Bernard Parker may have suffered a drastic injury towards the back-end of last year, but his business exploits seem to have ensured his safety off of the pitch.
The 37-year-old, despite the injury he picked up during TS Galaxy's encounter with Mamelodi Sundowns in October last year, still seems as youthful and energetic as ever, often showing his high level of physical ability by taking to social media to share his journey to recovery with his followers.
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There are a few aspects of his off-field ventures that could prove to be inspirational for aspiring entrepreneurs, from using his stature as being one of the most renowned football players of his generation in order to land a role as a brand ambassador for a betting company to helping promote his wife's business.
Parker thus far has had a career, although still ongoing, he can look back at with fondness given that it afforded him the opportunity to play football outside of the continent. Prior to joining Kaizer Chiefs in 2011, the midfielder played in Netherlands, representing Twente FC. He also spent some time on loan to Greek club Panserraikos just before sealing a move to the Soweto giants. In 2009, he played for Serbian club Red Star Belgrade.
One can only imagine what lessons he had learnt during his time away from not only the country, but the continent as a whole. Whether it helped his business ventures is uncertain. What is certain, however, is that the player has made some remarkably clever moves during his time as a professional in the beautiful game, using it as a tool to beautify his personal life over the long term.
The former Chiefs star has turned himself into a brand that may appeal to many companies. One company, in particular, saw the benefits he could bring to the table. Gambling company BoyleSports announced Parker as their official brand ambassador last year. It was one that the player was excited to be a part of.
"So proud and excited to announce that I have joined BoyleSports as a brand ambassador! Looking forward to doing some incredible work with these legends," he wrote in a social media post announcing the partnership which was met with many congratulations from followers and players including Siphiwe Tshabalala.
A business venture that emanated from his household is Parkers Natural Wellness, a health and wellness centre owned by his wife Wendy. Although it is not owned by him, he never seems to be shy to make an appearance on the company's social media platforms. What this does is attract some of his very own followers to give the centre even more exposure by leveraging his followers that now adds up to just over 99 000 accounts. This also embodies the spirit of couples working together to uplift one another as they venture through the business world separately by beginning their own endeavours. While they may not be actively working together, they're still there for one another which in itself is an example for younger couples in the country.
On top of all of that, Parker can also officially call himself an author after releasing a book titled 'From a Shack to Destiny' which tells the story of his life and shines a light on what he has been able to achieve despite coming from humble beginnings. Not only does he earn money from sales that the book gets him, but he also found a unique way to speak to those who may be in the position that he once found himself in, filling them with the hope of being able to perhaps one day escape their conditions by achieving what they may deem to be impossible.
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