Front Office Exchange

Welcome to Episode 29 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring J.D. Kershaw, Vice President of Marketing for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Today's podcast combines a little of everything from our last few episodes: J.D. was a former hockey player who learned quickly that he wanted to move to the business side of the sport. One of my favorite parts of the conversation was about this transition; since he was still in shape and a strong player, he would work out with the San Jose Sharks - the club that offered him his first off-ice role - and he said that he was immediately pegged as a "hockey guy." J.D. was more interested in the business side than "hockey ops," however, so he had to make a conscious effort not to pigeon-hole himself early in his career. After a later stint with NHL Europe overseas, J.D. - via an assist from his wife! - relocated to the U.S. to help launch the Columbus Blue Jackets. He hasn't looked back since. It was great to hear about Columbus the city, and how it surprises and impresses the national media and visitors every chance it gets (All-Star Game, NHL Draft, etc.). J.D. was a blast, and his insight into marketing a team without a consistent tradition of winning (yet!) and in a smaller, non-traditional hockey market was fascinating. Big thanks both to J.D. and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 28 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring Josh Brickman, Vice President of Strategy for the Boston Bruins and TD Garden. I met Josh through Russ Scibetti, and if you listened to the latter on Episode 21, then you know what to expect here: Josh is super bright, and the Bruins and TD Garden are clearly in good hands with him as it relates to their business intelligence and strategic marketing efforts. Josh is not even five months into his role there, so we discussed his relocation to Boston and what makes that city not only special but also different from his previous stops. He talks about his early career with Turnkey Sports & Entertainment, which equipped him with broad-based sports business strategy and research experience that he leveraged later in his career with Monumental Sports & Entertainment in Washington, D.C., and now in Boston as well. Big thanks both to Josh and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 27 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring Jarrod Dillon, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jarrod was a referral from previous guest Doug Warf, and he's nearing his two-year anniversary with the Lightning. I tell him a story of a recent trip of mine to Tampa, where in meeting with several sports business executives in the area, they all raved at the Lightning organization, both on the ice and off. Jarrod acknowledges that on-ice success definitely doesn't hurt, but he also discusses how the Lightning's strong front office leadership has bred a team-wide winning culture. Jarrod was previously a west-coaster, so he chats about his family's move east, and with stops at the Raiders, Padres, San Francisco Giants and in minor league baseball, he offers a unique all-sports, all-leagues perspective on careers, advice and much more. Big thanks both to Jarrod and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 26 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring Malaika Underwood, Vice President of Licensing for The Brandr Group, and six-time USA Baseball alum. Much like our previous podcast with Casey Crawford, this episode features a star athlete, but what makes Malaika unique is that she's still an active player. She walks through her career on the field and off, and discusses the unique work she's doing for Brandr. On the personal side, Malaika and her husband are set to relocate from Atlanta to the Jacksonville, Florida-area soon, as her responsibilities at Brandr have grown. As a former USA Baseball employee, I did my best to not talk too much red, white and blue, but Malaika said her experience with Team USA has helped make her successful in what has become a progressive career in sports business. She's a Tar Heel as well, so there may or may not be several shameless Carolina plugs here as well. Hopefully I haven't lost most of my listeners at this point! Big thanks both to Malaika and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 25 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring Casey Crawford, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Movement Mortgage. Yes, you heard that right. I'm interviewing the head of a mortgage company for this episode. Casey's background is unique, however, as he is a former NFL tight end, having spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and winning a Super Bowl ring in 2003 with the latter. Upon retiring, Casey entered the mortgage and real estate business, and over the last 10-plus years, he's grown Movement into one of the fastest-growing private mortgage companies in the country with a perennial listing in the Inc. 5000. On top of that, today - Feb. 1 - marks my first day with the company; I'm joining Movement as its new Vice President of Content and Social Strategy. He's also my