The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.  No surprise to say I grew up a fanatical sports fan. I have always loved game action. I remember vividly sneaking out of bed to watch Boston Celtics games when they were on the road, hoping my mother wouldn’t catch me. Homme games were on cable TV and we didn’t have it, only the road games.   Sundays were jammed with NFL football, if my parents scheduled something that conflicted with games I wanted to watch, I was a pain in the ass. I vividly remember my mom getting us tickets to the ice capades, but in conflicted with a Cowboys – Redskins game, I was a pain the entire time, and got a massive lecture for being unappreciative of all she does for my brother and I.  I deserved it, but I was, and still am addicted.   I remember in high school watching late night west coast college basketball games, hoping to uncover some unknown but talented player that I could brag about knowing. Cedric Caballos is a perfect example, I saw him play a game for Cal State Fullerton, and then definitely name dropped him in conversations with fellow high schoolers to act as if I was some amateur scout, with more knowledge then they had.   What a dork.   My grandmother every year got me a subscription to Sports Illustrated and I read it cover to cover. Then I ripped off the cover and put it on my bedroom wall. All the iconic covers of the 80s and 90s were unceremoniously stapled to my walls, reminding me of those moments spent rifling through their pages.   But... I could never get into the business side of sports.   I tried.   My mom would try to push me toward sports business shows or to read sports business content. Sadly, I admit, it bored me. Deals and TV revenue and sponsorships and marketing campaigns – not as exciting as Michael Jordan, John Elway, Wayne Gretzky, and Barry Bonds.  Alas, as I have aged, rapidly some would say, my focus has shifted and now those same deals and decisions that bored me, represent the game happening for all of us.   Sports business is the game we can all play, a language we can all speak, and forms the decisions that make everything possible.  In June 2020, Sportico was formed with the mission of empowering readers with the context and insights needed to understand an evolving sports ecosystem – where teams are incubators and innovation labs, franchise values are soaring, players’ unions are accelerators and athletes will not stick to sports.  Good write up there - - they did it, not me.   Today's guest Emily Caron is one of the highly accomplished sports business reporters on the team at Sportico – Emily joined the sportico team at their launch after working for such high-profile brands as espnW and Sports Illustrated and she’s here today to share her journey AND insights into some of the biggest sports business focused stories in 2021!  Questions for Emily Caron, Sports Business Reporter for Sportico

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the WorkInSports podcast...  Super pumped for this week's expert interview with Emily Caron, a sports business reporter from Sportico.com.   Emily has worked at espnW and Sports Illustrated before joining Sportico and she is awesome. What is fun about this conversation is that most of the time reporters are reporting on other people's opinions or the facts they can discover. But, in this episode, I probe Emily for so many of her opinions on what some of the big #sportsbiz topics mean for the future of our industry.  Extremely exciting. Tune in for that episode on Wednesday April 21st.  #Sportsbiz Stat Line for April 19th Three quick stats that give you an update on the health of the sports industry from a hiring perspective, and then three cool sports jobs posted in the last week on WorkInSports.com the leading job board for the sports industry and a proud member of the iHire talent community.   Stat #1: 23, 581 jobs – increase of 2.3% and our highest total in over a year. Sportsbiz is back.  Stat #2: 3,201 jobs added this past week an increase of 7.5% from the previous week  Stat #3: which means there were 457 fresh sports jobs posted every day last week on average. Great reason to keep coming back every day to see what’s new.   Three sports jobs that are incredibly interesting from the past week:  Manager of Influencer Marketing for Brooks Running  https://www.workinsports.com/search-jobs/view/brooks-running?id=548538 The Manager, Influencer Marketing is responsible for driving strategy and executing on influencer programming for the brand. You are responsible for creating and driving measurable strategies with clear KPIs to meet defined objectives, inclusive of building brand awareness and product discovery. All programming will be built in partnership with a cross-functional group of peers across marketing, including your colleagues in retail marketing, PR, sports marketing, social, sales and more. The ideal candidate will have proven experience identifying and engaging influencers, managing influencer outreach programs, and creating engaging, brand worthy content.  Delaware State is hiring an Athletic Director  https://www.workinsports.com/search-jobs/view/delaware-state-university?id=548442 General Description of the Position Under the Chief Operating Officer's supervision with oversight from the President, the Athletic Director (AD) is responsible for planning, developing, managing, coordinating, and supervising a competitive intercollegiate athletics program with 18 programs, 14 head coaches, and more than 400 student-athletes. The Athletic Director (1) provides visionary leadership, strategic planning, and policy development for the athletics program; (2) maintains an athletics program that is committed to the University's mission and strategic priorities; (3) works with the University's development office to raise funds fo...

