Kevin Davidson

Focus on what you’re great at. Don’t try to be everything to everybody.

 

Kevin Davidson or “K.D.” as he is affectionately known, is the acting CEO of Orlando based DS Sports Ventures, LLC, and the visionary behind the groundbreaking new software, BaseballCloud. KD is a graduate of Rollins College (’02) and spent the better of 7 seasons in the Houston Astros organization as a catcher. When an injury cut his career short in 2007, he embarked on a new career as a financial advisor. KD eventually made his way back to the diamond, but this time as a manager in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, of which he is now the Chairman of the Board.

KD has been recognized and honored by being named to “Orlando’s Top 40 under 40” businesspeople and helped raise over seven million dollars for local charities. KD’s mark on the game of baseball in the state of Florida is undeniable and has quickly expanded to a national footprint as he leads DS Sports Ventures to the forefront of the data revolution in baseball.

BaseballCloud was born from KD’s goal to change the way data is viewed, processed and utilized by providing players, coaches, trainers and scouts a platform to access data in a centralized and resourceful location. Educating the sports market on how data can revolutionize talent and performance is the foundation for creating this groundbreaking software. Over 60 major colleges in the United States have implemented the technology that DS Sports Ventures and Baseball Cloud are responsible for developing, with demand growing daily.

Where did the idea for Baseball Cloud come from?

Two years ago, I had a conversation with Wes Johnson, pitching coach for the Minnesota Twins. Wes gave me insight to recognize a prominent need in the baseball community. I had no idea that coaches had to spend countless hours getting data into a format that they could read and interpret. Despite the rise of data usage, there was no platform that brought it all together for complete, unified analysis. After careful study and research, I formulated the idea for BaseballCloud as a way to transform how data is used in amateur baseball. Having one centralized platform where teams could interpret and understand data was my mission and we are executing how data influences player development every day.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

My typical days are full of organized chaos. I get to the office before everyone else to focus my mind on the things I need to execute, knowing my plan will be completely altered as the day goes on. I’m a make every minute count person, so from the second I’m in work mode, I’m in go mode. I feel like if I didn’t make every minute productive, I would have failed myself, so I mentally prepare for productivity every morning.

How do you bring ideas to life?

My team are the vision implementors of the ideas I have. In fact, they bring me a slew of ideas and then run with the project. We brainstorm together and then everyone works their magic to make it all happen.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The amount of baseball coaches that are searching for information regarding data. There’s now a desire to learn more and a want to be educated. Technology in baseball can be an uphill climb, but now it’s being embraced as a tool to aid in player development. At BaseballCloud, we provide that education and explain how to implement the data being collected to the coaches and organizations.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

I have always over-analyzed and at times it can be a hindrance, but it’s my process. Now I can cross-reference my thoughts with my staff to help make things clear. I feel that talking to my team prior to my going to deep in my thought process really makes me more productive, by saving time and energy. The ideas they supply, the reasons why something won’t work that I may not have considered or by telling me to go with my initial thought and stop thinking so much are all things I need and want to hear.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Focus on what you’re great at. Don’t try to be everything to everybody.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

That I’m not stubborn.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Communicate with your team, but don’t micromanage. Sometimes over-communicate if you feel the message or task at hand carries gravity. My team and I communicate every day and I have an open-door policy for anyone who needs to talk things out.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

I let people play their positions and don’t intervene. My team are rock stars at what they do, I trust their minds and intentions. As we grow, this has been instrumental, because without this trust in their ability we would never be able to accomplish half the things we do in a day.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

We have had several failures. My best advice about overcoming them is fail hard and fail quick, but fail gracefully and adjust.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Create an application to capture data with your cell phone.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I purchased a Diamond Kinetics sensor. I want to see how their device utilizes and translates data to get a better understanding of how the product can be integrated into the BaseballCloud platform.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

BaseballCloud period. What kind of software CEO would I be if I said otherwise?

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

The MVP Machine, by Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawcheck. It’s a real look behind the scenes of data integration and player development within baseball. It weighs the old and new school thinking when it comes to the technology surge within the sport.

What is your favorite quote?

“You can have data without information, but you cannot have information without data”
-Daniel Keys Moran

Key Learnings:

• Communication is the key to transparency and productivity • Surround yourself with a team you can trust • Know when you are not versed in certain facets so you can be great at the things you are • Understand that failure is a huge part of life and one that needs to happen in order to be successful.

Connect:

Kevin’s Twitter: @catchkd7 BaseballCloud Twitter: @BaseballCloudUS BaseballCloud Facebook: @BaseballCloudUS BaseballCloud Website: http://baseballcloud.com/