Podcasts about partnership activation

In this episode of Twin City Talk, Hosts Suzy Fielders & Burgess Jenkins and Producer Tim Beeman talk with Brian DeAngelis, President & General Manager, and Morgan Clausel, Vice President, Marketing & Partnership Activation at Winston-Salem Dash.They share about all the fun things happening this year at Winston-Salem Dash this season, some of the new foods, what they love about Winston-Salem and more!Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates on the podcast, content teasers, episode clips, and, of course, tons of great content on Winston-Salem.The Triad Podcast Network is proudly sponsored by The Ginther Group Real Estate, Dewey's Bakery, and Three Magnolias Financial Advisors.

Season 7, episode 9 on the California Sports Lawyer® Podcast with Jeremy Evans, interviewing sports and entertainment attorney Jonathan Hadaya, representing the top three IndyCar drivers and Kyle Busch in NASCAR, and AEG Global Partnerships Activation Manager Chris Arangua, discussing sports business deals, relationships, and more. Copyright © 2025.  California Sports Lawyer®.  All Rights Reserved (www.CSLlegal.com).

We catch up with Dordt grad and former baseball player Cole Vande Vegte who now lives in the Twin Cities and works for the Minnesota Twins organization.

In this episode we welcome Nam McGrail, Senior Vice President of Partnership Activation for the LA Kings of the NHL and AEG Global Partnerships. Nam shares her incredible career journey with us. After dedicating 10 years to her title as Mom, she was ready to dive back into her career life and explore new opportunities. It only took one conversation to open her door into the sports industry and to a 16 year career of working with wonderful people, partners, and in a city that she loves to call home.

We welcome Jessica Geymayr, Senior Manager, Corporate Partnership Marketing at Miami HEAT.  Jessica's resume includes time and success at  Roc Nation, where she worked as a coordinator, Sports Brand Activation, the Denver Broncos, as a coordinator, Partnership Activation, at University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, as Manager, Marketing Brand Activation, and now the Miami HEAT where she is Senior Manager, Corporate Partnership Marketing. While we'll go inside the Miami HEAT this episode, what will become clear to you, is just how infectious and inspiring our guest is, Jessica Geymayr. Whether it is driving overnight to take an intern opportunity, to rocking up and introducing herself to powerful people in the industry at conferences, to pushing herself to take on study during COVID, Jessica is certainly someone who lives and breathes the HEAT Culture. You can connect with Jessica on LinkedIn and follow Miami HEAT at nba.com/heat EnjoySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are many directions you can take a career in sports management, but those options can be overwhelming when deciding where your passion lies in the industry. That is the case for Nasheen in Minnesota, who is looking for career clarity from the WorkInSports Podcast:“Hey Brian, I am just finishing up my junior year of college, and I feel like I am having a bit of a panic attack. I still don't know what I want to do with my career, and life is right around the corner. I listen to the experts on your podcast and think – how did they even know Partnership Activation or Sponsorship Sales was a thing to pursue? I'm feeling lost – any guidance you can provide?”Finding the Right Sports Management Career Path for YouWorkInSports is all about making your passion your career. Not every aspect of the sports business will appeal to you, and that's okay. One effective method Brian has found is to conduct a self-analysis of your traits and look at career options that are a natural fit. For Brian, those traits are extroversion and being comfortable speaking to people, and he ended up working as a sports TV producer (and now hosts this podcast!). Since loving sports is why you listen to the podcast and visit WorkInSports, see if your qualities and interests align with categories such as:CoachingFitness/RecreationSales/Business DevelopmentMedia/CreativeMarketing/CommunicationsTechnology/Data Analysis Someone extroverted may be more inclined towards sports jobs in sales or communications, while an introverted type can find their niche in data analysis.Listen to the full episode to learn more about how to find a job in sports that's right for you. Also, subscribe to the WorkInSports Podcast for more sports career advice. You can catch additional content on our YouTube channel.