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast. I started to read a new book the other day and after about 70 pages I had to put it down.  This is abnormal for me, I’m the type of personality that once I start something I have to finish it. I have to know how it ended.  This is true for novels, movies, hikes to waterfalls you name it. I have to reach the moment of closure.  I could be watching the worst Matthew McConaughey romantic comedy, which is slowly rotting my brain away with each passing line of dialogue (hello Failure to Launch), but I still have to see how it ends.  This frustrates my wife, who can cut ties in a moment’s notice… but that’s another story. She’s from Philly, she doesn’t suffer fools.   Back to the book.  I had to put down this book for a very simple reason. And this is a book of great acclaim, an international best seller that was turned into a pretty darn successful movie. I put it down because it followed every generalized cliche you could possibly make about races, cultures, religions and creeds. The Japanese character was good at math and a whiz on computers. The Palenstinian character had been involved in terrorist acts. The Russian character was cold, calculating and emotionless. The Mexican character worked hard in the fields and then drank beer every night. The Jewish character was tight with their money and a shrewd negotiator.  Of course, the American character was dashing, intelligent, and fearless — I’ll leave that to your own interpretations.  But I didn’t make it much past those characters. This isn’t me being “woke” or pandering to our current culture war,  I just really hate generalizations. I hate cliches, I hate lazy, boring storytelling.    Spreading this narrative and reinforcing to people where they should fit, is a dangerous weapon, meant to discourage. I’m not having it. I may spark some outrage with this, but I fail to believe we are all pre-determined to fit into categories at birth. We can be whoever we work and are driven to be.  Period.  Of course, I am oversimplifying, there are systemic obstacles that prevent many of us from becoming exactly who we desire to be, but the over-arching point is simple — none of us fit into a cliche, we are all individuals.   Generalizations like the ones exhibited by this trash book slide their way into our sports world often.  I just finished reading an article where the EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, Renie Anderson, posted an opinion piece on NFL.com reminding people that “hey, women work in sports too, and there are lots of us in the NFL!” Let me repeat that – She is an Executive VP and Chief Revenue Officer in the NFL – which immediately qualifies her as a badass – and she had to write an article telling people that women really do work in sports. In 2020.  Let’s break down some more walls, let’s get out of this generalized,

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.  Big show last week, if you missed it go back and check out Dr. Bill Sutton on the show, if you are unfamiliar with Dr. Sutton, he is the Kevin Bacon of sports.   Everyone tracks back to him.   Seriously, I’d guess at least 20 of my prior podcast guests count him as a mentor. He’s been training and teaching the movers and shakers in the sports industry for decades. Doc Sutton knows how to help people find their fit in the industry, how to inspire and be an ally for diversity hiring, he consults with professional teams on their sales and marketing, he worked directly under David Stern at the NBA. He’s amazing, and we talked for a long, long time, but it’ll feel like 10 minutes.   It goes fast.  He is super connected, incredibly smart, and always pushing the industry forward. A lot of times you hear of someone who has been in academia for decades and you may think, subconsciously of course, that they aren’t up to date, that they don’t push modern ideas, that they may be stale.   Listen to this show and you will be blown away. He’s talking about video as a sales tool, business intelligence, seeing potential in people beyond their test scores – it's awesome.   Let’s get into today’s question from Tony in Missouri     Hey Brian, big fan of the show, I only just found out about the Work In Sports podcast after listening to your interview with Zach Maurides from Teamworks. That dude got me fired up, and you asked the exact type of questions I wanted to know about. It was like you were reading my mind! Since then, I’ve gone back and listened to your interviews with Dan Duquette, Leigh Steinberg, Jack Mills, Kara Walker of the Boston Celtics, Celia Bouza from ESPN and more.  But my absolute favorite was with John Ferguson VP of People and Culture from Monumental Sports and Entertainment. I’m a victim of covid layoffs. I had my first job after college, things were going well, but then you know the rest. Good news, I have had three interviews in the last few weeks and your advice has been awesome and helpful. In his interview, John said that candidates should follow up with their hiring manager or the person wh...

