The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…It was March 11th that the NBA suspended their season and today is March 30th -- that’s 19 days without sports, the longest I’ve ever gone in my life. It is for the greater good, but man this stinks. I hope you have all been doing the best you can with social distancing and quarantine. It is the right choice, and I hope you are all following the guidelines set out by the experts.I’m not making any political commentaries here when I say -- trust the experts. Ignore the fluff, and pageantry, focus on the medical experts and scientists. Moving right along -- we’re trying to stay focused on the things you can be doing to advance yourself during this time of chaos.We are ramping up our content -- on Mondays, we’ll do our standard answer a fan question. ON Wednesday’s expert interview...and then we’re adding a Friday edition, which will either be a piece of advice relevant to our current world and situation or will be a timely guest. So far we’ve had special guests Kenneth Shropshire, CEO of the Global Sports Institute, I’ve done an episode on networking during the global pandemic, and just this past Friday I had on Greg Hylton, VP of Premium Seating with the NFL.I have to tell you, Greg’s one of my new favorite interviews and I hope you all have listened or will go back and listen to it today.Why this episode?Well, Greg works in the NFL, the one league with a season ahead - so his perspective is unique right now.He also really knows the importance of revenue-generating roles, and how they will be in great demand when we come out of thisWe talk about the smaller leagues can survive this, the strategy teams may use to make up the revenue shortfall, how attending games may have to change… and more. It was an awesome conversation, please check it out. Today, we’re going to handle what has become a very very common question.  I’ve received this question in various formats about 1,000 times now -- “Hey brian, what can I be doing right now to advance my career prospects?”I’ve talked about networking during this time, I’ve talked about learning a skill that you don’t have, I’ve talked about online courses and training, especially in sales because that is where the demand will be.Today I want to talk about conducting a self-audit. I know, this sounds awful. Aa self-audit sounds like a root canal. I need to come up with some better branding. All it really is, is getting a deeper understanding of yourself, and how you match up with the needs of the marketplace.  Step 1: The Heat Check Step 2: The resume review Step 3: Cover letterStep 4: Informational interviews

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…As promised we’re going to continue adding an extra podcast a week as we deal with social isolation and distancing. Our Friday podcasts will aim to inform and educate you specifically on how our current situation is affecting the future of the industry or techniques and strategies you can utilize right now in this unique time.I don’t know about you but time seems to be drifting into itself right now, I don’t know what day it is since they all seem the same. But, I am marking time personally based on podcast publish dates and I remember our last three Fridays pretty clearly -- The first Friday episode was an interview with Kenneth Shropshire CEO of the Global Sports Institute - he had deep insight into what this pandemic will mean for the sports industry moving forward. Last Friday we discussed ways to maximize your networking during this time ...and today, I have another special guest, Greg Hylton VP of Premium Seating for the Indianapolis Colts.Couple of major reasons I wanted to have Greg on.1: The NFL season is still in play, which means Greg is living a new reality right now and he can explain it.2: He can also explain what is going on inside of the teams and leagues that aren’t playing right now and what their strategies may be moving forward when we get back to work.3: I believe revenue-generating roles will be in high demand once normalcy returns, and that all of you should strongly consider sales training courses right now… and Greg teaches a sales training course with our friends at Sports Management Worldwide.So without further ado, let’s get to Greg..here he is Indianapolis Colts VP of Premium Seating, Greg Hylton...Questions for Greg Hylton, Indianapolis Colts VP of Premium Seating1: Wednesday, March 11 the NBA suspended their season, and since that time most other leagues have followed suit, it would take us too long to name all the events or seasons that have been affected.Your league, the NFL, hasn’t had to suspend the season as of yet – what has the last 2-3 weeks been like for you personally and professionally?2: This time of year, with free agency and the draft coming up there is a natural excitement that I’m sure would play a role in your ability to sell the upcoming season – in a normal year Phillip Rivers signing would be something you’d market and get behind – has the approach changed this off-season?3: While there is minimal disruption to the revenue streams of the NFL as of yet, put yourself in the shoes of the VP of Premium Seating for the Pacers, or the Cleveland Indians… what would you imagine their situation is like right now?4: When we get back to sports, if you were in one of the leagues that had to cancel their season, and lost a lot of revenue – what would be your strategy and approach?5: Prior to joining the Colts 28 years ago, you worked for the Indianapolis Ice of the International Hockey League – I’m guessing that the NBA, NHL and other major leagues will survive this epidemic -- but what about the minor leagues, independent leagues, emerging sports – do you think they can rebound from the loss of revenue?6: I’m old enough to remember sports after 9/11 – there was a feeling in the initial aftermath that nothing will be the same, we won’t be safe at games, fans won’t come back etc, etc. but we got back to reality, sports continued to thrive – people came to the games.Do you see a steady return to normalcy once the worst of this has passed – or do you think it’ll take some convincing to get fans back to the stadium?6: What can teams do to ease any concerns and make it really worthwhile to attend games in person?7: I’ve been being asked all week by people who have lost their job or be...