In Episode 25: Have the Hard Conversations, Molly Wurdack-Folt shares the story of how she spoke up during difficult furlough conversations at the height of the pandemic when sports and entertainment were hit hard by shutdowns. She advocates for speaking up courageously, even when the conversations are difficult and may not end the way you expect. Molly is the Vice President, Partnership Activation. In her role, she is responsible for leading the Corporate Partnerships' activation group across the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers and Entertainment arms of the business. Ensuring world-class experiences for partners through exceptional service, cutting-edge activation plans and flawless execution.  She also drives renewal sales efforts and developing cross-venue, multi-platform deals that leverage the sports & entertainment group's unparalleled portfolio of properties. Previously, Molly held the role of Director of Marketing Strategy for Olympia Entertainment. In that role, Wurdack managed the Corporate Partnership Marketing department, which she oversaw for more than seven years as the Director of Ticket Service and Corporate Partnership Marketing. She also sought out new opportunities for Red Wings sponsorships, working closely with the NHL and fellow NHL teams to grow revenue and expand relationships with key partners. Additionally, Molly managed two departments within the Marketing & Communications umbrella – Community Relations / The Detroit Red Wings Foundation and Guest Experience, which oversaw the Guest Connect Program focusing on guest experiences at Little Caesars Arena, the Fox Theatre, Comerica Park, and three outdoor amphitheaters. Wurdack started with the Red Wings in May 2008 as the Manager of Ticket Service and Retention. In that role, she developed and implemented a new business unit, the Ticket Service and Retention department, which assisted in growing ticket retention and increased season ticket holder satisfaction. Wurdack was promoted to Director of Ticket Sales and Corporate Partnership Marketing in 2010 and oversaw client retention for all Red Wings season ticket holders, providing servicing, retention and upselling to these clients, along with overseeing the corporate partnership marketing team to fulfill and execute all sponsorship contracts. Prior to joining the Red Wings, Wurdack served as a Marketing Partnership Staff Assistant for the Miami Dolphins where she assisted in the execution and fulfillment of marketing partnership contracts. Wurdack earned a Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology and a minor in business from Ohio University and went on to earn her Master's degree in sports and business administration from Ohio University as well. Wurdack currently resides in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., with her husband, Jason, son, Beckett and daughter, Arden.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.   If you want to see if it's a good fit to work with Jen V. and JRT on speaking courageously as a leader, schedule a free call: https://www.voicefirstworld.com/apply

Molly Wurdack-Folt, Ilitch Sports and Entertainment VP of Partnership Activation (ownership group of the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings), works with corporate sponsors looking to further their brands. When working in partnership activation, you need to have a sense of each potential sponsor's goals and develop a plan to showcase them to fans in a way that resonates with them within a sporting event. Catch the full episode of the WorkInSports Podcast as Wurdack-Folt chats with VP of Content and Engaged Learning Brian Clapp about: Her journey through the sports industry, beginning with her stint with the Miami Dolphins right out of college Her sports career advice for advancing within an organization the way she has with Olympia Entertainment/Ilitch Sports and Entertainment How to work between separate parties and ensure everyone is satisfied with their partnership

Molly Wurdack-Folt is the Vice President, Partnership Activation for Ilitch Sports and Entertainment. In her role, Molly is responsible for leading the Corporate Partnerships' activation group across the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers and Entertainment arms of the business. Ensuring world-class experiences for partners through exceptional service, cutting-edge activation plans and flawless execution. She also drives renewal sales efforts and develops cross-venue, multi-platform deals that leverage the sports & entertainment group's unparalleled portfolio of properties. Connect with Molly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-wurdack-folt-9111709/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=12327392 Instagram: @mfolt Twitter: @mollyfolt Follow Leadership is Female at: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipisfemale/ www.leadershipisfemale.com Follow Emily: https://www.instagram.com/emilyjaenson/ Get 15% off MOBOT water bottle and foam roller in one at https://mobot.com/discount/LEADERSHIPISFEMALE

Kristin Rush is the Account Manager of Partnership Activation for the Charlotte Hornets. She has worked in various sports, including working at Octagon, ESPN and Ripken Baseball. In this episode, we cover how her passion for sports began, she also shares how technology is changing sports activations. Lastly, Kristin chats about her keys to networking. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of “Inside the Oval” presented by Dignity Health, Safia Diab discussed her favorite projects since joining the 49ers, the importance of taking a “no job is beneath you mentality” in the workplace, shared New Orleans travel must-dos and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 24th episode of “Inside the Oval” presented by Dignity Health, Safia Diab discussed her favorite projects since joining the 49ers, the importance of taking a “no job is beneath you mentality” in the workplace, shared New Orleans travel must-dos and more.

Anthony Pardo is Director of Partnership Activation for Major League Baseball and a leader of a Latinx Business Resource Group within MLB. Anthony just completed the Pro Sports Assembly + RISE Inclusive Leadership Course, which empowered sports industry professionals across the country to be leaders in discussing and addressing matters of racism, diversity, equity and inclusion through a 12-week course based in RISE's curriculum. Anthony speaks with RISE's Ian Cutler about inclusive leadership, how racism impacts his life, and the role and responsibility of sports organizations and professionals to lead on matters of diversity, equity inclusion and social justice. We also dive deeper into the concept of inclusive leadership, with RISE's Sr. Director of Curriculum Dr. Collin Williams Jr.