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the WorkInSports podcast.  My goal today, to write the shortest intro to a podcast interview ever. Dr. Bill Sutton joins me today, and we have an incredible discussion ahead for you. It’s meaty, there is a ton of info in here, life changing kind of stuff, and I’m not one for hyperbole.   Dr. Sutton is synonymous with the sports industry.   36 years in sports academia at University of South Florida, Ohio State, UMass, Robert Morris, University of Central Florida – meaning he has taught, trained, mentored and placed, quite literally thousands of the people thriving in the sports industry today.   But he’s not just a classroom guy, writing research papers and repeating the same axioms. He’s been a VP in the NBA working directly under David Stern, we’ll talk about that coming up, and he’s consulted with various pro teams ranging from Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia 76ers, Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Mets.  Everyone goes to Doc Sutton for advice and insight. He’s honest, straightforward, knowledgeable and I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so committed to helping the people he believes in.    Time for me to shut up – here's Doc Sutton.   Watch the Full Work In Sports Podcast Episode with Dr. Bill Sutton https://youtu.be/vltgMjhChQo Questions for Dr. Bill Sutton, Sports Business Expert * Outside of your illustrious career in academia, your professional background is in the sales, marketing, business ops side of sports. In 2020, no sector of our industry was more negatively affected than sales. Our job board is always full of sales jobs, but in 2020 those numbers plummeted.  You are on the front lines working with many teams, leagues, and organizations as part of your consulting business. Do you think sports sales jobs are rebounding? What is your overall outlook for 2021 concerning sales and marketing opportunities?   Dr. Bill Sutton on the Future of Sports Sales Roles in 2021 https://youtu.be/kM90HzBZAQ4 * We so often hear the term analytics, and we are pre-conditioned to think player side analysis. Moneyball. Oakland A's. But in today's world, isn't it the business analysts, the revenue optimization specialists, representing one of our industry's real growth sectors?  * I've often remarked on this podcast the need to continually innovate and adapt – when I first started in the industry, social media, analytics, data-driven decision models, eSports – many didn’t exist, others were not common, now they are massive.  While I don't expect you to predict the future, what do you see as the new emerging frontiers of the sports industry?  * Thirty-six years of experience in higher ed, but you are retired now from the college classroom experience, so you can speak freely and be honest. The program you founded at USF, the Sports and Entertainment Management MBA program, is a little different from most, having a co-op element and focusing on students gaining real-world&nbsp...

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast...  For those of you who haven’t listened to last week’s podcast with Zach Maurides, go listen to it. Seriously, now. Stop listening and start there first.   Zach is the founder and CEO of Teamworks an athlete engagement platform that is currently working with over 100 professional sports teams and 200 full college athletic programs to be their student-athlete hub, managing their schedules, communication, itineraries, academics, nutrition and so much more.   They are growing massively, and Zach, as a former student-athlete, an offensive lineman at duke, is so incredibly informative.   Not convinced – I'll give you one nugget, one concept of many that Zach shares during this awesome podcast interview.  “I want to hire confident people. Confident people put in the work, and know they are going to win because they put in the work. Arrogant people just expect to win. We don’t want arrogant people.”  Now picture this coming out of a 6’6” 290 lb. former offensive lineman, trust me when I say this --- you are going to feel fired up and ready to put in the work.   Ok, Wednesday – the godfather of sports business, seriously, I think you must kiss his ring before getting into the sports industry, Dr. Bill Sutton.   For those of you who don’t know doc Sutton, he is the smartest most connected guy in the #sportsbiz I know. And more importantly, the most passionately supportive of his people. He has trained the best in the industry from GMs to sales directors, and he’s not just an academic, he’s worked for David Stern in the NBA and countless other organizations as part of his side hustle consulting business.   One quick story – he and I really hit it off, it’s a great interview, and at the end, he said, "that was a lot of fun, I loved your questions and the way our conversation went, who else can I help you get to be a guest on your show?”   Figuring I could aim high since he is offering, I said: “Would you happen to know Scott O’Neil, CEO of the Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, the owners of the Sixers and Devils, I really like his style and would love to interview him?”   Within 30 minutes of the completion of our interview, Scott O’Neil emailed me to book a time.   Now that is legit power.   Sports Career Question from Amy in Boston: Let’s get into today’s question, which comes from Amy in Boston. Fun Fact, if I was a girl, I was going to be named Amy.   “Hey Brian, big fan of the podcast and your various articles, I feel like I’ve gone back through your archive so many times to answer my pressing career-focused questions. What I think is great is that your show isn’t just about sports, it’s about culture, and decision-maker and planning and strategy...I find it so informative.   Amy – you get me. Continue.   “My question is pretty simple: I got pretty good at the career fair circuit in late 2019, I had a good flow, made lots of contacts, felt like I was on the edge of getting hired... and then, you know, stuff. I’ve seen and heard a lot about virtual career fa...