Hey, It’s Brian -- we are in some crazy times right now. No one predicted a sports shutdown, or the education system being closed for business. But here we are. I have three kids at home right now, who should be in middle and elementary school! But you know what we are doing -- we’re continuing to keep them on a learning schedule...and you should do that too. Now is the chance to update your resume, work on your network, make sure you are ready for video interviews and more. And one way you can do that is through our Work In Sports Academy courses. We are 100% online, which is the appropriate distance - and you’ll learn incredible strategies tactics and techniques that will get you hired in sports -- once the world gets back to normal.Check out WorkInSports.com/academy for more details. Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…Quick note: We’re airing three episodes a week, 1 out of the three will be corona free. That is today. Wednesdays will be our industry interviews and they will be a break from corona coverage. That is not to minimize the impact of the virus, it is not to downplay all who are affected, it is for two reasons -- one we all can improve in ways that are not corona related, which is the purpose of our industry interviews. And two, this interview was conducted before none of us could leave our houses. And if you are listening to this podcast -- please, isolate yourself. Don’t be foolish. I remember a few decades spent thinking I was invincible, and you know what, you may be… but the difference is you may infect someone who isn’t. Don’t be selfish. Stay home. Ok, so lets transition here. We all so often think of the sports industry in terms of leagues, games, and events. Makes sense in a lot of ways since that is what pretty much everything feeds off of.But there are worlds of jobs and opportunities that don’t directly involve the score of the big game. Mark Cuban wrote an article years ago about how sports management degrees were a complete waste and people shouldn’t strive to work in sports, they should get a business degree and work in sales. His theory was essentially, with only 100ish professional teams hiring about 200 staffers each, there are only 20,000 sports industry jobs period and yet we graduate 20,000 new sports management grads each year. Well, I couldn’t take this sitting down so I confronted the shark tank dude explaining his math was rudimentary at best and his analysis quite superficial. This was about a decade ago, we’ve both moved on from the debate, I won of course because I was looking at the complete picture and he was just trying to be clickbaity and bombastic.  Look at our job board. Jobs with NBC Sports -- not a team. Red Bull, Blizzard, Kansas State, Arizona Sports Foundation, Discovery Communications, Twitch… none of these are teams, and yet they are listed on the first page of our industry sports job board right now. Yes, places are still hiring. The jobs in sports reach further than team. This isn’t an argument for sports management degrees, your degree is a personal decision, this is more of a discussion about how wide the sports industry cuts. The opportunities are out there in various ways… you have to be creative in finding them...or you can just get a membership to our job board and we do the work for you.Nonetheless! Today’s guest Lisa Woodward is a perfect example. She started out her career with the then St. Louis Rams and for 8 years was a major part of their marketing team.But her job now, as Director of Sports Sponsorships for Anheuser Busch, isn’t with a team… but it is deeply connected to sports. She works with her team to find the right spots and ne...