brother-in-law, so yes, this episode is a little unique. We talk about my role at Movement - and don't worry, I have plans to continue this podcast! - but my main focus is on Casey's career and thoughts in general about the challenges many professional athletes face when their playing careers end and they look to transition to a new career. Big thanks both to Casey and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 24 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring Corey Breton, Executive Vice President of Sales for the Los Angeles Football Club, an MLS expansion team which is set to begin play in 2018. Thank you for the thousands of emails and comments about when I will finally bring on someone from professional soccer. Your voices have been heard. OK, maybe it wasn't that dramatic, but I was excited to bring someone on from that sport. Corey's in a unique "hurry up and wait" type of situation in L.A., while they work on building a stadium and launching a team, and since he joined the club last year, L.A. has added not one but TWO NFL teams. Corey talks about that increase in ticket-buyer competition and much more over the course of our conversation. He was FULL of great advice, with a couple of things standing out to me: 1. Render more services than your paycheck calls for, and 2. If you focus too much on the next step, it never comes - put blinders on and do great work now. He shared what it was like to move his family to the west coast as well, after an earlier career that saw him spend much of his time in the southeast and midwest. Big thanks both to Corey and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 23 of the Front Office Exchange podcast where we're trying out something new - a first installment of a career advice compilation episode. In this show I'll revisit four of my favorite pieces of advice from past guests, all of which I think are applicable whether you're in the sports business industry or not, or whether you're a senior executive or recent graduate. For a complete list of advice that has been shared on the podcast to-date, please visit www.frontofficeexchange.com. Thank you for listening and for your continued support of the pocast! For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 22 of the Front Office Exchange podcast, featuring Ken Halpin, Athletics Director for Winthrop University, a public school in Rock Hill, S.C., which is just south of Charlotte, and a member of the Big South Conference. So, what were you doing in sports business in your mid-30s? That's what I kept asking myself when talking to Ken, Winthrop's new AD as of last summer. He's a PhD with an early career outside of sports business, and he's hit the ground running here in the greater Charlotte area with Winthrop. I was referred to Ken by past guest Troy Kirby, and he was as-advertised: super impressive and a clear rising star in the industry. Ken discussed what it was like for him - both personally and professionally - to move his family from the west to east coast while giving a unique look into what the first six months are like for a new and first-time AD. He could not stress the importance of his PhD enough, and said that learning the value of revenue generation early on in his career has helped him immensely as he's progressed. One piece of advice he was given by a mentor that shared related back to his graduate degree, and the doubts he had when considering enrolling. "Stop thinking about how smart you are or aren't," the mentor said. "It's about persistence and how hard you will work." I think that's something we can all appreciate. Big thanks both to Ken and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Aaaannnnd we're back! Welcome to Episode 21 of the Front Office Exchange podcast, featuring Russ Scibetti, Vice President of Product Strategy for KORE Software. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season first and foremost, and that you're as excited as I am about getting 2017 started on the right foot. With that in mind, I think we've got the perfect podcast to kick things off in a big way. Russ is very well known in sports business circles, not only through his work with the New York Jets and KORE, but also through his 8+ years running TheBusinessofSports.com. He's very active on Twitter and in general is considered a #sportsbiz thought leader. Russ's career is fascinating; after an early career outside of sports, he attended Arizona State's dual MBA and Sports Business Degree program, From there, as he coined it, he, "embraced his skill set," and married sports with his strengths in CRM and database marketing. He rose quickly through progressive roles, much of which he attributed to "saying yes" to opportunities and leveraging his growing network. As it relates to the latter, he stressed, "it's not just who you know; it's who you know who knows what you know." Big thanks both to Russ and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 20 - the holiday edition! - of the Front Office Exchange podcast, where you'll hear from the one, the only, Troy Kirby, Sports Business Consultant and host of the popular "The Tao of Sports" podcast. Let's be honest, if you're listening to my