Jonathan Cotten

President and CEO of Easy Step Enterprises, dba The Good Feet Store in VA, NC, MD,DC,OH. Love Jesus, my wife, our 5 kids, and 13 grandchildren. Go Hoos!

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

Why is the last update 10 hours ago on the official Microsoft 365 Status account?

[Microsoft 365 Status @MSFT365Status]

We're investigating reports of users experiencing issues accessing Exchange Online mailboxes through multiple connection methods in the Americas. More details can be found in the Microsoft 365 admin center under EX1550543.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

We will never forget! Love and prayers for the Perry, Davis and Chandler families. 1-15-41🔶🔷

[ImageSports @ImageSports5]

At 12:55 p.m., the UVA Chapel bells will play “Amazing Grace,” followed by three chimes to honor the student-athletes. After the bells, several members of the University community will walk from the chapel to a memorial honoring the players 1-15-41

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@UVaHoopsRiffs I don’t want to see Arkansas as the opposition in March unless it’s the Final Four. That’s okay, but they will be dangerous.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@TonyDungy Would love to be there with you. Keep on!

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@804to808v2 That’s been his approach at all his stops. Don’t be overly worried about the November/December record.

[UVa Hoops Riffs @UVaHoopsRiffs]

E-

Li-

Jah

Gertrude.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

Calipari’s best defensive set yesterday: getting the pigeons off the court.

[NCAA March Madness @MarchMadnessMBB]

"Billy Richmond just swatted at a bird!"

"Cal is shooing the birds away!"

No, these are not hyperbolic statements. Actual birds just flew on the court at the end of the Virginia/Arkansas game 😭

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

You are the epitome of perseverance @elijah_gertrude! Can’t wait to see what this season holds for you! Go Hoos! 🔶🔷

[Virginia Men's Basketball @UVAMensHoops]

Knighted ⚔️

#GoHoos

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@TheHooDog He never let up all night. Blocking shots, getting rebounds, getting steals, diving for balls and making shots. What more could we ask for?

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

Parney is a fixture in the Richmond community and his joy with @GoSquirrels has been inspiring. He stepped down as CEO about a year ago, and says if he didn’t, he believes “I would have died.” Can’t wait to read this book!

[Parney @tweetparney]

Thank you to @KwePub especially Kim & Emily for joining us on @ParneyTime to preview our new book coming out in a few weeks. Always something I wanted to do, never had time. Enjoyed the process and hope people from all walks of life & professions enjoy "A Lifetime of Yes: It's Parney Time". And Joe T's blood pressure isn't that bad unless he's golfing.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@KnuppelRodney I will take UVA vs Duke at JPJ or Cameron. JPJ is the premier facility and Cameron is iconic. Either one will work to beat Duke.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@hokieburner49 @mccavman_3 Same with SMU. The stadium literally sits in Highland Park and the homes of ultra-wealthy.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

The frustration with UVA football is real, but the core problem is larger than any player, coach or single individual. In my view, it is a business problem.

Charlottesville (where one of our Good Feet stores resides) is one of the smallest TV markets in the country. Athletics today run on multi-year brand deals, NIL collectives, and revenue flywheels from large alumni bases and proximity to major corporate HQs. UVA lacks the geographical advantages and lacks the scale and reach of Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, or Florida. That is a structural constraint.

UVA’s football fan base is more fragile (not a fault of fans) due to a lack of a winning tradition compared to the power programs—Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan, USC. Those are the Amazon, Walmarts and Coca-Colas of college football. They can operate on tradition and confidence that their customers will be back even when they miss. UVA cannot afford many misses and has to be scrappy: more creative, more personal, and more deliberate about every fan, donor, and sponsor. Otherwise the support of the fan base erodes quickly. The football program would make a strong Darden case study on building without the giants’ natural advantages.

In 2021 we were early NIL partners with UVA. We started with Kihei Clark on TV spots, then expanded to other athletes in UVA-logo jerseys, attaching millions in Good Feet advertising to the UVA brand. We followed the university’s approach: not pay-to-play, but real marketing leverage, inviting players to conferences, networking, and speaking opportunities. We did the same for others in football, men’s and women’s basketball, and non-rev sports. We are not a major Fortune 500 brand but we have made meaningful investments and will match our heart with anyone.

Two years ago major money flowed into UVA football. Problem solved, or so it seemed! Emphasis seemed to shift to seven and eight-figure checks. Those are wonderful gifts but that is not a sustainable model. Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Walmart, built flywheels one customer at a time.

Is it possible that those generous donations muddied good strategic thinking? It seems there is need of a strategy that attaches value at every level: the single fan with family at a few games, season-ticket holders and lower-level donors, small businesses attaching to the brand, larger sponsors, mid-tier five- and six-figure donors, and the premium seven-to-eight figure donors. When you are customer focused, you are accountable to those customers. Is it possible, that greater accountability to customers up and down the ladder, could foster better football strategy?

Tradition and humility can go together; tradition and entitlement cannot. Academic excellence and history are strengths, not automatic equalizers to the football powers. Be accountable to the people paying the bills, make hard, strategic decisions, be creative, listen. Embrace being David because you will never be Goliath. Winning will come.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@Wahoodoc97 Well I disagree. If you are investing in the athletic program it is a business problem. It has everything to do with business because it is a huge business.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@kijstrack Exactly! Study them. That is the humility part.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@kijstrack Historic success. Also, recruiting 8 strong players is easier than 25-35 strong players. Football is the revenue producer but also takes a lot more money and is way more complex.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

Read the complete post. You are responding as though I am making excuses for UVA. Quite the opposite. I am saying because of the challenges they have to respond like Wake, Kentucky and Indiana to be successful. UCLA is different as it has the massive advantage of sitting in the second largest metro area in the country.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@kijstrack Geography is just one component. School size, winning consistency and long term commitment to the program are all factors. From a sponsor perspective, the attendance and energy in Lane Stadium is at another level. That is the business problem I am referencing.

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@wahoojack06 @GoHoosPodcast One of the greatest mental health strategies ever!

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

@knew_then @WAHOORA @gerry1027 @appstate A great example. They know they are David and not Goliath. In the process they have taken out a few Goliaths.