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.A little housekeeping before we head into this episode… at WorkInSports we had multiple leadership meetings last week to say “what can we do that helps”...well here it is, you are the first to hear our plan.#1 We are ramping up our content, because I think right now, in social isolation, we all need it. We’re going to do three podcasts a week -- Mondays and Fridays will be focused on surviving and thriving in these nutty times as it relates to your career. So for example, I’ve done episodes on how to properly work from home, interviewed Kenneth Shropshire CEO of the Global Sports Institute, advice for conducting video interviews and more. If you haven’t listened to those yet, you should, it’s all very timely information.On Wednesdays we will stick with our expert interviews -- for right now they are not going to be coronavirus related --  these will be more of the normal career-focused expertise. ~ I’ll also be very active on our private Facebook group -- which you can join by searching for the WorkInSports podcast group on facebook...answer a few questions, and I’ll grant you access to this wonderful network of former guests, and aspiring sports professionals who are all trying to help each other get ahead and survive.~ And if you reach out to me on LinkedIn, I’m going to try and do an even better job of being responsive and helpful during this time. #2: You are hearing everywhere, and I couldn’t agree more, to be honest, that now isn’t a time to sit on the couch, wallowing in self-pity, or watching Stephen A Smith -- times are not that desperate. Everyone on the advice side of the industry is telling you -- learn a new skill, master your craft, use your time wisely...and that is good advice.To that point -- One way you can do that is through our Work In Sports Academy courses. We are 100% online, which is the appropriate distance - and you’ll learn incredible strategies tactics and techniques that will get you hired in sports -- once the world gets back to normal.In fact, over the last week, I built out an abridged version of this curriculum which in the next few days we are going to be giving away for FREE to all of our current members with either free or paid accounts. All you have to do is upload your resume.We did this to help. We are in this together. The full coursework is available at WorkInSports.com/academyand like I said, we’ll be making a essentials version available for free coming this week.#3 We also recognize that many of you who had part-time or gig type jobs at events are now out of work. So, starting later this week we will be making all gig and part-time jobs free to access for anyone on our job board. We’ll send out more info on this as it comes live… but if you are struggling right now due to this outbreak and isolation, check out the free PT and gig jobs...and you can contact our customer service at 1-855-220-JOBS#4 We are also doing our best to keep up with the status of all jobs. We’re double-checking openings to make sure they are still being filled. Now, with that said, things are changing very rapidly, so cut us some slack if you hit a job on our site, follow the link to apply and find out it’s no longer available.We’re doing our best, to keep up.Alright - we’ll keep coming up with new ways to help in the coming weeks, for now, let’s get into today’s subject.“What can I be doing during social isolation?” -- You can be networking. This is a GREAT time to be relationship building and doing informational interviews. Right now, countless sports industry workers are sitting at home unable to perform their normal tasks… I keep seeing pictures of various friends of the podcast, like

I let my homebound 11-year-old name this episode, and I think he nailed it. That's what we're talking about in the special edition of the Work In Sports podcast, working from home like a boss!  Hey It’s Brian -- we are in some crazy times right now. No one predicted a sports shutdown, or the education system being closed for business. But here we are. I have three kids at home right now, who should be in middle and elementary school! But you know what we are doing -- we’re continuing to keep them on a learning schedule...and you should do that too.Now is the chance to update your resume, work on your network, make sure you are ready for video interviews and more. And one way you can do that is through our Work In Sports Academy courses. We are 100% online, which is the appropriate distance - and you’ll learn incredible strategies tactics and techniques that will get you hired in sports -- once the world gets back to normal.Check out WorkInSports.com/academy for more details. ---Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is a special edition of the Work In Sports podcast.Our goal during the coronavirus outbreak and isolation is to provide additional content that will help you through this time. I, like you, am dying for content! I want fresh things to watch and listen to, that don’t involve Tom Brady leaving my beloved Patriots. I mean seriously, could this be a worse week?Anyway, the point is, we’re going to add a Friday podcast for the time being -- it may be a timely interview, like last week with Kenneth Shropshire CEO of the Global Sports Institute, or it may be insightful advice that is very specific to the times today. Today we’re going to share some tips on working from home. As many of you know, and many of you don’t, I’ve been working from home for the last 6 years. WorkInSports.com is based in Phoenix, I live in Philadelphia. It took me a long time to get comfortable with the change in normalcy, but you don’t have time… you have to get good at it now, so I’m going to share some things I have learned to make your transition easier. 1: You are saving time on your commute -- don’t just add that to your workday. The biggest mistake I see people make when they work from home is to add the time they saved in commuting onto their workday. They think to themselves -- I get an hour back each day, I’ll finally be able to get more done!Trust me, this is not how it works. Take the time you saved by not having to commute and sprinkle it into outside time. Here’s why -- when you work from home, especially during the transition to this new style, you go from being around people, noise, interaction, laughter, yelling... to being completely by yourself. It can feel lonely in a way, and the solution is NOT locking yourself in and working longer. This makes you a robot, you are not a robot. In fact, you need to remind yourself you are not a robot, by sprinkling that saved time back into your day. If you normally commute 30 minutes each way, you have an hour to sprinkle throughout your day to activate your mind in a different way.  Every hour or two, take 15 minutes and walk around. Get out of your space, get off your computer screen. In a normal workday in the office, you don’t sit in front of your computer the whole time. Don’t start thinking you have to now. Trust me there is a negative return after a while… I think they call that the point of diminishing returns?2: Going deeper there -- Make yourself a schedule.I spend the first 30 minutes of each day building out my day. I prioritize what I want to get done and schedule it out amongst the video meetings and breaks I w...