podcast, you're definitely listening to Troy's. When I started FOE a few months ago, I had a plan in mind, but I would be lying if I said I didn't try to mimic many of the things that Troy does in ToS. While his podcast is more topical rather than career-focused, his passion, energy and the sheer volume of podcasts he's produced (700+?!) is staggering. The man is a machine, and he has set quite a bar in the sports business podcast world. Troy and I went for close to an hour, and he commented at one point that he's sure he was being boring and that the podcast was running long. Needless to say, I disagreed; while yes, this is one of the longer podcasts I've posted, if you're into sports business, I think you'll love it. I appreciated Troy's perspective on always wanting to learn, grow and experience best practices in sales, even in different industries. He recalls some of his favorite podcasts and advice he likes to share to those in the industry, including that there is no excuse not to do something - anything - that you want to in today's day and age; technology puts everything at our fingertips, and he points to his podcast - and mine - as an example of that. We also talked about his sales boot camps and what he's up to now outside the podcast. Big thanks both to Troy and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 19 of the Front Office Exchange podcast, featuring Doug Warf, Carolina Hurricanes Vice President of Marketing and Executive Director of its Kids 'N Community Foundation. Doug and I got to know each other by running in many of the same sports business circles back in Raleigh, and he continues to be one of the most well-respected executives - not just in sports, but overall - in the Triangle-area of North Carolina. He's been with the Hurricanes for 15 years, almost his entire career, so he has seen the ups - a Stanley Cup championship - and the downs - two lockouts, under-performing seasons, etc. While Doug doesn't have the perspective of some I've had on previous podcasts who have bounced between multiple stops over the course of their careers, its his perseverance and what he's learned through the years and aforementioned bumps in the road with the Canes which make his story unique. It was also refreshing to hear how passionate he is about his work in the community through the team's foundation and how important it was to him to keep that Executive Director responsibility even after he was promoted out of community relations and into his current VP role. Big thanks both to Doug and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Episode 18 is another post-conference installment, this time, on the heels of the 2016 Major League Baseball Winter Meetings. It was a very productive three days in Washington, D.C. - not just for the White Sox! - but for me as it related to reconnecting with many former colleagues in baseball. I spent time outside of the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center as well, meeting with the Redskins, Capitals, Wizards and Under Armour. The D.C../Baltimore-area is unique in that it features two major sports markets within an hour of each other, so it made for a busy few days. The Winter Meetings were my focus, however, and one lasting memory I'll take away, which I discuss in this episode, is when two PEBO Job Fair attendees approached me out of the blue to introduce themselves. We struck up a nice conversation and they talked about how while yes, the Winter Meetings can be intimidating for job seekers, there isn't anything to lose by walking up to someone to say hello and show interest in them. I appreciated their initiative and drive, and I hope they left the meetings with a positive experience...and a job offer! Thank you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 17 of the Front Office Exchange podcast, featuring Michael Ehrlich, Director of Public Relations for adidas. I was introduced to Michael by a previous guest, Chris Yates - check out Episode 12! - but I had already been following him on social media, where he is very active and engaging - not to mention where he posts some serious footwear pics! In addition to his work with adidas, you can find him on Front Office Sports, writing for the Sports Business Daily and mentoring young professionals just entering sports business. Michael was extremely impressive, and much like others I've had on this podcast to-date, he was and is very giving of his time. In addition to his mentoring, he has guest-lectured at his alma mater at USC and is looking to do more of that in 2017. He also gives some great advice, including how to better manage your time. Big thanks both to Michael and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 16 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring Brant Ust, Assistant Athletics Director and Executive Director of the Monogram Club at Notre Dame. Continuing the theme of bringing you my former USA Baseball colleagues that have gone onto success in collegiate sports business - be sure to check out Episode 15 with David Shoemaker! - Brant brings the unique perspective of being a former standout baseball player at Notre Dame who has now returned to his alma mater in