Founder Spotlight: Kerry Perry

In the wake of seismic shifts in the college athletics’ landscape, few entrepreneurs have moved as swiftly—or with as much purpose—as Kerry Perry. As the founder and CEO of EmpwrU, Kerry is on a mission to help college and high school athletes navigate the new NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) era by providing education, resources and opportunities accessible to all athletes including the 98% of student‑athletes outside the national spotlight.

What is NIL?

Name, Image, and Likeness refers to an athlete’s right to monetize their personal brand through social media posts, endorsements, appearances, and events by partnering with brands. Until the NCAA’s 2021 interim NIL policy, college athletes were barred from earning any compensation beyond scholarships from their own name, image and likeness.

Why it matters:

While court battles like O’Bannon v. NCAA and the landmark Alston decision exposed the inequity of unpaid athlete labor, today’s “Wild West” of NIL deals has created huge opportunity—and complexity—for programs and athletes alike.

Kerry’s journey began with a 14‑year career at Pitney Bowes, where she honed her talents and skills in leadership, and strategic growth. Though her path to executive leadership was meticulously planned, her long‑held passion for college sports and desire to provide a unique model for D1 mid‑major athletic departments pulled her toward entrepreneurship.

KP Sports: In 2006, Kerry launched KP Sports to market and sell sponsorship and multimedia rights on behalf of mid‑major Division I programs. Over nine years, she grew the business into a regional powerhouse, culminating in acquisition by industry leader Learfield.

USA Gymnastics: Recruited to transform an Olympic organization faced with extraordinary crises, Kerry took bold actions to change the trajectory from financial and legal collapse to a viable governing body moving forward – resulting in unprecedented growth in membership and a safer environment that empowered all athletes. 

EmpwrU: Seeing top 1-2% of deals dominate headlines, Kerry recognized a critical gap: that most athletes lacked the education, skills and resources to properly navigate NIL. In 2021, she founded EmpwrU with three core pillars:

• Education: Eight on‑demand Life Skills and NIL educational courses including financial literacy, brand strategy, entrepreneurship, career planning – ensures athletes are prepared both on and off the field.
• Wellness & Resources : Integrated mental‑wellness resources and opportunities for internships, part time jobs and future careers with brands.  
• NIL Marketing Campaigns: Aggregate marketing opportunities like social‑media campaigns, autograph signings, event appearances, and present them to eligible athletes on the integrated platform.

EmpwrU’s proprietary app sits at the center of its ecosystem:

• Unified Dashboard: Athletes log in to enhance their life skills and NIL knowledge through the course library, view marketing or NIL campaign opportunities with brands, and explore additional wellness support and resources.
  
• Integrated Learning: Video and ai-integrated based gamified platform that delivers educational courses with examples, quizzes, certificates, and progress tracking.
  
• Instant Support: One‑tap access to mental‑wellness professionals and other resources.

Kerry expects EmpwrU’s data‑driven platform to help brands discover and partner with emerging talent, going beyond headline stars to athletes whose performance metrics and audiences align most closely with their campaigns. By precisely matching standardized metrics to brand needs and ROI expectations, NIL deals will become more efficient and impactful for all parties.

As the NIL ecosystem matures, Kerry envisions strategic consolidation: uniting marketing services, education, wellness support, and other resources under one roof so every student‑athlete can thrive on and off the field.

From corporate boardrooms to locker rooms, Kerry Perry’s career has been defined by a single conviction: true empowerment is holistic. By marrying technology, education, and resources through equitable access, EmpwrU is not just facilitating opportunities—it’s equipping every student‑athlete for lifelong success. Keep an eye on this founder spotlight series as we continue to introduce the visionaries accelerating sports tech’s next frontier.

Hear the whole story on the STHQ Podcast.