Only 3 years out of college and Caity is already the Director of Corporate Partnership Activation for New Mexico United.  What I love about my conversation with Caity is not only did she share her wins over the past three years, she was open and honest about things like imposter syndrome or being nervous when it was time to advocate for herself! Listen in as we talk about:  That pivotal moment when she decided to major in sports & entertainment  How she went from coordinator to director in 18 months  How she manages imposter syndrome  Her advice for being an effective salesperson in corporate partnerships  How she used her voice to be compensated her worth    And you know there is so much more! Don't forget to subscribe and share...because sharing is caring.    Connect with Jahaan:  Learn more about working with Jahaan and see if it's the right fit for you: https://JahaanBlakeAppointmentScheduling.as.me/LetsTalk Join Jahaan's VIP Email List: https://bit.ly/3yccwAP  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jahaanblake/ Email: jblake@jahaanblake.com Website: https://jahaanblake.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jahaanblake/   Links: New Mexico United: https://www.newmexicoutd.com/  Academic Common Market: https://www.sreb.org/academic-common-market    Connect with Caity:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caity-morris-608138104/  Email: caity@newmexicoutd.com    In her third season with New Mexico United, Caity Sobel is responsible for overseeing the operations of the team's partner marketing and activations while cultivating asset strategies for new and existing partner relationships. Since starting with the club back in 2018, Caity has grown the portfolio of partners from 4 to over 80 local and national brands by developing relationships, conducting market research, and establishing the club's initial inventory rate card for fully integrated partnerships to ensure consistency, clarity, and maximum value for the partnerships team. Caity graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2018 with a degree in Sport & Entertainment Management, which at the time was ranked #1 in the world for Sport Science programs. Caity has prior experience working at UFC and the Master's but ultimately found soccer to the most exciting sport to work in. In her free time, you can find Caity watching WWE or Formula One.  

Melissa is the Director of Partnership Activation for the Atlanta Hawks. In this episode, we discuss how she leveraged her work experience as a student at the University of Florida to get ready for a career after college, her willingness to pull up a seat no matter what role she had, and how change is inspired through sports. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Welcome to the Living Sport Podcast, where we connect you to young professionals and sport business experts from around the world. I’m Connor Herlihy, your host and I’m inviting you to join us as we head to State Farm Arena, Home of the Atlanta Hawks. This is a LIVE session where we recorded as we took a tour of the facility to learn about the Hawks and participate in Q&A sessions. Our guest today is Melissa Silberman, Director, Partnership Activation, and she provides really great insights for a career in the NBA and dives into how renovations can change everything from fan experience to partnerships!

Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.  There are so many interesting conversations to have right now surrounding the abnormal sports world we are currently immersed in.  The other day I was asked during a panel discussion what I thought were the most important skills someone in the industry should be utlilizing right now.  Now, in normal conditions I say coachability, competitiveness and curiosity. Those are literally my three favorite terms when it comes to employment in any industry.  But right now I've had to adjust my thinking some — those three terms are still incredibly viable – but I'm going to throw three more at you.  Flexibility, improvisation and innovation. Let's break these down a bit because they are all aligned, but subtly different.  We'll start with Flexibility –  there is a narrative in every industry that we continue doing things because that's the way we've always done things. Routine. History. Legacy decisions.   This is not acceptable now. The assumption that we just keep plugging along without change is flawed. We need to entertain ideas and we need to be flexible in their deployment. We need to be flexible in the ways we generate revenue, allocate resources and more.  Processes and objectives need to change.  Improvisation — this is the act of coming up with ideas on the spot.  We all need to open up and engage the parts of our brain that spark creativity and different thinking. We've been so long following patterns, that we need to spark the fire of improvisation.  We all need to consider the unconventional.  Look at high school sports — the NBA can have a bubble, the NFL can test daily, high school athletes are at higher risk of contracting and spreading. This is beyond doubt. That is not a political statement, it is fact. So when people say “have you considered playing in spring, have you considered a condensed schedule…have you considered …have you considered…” We have to turn on the thought provoking sides of our brain and say “we should consider everything” Innovation — chaos breeds opportunity — Where is it?  This needs to be the mantra of all businesses and employees — where is the opportunity, how can we shift, re-align, change products, change approaches, INNOVATE. Companies that changed their clothing textiles to mask development, innovated.  Sports business that created digital platforms and webinars and podcasts and virtual internships… they innovated! We need that spirit back. Innovate. Improvise. Be flexible. No one embodies that more than today's guest. Melissa Silberman is the Director of Partnership Activation for the Atlanta Hawks — simply put, she works to make sure team sponsors have impactful campaigns that reach their audience with powerful messaging.  Well, a big percentage of that is through in-arena activations — the 21,000 crazy fans coming to State Farm Arena on game night ar seeing and engaging with sponsor activities. So how does Melissa and her team show their sponsor there is great value in associating with the Hawks, with only 3,000 crazy fans coming to game night.  Flexibility. Innovation. Improvisation.  Here she is, Melissa Silberman! Questions for Melissa Silberman, Atlanta Hawks Director of Partnership Activation 1: There are so many topics I want to get into today about your career and journey to the Atlanta Hawks – but let's start with this, you got your Bachelors and Masters in Sports Management at the University of Florida and for the last 7 years have been working in Partnership Activation.  You clearly had a vision to work in sports – but did you choose Partnership Activation as your path, or did it choose you? 2: I'll admit, I've been in the sports industry for 20 years but I don't know much about Partnership Activation – so explain it to us all,

Molly Wurdack-Folt is a Masters in Sports Administration graduate from Ohio University and has spent the last 15 years working in the sports industry. Molly is no leading Partnership Activation for Olympia Entertainment in Detroit and a founding member at Pro Sports Assembly. 

Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast. Look, I hate to do the old…”I remember when I was kid…” start to a story, I hated it when others around me did this when I actually was a kid, and I hate doing it now.  But, with all that qualification out of the way...I'm about to do it, so forgive me. Thanks. I think we all have moments where we graduate from being solely sports participants and fans to having a more broad appreciation of the business of sports. The first time I started to realize the entanglements between sports and business was as a little league youngster. No, it was not the sponsored names on the back of our jerseys from Valpak or Sylvester's restaurant. Rather the memory that vividly sticks out for me is the cheesy local ads created by the stars of my then-favorite team...the Boston Red Sox.  I remember vividly watching Wade Boggs, before he became a traitor and went to the Yankees, reading an advertisement for Hood Ice Cream. He's standing on the field, clearly reading from off-camera cue cards and telling everyone how they should eat more Hood ice cream and that if you came to an upcoming game, you'd get a free mini red sox baseball helmet sponsored by Hood. This was a lightbulb moment for me, and I wondered aloud how much extra ice cream was sold because of Wade Boggs telling kids like me to do so. I told my mom we had to buy Hood because Wade Boggs said so. Frankly, she didn't give a crap about Wade Boggs, so she bought the store brand at Country Fare Star Market in Stow, Mass if you are wondering.  I found myself paying more and more attention to this connection, this association, after that point. Dwight Evans endorsing local car dealerships, Jim Rice talking up OceanSpray juice box night. Brands have always sought out sports franchises to build their reputation, move more products and grow awareness of their brand. These mutually beneficial partnerships between brands and sports have done nothing but grow since my halcyon days.  The revenue of the North American sports sponsorship market was estimated at approximately 17 billion dollars in 2018 and is expected to grow to over 20 billion U.S. dollars by 2022. This figure, in 2018, accounts for around 70 percent of the total sponsorship market.  So that means, sports partnerships comprised the vast majority of the sponsorship market -- far more than entertainment, causes, the arts, festivals, fairs and annual events.  Sponsorships are activated today in far more robust ways -- the advertisements have improved, but so have the in-stadium, social media, and digital marketing methodologies. The only limit is creativity.  Notice, in the stats I referred to earlier - over 17 billion dollars of revenue was from the North American sports sponsorship market.  The growth market, the exciting place to be right now in sports… is the global market.  In 2018, global sponsorship spending was 65 billion dollars around 70% of which was spent in sports - so the total market for sports sponsorship across the globe, was around 45 billion dollars.  Teams are investing in their global reach more than ever - and it's a perfect relationship.  Here to talk about the growth of global sports sponsorships is my man Jason Clerkin, the Orlando Magic's Sr Manager Global Partnership Activation -- here's Jason: Questions for Jason Clerkin, Orlando Magic Sr. Manager, Global Partnership Activation: 1: So excited to speak with you Jason – this has been a long time in the works! Let's start a bit at the beginning and work our way up – undergrad at UCF in Sports Business Management – I'm pretty sure at that point you weren't saying to yourself, I'm going to be the Sr. Mgr of Global Partnership Activation for an NBA team – you may not have even known what that was!  So take us back a bit – what was the plan then,

Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast… Welcome to February - it is snowing like mad here in Pennsylvania right now -- about 8 inches so far and another 10 expected today, so as you listen to this, picture me pushing a snowblower and shoveling, since that's what I'll likely be doing as you listen.  I'll likely be listening to someone else's podcast as I do that because it would be weird if I listened to myself.  Quick thanks to Grand Canyon University, University or Arkansas, University of Florida and University of Missouri - St Louis who have welcomed me into their classrooms over the past week to share career advice with their sports management students.  Always a great thrill for me, seriously, I love speaking directly with the students and being able to answer their questions and provide help. If you are listening and you are a professor, don't be shy, reach out. If you think I can provide value to your students, I want to help.  As for content -- my speciality -- in January we busted out some amazing episodes - with a theme! Looking forward to hiring trends in the sports industry for 2021 -- Kali Franklin VP of HR at NYCFC, John Ferguson VP of People and Culture at Monumental Sports and Entertainment, Matt Resnick sports talent acquisition executive formerly at Madison Square Garden company … and we tossed in Nigel Eccles Co-founder of Fanduel, because, well, he's Nigel Eccles. It's a great month of content -- if you are new to the show, start there. Then, start looking for your targeted content. You want to work in sales? We have interviews there. Marketing, Partnership Activation, Scouting, Coaching, General Managers, Agents… you name it. We've got it. Alright -- before we get into today's question, it's time for the Stat Line - Meredith Johnson's favorite segment.  Ok, three stats, data pulls, information -- that will help you understand where we are as a sports industry, right now. We're giving you context! Stat #1 - 19,896 active available sports jobs right now. We will pass 20,000 this week. Why is this an important benchmark? Because the last time we were over 20k jobs was in early March of 2020. When Covid first started to become a reality and change the sports world.  This is huge progress, we are coming back, and that should get you energized for your search. Just to track january increases so far -- Week 1 - Sports job total jumped 8%Week 2 - Sports job total jumped 6.5%Week 3 - Sports job total jumped 4.7%Week 4 - Sports job total jumped 6.8% Total for the month of January, we at WorkInSports.com the leading job board for the sports industry, went from 15,573 active jobs...to 19,896. That's what I'm talking about.  Stat #2 - Over the lasxt week we added 2,865 new fresh jobs to the job board. Stat #3 - that is an average of over 400 new fresh opportunities every damn day of the week. Your job is out there, we'll help you find it.  Whoa that could be a tagline. Not bad.  OK, three jobs that are fresh on the job board and interesting! Yes that is subjective, because I alone determine what is considered interesting.   Job #1 -- The Athletic is hiring a Staff Editor for the NFL. TThe candidate will be involved in all the day-to-day operations, including collaborating with writers, planning, editing and publishing of content. Generate thoughtful, smart and relevant story ideas • Line edit stories from start to finish for quality, context, style, and grammarFollow best practices on headline writing and SEO optimizationKnowledge of WordPress and photo editing skills is a plus Job #2 -- Production Coordintor, Content Production -- Adidas   The Production Coordinator is responsible for supporting the Content Production Team as an integral part of the in-house creative agency. The role supports the In-House Producers in driving key projects, workflow,