Hey everybody, I am Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast...  In the sports world we are all accustomed to being led by a coach. From early tee-ball or youth soccer to more intense high school competitions or club teams and then for some of us college – we are all accustomed to the coach archetype.  As I say that, your first thoughts may go to a vision of a stern-faced sideline warrior, fussing and cussing at their horde of athletes. This is the common perception. Bob Knight. Lou Piniella. Mike Ditka. Bear Bryant.  Notice something in that list – they are all bygones.   Think for a second about the most important coaches of our era – Nick Saban, Bill Belichick, Gregg Popovich, Joe Maddon, Cheryl Reeve -- they are not the fire and brimstone types, sure they get upset and have human emotions, but they are teachers and leaders first.   Today’s successful coaches are quite different than traditional bosses you may see in the workplace. This is one place where sports are ahead of other industries.   Traditional workplace bosses master a particular skill, then up level to controlling others who are utilizing the skill. For example, a great salesperson will eventually be promoted to Sales manager. A wonderful software engineer gets promoted to managing other programmers.   But successfully completing tasks, as they did as an individual contributor themselves, is different than leading. Which is why many traditional bosses can tend to be transactional vs. Transformational.  In business your boss may want you to give orders, a list of transactional items to complete, to work harder, to dedicate more time and effort.   Successful coaches on the other hand, teach the craft, empower, show how to work smarter not harder, focus on technique and approach to benefit the performance, and lean heavily on the broader team mission of success.   Coaches teach. Bosses tell.  The Atlantic Magazine highlighted the extrovert bias in corporate culture, concluding that aggressive outspoken business leaders are more highly compensated and promoted.   But the science is quite clear on this – empowering your direct reports, in sports or in business, is motivating, builds confidence and enhances performance.   Authoritarian demands, being aggressive and loud, may garner attention, but they don’t work. These techniques don’t develop cooperative and competitive teams.   I lean towards Gregg Popovich’s view on this.   “Competitive character people don’t want to be manipulated. That is what the leader that hoots and hollers is doing – manipulating, not coaching. Empowering athletes provides a psychological boost and a mental edge at the most important moments.”  When today’s guest Zach Maurides was playing college ball at Duke as a 6’6” 290 lbs. Offensive Lineman he played for four offensive coordinators, three position coaches and two head coaches.  He was exposed to different leaders and leadership styles, and from that,

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast… Some big news before we get into the stat line and today’s question... As some of you may have read -- WorkInSports has been acquired by iHire. Now, before panic ensues, this was not a hostile takeover like in the movies. We wanted this, we angled for this, we pushed for this! iHire is an awesome company one we have long admired, In fact, our CEO and their CEO are good friends even before this deal.   I’ll cut to the chase and oversimplify this whole process -- they have way, way, way more resources than we do, which means we can and will do more to help sports job seekers and sports employers.  The tools and advantages of this deal will be explained in the months to come as we work through the integration process. I’ll be adding some quick segments to future shows to introduce you to new iHire/WIS tools aimed to help you land your dream job or hire your next great employee.  If your organization wants help with their hiring -- call me. We will be set up to help you dominate more efficiently.  If you have questions about stuff like this or for the Monday podcasts  -- hit me up. I’m available in all sorts of ways --- there is LinkedIn, connect with me there. We have a private Facebook group for this here podcast -- you can connect with me there.  And my email still works and will forever. FYI -- this podcast will grow. Our new team is highly committed to its growth and reach, which fires me up, so don’t worry about that. I’m still here. In fact, I’m already strategizing another career advice related podcast -- so if you have ideas on what you’d like from another career focused podcast. Speak! Time for the Stat Line! This is a massive week. Get excited. 1: 23,018 total jobs on WorkInSports.com--- I saw a competitor in the sports job board space brag all over social about how they bested 2,000 sports jobs. Who hoo pat yourselves on the back. We have 23,000.  Reminder: sports jobs aren’t just with teams. Red Bull, Entercom, NBC Sports, Fanatics -- we have them all.  2: 3562 -- I started tracking this data for the stat line back in September of 2020 -- this is the highest number of weekly ads to the job board since I started tracking. 3,562 new opportunities added this week alone. Not every one will be a match for you -- but chances are you can find your match one WorkInSports.com. 3: Little quick math -- that is 509 sports jobs, fresh opportunities, added every day of the week, on average. First time over 500 jobs daily -- that’s awesome. Jobs, jobs, jobs! Here are three cool jobs added this week to the job board Job #1 Head of Corporate DEI - The Athletic The Athletic is searching for a Head of Corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to develop and execute on The Athletic's efforts towards diversifying our corporate team. The ideal candidate is a strategic, operations-oriented thinker that can successfully execute on existing strategies, as well as recommend, advocate for, and implement new solutions that support the company's DEI goals.