Hey, It’s Brian -- we are in some crazy times right now. No one predicted a sports shutdown, or the education system being closed for business. But here we are. I have three kids at home right now, who should be in middle and elementary school! But you know what we are doing -- we’re continuing to keep them on a learning schedule...and you should do that too. Now is the chance to update your resume, work on your network, make sure you are ready for video interviews and more. And one way you can do that is through our Work In Sports Academy courses. We are 100% online, which is the appropriate distance - and you’ll learn incredible strategies tactics and techniques that will get you hired in sports -- once the world gets back to normal.Check out WorkInSports.com/academy for more details. ---Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…Right now I’m about to lead into this incredible podcast interview with Gordon Barfield, Director of Business Strategy for AMB Sports And Entertainment -- that’s the ownership group for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. Gordon is incredible. He’s a West Point grad, got his MBA at Wharton and has been crushing it with AMB. We’re going to talk about how the Falcons look to the future of their business, the strategy behind cashless transactions inside the stadium and how they build their fan base and community. All extremely valuable conversations. We will not be talking about Coronavirus, because when I recorded this interview three weeks ago ...it hadn’t really happened yet. So take this as a break from all the chaos. Learn more about sports business, find out if this is a side of the industry that interests you...because we will get back to normal, hopefully sooner rather than later, and you want to be prepared.Here’s Gordon BarfieldQuestions for Gordon Barfield, AMB Sports and Entertainment Director of Business Strategy1: Before we get into your world in business strategy and all the steps you took to get there – I want to talk about your military background and the synergy you find between the military and sports.You are a West Point grad and active duty in the Army until 2014 – we have many, many people with a military background who transition into the sports world – why do you think that is, and why was it that way for you?2: Your background was in Mechanical Engineering, and then after the Army, you got your MBA from Wharton – why this step? Problem-solving traits3: At this time had you figured out who you wanted to be when you grew up, or were you still searching for your long-term fit?4: You joined AMB Sports and Entertainment just about two years ago, which is the parent company for the Falcons, Atlanta United, Mercedes Benz stadium and some of Arthur Blanks other ventures, you joined them as Director of Business Strategy.This was your first true gig in sports – were there any eye-opening moments when you first got started with AMB?5: What would you say is the main thrust of your role with the organization? What does it mean to be the Director of Business Strategy, seems like a pretty broad title…6: I interviewed the talent acquisition lead for a Major League baseball team and she said the role that was in highest demand for their organization was business strategy and analysis. Since you are in this side of the industry – tell us, what traits or skills make someone successful in business analysis and strategy?7:  I’ve worked with people throughout my career who are great at ideas, but not as strong in execution, and then others who were the opposite, no ideas, great at execution --- how important is it in your eyes to be able to balance both sides?

