identity shift and felt a diminished sense of self afterward.5

Researchers have a name for this hazard: identity threat, an experience that signals harm to the value, meaning, or daily practice of who you are.6 Money doesn't fix it, and a great career doesn't prevent it.

How the gap closes

The same research points to what helps. It's also what I wish someone had told me at 22.

  1. Plan the ending

    People who plan ahead and have some control over when and how they leave adjust better, especially when the old identity loosens before the end.1

  2. Keep your team, find a new one

    Staying connected to old groups and joining new ones restores meaning and a sense of control after identity loss.2

  3. Build who's next

    Most leaders in the owner-CEO study eventually worked through the loss to a positive sense of self.5 The gap closes. It closes faster when you start building the next identity before you need it.

That's the work, in every version of it: the book, the owners I advise, and the athletes and leaders I talk with.

Why I care about endings

I played defensive end at the University of Nevada. For years, football was the answer to every question about who I was. Then it was over, and nobody hands you a playbook for that part.

By my senior year, I was a starter, and we opened up on ABC television at Nebraska. When I was a kid growing up in the ’90s, Nebraska football was untouchable. Now I was on their field, the “Sea of Red,” listening to the crowd’s deafening roar and hearing my name over the loudspeaker in front of ninety thousand fans. Coach Ault came by and looked me dead in the eye: “It’s your time, Dixon!” We lost, but it was still a dream come true. My body was beat, but my soul was alive. It was the highest high I had ever felt. But moments like that made it even harder to accept the end.

It’s often said that athletes die twice. I remember walking off the field after the last game of my college career thinking, I’m done. Now what? When my helmet came off, I felt like I’d died. For the next three years, I struggled in all areas of life. Relationships were ruined. I bounced around to different jobs. I no longer had a coach to point me toward a goal. I wasn’t even sure what the goal was.

It took me years to learn that what I missed wasn't the game. It was the team, the purpose, and knowing exactly what I was supposed to do tomorrow.

Jay smiling under the Upper Deck logo
Meeting with Upper Deck President Jason Masherah.

Years later I sat across the table from business owners on closing day and saw the same look on their faces. Different uniform, same feeling. That's why I do this work.

Find your path

Different uniform, same gap. Start where you are.

If you're an athlete

Life after the game

Whether your last game was last week or ten years ago, start with the book. It's the playbook I needed when my helmet came off.

Start with the book The athlete path

If you own a business

Exit without losing yourself

For years, the business has answered the question of who you are. Stepping away doesn't have to leave that question blank. When you're ready to go deeper, the work continues at SuccessCoach.

Continue at SuccessCoach

If you lead people

Before the title ends

For executives facing retirement or a role change, and for teams and associations who want me to speak on the identity gap. Let's talk.

Email me LinkedIn

The chapters so far

Not a résumé. Every chapter ended, and every ending taught me something about the next one.

  1. The classroom

    After football, I taught high school English in South Carolina and coached at Goose Creek. I thought I was there to teach. Mostly I was learning.

    Jay laughing with Professor Paul Ingram in front of a whiteboard
    Still a student at heart. With Paul Ingram, Kravis Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, winner of Columbia’s Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching, and a Harvard Business Review contributor.

    People can tell in about ten seconds whether you actually care.

  2. Building things

    I started an HVAC company, then a real estate firm. I learned to make payroll, hire people, and get back up after bad months. Then I handed them to someone else.

    Handing over something you built feels a lot like leaving the field. The people are what you miss.

  3. Helping others sell

    I spent years helping founders sell their companies, on the best and hardest day of their working lives.

    Jay at the a16z and 500 Global accelerator managers bootcamp
    With accelerator managers at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and BAM, 500 Global’s Bootcamp for Accelerator Managers.

    A great price doesn't guarantee a good ending. The owners who did well had planned for the day after closing.

  4. Serving schools

    For six years I helped a small team working on California school facilities grow into something much bigger.

    Jay smiling in a safety vest on a school construction site
    Helping grow a K-12 construction firm.

    Culture isn't a slide in a deck. It's how you treat people when nobody is keeping score.

  5. Right now

    I'm in a transition myself: stepping away from work I'm proud of to build what's next on my own terms. I'm living the thing I help people through, which keeps me honest.

    Jay jumping with arms spread on a ferry deck in front of the New York skyline
    Taking the leap, again.

What readers of After the Game say

I wrote After the Game for the version of me who didn't know what came next. Athletes, executives, and professors saw themselves in it too.

Mark GottfriedFormer head coach at Alabama, NC State, and Murray State · 438 career wins · 11 NCAA Tournament appearances · Led Alabama to its first Elite Eight · Assistant on UCLA's 1995 national championship team · Former ESPN analyst
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“I'd like to take a minute and endorse a book that I just finished reading. It's called After the Game, and it's written by a guy named Jay Dixon. Jay played quarterback at the University of Nevada. After college, did a tremendous job in the business world as an entrepreneur. And what has impressed me about the book is Jay gives a blueprint and kind of a game plan for former athletes who sometimes have a difficult time transitioning from being an athlete into the business world. So many times athletes possess all of the qualities for being a CEO or owning a company. Very hard working, driven, goal oriented, they have perseverance, they understand how to get the job done. Anyway, Jay puts it all together in this book called After the Game, and I fully endorse the book and would encourage you to get a copy of this book because I think it's a tremendous opportunity, especially for those former athletes.”

“After the Game provides access to the training camp for success and wisdom of its application for the toughest business fields in the world.”

