How should athletes approach sponsorships if they're at a grassroots level without agents or big budgets?

For grassroots athletes without agents, the key is to adopt a 'crawl, walk, run' mentality. Understand that money won't fly at you immediately - you need to cut your teeth and put in the time and dues. Be persistent and keep reaching out, even being a 'pest' if necessary, but do it the right way. Don't give up when you hear 'not right now.' Focus on building relationships first and finding ways to provide value to the brand before expecting financial support.