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast… What would you do if someone asked you to build a new pro sports brand from the ground up, AND build a new stadium in LA? Your budget is 350 million -- go! Me? I’d probably roll up in the fetal position and cry myself to sleep. This is a massive undertaking.  Wrong steps have enormous ramifications. And I am known for my wrong steps, it’s part of my charm. You can’t do over a brand, it is a living breathing thing that gets established then takes on a life of its own through the local community and sports ecosystem. You can’t wing it on a stadium build, there are layers and layers of decisions that will have an impact felt for decades. Benny Tran, EVP of Corporate Strategy and Operations for LAFC is the mind behind these monumentally important aspects I’ve outlined for you. When you hear Benny explain it, as you are about to, it seems like a calm walk in the park.  He is so even-keeled -- methodical, pragmatic -- but also gives off this vibe like he has his arms around everything just fine.  Me I feel like I’m constantly sticking my fingers in holes, Benny just has a different air about him. Can you tell I admire this guy? Maybe it’s because in his life prior to sports, he worked on global initiatives like HIV/AIDS treatment in Southeast Asia, national health strategies and climate action.  When you have your hands in issues of this magnitude, what’s getting a stadium built?  There is a lot in this conversation -- from business intelligence, facility management, brand identity, community involvement, the importance oof daily workers and more.  Here’s Benny Tran, buckle up. Watch Benny Tran on the Work In Sports Podcast https://youtu.be/JyYpreggcd4 Questions for Benny Tran, EVP Corporate Strategy and Operations LAFC 1: Undergrad at Emory majoring in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic, MPA in public policy from Princeton, over a decade with the Clinton Foundation working on climate initiatives and Clinton Health Access Initiative – anything was in reach for you at any moment, so why sports? Why was being a part of the LAFC story the right move for you?  2: October 30th 2014, MLS awards a new expansion club to Los Angeles after Chivas USA dissolved. You were hired a month later in December 2014 to be the SVP of Corporate Strategy and Development – early on, with so much to do, does it feel like trying to boil the ocean? How do you even start to prioritize and focus?   3: Much of your background, prior to sports, was in international development.   As you set forth to build a cutting-edge stadium in Los Angeles that would not only represent the city and the LAFC brand, but also employ thousands of people and open up the community – which proved harder your work in building public health infrastructure to treat people living with HIV/AIDS in SE Asia or getting a stadium built in LA?  4: I was reading through the stats of Banc of California stadium and I found myself saying “that’s cool” or “what a cool idea!” a lot. Every seat is within 135 ft of the pitch, it is an LEED silver certified stadium, over 1,

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the WorkInSports podcast… Before we get into the stat line and today’s awesome question -- twoo upcoming guests I want to highlight.  Last week I interviewed Benny Tran, EVP of Corporate Strategy and Operations at LAFC. Benny came from a world outside of sports, he has a background in public policy getting his Master’s from Princeton. He worked internationally for the Clinton Foundation battling climate change and global health initiatives.  The dude is a genius. I don’t think I’ve been more intimidated for an interview, I was so afraid to say something stupid. Benny is an absolute delight my fears were unfounded. When Benny came to LAFC his big role was building the LAFC brand through the community, and what is now known as Banc of California Stadium in LA. Our discussion on the process and priorities of stadium construction and community involvement is fascinating. That will air Wednesday March 24th. And, today I also interviewed Zach Maurides, founder and CEO of Teamworks. If you are a student-athlete you likely know about Teamworks. They work with over 100 professional teams, from the Boston Red Sox to the San Francisco 49ers. And 250 D1 college programs, from Alabama to Stony Brook. Teamworks is the leading ATHLETE ENGAGEMENT platform, built by athletes, for athletes. Their software and app make everything easier for elite athletic teams – from scheduling and communication, to sharing files and managing travel.   I am fired up to speak with Zach, who developed Teamworks as an undergrad Offensive Lineman at Duke. He’s an athlete, building products for athletes. And it’s awesome.  Check that out...next week. Today’s question is from Neera in Illinois,  Hi Brian, good news I had an awesome first interview with a sports company I really want to work for. I used so much of your advice and it really guided me through the process and gave me confidence. I researched, I reviewed my skills and accomplishments, I came up with stories to share that exemplified my soft skills,....basically, I channeled you and it worked, I got asked back for a second interview.So with that in mind, what should I do now?! Is it a totally different experience from the second job interview? Watch The Video! Second Job Interview Tips: https://youtu.be/-LWIrXug6sY Neera great great question! And congratulations Let’s get into it. (For more insights listen to the Work in Sports podcast episode or watch the Youtube video!) 1: Frame your mind that if you were competing with 25 people before, now it’s like 10. That’s a good thing.  2: You’ll meet with more decision-makers, different people, a cross-section of the business. 3: Lean into what worked during interview #1 4: Expect some repeats -- new people but similar questions from a different voice. 5: What did you learn from your interview about them? Company mission, goals, future plans? Lean into those to frame your answers and how you fit strategically. 6: Expect the questions to be aligned with how you will impact the business if you are hired -- the questions will be more forward-thinking vs.

