Member Spotlight: Drew Hawkins, Founder & President of Edyoucore

At My Annapolis Office, we’re proud to be home to businesses that are making a meaningful impact well beyond our local community. This month, we’re spotlighting Drew Hawkins, Founder & President of Edyoucore, an organization dedicated to educating, equipping, and empowering athletes, entertainers, and their families to make informed financial, business, and lifestyle decisions.

As a 30-year veteran in the financial services industry—including founding and leading Morgan Stanley’s Global Sports & Entertainment Division—Drew saw firsthand the financial challenges many professional athletes, artists, and entertainers face. In 2018, he founded Edyoucore with a mission to help people in these careers build a strong foundation through education before costly mistakes happen.

Today, Edyoucore partners with NFL and NBA players and teams, colleges, and student-athletes across the country, providing engaging educational programs that simplify complex financial topics and help participants confidently navigate the business side of their careers.

We recently sat down with Drew to learn more about his work, what motivates him, and the advice he’d share with others.

What do you do, and who do you help?

At Edyoucore, our mission is to educate, equip, and empower athletes, entertainers, and their families to make informed financial, business, and lifestyle decisions.

While we aren’t financial advisors or money managers, we help professional and collegiate athletes understand the business side of their careers. Many of these individuals are effectively the CEOs of multi-million-dollar businesses, yet they often have little experience managing the business affairs and businesspeople surrounding them.

We work with NFL players, NBA players, professional sports organizations, colleges, student-athletes, and their families through interactive, engaging educational programs that make intimidating financial concepts easier to understand. By helping them recognize how the industry works, they’re better equipped to make informed decisions and protect themselves from being taken advantage of.

What inspired you to start your business?

After spending 28 years with Morgan Stanley—and the final six years launching and leading the firm’s Global Sports & Entertainment Division—I found the work incredibly rewarding. However, I continued to see headlines about athletes and entertainers facing financial hardship because they lacked the education needed to navigate their careers.

I wanted to create a business that was different and unique—an organization centered on education. The goal was to give people the knowledge they need to understand how the game was played, so they have a much better opportunity to build long-term success.

What is your favorite part of what you do?

The most rewarding part is seeing lives change.

Often, we have to go in and we uncover really negative things that people have done to folks pertaining to their money, whether it’s a financial advisor, an attorney, an agent, or a CPA, and being able to provide them with clarity so they can get on the right path.

Other times, it’s meeting people for the first time before problems ever occur and giving them the education they need to make smart decisions from the very beginning. Being able to reconnect with them a year or two later and see them thriving because they built a solid foundation is incredibly fulfilling.

What is one piece of advice you’d give to other entrepreneurs or professionals?

Find something you’re genuinely passionate about that goes beyond the money.

Of course, everyone wants to make more money, but the greatest reward comes from doing work that makes a difference. When you can pour your heart, time, and spirit into something that changes people’s lives while also doing something that makes good business sense, you’ve found something fulfilling.

What is your favorite place in Annapolis?

My favorite place in Annapolis has to be the area of Eastport. There are lots of new restaurants and good places to eat.

My second favorite would be over on Ego Alley in the middle of everything where Choptank and other new restaurants have opened up. There is lots of boat traffic and they are great places to hang out and dine.

What is your must-have for a productive workday?

I begin every morning with a workout starting at 5:30 a.m., get some good steam, have a great cup of coffee, and get a clear agenda of what I want to accomplish. Starting the day with focus allows me to knock out important tasks while still leaving room for the unexpected good surprises that often arise.

How can people learn more about Edyoucore?

To learn more about Edyoucore and its mission, visit www.edyoucore.com.

You can also reach Drew directly by:

• Email: Drew@edyoucore.com
• Phone: (203) 216-5333

Or stop by and say hello—Edyoucore is located in Suite 210 at My Annapolis Office.

We’re proud to have Drew and the Edyoucore team as part of the My Annapolis Office community. Their commitment to helping athletes, entertainers, and their families build lasting financial confidence is creating a meaningful impact, and we’re excited to see their continued success.