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of content and engaged learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.Well, we all have a lot of questions… and a lot of time to listen to podcasts!I’ve been trying to think about my tone in the next few weeks of podcasts -- to be honest, I don’t want to be all dour and dramatic. I don’t want any fake enthusiasm either -- so I’m just going to do my best to be myself. The goal over the next few weeks -- give you all lots of content, and make it especially relevant right now. With that said, I conducted about 8 expert interviews with incredible guests… BEFORE the coronavirus outbreak. So, when I publish my interviews with Ryan Crelin Commissioner of the ECHL, or Lisa Woodward the manager of sports sponsorships at Anheuser Busch, you may think to yourself… how did he not ask about how this will affect the ECHL or Budweiser?! Well, it didn’t exist when I did the interview!I still think they are incredibly valuable so we will still air them on Wednesdays. I’m going to attempt to sprinkle in some extra fresh episodes on Fridays that are timely. For instance, on Friday I interviewed Kenneth Shropshire CEO of the Global Sports institute to discuss the economic ramifications on the sports industry - we talked about layoffs and changes in the hiring process moving forward. It’s a great interview and you should go back and listen -- I’ll try to do more of these in the coming weeks so we can stay on top of how this will affect all of us into the future. Obviously revenue is being impacted, and there will be some contraction… how much, we don’t know, but I’ll be staying on top of our job listings, talking to employers and relaying whatever I find out back to you. Now is a good time to subscribe to the podcast and tell your sports interested friends the same. OK, so what about right now. I this episode I’m going to do a brief overview of things we can expect, and also hone in on tips for video interviews since that is the direction we are headed for the time being. Let’s start with a broad overview.In the major sports leagues, a vast majority of their revenue comes from long-term media rights deals and sponsorships. These have insurance built into them, so they will continue to generate revenue. Yes, they will be affected by the loss of ticket sales, concessions and merchandise, but they’ll survive this. The big hit will come to the smaller leagues and organizations. Those with razor-thin margins, who exist barely as it is. I worry about those leagues. I’m not being flippant at all when I say this -- but just prior to the AIDS epidemic in the 1980’s there was a company that launched an appetite suppressing candy bar, meant to help people on their diet, called AYDS. They couldn’t have had worse luck. You kind of feel that way for the XFL -- they launch, they’re off to a pretty good start - and then this. All momentum lost. That is some awful luck. You also worry about the Professional Lacrosse League, minor league hockey, YMCA’s fitness clubs…Now, to put it all in perspective -- this hurts right now, especially for those of you working directly for teams and not having a job now. That is awful and I hurt for you. I mean thatBut let’s have a forward-looking perspective because sports will return. * Sales jobs.* Revenue generating rolesIf I were you, college seniors, or recent graduates, I would take a class on sports sales --  * SMWW, ISBI 360 The demand is going to be huge, and the appetite for fans to return will be huge. There is a great opportunity… eventually... so get ready now. As for hiring right now, I think you’ll see timelines pushed back. If someone was expecting to hire in the next 30 days, expect it to be 60-90 days. Thisng will slow down for a bit, but then it will likely spring back. We’ll be exploring other opportunities in the coming weeks -- ...

Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged learning for WorkInSports.com and this is a special edition of the Work in Sports podcast.We're in a very unique situation right now with the Coronavirus outbreak changing the landscape of the sports industry minute by minute. Multiple sports leagues and long-standing events are being suspended if not outright canceled in an effort to isolate and calm the spread of this deadly outbreak. Star players we know and root for, Hollywood actors, heads of state are coming out as infected by this virus responsible for the COVID-19 disease. I want to be clear, we are not panicked, we are looking to the future. These cancellations and suspensions will have an impact on the business of sports and it's time to discuss and prepare for the ramifications.---Joining me today to discuss the short and long term effects of the coronavirus outbreak is professor Kenneth Shropshire. Mr. Shropshire is the CEO of the Global Sports Institue at Arizona State, and has held consultative roles with the NCAA, Major League Baseball, NFL, NFLPA and the United States Olympic Committee -- Dr. Shropshire thank you for joining me. --This conversation can break into two different categories – we aren’t doctors so we won’t speculate on the virus itself – but we can discuss what this means for the now, and what this means for the future.Let’s start with the now.Questions for Dr. Kenneth Shropshire, CEO of the Global Sports Institute on the Economic Impact of Coronavirus on the Sports Industry1: Is the decision to suspend the seasons of the NHL, NBA, MLB, March Madness and other major events like the Masters and the EPL the very definition of discretion being the better part of valor?  Is this the right move?2: When leagues do the prudent thing and suspend play, there is an affected class of daily workers. Do the leagues and ownership bear any responsibilities to these workers who depend on these roles for their survival?3: In the short term, outside of game day staff, will this lead to further-reaching layoffs across sports?4: Outside of the teams and leagues themselves, who do you see being most affected economically by the suspension of play?5: Major leagues will survive this, but what about smaller leagues with razor-thin margins for success – like the XFL? the Professional Lacrosse League? Lower-division soccer leagues throughout Europe?6: I wonder also about the mental health of the athletes themselves – especially college athletes. Men and women competing for championships one day and then the next it is over, or players set to start their spring season, and then poof, that part of their identity is gone – how damaging can this be to them?7: Looking forward to when teams and leagues return to play because eventually, they will. Do you think they’ll try to make up the lost revenue, or will they have to go the other way and incentivize people to come back?8: When will we start to see the broader economic impact? Obviously, the stock market is affected immediately, but what about employment? When will the decrease in revenue start to affect jobs and opportunities moving forward?9: The NCAA tournament brings in over 900 million in revenue to the NCAA – take $900 million of revenue out of the pocket of NCAA athletics – who will this affect most in the long run?10: I’ve seen it written that Corona is more likely to have a worse economic impact in the US than China – primarily because of our societies propensity to spend their discretionary dollars on social gathering spots like sports, fitness centers, concerts, restaurants --If this consumer spending stops for a long period of time, will the US potentially face greater challenges in recovery than other countries?11: After 9/11 there was a massive change in security at arenas – do you foresee any major changes in the way are...