a leadership role in the athletics department. Brant talks about his time in professional baseball after leaving South Bend, and ultimately his decision to leave the sport he loved. It is a transition that all professional athletes are faced with, and Brant walks through how he leveraged his experiences and network with USA Baseball to land one of his first roles off the field. His time with with the national governing body of baseball helped position him for his current role with Notre Dame, and it keeps him on a path to some day serve in an Athletics Director capacity. Big thanks both to Brant and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 15 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring David Shoemaker, General Manager of Razorback Sports Properties. David and I were both Marketing Coordinators for USA Baseball back in 2003 in what was both of our first jobs. When USA Baseball - in a shocker - failed to quality for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the USOC cut our funding and our roles changed; I moved on to the USGA and David was let go. He talks about what came next - an internship with Octagon - and how he took what he learned from his USA Baseball experience to become a harder worker, a better networker and someone who says "yes" to opportunities, to now leading what is one of IMG College's leading properties. We've heard from two members of IMG College - Jason Wilmoth and Will Baggett back in Episode 10 - but now we get to hear from someone leading the charge for one of its universities. Big thanks both to David and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

This week I'm taking a break from bringing you interviews, as I just returned from the SBJ/Momentum Sports Marketing Symposium in New York. It was my first such conference, and it did not disappoint. While I was only able to stay for part of the first day, I could easily tell that it is worth the investment for anyone in sports business, and specifically marketing. My trip was also filled with visits to the offices/headquarters of the NBA, MLB, USGA, Ketchum, Wasserman, SNY and more. It was great to see so many familiar faces; there's nothing quite like New York. We have two great guests coming over the next couple of weeks - David Shoemaker of Razorback Sports Properties and Brant Ust of Notre Dame. Both were former colleagues of mine at USA Baseball, and both have gone on to achieve great success in the business side of college sports. Big thanks both to the SBJ and Momentum for having me this week, and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 13 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring Oklahoma City Thunder Director of Business Intelligence and Ticket Strategy, Karlis Kezbers. Before I introduce Karlis, I want to let everyone know that I'll be at the Momentum Sports Marketing Symposium next week in New York. I'll be there through the afternoon of the 9th - which is the first day of the conference - so if you're in town for the event, please send me a message on Twitter at @jakefehling or email me at jake@frontofficeexchange.com - I'd love to say hello! Now, for this week's guest. I was introduced to Karlis by a mutual acquaintance with whom I worked closely several years ago at USA Baseball. That's been the great thing thus far with the podcast - getting to reconnect with old colleagues from the sports business industry and being introduced to new ones. I really enjoyed my conversation with Karlis, who was kind enough to talk to me the morning of the Thunder's opening night game against the 76ers. They won that game and have since won two more, so, so far so good with the Russell Westbrook solo act. Karlis tells his story about how, after graduating from the University of Oklahoma, he traveled west where he climbed the ticket sales ladder with the Phoenix Suns. Shortly thereafter, he landed what was essentially his dream job in the NBA at the time, when the new Oklahoma City Thunder brought him back to his hometown in 2008. Karlis talks about his transition from a typical sales role into one where he is now leading a team and focused more on the analytics behind the sale. He attributes rolling up his sleeves and relentlessly networking to his success, and he offers a few tips along those lines as well. Big thanks both to Karlis and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 12 of the Front Office Exchange podcast, featuring video content creator and founder of Huddle Productions, Chris Yates. Chris is a former sports reporter who worked his way up to a top-10 market in Dallas before leaving his on-air career and starting a video production company that specializes in social media campaigns. Chris was a professional storyteller on TV, and he leveraged those skills and a passion for the ever-evolving world of social media into a company that has generated more than 850 million online impressions. This was a fun one. Chris was able to speak to the current state of sports TV as well as to lessons he's learned over the years as an entrepreneur. If you're into sports business, you've likely crossed paths with Chris at some point online, whether he's helping host or participate in #sbchat on Twitter, or when he hosted a Social Sports and Entertainment Show and interviewed a variety of celebrities on Google+ for several years. He offers great insight and advice throughout our conversation, both of which speak to those in broadcast journalism looking to transition their career, or for any small business owner in search of helpful tips for success. Big thanks both to Chris and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 11 of the Front Office Exchange podcast, featuring Cheri Kempf, Commissioner of the National Pro Fastpitch Softball League and current analyst for ESPN's softball coverage. Cheri's energy and passion were evident right out of the gate. She has led the NPF since 2007, and we discussed her daily fight to grow media exposure and sponsorship opportunities for her league and players. As a TV sports analyst herself, however, she acknowledges that there is a fine line that exists in this process as well. Cheri is also an entrepreneurial instructor who started her own softball training facility after her time as a player, which included a stint with Team USA. Over the course of our conversation she talked about not only what skills and traits she looks for in her NPF staff members and how critical it is for them to be able to wear many hats, but she also offers advice to those aspiring to get into sports television. Big thanks both to Cheri and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 10 of the Front Office Exchange podcast, where we are actually featuring two guests - Will Baggett and Jason Wilmoth (L-R in the accompanying thumbnail) - both of whom are with IMG College. So obviously this podcast is a little different. Normally we feature one guest, but I thought this would make for an interesting dual-episode since both Will and Jason are with the same company. I had never met Will before speaking with him, but he's very active on social media through his connection to Front Office Sports - if you're a fan of sports business and you're not following them, you should - and there has been some buzz around a new book he recently co-authored called The Blueprint, which is designed to help new college graduates with early career development. Will is a recent graduate of Baylor's sports management graduate program and a Strategic Brand Management Coordinator in IMG College's Atlanta office, and if I had my act together as well as he does after I graduated, I would have been dangerous. Jason is a long-time friend who is currently Director, Sponsor Services in IMG College's offices in Winston-Salem, N.C. Our careers in sports have interwoven several times over the years, especially when I worked for USA Baseball and he was with the Tampa Bay Rays. He has risen steadily through the ranks of sports business, and is enjoying a successful run in what is his hometown there in North Carolina. When I created this podcast I wanted to focus on the careers of leading senior-level executives in sports business, but I wanted to be sure to shine a light on rising stars as well. Both Jason and Will fall into the latter category, although they are at very different points in their careers as well. The two perspectives should provide listeners with great insight, and it was Jason's advice at the end of our conversation about playing the "Point Game" that really stuck with me. You'll hear Will's interview first, followed by Jason's shortly after the 31-minute mark. Big thanks to both of them, and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 9 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring Mike Birling, General Manager of the Durham Bulls. Everyone knows the Durham Bulls - the Tampa Bay Rays' AAA affiliate in Durham, NC - thanks in large part to the movie "Bull Durham" starring Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, but they're also among the - if not the - preeminent minor league baseball teams when you consider their attendance, branding, merchandising, on-field performance, and much more. Leading that charge is Mike, who has been with the Bulls in some capacity since 1998 and GM since 2002. When I worked for USA Baseball our offices were essentially directly beneath third base of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, so I was fortunate to get to know Mike and his family well, and to watch him help grow the Bulls into what they've become today. Mike's passion is unmatched, and he practices what he preaches when he says that you can't get out-worked if you want to succeed in minor league baseball. This work ethic - and he'll tell you that of his staff's as well - was recognized last year, when he was named the International League's Executive of the Year. Big thanks both to Mike and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 8 of the Front Office Exchange podcast, featuring Natalie Best, Executive Vice President and Director of Client Service at French/West/Vaughan, one of the fastest growing PR agencies in the world. I was excited to interview Natalie, as it's a bit of a departure from what I've done in the first few episodes. French/West/Vaughan has clients in the sports world - with Michael Vick and the Wrangler Network among its most notable - but