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work in Sports Podcast… This episode is about expansion.  We in the sports industry so often out on our blinders and only think about sports. We tell ourselves it is so different than everything else out there, we are unique. Truth is, in some places we are, in others we are quite typical.  A scout, a coach, an athletic trainer -- sure these are careers you only find in sports, but the vast majority of opportunities out there are bound by the same business and economic restrictions as every other industry.  Finance, event management, operations, marketing, human resources, public relations, sales, these are all common roles in sports, and in every other industry in the world.  So we’re taking off the blinders today and speaking with someone, clutch your pearls… outside of sports, GASP! Fawn Germer is a 9-time author, including multiple best sellers and Hard Won Wisdom, which Oprah herself recommends, and even if in sports “Oprah recommends…” doesn’t carry as much weight as say “Chris Berman recommends...” it’s still pretty amazing. She’s also been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in investigative journalism 4 times -- that’s dope.  Her latest book is titled Coming Back, How to Win the Job You Want, When You’ve Lost the Job You Need -- is really really good. We’re talking actionable career-focused content… right now with Fawn Germer… Questions for Fawn Germer, Best-Selling Author 1: There is a tactical discussion for us to have, the nuts and bolts of how our audience can thrive in the messed-up environment we call modern day life, but there are also broader strategies and mindsets that everyone can and should employ – let’s start there. Sound good? I, like you, speak to a lot of entrepreneurs and executives, and one thing that always sticks out to me is their wholehearted belief in themselves and their vision. They see why things can and should work and go after them fearlessly, rather than being consumed and stalled by self-doubt.  Why don’t more of us embody that attitude? What is it that holds us back? 2: From your myriad of interviews and discussions with industry leaders, presidents, prime ministers – are there certain traits or attributes that stick out to you? And if so, how can the people listening apply these mindsets to their lives? 3: I read in your bio where you said “Life is all about our obstacles. They hold our greatest opportunities for success and growth, but we do have to earn them.” Can you go deeper there – what do you mean by ‘earning your obstacles’ and how does that lead to success and growth? 4: Confidence is not a constant. We all have times where we feel indestructible, ready to take on the world, and then things happen, life happens, and we get damaged. Our psyche isn’t as impenetrable.  Right now, this is a reality for so many people.  They had a job, they loved their job, now it’s gone. The spiral takes over – they read unemployment numbers, they hear competition is high for jobs, the bills pile up – it’s not enough to tell them “this to...

Hey Everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast … Daylight savings! A love-hate relationship here -- loved the fact the sun was out at 7:15 last night. Hated the fact my kid’s sleep schedule was a mess. Anyone who is a parent knows this dilemma, it takes a week for your kids to normalize to the change, and it is a painful week. Consider yourself forewarned all you youngsters. Old people problems here.  If you missed it, last week’s podcast episode with Allison Bickford is a big hit. The people have spoken and they love the Seattle Kraken and Allison Bickford. Lots of great career insight and so much fun so check that out.  I also come asking a favor, subscribe to our YouTube channel. I made it my goal to be super aggressive with video in 2021 and I want more of your to subscribe to our channel so my bosses don’t think my time spent in front of the camera is a waste.  I like crafting videos, please make it worth my while. Subscribe! I think I’m supposed to say “smash that subscribe button and don’t forget to hit the bell so you are notified when new videos are posted!” I’m kind of joking here on the YouTuber techniques… but you get the idea, would love to have you watching and listening.  Ok let’s get into today’s question… Hi Brian, my name is Joanna and I am a college freshman who was introduced to your podcast this year by one of my professors. I love it. I have learned so much. Funny story, I swear my professor takes your ideas and talks about them in the classroom like they are his...I think he forgets that he told us all to listen to your show.I do have a question though, and I hope you can get to it. As I mentioned I am a freshman, and since I’m paying for my college I want to make sure I get the most out of this experience. If you were going to set a strategy for a freshman in college to make sure they get the most out of the college experience and really, really really make the most of their 4 years - what would you advise I focus on?     Joanna - this is a big question. You’re in luck, I love big questions! https://youtu.be/KdNeA8jk3rI I have 6 big concepts, lets get into them. 1: During your freshman year start to narrow down your main focuses and interests. Just saying you want to work in sports isn’t specific enough, and doesn’t set you up for success. You need to start right now, understanding what real options are out there and the demands of those roles. The choices you make to be an athletic trainer vs. a sports marketer will be incredibly different.  Unless you know what you want, you won’t be able to make smart choices based on where you want to end up. Ideally, by the end of your sophomore year you’ll be able to say, OK, I want to work in sports marketing or sports operations, or sports technology, or become a sports agent.  Right now, start researching and understanding what is out there. See what interests you.  But by the time you hit junior year you want to be choosing internships that match your goals, you want to be choosing specific classes that fit the skill profile for who you want to be, you want to start being strategic about what additional skills you lear...