Mary Pink, Iowa State Associate Atheltic Director joins Brian Clapp on the Work In Sports PodcastHey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.I’m going to date myself a bit here. In 1996 I graduated from college, got offered a job at CNN/Sports Illustrated in Atlanta, told I was going to start in 2 weeks...and moved to a city I had never seen before outside of a map. Heck, I had only been south of Virginia on a weekend trip to Disney World.7 years later, I moved to Seattle. A city I had never seen, a state I had never visited. I had a phone interview or two, flew out for an in face interview and was asked to start in 2 weeks. I gave my CNN peeps two weeks' notice, stopped working on a Friday, traveled that weekend to Seattle and started on Monday. Looking back this was ludicrous. 10 years after that I moved to Denver. 3 years after that I moved to Philadelphia. And multiple times I have spoken on this podcast telling all of you to prepare yourself for the inevitable. If you want to work in sports you will relocate. You will go where the jobs are. You will move on in order to move up. The theory is sound, the jobs in sports are in high demand, there isn’t a lot of turnover ahead of you on the career path, so if you start out with the Washington Nationals, you will likely have to move to the Pittsburgh Pirates to advance...or the New Jersey Devils or the LA Chargers… you get the drift.  Even if you aren’t working for a team, the challenge is the same. If you start our at GSE Worldwide in Atlanta, you may need to jump to Octagon to grow. The examples are endless. This past fall I interviewed Chris Grosse, Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing at Penn State. Prior to Penn State, he worked at Florida State, the Naval Academy, Georgetown and New Mexico State.Just last month I interviewed Tim Duncan, Athletic Director for the University of New Orleans -- his prior stops -- Memphis, UNC-Wilmington, Paine College, Clayton State, Northeastern and now... the University of New Orleans. So it’s settled then, right?Nope. Enter exhibit A, today’s guest Mary Pink -- one of the most respected names in college athletics. Mary is the Associate AD for marketing at Iowa State, and has been rocking it in Ames Iowa for 24 years.So it is not a mandate that you have to move around -- it may be likely - but it is not written rule. It is not a fact. For mary -- she’s been a part of  24 years of athletic, attendance, revenue and branding growth -- and going to explain it all. Here’s Mary Pink…Questions for Mary Pink, Iowa State Associate Athletic Director for Marketing1: Before we get into sports marketing in college athletics and life at a major university like Iowa State – I want to go back to your beginning… did you always dream of working in sports?Follow:  how did you discover your fit in marketing college athletics?2: I’ve interviewed many people in college athletics and often they’ve worked at a multitude of schools, jumping around in order to grow their career.This always seemed like a necessity, a pattern you’d see everywhere, and yet you’ve been at Iowa State for 24 years and grown into a top role in the athletic department – why was it important to you to stay and develop within Iowa State?3: Your job description is vast and the expectations enormous. You seem to have your hands in everything --marketing, branding, ticket sales, communications, sponsorship, special events, budgeting, negotiations, fundraising, coach and employee supervision,

 Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning with WorkinSports.com and this is the WorkInSports podcast…A couple of quick updates before we get into today's podcast -- I want to welcome sports management students from Farmingdale State, you’re incredible leadership team led by Sab Singh, just signed one to be a part of our Sports Career Game Plan curriculum and in the next month we’ll be rolling out your program. Farmingdale joins the University of Dubuque, University of Florida, University of Findlay, Wilmington College, Middle Georgia State, Ball State, East Carolina and a handful of other colleges and universities around the country.If you are listening and you are a college professor, or know a college professor, or are a student who would like your college program to implement our program -- which is awesome, and teaches you how to become a Master at Getting Hired in Sports, and includes a screaming deal for WorkInSports.com premium memberships -- reach out to me. bclapp at workinsports.com -- that’s two p’s.If you are an individual who wants to learn how to become a master at getting hired in sports - check out workinsports.com/academyAlright, welcome Farmingdale State -- let’s get into today’s show.The question comes in today and it kind of calls me out. Which I love. I seriously love it when people call me on my sh!t. Well, when they do it productively. For example -- emailing me and saying “you are the biggest moron I’ve ever listened to” I don’t love that. But if someone says ...hey, you talk a lot about this, but not enough about that”I love it because you are telling me what you want to know. I want that, I want to hear from you all. I don’t want to