They Quit Their Jobs and Each Put in $6,000 to Launch Their Dream Sports Business. Here’s How It Led Them to the College Football Playoff and Beyond.
From launching a scrappy start up to getting acquired, entrepreneurs Andrew Carter and Ben Walnick share their playbook for success in sports and entertainment.
“We’re two guys who covered tornadoes and high-school football. Each put in six grand, bought some gear, and started cold-calling companies. No business degrees. No investors. No playbook. Just passion, timing, and the belief that storytelling was shifting from broadcast to digital. “
That’s how Andrew Carter and Ben Walnick describe the career path that led them to launching their own company, Let It Fly Media, which was acquired in 2024 by Two Circles, a global sports and entertainment marketing company that works with the likes of the NFL, College Football Playoff, Premier League, and EA Sports.
After the acquisition, Carter and Walnick stayed on as executive vice presidents for Two Circles’ North America division. As the College Football Playoffs take center stage in sports, Carter and Walnick took a time out to share their advice on taking gutsy career risks and coming out with the W.
How did you get started?
Ben Walnick: We both left broadcast news — I spent eight years as a TV meteorologist and Andrew spent the same time as a sports anchor and reporter — to build Let It Fly Media, a content agency focused on fast, high-quality storytelling. What started as a two-person video shop became a full-service visual production company doing video, photo, design, and animation for major sports organizations and brands. We wanted to combine newsroom speed with creative agency quality. That formula helped us grow from a $12,000 startup into a company with a national footprint.
Andrew Carter: Then, in 2024, we became part of Two Circles, a massively successful global leader in sports. As we said at the time, it felt like taking a Ferrari off the streets and hitting the Autobahn. Everything we built started moving faster and further. It’s been an amazing opportunity to blend art and science in how we create sports marketing content.
What was your inspiration to try your own thing?
AC: We wanted more control over our creative future and saw inefficiencies in the market. When we started out, big agencies were slow and expensive, and freelancers were hit-or-miss. There was this middle ground that nobody was really serving.
BW: Our “aha” moment came at the 2018 PGA Championship, when the PGA of America noticed our work and reached out to collaborate. That’s when we realized this could be something bigger.
Any productivity tips you can share?
AC: Don’t get stuck in “paralysis by analysis.” You can’t plan your way to perfect. Take action, learn, and adjust later.
BW: Write everything down. Lists keep the chaos organized and make sure nothing slips through the cracks.
Related: The NCAA Kicked Him Out for Monetizing His Platform. So He Turned It Into a Career.
What is something you wish you had known when you were starting out?
BW: Relationships are everything. Never burn a bridge. Stay persistent and keep communicating – that’s what opens doors.
AC: Remember that the work isn’t about you. It’s about the client’s story. The greatest creators listen first, then build from there.
Can you share one of your proudest moments in business?
BW: Standing on the field at the College Football Playoff National Championship was a big one. That was the moment we looked at each other and realized we’d gone from local TV to one of the biggest stages in sports.
AC: Just as meaningful has been building an incredible team and a culture that people actually want to be a part of. Moving into our custom office in Kansas City and seeing 20 people collaborating, laughing, and doing work they’re proud of — that felt like success, too.
What does the word “entrepreneur” mean to you?
BW: Owning everything. When things go right, celebrate it. When they don’t, you still own it. That kind of accountability is tough but freeing. It forces you to grow, trust your instincts, and make bold choices.
AC: Entrepreneurship is about taking risks, acting fast, and leading with purpose. It’s caring enough to do the hard stuff and believing enough to keep going when everything falls on your shoulders.
Related: How a Simple Game of HORSE and a $2,000 Investment Helped This Philly Kid Buy His Hometown NBA Team
How do you personally define success?
AC: Loving what you do, who you do it with, and being proud of the work. The money comes when the meaning is there.
BW: Building a place where people love the work and still have a great life outside of it. Balance is the reward. It’s the point.
“We’re two guys who covered tornadoes and high-school football. Each put in six grand, bought some gear, and started cold-calling companies. No business degrees. No investors. No playbook. Just passion, timing, and the belief that storytelling was shifting from broadcast to digital. “
That’s how Andrew Carter and Ben Walnick describe the career path that led them to launching their own company, Let It Fly Media, which was acquired in 2024 by Two Circles, a global sports and entertainment marketing company that works with the likes of the NFL, College Football Playoff, Premier League, and EA Sports.
After the acquisition, Carter and Walnick stayed on as executive vice presidents for Two Circles’ North America division. As the College Football Playoffs take center stage in sports, Carter and Walnick took a time out to share their advice on taking gutsy career risks and coming out with the W.
