Rising ICON #64: Norman Westberry III
What name do you prefer to be called?
Norman Westberry III
What are your pronouns?
He/Him
Where did you grow up?
Saint Paul, MN Born & Raised
What city are you currently based in?
I am currently living Downtown Minneapolis
How do you typically introduce yourself to new people?
When introducing myself to people I introduce myself as such “Hello my name is Norman Westberry III don't forget the third”
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
One thing I wish people knew about me is that I am an introverted extrovert. So if you see me somewhere and recognize me please stop me and say hello because my introverted personality sometimes stops me from talking to people.
Who do you help?
We currently support boys aged 15-16 in basketball, with aspirations to broaden our reach to various age groups and sports. We aim to enhance both their athletic skills and life knowledge.
What are you building now?
I am focused on elevating my company YouthLens360, and building LOTG (Love Of The Game) into a renowned program. Both organizations allow me to connect with and mentor the youth, guiding their next steps in sports, life, and business.
What were you building ten years ago today?
Ten years ago, I was building myself—unaware of the influence I would come to wield. Looking ahead, I envision expanding our sports programs to include a range of sports, providing camps and tournaments that align with our mission to prepare athletes for life beyond sports.
What do you predict of yourself 10 years from now?
Goal is to raise enough revenue to implement most teams across a variety of sports (ie; baseball, soccer, football, soccer, etc) Our goal is to teach the importance of being a productive member of society that will prepare athletes for life after sports. We wish to conduct several camps and tournaments that will help gain recognition of our mission.
What’s a fact or statistic you wish everyone knew about your industry?
A mere 3.6% of high school boys basketball players advance to NCAA schools, with just 1.0% at the Division I level—a fact underscoring the importance of providing accessible sports experiences.
Why do you believe the work you do matters?
By offering a travel basketball experience that's accessible to all, we focus on developing well-rounded individuals who are prepared for life after sports. Having been in their shoes, I understand the life challenges these young athletes face, which makes our mentorship vital.
Who is your mentor and what is the best advice they’ve given you?
My mentor, Dario Otero, has taught me the importance of not hesitating to ask for help—an invaluable lesson for personal and professional growth.
What piece of content about you or your company are you most proud of?
I'm particularly proud of our partnership with YouthLens 360, which creates highlight reels that encapsulate our mission and vision effectively
What publication do you hope to appear in next?
We aim to have our athletes be featured in articles that not only showcase their athletic skills but also highlight their educational achievements.
If you had to give a TEDTalk tomorrow, what would the title be?
If I were to give a TEDTalk, it would be titled "Beyond the Game: Life Lessons from Sports to Entrepreneurship," focusing on the invaluable life skills sports can teach.
What award would mean the most to win?
An award in mentorship would be deeply meaningful to me, reflecting my commitment to being a positive role model for the youth. Growing up without my father or many male figures to look up to, I want to be someone that youth feel they can come to and receive open and honest feedback to help them grow into the person they dream to be.
What makes zero sense to you?
What makes zero and i mean completely zero sense to me is how some people dont look at Kobe Bryant as the GOAT
What’s a word in your industry you hope gets re-evaluated?
The term "exposure" in sports needs rethinking. It should encompass skill development and personal growth, not just visibility to recruiters.
What game are you changing?
In traveling basketball, our goal is to not just forge excellent athletes but to cultivate individuals who excel in teamwork and societal contributions.
What’s the next thing you’re a part of that you want to invite more people to participate in?
Multiple basketball tournaments held in the Minnesota area. Schedule can be found on www.lotgmn.com or reach out to lotgmn@yahoo.com for more information and times of events.
Where can we follow you online?
Instagram – lotg.mn
Twitter (X) – lotgmn
Facebook – Love-of The-Game
What’s one thing that makes every leader better?
A leader is only as good as the team they surround themselves with, build a great team and this will help a leader's vision come to life!
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We’re grateful to each Rising ICON for their transformative work. Thank you, Norman, for sharing your story!
LAUREL is a media relations partner for bold leadership. For nearly a decade, we’ve helped leaders build effective strategies for scale and growth specializing in digital executive presence and go-to-market strategy for emerging brands. To follow along with the RISING ICONS series, nominate a leader or subscribe to our weekly email newsletter. To accelerate your own rise, get our free guide to visibility, FIT(lite).
“A leader is only as good as the team they surround themselves with, build a great team and this will help a leader’s vision come to life!”
Notice: It’s important for our readers to understand the origin of the interview content. The featured ICON contributed responses that were not edited from the original submission. All claims are made solely by the contributor and do not reflect the views of LAUREL or its partners. Thank you for supporting innovation leaders. We’re convinced, the future is bold.