make up what I think is relevant, I want you all to ask!So hit me up on LinkedIN, ask questions, email me, bclapp@workinsports.com -- that’s my legit email. I want to hear from you all.OK, let’s get to the question from Ben in Alabama “Hey Brian, I love the podcast but I am a little bored with the Monday podcasts lately. I feel like you are spending so much time preparing people to work in sports, but not helping those of us in the industry advance.I started in the business a year ago, and I’m anxious to grow. I don’t want to hear as much about internships or resume building, I want to hear about other topics that will push me forward.”Ben thank you. I’ll be honest, I read this at first and felt defensive… like wait, are you for real? My immediate gut reaction was to send you a list of podcast episodes you should listen to, and to explain to you the expert interviews that are all about advancement… but really,. When I took a deep breath, waited a second and thought about it… there is some good learning in here for me too.I guess that is your first tip for today. Take a breath before responding. I used to be the most emotional person in the newsroom. Someone challenged my work, I’d be ready to rumble. Someone asked a question about why I made a certain decision, I’d be on the cusp of war. I look back at how I performed in my earlier years and wonder how I survived. I had talent, I worked hard...but I was so confrontational and defensive. I was probably impossible to work with. Take a deep breath before responding, don't immediately feel like your honor is on the line. Don’t assume people are out to get you. Be willing to constructively improve. Alright, that's a freebie -- didn’t even expect to talk about that.Ok, let’s get into some year one things you can be doing to improve your chances of being promoted and growing.1: Improve your Communication skills - this is not the old man saying “twitter has ruined grammar!”Quite the opposite. In some ways young people today communicate with more confidence that in my time. I would attribute that to social media.

Dan Duquette, former 2-time MLB Executive of the Year and General Manager for the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles joins host Brian Clapp on the Work In Sports podcast!Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…There is a bit of an unfortunate truth in the sports industry… sometimes job titles can mean very different things to different people in different organizations.Take the term marketing for one. People tell me all the time, I want to work in sports marketing! And I say...OK, what specifically in marketing, because that is a very broad term. Marketing could be project managing billboards, or email outreach, tossing t-shirts on game night… or it could be google paid advertising, sponsorships, and activation. So when you see a job listing for a marketing Manager -- make sure you read the job description and tailor your resume and cover letter for that specific role and the demands of it.Another term that has a pretty wide berth is player development. Taken on its surface, you are in charge of developing the player. Makes sense right? But there are really two different aspects of this -- on the field of play, and off the field of play. You will see player development roles that involve assisting athletes, whether they be in college or in the pros, adjusting to their new life, getting settled, knowing their way around town, where to get food, how to get set up with a financial advisor. These are vitally important roles that colleges and pro organizations take on to make sure they get the most out of their investment. If a player is worried about having a place to live or knowing what classes to take - they are more likely to be distracted and not perform at their best.But there is another type of player development, and that’s what we are going to focus on today. That is the magic that happens in organizations between acquisition and true potential. Let’s use baseball as an example. Player gets drafted, they are 18 years old just graduated high school, and now they are in your system. Unless their name is Mike Trout, it is a long way to a major league city. Player development is everything that happens between acquisition and making the major leagues.* How to play* How to eat* How to train* How to mentally prepare* How to practice* How to identify and work on your weaknesses* How to understand game strategy and organizational philosophyThese development plans are all customized for each individual in the organization. Having a plan, and executing it, is the best way to make your investment in a player reach its true potential.It’s a fascinating process, one that happens behind the scenes of sports organizations at all levels. Because success equates to value...and failure costs time, money and effort. Over the last 40 years one of the most respected men in baseball team management, and player development has been Dan Duquette, former GM of the Red Sox, Orioles, and Expos. The list of players he has acquired and developed into major league talent is stunning. I won’t list them all here...it’s too long. But what is really exciting, is that Dan is teaming up with our friends at Sports Management Worldwide to share his knowledge and teach an 8-week online course in baseball player development. He joined me earlier this week to talk about his career, becoming an executive, decision making, trusting yourself and a breakdown of what he’ll teach in his upcoming class... Here is 2-time MLB executive of the year...Dan Duquette...Questions for Dan Duquette, former General Manager for the Red Sox, Orioles and Expos 1: There is so much we have to talk about and discuss – but let’s start out with this. You’ve reached the highest heights of the sports industry and… you were an English major in college.I ask you,

