About the Book
Focusing on passion leads to purpose, success, and a life of no regrets.
Frank Fiume II, the founder of i9 Sports, the largest youth sports franchise company in the U.S., tells an inspirational and unique rags-to-riches story of how to live a life full of success and no regrets through relentless perseverance and commitment to personal development.
Running with My Head Down is about discovering your purpose and following your dreams, no matter how elusive they may seem. Fiume recounts how he created i9 Sports from the ground up, after traversing a childhood of financial and personal hardships in Queens and Long Island, New York. The book addresses his difficult formative experiences and his rise through an ill-fitting but instructive career path to his first big business risk--franchising his i9 Sports concept--and then the establishment and growth of the company and its ultimate purchase by private equity, which equated to massive financial success for Fiume and his employees.
The author includes principles related to business operations, leadership, personal responsibility and development, entrepreneurship, and self-care. The advice appears as an integral part of Fiume's entertaining narrative and also as bullet points at the end of each chapter. This is a thoughtful, unusual, and engaging book about personal and professional growth and development, with lessons relevant to any entrepreneur or ambitious professional. Anyone who has started down a path of professional self-discovery who needs a little coaching and encouragement will find Running with My Head Down a true and unique inspiration.
About the Author :
Frank V. Fiume II is a pioneer in the youth sports industry and the founder of i9 Sports--the nation's first and leading franchisor of youth leagues and camps. Since 2003, i9 has generated over 300 million dollars--with more than two million participants in 900 communities across 30 states nationwide.
A baseball fanatic and native of Queens, New York, Frank graduated from St. John's University and began a career as a medical equipment sales rep, though he was determined to pursue his life's true purpose. So in l995, he created his own adult men's softball league, ABA Sports. The start-up company quickly grew to over 900 teams in just six years, making it the largest adult sports organization on Long Island.
In 2003, Frank sold ABA in order to create i9 Sports, a business that catapulted him to national recognition and that Entrepreneur magazine ranked as the #1 children's fitness franchise. Frank has been featured on Fox Business News, HBO Real Sports, and indozens of publications and national news media outlets, including USA Today, Sports Illustrated, and The Wall Street Journal.
Frank sold i9 Sports in 2017 to a private equity firm, but remains a minority shareholder and member of the board of directors.
He resides in the Tampa Bay area with his wife Nadine, their children Taylor-Marie and Frankie, and their Chocolate Lab Dillon.
Contact Frank on Twitter @frankfiume
Review :
"Frank is a smart entrepreneur! I love when entrepreneurs become aware of their limitations and figure out how to leapfrog over them. Read Running with My Head Down and I'm certain you'll learn a ton from Frank's story of passion and perseverance!"
--Brian Scudamore Founder & CEO 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and O2E Brands
"Frank is an "everyman" entrepreneurial success story. While he is very smart, he didn't make it because he is the smartest guy in the room. Frank isn't fearless. He just doesn't let fear get in the way of taking action. Frank isn't flawless. He slams into guardrails, but he doesn't go over them. Frank wins because he is passionate about his product, cares about people, and he hustles. One day my dad criticized me as a kid because my baseball uniform was too clean. He said, "If you aren't dirty, you didn't try hard enough." Frank wins because Frank goes home dirty. Read this book, because you can learn from his success formula."
--Joe Mathews, CEO, Franchise Performance Group
"Frank's inspiring story demonstrates what's possible when you live by the motto 'A life of no regrets.' I'm so proud of what he's achieved and, more importantly, how he's contributed to helping the lives of others. This book is a must-read!"
--Ajay K. Gupta, Chief Investment Strategist, Creative Planning
"Frank's new book transports you from Yankee Stadium into the 'stadium' of life! You won't soon forget this story about the quest for purpose and what it takes to make it a reality."
--Glenn Plaskin, New York Times best-selling author
"I am so impressed with Frank Fiume's incredible and inspiring story. He found and followed several 'secrets for success' to overcome obstacles and find fulfillment. I highly recommend it for anyone who dreams big!"
--Dr. Alan Shelton, Author, Transforming Burnout and Life Beyond Burnout
"In his first book, Frank hits a home run, offering invaluable business lessons for entrepreneurs who want to create financial independence and a happy life."
--Kevin Harrington, original shark investor from the hit TV show Shark Tank, inventor of the infomercial, and best-selling author.
"Love this book immensely as true success is defined by one's purpose in life and the perseverance to get there. Frank is as transparent as it gets where any leader can relate too."
--Christopher Salem, CEO of CRS Group Holdings and EFA Movement
"To start and succeed in business is no easy task. However, to not only franchise your idea, but to also be the first in your industry to do so is nothing short of spectacular. Frank's book is a must-read for any entrepreneur aspiring to franchise their business!"
--Mark Siebert, CEO, The iFranchise Group