it is a generalist firm at heart, so therefore Natalie doesn't work exclusively in sports business like some of our past guests. She did in her early career, however, working for the NBA's league offices in New York right out of school, before moving on to the "old" Charlotte Hornets in her home state of North Carolina. Natalie offers great perspective on how her career has evolved and what it's like to be married to someone who works in sports as well. Big thanks both to Natalie and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Front Office Exchange podcast, featuring Joe Favorito. Joe is a podcaster, professor, author and all-around media and marketing guru, and tens of thousands of sports business professionals subscribe to his Sports Marketing and PR Pros LinkedIn group and weekly e-newsletter. I met Joe back in 2008 when he and I were charged with the small task of trying to publicize international baseball's push to return the sport to the Olympic Games. I was also running media and public relations for USA Baseball at the time, and while I thought I knew a thing or two about PR, Joe ran circles around me. Watching him work with the national press while also crafting our message was really impressive. Joe hasn't always been a go-to strategic media consultant, however - he was a rising star in the sports PR game right out of school, and even as a young SID, it was clear that he understood the power of networking and building relationships. He quickly rose to become the youngest head of PR in the NBA with the 76ers, and that led to senior media roles with the USTA and the New York Knicks. Joe has seen it all in sports marketing and PR at this point, and despite being busy with clients, he still finds time to pour back into the industry by pumping out his newsletter and by both teaching a class and leading the CUSP Podcast for the Columbia University Sports Management Program, where he is now in his 11th year on faculty. Big thanks both to Joe and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring J.W. Cannon, Senior Project Lead for Sponsorship and Events for UPS in Atlanta, and cofounder of Twitter's #sbchat. I was introduced to J.W. by a mutual friend in the industry, but I was familiar with him before that, through his very popular #sbchat conversation on Twitter. Every Sunday night at 9:30 PM eastern, he and co-founder Lou Imbriano lead an engaging back and forth with followers on the hottest topics in sports business. It's a must for anyone in the industry. J.W. has led a diverse career between events, agencies and now one of the top companies in the world, UPS. He offered perspective on each of those corners of the sports business industry, while also giving advice on everything from how to pitch him, to how to get his attention if you're looking for a job right out of school. J.W. was a blast to talk to. He is a super-engaging and down-to-earth executive who genuinely loves to give back to the sports business community. I think you'll really enjoy this episode. Big thanks both to J.W. and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

This is Episode 5 of the Front Office Exchange podcast, featuring Brian Killingsworth, Chief Marketing Officer of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I was introduced to Brian through a mutual friend in the sports industry and we met over lunch a couple of months ago in Tampa. Carey Cox, a member of his marketing team both at the Bucs and from his days with the Tampa Bay Rays, joined us as well; she and I shared a similar early career back at UNC and the USOC. It was a great example of the tightly-knit the sports world. Brian has a unique career spent across two major sports leagues, and he provided interesting perspective on the challenges of trying to market a team like the Rays - whose fight for a new stadium and attention in the St. Pete/Tampa area are well documented - and like the Rams, who formerly fought for relevancy in arguably the nation's best baseball town. Brian was kind enough to join me amidst the Bucs busy preseason schedule, where they have generated a ton of excitement around young players like Jameis Winston and Gerald McCoy. It's great to hear about the success he's having in his new role there, and I know he's thrilled to be back in Tampa. Big thanks both to Brian and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Front Office Exchange podcast where I speak with David Perkins, Chief Operating Officer for USA Baseball. David was my first boss in a full-time role, and then after I moved away, got married and returned to North Carolina, he and USA Baseball CEO Paul Seiler hired me back. In my eight years with David, I learned a ton. I'm not sure if I've ever seen someone devour news and information like him, and as a podcast junkie, he was my first call when I started this podcast when it came to looking for advice. Probably my most vivid memory from my time with "Perk" or "Perkins" - as he is almost universally known - is back in 2003 on my first week on the job, he called me just minutes after the final out was made in an Olympic qualifier that unfathomably left Team USA on the outside of the Athens Olympic Games looking in. Part of my job was going to be to help market USA Baseball as the new show in town of the Triangle-area of North Carolina, but the other part was to help market the organization overall and build on the momentum coming off a gold medal with Tommy Lasorda in Sydney. Needless to say, I was panicking. I remember David being calm, though, and saying, "Don't worry, we'll get through this." And although it wasn't easy, we did. It's been amazing to watching USA Baseball's explosive growth in recent years, and I think you'll enjoy hearing from one of the industry's rare executives that have been with one organization his entire career.   