Aug. 14, 2023

This paid event listing is sponsored by the REALTOR® Association of the Sioux Empire.

An NFL football player who’s now an author and analyst will be the keynote speaker at an upcoming four-day convention expected to draw hundreds of real estate professionals from across the region.

The Rewriting the REALTOR® Playbook/Convention of the Dakotas is an annual convention shared by North Dakota and South Dakota, hosted this year by the REALTOR® Association of the Sioux Empire and South Dakota REALTORS®. The convention will be Sept. 12-15 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

The four days will have some of the best education for attendees from speakers all across the U.S., including former NFL player Sam Acho, who will deliver the keynote. Acho is a nine-year NFL veteran, a vice president of the NFL Players Association and ESPN sports analyst.

“Registration has been steady, and as we get closer, it has been ramping up,” said Tara Allen, board president of the REALTOR® Association of the Sioux Empire.

“We added one-day passes to our registration, so people who are not there the whole week can join us for a day and listen to the incredible speakers coming in and go to a concert at night!”

To learn more and register, click here.

We sat down with keynote speaker Sam Acho for a preview of what to expect.

What was the transition like when you went from player to analyst, author and a speaker?

The transition was not an easy one. I spent 20 years playing football, nine professionally. Football had become a natural part of my daily, weekly and monthly rhythms. So getting out of those rhythms proved difficult. Even now, when training camp begins or if I watch a practice, I still find myself missing certain aspects of the game. I miss the camaraderie; I miss the music. I miss the conversations with teammates about life. But, like anything, football has its seasons. So I’m in a new season now. I’m in a season of writing, speaking and analyzing the game. My two books, “Let the World See You: How To Be Real in a World Full of Fakes” and “Change Starts With You: Following Your Fire To Heal a Broken World,” were both written as my football career was coming to an end. And the fruit from those books is starting to show.

I was recently on a flight, and one of the flight attendants recognized me. “You wrote that motivational book,” she began. Football was no longer the thing that defined me. I was learning to transition well.

In regards to speaking, I’ve always been a speaker. I love encouraging people. So even when I was playing, I was speaking. I would speak during the offseason or in my off time and would learn how to develop that skill. Transition is natural, but it’s not easy. Some parts of my transition from player to analyst, author and speaker have been difficult, but I’m learning that, like grief, transition comes in waves. Accept the negative, and walk in the positive. We’re all on a journey home.

How did your experiences in the NFL shape you as a person and your perspective on issues?

My time in the NFL taught me how to love people from different backgrounds. The NFL is a melting pot. Players from different races, socioeconomic backgrounds and life experiences all get to come together to reach a common goal. I haven’t found any other place on earth quite like an NFL locker room. The conversations, interactions and camaraderie are to be admired. I experienced my fair share of turmoil and tumult during my time in the NFL, but I believe that without pain, growth is difficult. So I couldn’t be more grateful for my time in the NFL.

My time in the NFL also changed my perspective on certain issues. Whether it be politics, race or belief systems, my time in locker rooms helped shape me. And I believe I was able to be a positive influence on others as well. I learned how to care for people well.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?

Biggest challenge was facing success and realizing that success doesn’t satisfy. I chased approval, stats and contracts, and once I received some of those accolades, they still didn’t satisfy. Practice wasn’t challenging, nor were the games, but learning how to deal with success was a challenge. I’m a follower of Jesus, and my time in the NFL taught me how to seek God’s approval over everyone else’s. In an age where likes and follows often guide decisions, I’m learning that I’m loved and don’t need follows on social media. I’d rather be following Jesus and staying close to Him. Once I learned to do that, the challenges became much easier to bear. I’m learning that other things matter more than success.

What are some key lessons you learned from the NFL that you can apply to your life off the field?

“Little things done well make big things happen.” I learned this lesson from a coach I had during my time in the NFL. This coach is one of the most decorated coaches in NFL history, but his simple messages constantly resonated. He didn’t talk about the big things; he talked about doing the little things well. Showing up on time to meetings, eating right, having the right technique. The plays would be there to make, but much of the lessons revolved around doing the little things well.

Another lesson I learned was actually on my college football team from my college head coach. The message was similar in simplicity but different in context. His message was this: “Consistently good to be great.” The lesson there was that the great teams didn’t become great at one, singular moment, they were good day in and day out, and that’s what constitutes greatness. Though the message did not resonate initially, as I pondered over the message more, the truth of his statement proved itself to be true. Greatness isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. So if you want to be great, be good. Day in and day out. Be good. And soon enough, greatness will be your story. 

Community and creating a change mean a lot to you. In college you were given the Wuerffel Trophy for outstanding community service. What makes helping communities so special to you?

There’s a benefit to serving others. I learned that truth at a young age. My parents were born and raised in Nigeria. They came to America and, in so many ways, lived out the American dream. They started from humble beginnings but eventually gained success over time. But they never forgot about their roots. Every summer, they would go back to Nigeria and do medical mission work. They would bring doctors, nurses, surgeons, dentists, ophthalmologists, pharmacists and pediatricians with them and provide free medical care for people in need. They went every single year since I was little.

I was afforded the opportunity to travel with them when I was 15. My entire life changed. I was able to see hope firsthand. It was amazing. There is no better feeling than serving, giving and loving people well. That’s the secret about service. You gain so much more than you give. There’s nothing better. I learned from my parents’ example and continued serving in that community and local communities as well. Whether it was my time in Arizona with the Cardinals or in Chicago on the West and South Side, I gained so much. We were able to build a hospital in Nigeria and a food mart in Chicago. There’s nothing better. To learn more about what we do in Nigeria, visit livinghopeministries.us, or to find out more about me, visit samacho.com

To learn more and register for The Rewriting the REALTOR® Playbook/Convention of the Dakotas, click here. 

4-day real estate convention returns to Sioux Falls after 15 years