We all know ESPN's biggest personalities like Stephen A. Smith and Adrian Wojnarowski, who are present on televisions and phones of sports fans on a daily basis. Who you probably don't know is Brendan Kaminsky, the man guiding these personalities as they thrive on social media.

Kaminsky currently runs a social media and branding agency called bknown, which launched February 1st. Prior to that, he worked full-time on ESPN's social media team for over 6 years.

He worked on the brand-side properties like NBA on ESPN, SportsCenter, and NFL on ESPN, and he led an in-house initiative to work with ESPN personalities on their social media strategy. Some personalities he works with are Stephen A. Smith, Adrian Wojnarowski, Adam Schefter, and Ronnie2k.

Kaminsky answered questions from ClutchPoints about his experience at ESPN, launching his agency, his favorite sports memories, social media advice for talent, and much more.

What factors led to you ultimately deciding to leave such a prestigious company like ESPN to launch your own independent agency? What inspired you to take that leap?

I have always been entrepreneurial in nature, and I got to a realization that this was the next challenge I needed in my career. ESPN has been an incredible experience and the ultimate platform, and I just personally wanted to extend my work beyond ESPN walls. I was staying up for hours and hours laying in bed at night, feeling a tick every day inside telling me I should do this, and that inspired me to make the leap. I felt that with everything burning inside of me, it was time. And I was confident in my experience, relationships, and support around me to put the pieces together and make my own agency a reality.

When did your passion for sports begin, and how big has that been as a driving force in your career?

My passion began young. I grew up a big sports fan, watching games and attending events in-person with my dad and siblings. We had Philadelphia Eagles and 76ers season tickets, and never missed Sunday Football. My passion for sports has been a driving force in my career because I've always wanted to follow my passion when it comes to business. I've wanted to work doing things that I enjoy doing, and I've wanted to build a career for myself that would make me happy. Sports and entertainment have always driven me. I've had experiences in other sectors such as the financial industry, and I saw quickly it was not a long-term play for me.

How did you go from a fan to managing social media for some of the biggest personalities in sports? Any milestone moments that propelled you above others in such a competitive industry?

Lots of long hours and nonconventional work days and nights. You have to be prepared to work during times where lots of other people aren't: holidays, evenings, weekends, etc. If you show others you are willing to do the dirty work and are willing to put in solid time during odd hours, you will gain confidence of managers and peers within the industry. I feel very fortunate to be working with some of the most successful personalities and talent within sports. I've done my best to perfect my craft over the years and have the confidence to be a strong resource to those around me. After working professionally on social media for over 8 years, I have the full confidence to educate and produce for others, and I've always felt comfortable working with talent.

What are some of your favorite memories working at ESPN? Any funny behind-the-scenes stories about the on-air personalities we all know?

The best part about working at ESPN is learning from the tremendously smart people around you. I've been able to learn from some of the smartest people in the industry and develop skill sets I never would have anticipated having. Hands-down the best part about working at the worldwide leader in sports is being around other like-minded, driven folks who can push you to be better. Some of my favorite memories definitely also involve working with ESPN personalities around high-pressure situations. For instance, I was working the NBA Draft Lottery in 2019, the year Zion Williamson was in the draft. After the Knicks did not get a lottery pick, Stephen A. Smith sent me a video of himself in pitch black screaming that the Knicks got screwed once again, missing out on their big change to get the unicorn that is Zion Williamson. I was able to get a first look at the video, and after he posted it, it was the most engaged video across all of Twitter for NBA Draft lottery content. It's powerful to be able to be so close to some of these incredibly viral moments created by such influential personalities within the industry.

Are there any special moments from big events you've covered that stand out above the rest? Is there any event that sticks out above the rest as your favorite?

Two moments I witnessed live really stand out: Kyrie Irving hitting the game-winner in Game 7 of the NBA Finals and Deshaun Watson beating Alabama in the College Football National Championship. Seeing the raw emotions up close and personal was really inspiring and I never would have imagined being that close to the action. I'll never forget the video I took, being 10 feet away from Dabo Swinney hugging and crying with Deshaun Watson on the field moments after the clock went to zero. Honestly though, the most special moments from these big events are sharing them with colleagues and others in the industry. Meeting other professionals and building your network is the biggest advantage of attending these events with the access you have. I've generated countless relationships from being on the road and running into people.

What are the biggest opportunities for talent to grow and thrive on social media? Additionally, are there any common pitfalls that they need to avoid?

Consistency is a big one with social media generally. If you pop up once in a while, the algorithms won't favor you. For talent specifically, appear like a human being. Social media is your way to connect more intimately with your fans and not appear like a “larger than life” figure. Creators drive far more engagement than brands, so it's a tremendous platform and opportunity. Don't waste it by passing over the keys to somebody else who doesn't know your voice, speak your language, or will be robotic. Just because you hire a social media producer or agency to manage things for you does not mean you can just sit back and watch. You need to be making videos, producing audio, captioning, and being active. Otherwise, people will see right through that a social media producer is behind it, and brands won't find that attractive.

What differentiated advantages do you believe your experience gives you in starting your agency?

Experience, a deep passion for the social media space, a proven track record, and honest reputation. I've been working on social media since 2012. I've watched the platforms develop, the strategies change, and have tested thousands and thousands of pieces of content. I feel strongly that my experience working directly with talent and also working 6+ years at ESPN positions myself and my agency well in dealing with any project that comes our way. I'm very excited to enter the marketplace and take all of the knowledge and experience I've had and help others. I enjoy being a resourceful person, and I make sure employees we hire share the same vision.