DeMaurice SmithFormer executive director, National Football League Players Association (NFLPA)
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“After the Game brings the reader the necessary and indispensable tools for any successful transition into business, entrepreneurship, or a trade with the knowledge that has been proven to be successful by some of the best athletes in the world. The classrooms, locker rooms, and fields of college and professional sports are constant proving grounds for individual growth, character development, and overcoming adversity. After the Game provides access to the training camp for success and wisdom of its application for the toughest business fields in the world.”

“Spreadsheets don’t create synergies—PEOPLE DO.”

Donna M. HitscherichSenior Lecturer and Director of the Private Equity Program, Columbia Business School
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“Spreadsheets don’t create synergies—PEOPLE DO. It is much easier to teach the math behind valuation techniques than it is to create or maintain a cohesive team and lead it in the right direction.”

“This book brilliantly bridges the gap between athletic discipline and business acumen.”

Tyler AdkisonFormer MLB player, entrepreneur, and angel investor
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“As a former Los Angeles Dodger who transitioned into entrepreneurship, I deeply resonate with the message in Jay Dixon’s After the Game. This book brilliantly bridges the gap between athletic discipline and business acumen. Dixon’s insights are a practical guide for any athlete looking to redefine success beyond the field. A must-read for those ready to channel their athletic ability into entrepreneurial triumphs.”

“After the Game is indispensable reading for anyone experiencing a significant career change.”

Paul IngramKravis Professor of Business, Columbia Business School; Presidential Award winner for Teaching Excellence
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“Whether you are leaving a career in sports, transitioning between companies or industries, or finally achieving that long-desired promotion, After the Game is indispensable reading for anyone experiencing a significant career change.”

“I love After the Game. It resonates so deeply not only with me but any athlete at any level.”

Brian de la PuenteRetired NFL player

“After the Game focuses on self-awareness and emotional intelligence, vital pieces to being successful and prosperous!”

Marques OgdenFormer NFL offensive lineman; CEO, Ogden Ventures LLC
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“After the Game is an excellent road map that shows athletes how they can use their skillsets from sports to succeed in the business world and shows business leaders how athletes can make excellent employees and leaders. After the Game focuses on self-awareness and emotional intelligence, vital pieces to being successful and prosperous! This book will help a lot of people achieve the success that their heart desires!”

“After the Game is an essential read for anyone aspiring to redefine their identity and achieve entrepreneurial excellence post-sports career.”

Steven DeVallVP of Talent Partnerships and Influencer Strategy, Vox Media
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“As a seasoned talent executive, I am thoroughly impressed by After the Game. This book is a critical tool for former athletes to navigate the challenging transition from sports to entrepreneurship. The unique blend of mindset coaching and practical business acquisition strategies shown is innovative and necessary. After the Game is an essential read for anyone aspiring to redefine their identity and achieve entrepreneurial excellence post-sports career.”

“After the Game is a necessary resource for both current and former athletes.”

Stephanie GeositsBoard of directors, Soccer Canada; founder, All About Sports
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“When the final whistle blows on their sports careers, many athletes struggle to find their purpose. In After the Game, Jay Dixon provides the necessary insight to guide players through answering ‘What’s next?’ After the Game is a necessary resource for both current and former athletes.”

“Your mindset is everything as a business leader. Everyone wants to be part of a winning organization . . . After the Game!”

Sonny ThadaniCEO of Robin; founding member, Accordion Partners

“After the Game outlines the key characteristics one learns in sports and can apply to business.”

Danny WadhamsFormer D-I athlete; owner, Flowing Tide
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“As a former athlete turned business leader, After the Game outlines the key characteristics one learns in sports and can apply to business.”

Jay Dixon smiling next to the cover of his book, After the Game

After the Game

It's the book I needed when football ended. I wrote it for athletes, but business owners kept reading it and telling me, "This is my exit." So I'm writing a new edition for anyone who has to walk off their field.

Get the new edition first What readers say

Your game ends either way

Who you become next is still up to you. The sooner you start building it, the smaller the gap.

Find your path Owners: continue at SuccessCoach

Speaking, podcasts, or just a hello? Email me or find me on LinkedIn.

Sources
  1. Haslam et al. (2024), “I'm more than my sport”: identity change in athletic retirement, Psychology of Sport and Exercise.
  2. Social identity pathways and adjustment after retirement from competitive sport (2021), Psychology of Sport and Exercise.
  3. Athlete identity and career transition, reviewing Brewer and Petitpas (2017) on identity foreclosure, ResearchGate.
  4. Fialkovich (2026), citing Exit Planning Institute and PwC research and EPI's 2023 State of Owner Readiness Report, Entrepreneur.
  5. Voluntary transition of the CEO: owner CEOs' sense of self before, during and after transition (2015), Frontiers in Psychology.
  6. Petriglieri (2011), Under threat: responses to and the consequences of threats to individuals' identities, Academy of Management Review.
Need the résumé version?
  • Division I defensive end, University of Nevada (three bowl games, a conference title)
  • High school English teacher and football coach, Goose Creek, SC
  • Founder of East Cooper Heating and Air (sold) and GQRE (combined with Dunes Properties)
  • Founder of Barney Inc, now Merge; worked on 50+ business sales
  • Senior Manager at School Leaders, 2020 to 2026, as the firm grew from two partners to 32+
  • Columbia Business School, Certificate of Business Excellence (VC/PE)
  • Author of After the Game; contributor to Entrepreneur