Tom and Joe kick off their loaded 2021 conversation slate with Nicole Hogan '19, Director of Partnership Activation for the New York Islanders. The group discusses the opening of UBS Arena in 2021-22 and the complexities associated with activation amid the pandemic. Nicole reflects on the complimentary leadership styles of owners Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin, and how their community-focused strategy guides her efforts to foster and expand the Isles fan base. -- Nicole Hogan UBS Arena - Richard Browne Walk and Talk NY Islanders - Built On New York -- The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports. Our presenters are Joe Favorito (@Joefav), Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR), and produced by Tom Cerny (@Tom_Cerny19), Taylor DeBernardo (@TDeBernardo33), and Ben Walsh.

Ever wonder who is in charge of getting those sponsors you see on the backs of NBA benches? Or have you ever asked yourself "what does a co-instructor do at UIndy?" Sarah Baird is here to answer those and more! She is the Director of Partnership Activation for Pacers Sports & Entertainment, while moonlighting as a co-instructor for the MSSM program. Take it away Sarah... (Cody McCulloch: Host)

Savannah doesn't dwell on the negative which helped her earn a role with the Arizona Coyotes. In this episode, we also discuss how to empower more women to enter the sports industry. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Today on Sports Business Update we discuss partnership activation in sports.  With so much emphasis on our new normal with the pandemic including no fans at events, teams and players working in a so-called bubble and revenues lost, we thought it would be interesting to speak to a leader in minor league baseball. Our guest is Sarah Leo, Director of Partnership Activation for the Macon Bacon on the Coastal Plain League.The following is taken directly from www.MaconBaconBaseball.com:When a star baseball player graduates from high school, they have two choices in pursuing their baseball career:1. Get drafted to play pro baseball.  If they're drafted, and sign a minor league contract, they generally play in a Short-Season A-League team for a couple of years. Then they either advance to Single-A baseball or poof, they are sent home to start a different career.2. Play college baseball.  If a player commits to play college baseball, then he cannot be drafted until after his third college season.   If he is then drafted, he'll play in Single-A or Double-A baseball.   Major League Baseball scouts typically recommended to CPL teams college players they want to see more of.In the Coastal Plain League's 20 year history, more than 1400 players have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams. That's about 70 players per year.  The quality of play is generally regarded at Single-A level. 

Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast… I know I probably say this all the time...but I am on a hot streak lately for great guests. Last week Melissa Silberman Director of Partnership Activation for the Atlanta Hawks really brought it. Great info and insight. Later this week, Ameena Soliman Player Personnel Coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles will blow you away. She is so impressive -- focused, measured, direct -- just totally in control, which I loved.  Last week I also conducted interviews with Neeta Sreekanth COO of INFLCR - for those of you who follow me on LinkedIn likely saw mee share a photo with Neeta posing with Ken Griffey JR. while being photobombed by Trey Wingo.  Here is a professional woman barely across 30 - and she's already worked in key roles for the Dallas Cowboys and ESPN prior to joining INFLCR -- so cool. And Kevin Brown -- Director of Community Relations for the Detroit Red Wings and Director of the Detroit Red Wings foundation -- Kevin is another one, so insightful, so passionate and so driven to make a difference in the world. He uses sports as a way to make a positive change in the community -- it is so inspiring. Ameena debuts later this week ---then Neeta...then Kevin… so stay tuned and subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss a thing. Alright today's question comes in from me.  Let me explain.  The impact of covid hits us all.  Feels weird to hear someone you respect in the industry so much can be let go, like wait, that's a thing? Makes you fear for yourself a bit…  if they can be removed, who the hell am I?  My dad got laid off when I was a kid and I remember feeling like -- wait, that's possible? He's superman.  Makes you feel vulnerable.  But it's also a chance to give -- I've been connecting my guy with my contacts for the last few days and that feels good, the ability to pay him back for all he's done for me, even if just in some small way.  BUT. the reason I am saying this week question comes from me is because --- it does.  The question is “how do you become a strong mentor to others?” Everyone has a chance to mentor others, even if you are a college student, you can lead high schoolers and underclassmen.  Mentoring makes a difference -- so let's talk about how this works and then I'm going to give you examples from being mentored by my guy, Steve Becker.  1:  There is no set it and forget it process to mentoring...everyone you mentor is different, so everyone needs different things from you. Don't try to fit the experience into your world, be flexible. 2: Understand your mentee - what motivates them? what are their goals? what are their roadblocks? How do these things line up with your skills? 3:  Be vulnerable -- admit mistakes, missteps -- etc there is noting that connects you more with people than resisting the urge to be a know it all. No one want to be around people who think they have it all down.  4: Treat your mentee with respect.  Your mentor becomes part of your team. 5: Lead by example - model the behavior you want to see.  Listen in to this episode of the Work In Sports podcast to hear more detail and actionable advice for becoming the best possible mentor.

Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.  There are so many interesting conversations to have right now surrounding the abnormal sports world we are currently immersed in.  The other day I was asked during a panel discussion what I thought were the most important skills someone in the industry should be utlilizing right now.  Now, in normal conditions I say coachability, competitiveness and curiosity. Those are literally my three favorite terms when it comes to employment in any industry.  But right now I've had to adjust my thinking some -- those three terms are still incredibly viable - but I'm going to throw three more at you.  Flexibility, improvisation and innovation. Let's break these down a bit because they are all aligned, but subtly different.  We'll start with Flexibility -  there is a narrative in every industry that we continue doing things because that's the way we've always done things. Routine. History. Legacy decisions.   This is not acceptable now. The assumption that we just keep plugging along without change is flawed. We need to entertain ideas and we need to be flexible in their deployment. We need to be flexible in the ways we generate revenue, allocate resources and more.  Processes and objectives need to change.  Improvisation -- this is the act of coming up with ideas on the spot.  We all need to open up and engage the parts of our brain that spark creativity and different thinking. We've been so long following patterns, that we need to spark the fire of improvisation.  We all need to consider the unconventional.  Look at high school sports -- the NBA can have a bubble, the NFL can test daily, high school athletes are at higher risk of contracting and spreading. This is beyond doubt. That is not a political statement, it is fact. So when people say “have you considered playing in spring, have you considered a condensed schedule...have you considered ...have you considered…” We have to turn on the thought provoking sides of our brain and say “we should consider everything” Innovation -- chaos breeds opportunity -- Where is it?  This needs to be the mantra of all businesses and employees -- where is the opportunity, how can we shift, re-align, change products, change approaches, INNOVATE. Companies that changed their clothing textiles to mask development, innovated.  Sports business that created digital platforms and webinars and podcasts and virtual internships… they innovated! We need that spirit back. Innovate. Improvise. Be flexible. No one embodies that more than today's guest. Melissa Silberman is the Director of Partnership Activation for the Atlanta Hawks -- simply put, she works to make sure team sponsors have impactful campaigns that reach their audience with powerful messaging.  Well, a big percentage of that is through in-arena activations -- the 21,000 crazy fans coming to State Farm Arena on game night ar seeing and engaging with sponsor activities. So how does Melissa and her team show their sponsor there us great value in association with the Hawks, without 21,000 crazy fans coming to game night.  Flexibility. Innovation. Improvisation.  Here she is, Melissa Silberman! Questions for Melissa Silberman, Atlanta Hawks Director of Partnership Activation 1: There are so many topics I want to get into today about your career and journey to the Atlanta Hawks – but let's start with this, you got your Bachelors and Masters in Sports Management at the University of Florida and for the last 7 years have been working in Partnership Activation.  You clearly had a vision to work in sports – but did you choose Partnership Activation as your path, or did it choose you? 2: I'll admit, I've been in the sports industry for 20 years but I don't know much about Partnership Activation – so explain it to us all,

Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast. I've been ending every show sharing the importance of wearing a mask -- but I don't want to bury this conversation at the end.  It's not a political statement, it's not controversial, it's a simple thing we all have to do. Wear a mask.  Be safe.  I want sports to return, I want fewer people to die, I want my kids to go back to school safely. We can all contribute to that... just start with wearing a mask.  Later today I'm really pumped to be interviewing Ameena Soliman, Player Personnel Coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, Ameena spent multiple years with the Temple University football program, interned with the NFL league offices, and began working for the Eagles three years ago -- we talk player personnel, the combine, learning to evaluate players,  being a woman in sports, and even deeper being a Muslim woman in sports who wears a hijab and I'm guessing has been the subject of stereotyping -- we'll learn more shortly.  And then Wednesday this week -- check out my interview with Melissa Silberman, Director of Partnership Activation for the Atlanta Hawks. Very cool business conversation - Melissa is in the business of providing sponsors value with, a lot of the time, in-arena marketing activations.  Well -- how do you pivot when there are no fans in the stadium and still create value for sponsors. That's what we talk about and it's really fascinating so tune into that on Wednesday. Today - great question coming in from Michael J. Hi Brian! Hope all is going well! I have enjoyed listening to your podcast! I will be attending my first virtual networking event in a couple of weeks. I am a person with a lot of social anxiety and struggle with networking events. Would you be able to provide any advice on how to handle a virtual networking event? Thank you, Michael Johnson Great question Michael. Many points to be made here. Networking isn't easy for most of us I'd say envision it as a bell curve. There are 10% of people who love and adore the art of networking. 10% of people who are deathly afraid of it, and then 80% of people who are in the middle, don't love it don't hate it.  I'm in the 80%. Don't love it, don't hate it.  What this really means though is 90% of people, aren't really avid fans of networking. But we all realize it's important.  Social anxiety is a real thing.  Of course you know this, you don't need me to validate you -- but anyone out there that deals with social anxiety needs to accept it, not fight it. Don't try to convince yourself you aren't or you can fix it. Be who you are, it's OK.  I'm reading a book right now, it's based on a story from the 1930-50's so before WWII, during and after. There is a character who was gay but tried for decades to “fix” himself. I found this heartachingly sad.  I would hope anyone, anywhere today would be themselves...be who they are, accept it, love who you are, and figure out how to get the best out of yourself.  If you are someone who deals with social anxiety, learn your triggers, figure ou those things that really inhibit you.  I remember our team of reporters interviewing Ricky Williams back in th day when he left University of Texas to enter the NFL - and he deals with social anxiety, he would conduct interviews with his helmet on. People thought h was weird or aloof... no he was dealing with anxiety and it helped him Don't be afraid of what helps you. Don't try to please everyone else, make yourself happy.   Let's get into what you can do Social Media is your friend. A Virtual networking event may not be. Round peg, square hole.  There are literally thousands of people I have had intelligent, thoughtful conversations with, without ever hearing their voice.  Listen in to the Work In Sports podcast episode to learn more!

Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.Big week this week! Coming up on Wednesday is my interview with Raleigh Anne Gray -- Raleigh is incredibly impressive -- having worked at ESPN, Twitter, The Players Tribune and currently at Wasserman.Get this -  at Wasserman, she is the senior director of athlete exchange -- which means, she works directly with the athletes Wasserman represents to help them build their brand and audience. Dream job.And as if that wasn't enough -- she also launched Must Love Sports a sports company dedicated to helping people in the sports industry connect and learn from one another. During the corona quarantine, she said to herself… how can I help? She identified students aren't able to complete their internship requirements to graduate, so she created a virtual internship session, utilizing all of her industry contacts to put together a curriculum and program to help students… for free. 355 students enrolled. Can you tell I'm a big fan of Raliegh… stay tuned for that on Wednesday. Also, later today I'm interviewing Mlissa Silberman, Director of Partnership Activation for the Atlanta Hawks, and leter this week I'm bringing back returning champion Joan Lynch from Working nation to discuss how sportsindustry employment will change in the near future.For those of you who are long time listeners, Joan was on the show last year and was one of our most popular guests. She knows employment, and as one of the main people behind the 30 for 30 series on ESPN, she knows sports. I've also booked some other really cool guests in the coming weeks so make sure to stay tuned, subscribe, all that good stuff. Also, if you are a professor listening, it's time for you to check out our sports career game plan -- we have an online curriculum that will knock your socks off. Perfect for the online world we are migrating towards. 120 pages of carer changing content, over 3 hours of videos, downloadable worksheets and checklists, quizzes, assignments and more. It is a living textbook - growing with your students and preparing them to enter the sports world. If I just piqued your interest… email me, bclapp@workinsports.com and I'll show you the goods.And for the rest of you who aren't professors… tell your professors about it. And for the rest of you that aren't in school -- well, tell someone. Alright let's get into today's question -- Oh one quick note, every once in a while Apple podcasts will send me all the most recent reviews of the show. Thankfully, we have 194 ratings and a 4.9 average --  so you guys and gals like the content -- thank you.But I found one review quite funny -- Headline: A Not Annoying Podcast “Brian has great information, great guests and a great show. He also speaks at a normal speed which is so much better than those slow-talking podcasters speaking in soft tones. I want good info given to me in a normal conversational tone and speed.” Cheers to fast talking!Alright today's question comes from Nick S who it looks like just finished getting his MBA at Jacksonville State University -- Congrats Nick:Nick writes in --Hey Brian!Just finished the newest Gap Year episode. I took my gap year before grad school, and just graduated in May with my MBA. Perfect timing right? I obviously want to work in sports, but I feel the need to get a job as soon as possible. Do you think that it would be viable to accept a position in a business, and be able to switch to the sports industry down the road? I have no idea what to do if I were to receive, say, a marketing offer from a business company rather than a sports team. Great question Nick -- let's get into it. I obviously have feelings on this and I will share them shortly, but no joke immediately after you sent me this, I was on Twitter and I saw friend of the show Dior Ginyard post a response to your question. For those of you that haven't listened,

Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Popularity is a slippery beast.As a podcast host, I am always looking for interesting guests, with recognizable names, fancy job titles and experience to share. My goal is always to provide actionable advice for all of you, and share it through either my voice and experience or by my guests. But I get back to the original premise - popularity, virality, shareability - totally unpredictable. You hear people in marketing always saying - I want viral content! As if it is that easy. That's not a strategy, it's a dream.  My belief has always been you make a lot of quality content, and try to learn from each piece that resonates with your audience. You constantly refine and adjust - not always in a major way, not always a complete shift, just subtle movements in your approach, tone, and content. Now let's be clear, going viral, or having something spike in popularity, doesn't always connect to your business. The concept of just going viral is flawed. I wrote an article years back when I had my own site - it was a funny article comparing injuries in hockey to injuries in baseball. It went nuts. Hundreds of thousands of views, hundreds of thousands of Facebook likes, thousands of shares -- the thing went crazy. It did zero for my bottom line. Literally zero. Sure we can talk about brand exposure, and the potential to grab new audiences, but for all the virality it made little impact on my business. So viral in and of itself doesn't always change the calculus of your business. It has to all be connected - content to business strategy. Now let's get this back to this here podcast. I don't reach for popularity anymore. I try to let it happen naturally by delivering the information the audience can grow from.I book guests based on the impact I believe they can have, and then sit back and watch to see what happens with downloads. Sometimes I have a vibe, like when I book big names like Leigh Steinberg, or Dan Duquette, that they will be popular. But what has been truly eye-opening is that guests like Colleen Scoles, Mailynh Vu and Mark Coscarello, talent acquisition managers with the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Indians and USGA respectively have doubled up Leigh Steinberg in downloads. It comes down to knowing your audience and what they want. Chelsea Zahn was a guest I booked last year, a young woman on the rise in the sports industry working in Partnership Activation for the Pittsburgh Steelers -- to me, she met the criteria for a great gust, charismatic, interesting career, not many people know about Partnership Activation, and willing to share great advice. I interviewed her, was proud of the content...and then was completely amazed when her episode became the second most downloaded of 2019 behind only Mailynh Vu who, I mean come on was the rockstar of 2019 and if you haven't listened to that episode you are crazy. I'm guessing many of you new to the show also haven't listened to Chelsea, so today is your day -- here is Chelsea Zahn, partnership activation manager for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

What is partnership activation as it applies to the sports industry? Chelsea Zahn, Pittsburgh Steelers Partnership Activation Specialist joins the show to discuss that and much more!Hi, everybody, I'm Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…There is a hunt for fit in the sports industry. Thousands of people each year say to themselves…I want to work in sports. I love sports, I have a passion for sports, I need to make it my career. But they aren't exactly where or how.That's where we so often come in, helping to bridge that gap between a job seekers want and a employers need.But let's take a deeper look on that job seeker side – it isn't always a smooth process figuring out how to turn a passion, something that really energizes you, into a day-to-day career with earning potential, high ceiling and a dose of reality.I was one of those lost souls through the vast majority of my college career – loved sports – had no idea what to do about that fact. I thought physical therapy for a while… I dabbled in some other ideas… and kept getting back to the big question “What should I do in sports?”I didn't have anyone to ask back then for advice, there was no Work in Sports podcast, there were no industry experts getting interviewed weekly, there was no LinkedIn where I could reach out and connect with experts in the field. You felt pretty alone in your journey. The vast majority of my professors cared more about how you did in their class, and their own research projects, than the bigger and more important question of “what's next for you and how do we get you there?”Quick side story, when I first started to consider the idea of working in the media, I had an informational interview with the News Director of a Philadelphia TV station. Couldn't connect with him on LinkedIn, so I literally reached out with a phone call…and it worked.I was very excited, practiced my questions, and really wanted to make a good impression for hopes it may lead to a job or internship.I remember one of my questions was about the standards he set for their station's news coverage, were there certain things he drew the line on and wouldn't show, or was everything fair game.He said in no uncertain terms they won't show body bags on the broadcast, he felt that was unethical and salacious.No joke…that night, feeling like a convert to their station, I watched their news to see this guy and his advice in action! Their first story was a massive car accident… and had at least three body bags in it.I felt rudderless and disheartened at this time. I really felt like nothing was pointing me in the right direction.Obviously, I persevered, and this isn't all about me, so I'll wrap up my little story time soapbox with this.I know what it's like to feel lost, which is why I'm always trying to share my time and effort to help others find their way… in fact, I think I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to find new ways into the industry.One thing our podcast has proven is that there is no one way into the industry, for every Leigh Steinberg sports agency trailblazer, there is a Jennifer Keene, VP of Athlete and Property Marketing for Octagon…a psychology major at Cornell who started out her career at People Magazine in the sales department, or Mike Judge Cleveland Browns Director of Ticket Sales, who started out his career managing a shoe store.Careers are never a straight line, so get that expectation out of your head.BUT, it can be a much easier path if you get some focus and clarity early and can put your attention towards certain goals. Which again, is why we try to introduce you to options.This weeks guest Chelsea Zahn is a part of Steelers Nation. Having worked for her hometown Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014…in…wait for it… Partnership Activation.Some of you may have heard of this role, others not so much. Count me in the latter, I knew the role, had heard it a bunch in conversations with others,