Big thanks both to David and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to Episode 3 of the Front Office Exchange podcast featuring Danny Sink, Director of U.S. Open Championships for the U.S. Golf Association. Danny and I go all the way back to the summer of 2001 at Pine Needles Golf Club in my hometown of Southern Pines for the U.S. Women's Open. I was an operations intern for Danny and his team at PCM - Pinehurst Championship Management - where I painted fence posts and rope-and-staked the entire golf course. It was my first real job in sports. Later, I worked alongside him at Winged Foot Golf Club in 2006 for the U.S. Open, where I was in corporate merchandising and he managed the entire event. Running these events is not easy. It's often a thankless job, and the hours are impossibly long. You've got to be a special kind of leader to juggle vendors, volunteers and golf pros, and if you're able to do that while keeping a sense of humor - which Danny has - then you're in rare company. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to enter the sports industry, especially as it relates to events, and hearing Danny talk about how he - and others from the original PCM team have advanced their careers into upper management is a case study in how networking and "grinding," as he puts it, pays off. Big thanks both to Danny and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to subscribe, share episodes, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

This is episode 2 of the Front Office Exchange podcast. In this episode I speak with Michael Beale, Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I met Michael in 2001 as a Junior at UNC when he was already well on his way to becoming the rising star within the athletic department that he's become today. Somehow I made enough of an impression on him that he let me run the scoreboard for baseball games and invited me to play pick up hoops with him and some co-workers. Later, he provided me with invaluable advice as I was trying to figure out what direction to choose in sports after graduating. We have stayed in close contact since. We talked about how the word "mentor" is thrown around and how those just entering the workforce are encouraged to go out and find them. He explained that really, mentors are built through long-lasting relationships, and that it's important to start building those early so that they can continue to grow over time. I've been fortunate enough to build such a relationship with Michael over the years, and I was thrilled to have him on to help kickoff this podcast. Big thanks both to Michael and to you for listening. For show notes, past episodes and more, please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to share them, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests.

Welcome to the first episode of the Front Office Exchange, a podcast that takes a closer look at the careers of leading executives and rising stars in the sports business industry. Each week we'll talk to everyone from recent sports management degree recipients looking for a new job all the way up to major professional sports league commissioners. Who am I and what makes me qualified to host this podcast? From 2002-2012, between USA Baseball, the USOC, the USGA and a few other stops along the way, I led international media operations and co-directed Olympic and major championship golf hospitality programs. I got to travel the world, make some amazing memories, and most importantly, I learned from some of the best and most influential leaders in sports business. In 2012 I made a dramatic career change out of sports and media, and into executive search. It was a move that made sense for me professionally and personally, and it's a decision that many in the industry are faced with at some point in their career. Fast forward to today, and after four years with KFA Search placing senior-level executives in a variety of industries, I am leading our efforts to branch into sports. I am confident that both entry- and senior-level executives will gain valuable insight from each episode. Please visit us at www.frontofficeexchange.com, on Facebook at Front Office Exchange and on Twitter at @frontofficeexch. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at jake@frontofficeexchange.com and on Twitter at @jakefehling. This and past episodes of Front Office Exchange are available on iTunes and SoundCloud, among other places, and I encourage you to share them, rate them, add comments, and suggest ideas for future guests. Thank you for listening!