University of Pittsburgh linebacker SirVocea Dennis has turned into one of the best players for the program. Three years into his career at the school, Dennis is now officially a captain.
Dennis, like many others, never thought that he would be able to capitalize making money on his name, image and likeness. Now that Dennis has that opportunity, he’s looking forward to making a difference.
“Everybody thinks it’s just a lot of money coming in and things like that. I really wanted to build my brand, reach out to communities I never thought I’d be a part of and just get a lot of people behind me and do something that can help me grow,” Dennis said, via CBSNews.com.
Dennis has been very particular about who he connects with for business opportunities.
“You want to make sure that everything represents you well and you represent it well,” Dennis said. “It’s not just me. I’m representing the university, I’m representing my family and in a sense the city of Pittsburgh.”
Dennis already made smart business decisions. He connected with local company Athlete’s Recovery Lounge, where athletes get treatment before and after workouts. He is also an ambassador of Next Gen Camps, a company that helps young kids, and Dennis has a clothing deal with Joseph Orlando Clothier, which is located in downtown Pittsburgh.
“Fashion does make a statement and they helped me a lot,” Dennis said. “I actually have a suit with them for the upcoming season and hopefully the draft.”
Dennis also plans on helping those with sickle cell and ALS.
“I have a lot of family members with both diseases and ALS really hits home because my trainer from high school currently has ALS right now,” Dennis said.
With all of that said, Dennis is still looking to build his brand. The next type of business he sees himself becoming a part of is the restaurant industry.
“I love chicken wings, so I’m thinking about a little sauce like a Voc sauce,” Dennis said. “I mean, I’m already named after liquor, so why not?”