Hey Everybody I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkinSports.com and this is the WorkInSports podcast… The idea of a sports startup isn’t exactly new, there a fledgling agencies, marketing companies, tech companies all popping up throughout the year.  But what about a professional sports team that functions like a startup? The Seattle Kraken -- and yes, I’ll be saying that name as often as possible over the next 45 minutes because I love it -- are the latest darling of the NHL and the entire Pacific Northwest.  But let’s digest that for a second.  December 2018, the NHL approves a proposal to grant Seattle an expansion NHL franchise In any normal situation, it’s a mad dash to the start of the first season. There are stadium renovations to complete, staffs to hire, teams to draft - and that is barely scratching the surface of all the needs to be done.  It is the beginning of a franchise story. A startup business. Brand new, everyone figuring out through some levels of trial and error what will work and what doesn’t. Now, for an NHL franchise like the Kraken, they are gathering the best, most experienced talent from around the world as part of their spunky little startup, so it is a little different than a new tech company like say last week’s guest Eric Stark began with Slate.  But, beginning something new is a huge challenge, and now layer in doing that during a pandemic.  Today’s guest Allison Bickford, Director of Corporate Partnership Activation has been with the Kraken since August 2019...but has yet to meet many if not most of her fellow co-workers outside of zoom. Is operating in a new city, without the ability to really go look around and see the area.  These are the challenges we deal with right now, and, at least in theory, make us stronger.  So buckle up -- we’re talking Corporate Partnerships, #Startup mentality, Pacific Northwest excitement, and more with Allison Bickford! Prefer to watch? Here is the full Work In Sports VODCAST episode with Allison Bickford, Seattle Kraken https://youtu.be/zfZr4Qzbm-o Questions for Allison Bickford, Seattle Kraken Director of Corporate Partnership Activation 1: A few weeks back a fan of the show wrote in saying, “you need to have a guest on from the Seattle Kraken” …Allison Bickford, you are that guest! Welcome! I lived in Seattle for 10 years and it was during the time the Sonics left town. Seattle is a great sports town, and the people were heartbroken then. Now, there is a palpable excitement people are thrilled to have hockey coming to the Northwest – what has the energy and excitement been like for you? 2: Let’s talk about your role – Director of Corporate Partnership Activation – sounds fancy, tell us a little more about what it means to be in your role, your primary focuses and what you love… 3: Would you consider Corporate Partnership Activation more of a sales type role? More customer service? Marketing? How do you identify yourself when you explain it to people outside of sports? 4: How did you land here, in this career path? I think so many in our audience struggle to identify their proper fit, or path, so how did you land in this area of focus in the sports industry? 5: You are working with a bevy of corporations as they come on as new partners and make sure ...

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast… Thanks for joining me this lovely Monday, that’s not even sarcasm, the sun is out daylight saving is around the corner, I’m feeling lovely.  Quick confession before we get into the stat line and today’s question… for those of you watching on our YouTube channel, and it would be great if you all subscribed to our youtube channel at Work In Sports, it makes my bosses proud of me, but if you are watching on our youtube channel, you may notice a very different look to my set.  So the confession.  I had this weird dream a couple of weeks back that was inundated with a look, a vibe, a feel. And I tried to translate that into a new set design. After I completed it last night, I realized it may have been a nightmare, I’m not sure it’s working.  But the idea was this -- when I used to live in the city, Atlanta first and then Seattle, I loved the look of light poles covered with overlapping concert flyers, record releases, announcements. You get this chaotic mass of colors and shapes and disarray that was kind of beautiful.  So, I decided to re-paint my walls with black chalkboard paint, buy an assortment of picture frames and about 1,000 stickers. Most are sports-related, but some are superheroes, nature, and other stuff I’m into. And on the frames behind me, you’ll see the result -- it looks pretty graphic and cool -- but I’m not sure about the black walls.  Overall, I was feeling like you see the same zoom backdrop about 100 times a day and I just wanted to make something that was really different. So if you don’t mind -- check it out on our youtube channel, and let me know if you think it is cool, ridiculous, or something in between.  I’m not a graphic or interior designer -- but I do listen to my dreams and it kind of inspired me.  I will add -- my 13-year-old daughter is an amazing artist and is going to do some artwork on the chalkboard, then we’re going to layer the frames over it -- so you get an almost graffiti look behind. So we’ll see if this is insane, or insanely cool. Watch the Work In Sports VODCAST: https://youtu.be/vsQNOZD1X5o A second quick note before the stat line -- big thanks to Ron Robert Jr and Jeff Fellenzer for inviting me to be a part of their Sports Industry Showcase event, 39 speakers over many industry-focused panels, of which I played a small, but vocal, you know me I don’t hold back, part. Really great session -- lots of incredible students, many of which I have already started to speak with and engage -- I’m looking at you Mayan, Johnpaul, Jennifer, Leyla, Sarah, Caroline, Luke, Jonathan, Lynne, and Kennedy -- you guys and gals are rockstars. Ok, let’s get to the stat line…. 1: 22324 2: 3168  3: 453 Three cool jobs posted this week: Summer Camp Soccer or Baseball or Golf  Director -- Camp Westmont  https://www.workinsports.com/search-jobs/view/camp-westmont?id=504894 Camp Westmont, a co-ed traditional sleep-away camp in the Pocono Mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania, is currently looking for qualified, experienced, energetic individuals to teach and run our Soccer program. Competitive salary,

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the WorkInSports Podcast... “It is one thing to have a good idea, and quite another to turn it into a reality…” This thought kept bouncing around my head last week as I prepared to interview today’s guest Eric Stark, co-founder of Slate, a sports and entertainment social media tool that we’ll be talking a lot about.  We’ve all had jobs where we identified issues. A problem with a workflow, an inefficient tech solution, a supply chain issue. This moment of discovery doesn’t make us unique, we all see problems that need solving all around us. Awareness is common.  The better question is, what do you do with this information? As I see it there are two distinct paths. Complain or solve.  This isn’t me being preachy, and simplifying issues down to a right way and a wrong way, and shaming you all for not picking the right way enough. Let’s be clear, I have done my share of complaining over the years. Loudly, so everyone in the back could hear me.  This is a normal part of the human condition.  We don’t always know how to fix things, so sometimes we complain to motivate others with the power to fix things to take action.  Am I right?  Sound familiar? When I was a production assistant, I would complain about our editing system loud enough for the boss to hear, in hopes she would do something. It was like a cry for help. Not exactly mature or professional, but I was young and trying to affect change in the way I knew how. But you know what impresses me? Someone who identifies a problem, and then has the entrepreneurial ambition to solve it… like legit, create a solution. So let’s get into this Eric Stark story -- Eric worked in the NFL for 7 years, digital account coordinator with the league, digital media manager with the Chiefs, digital and social media strategist with the Niners, then back to the league offices to be the Director of International marketing and content strategy.  Career path, on the rise.   But during this journey in the digital and content space, Eric found many problems with the process. Getting social media moments out to the audience fast, and with proper branding had a lot of friction points. It took too long and involved too many people. All kinds of areas for failure.  He didn’t complain, well maybe he did at some point I can’t confirm or deny, but that doesn’t fit my story right now, we’ll stick with he didn’t complain… he set out to fix.  He began developing his own solution to sports social media process friction, with 3 co-founders, his squad, which resulted in Slate.  Now, as I stated earlier in this intro, it one thing to have an idea, and quite another to execute it well and turn it into a reality.  Eric and his team identified a problem, solved it, and now have teams like the Golden State Warriors, Denver Broncos, NYCFC, Premier Lacrosse League, Atlanta Falcons, ole Miss, and many more using their product in their social media efforts. That’s the overview, now let’s jump into the details with Eric Stark, COO and Co-Founder of Slate… (this is the point you listen to the podcast) Prefer to Watch? Here is the Video Episode of Maximizing Social Med...