Is it OK to respectfully decline a handshake prior to a job interview? That and more on the Work In Sports podcast!Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…I feel like we have a lot to talk about today. Big picture stuff. So we’re just going to jump into things. Great question today coming up from Giovanna P, Giovanna is a member of our private facebook group and posted a really great question yesterday that we’re going to dig into soon.But first -- a question from a friend of mine, someone who wishes to remain anonymous, but presented a very, very timely and important question.This friend asked:“Hey Brian, I have an interview coming up this week I am very excited about, I’ve heard you talk about first impressions a lot on your show, and I value it’s importance as well.   Handshakes, eye contact, smiles -- all important stuff.But I have to admit - normally, I hate handshakes, I’m a bit of a germaphobe by nature, but I struggle through it in these instances. But now, with coronavirus and the instances of community transmission...is it fair for me to avoid a handshake completely?” Friend who slipped into my DMs… yes. 100%.I won’t deny there is a part of me that thinks, ugh, I hate this catch 22, because that awkward first moment could be damaging and we should all just suck it upBut that is crappy advice.  Let’s be real people -- if someone is offended right now, by someone not wanting skin to skin contact - that person is an a-hole. I think there is a way to do it respectfully, and proactively that helps avoid any awkwardness. You have to think ahead and start your motion before someone else moves to shake. At this time you raise your hand higher, shoulder height, and start to wave courteously.Hey John nice to meet you, waving at them. If anyone says – “oh we’re not doing handshakes” because some people can’t help themselves, they have to be a meathead, its lodged in their DNA. Just be respectful and say something while smiling like, “it feels like an appropriate choice”If they push any further – this is a red flag, and likely not someone you’d want to be around in a work role anyway. Put this in your data file and remember you are choosing them as much as they are choosing you.  Alas, I don’t think this will happen – a polite wave, with eye contact, sends the signal quote clearly – we’re not doing that…and in this time in our history, quite understandable.Again, you have to make your move early -- and take charge with a wave. So, there is no awkward hand out-stretched and you start retching, like they are handing you tetanus.You who listen to this show know I am not a big quotes guy -- not a big fan of the posters with quotes. BUT, I have a few movie type moments that bounce around in my head a lot. One, is from the movie “the girl with the dragon tattoo” great book series, decent movie, which is very applicable here.I won’t get into the full scene, but the bad guy says to the good guy:  “Sometimes the fear of offending can be stronger than the fear of pain” Let’s break that down into everyday life. Would you shake someone’s hand, knowing it *could* harm you, because you are afraid to offend them?Really think about that.Would you shake someone’s hand knowing it could hurt you, just because you are afraid to offend them?Think about this in your daily life – have you ever made a choice that you really really questioned, just because you were afraid to offend the other person?I’ve known women, who went out on dates with guys they hated because they were afraid to offend them.I’ve known guys, who went base jumping, or some other risky move because they didn’t want to offend the friend who booked the surprise trip.Are these smart choices? Don’t make decisions, important decisions, based on your fear of offending.

Dennis Adamovich, CEO of the College Football Hall of Fame joins host Brian Clapp to discuss leaders that inspire him, the steps to becoming a CEO, negotiating techniques and much more. Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.We all have big dreams for the sports industry right? I mean none of us grew up thinking I dream someday of being a mid-level manager, working nights, weekends and holidays with the hopes of eventually moving out of my parent's house. No of course not, we all dream bigger than that. We dream of being a sports agent, leading an organization, anchoring sports center, coaching LeBron's kid, being a CEO, running an NFL draft.These are big goals, big dreams. But, you have to leave them in the background for a bit. Don’t ignore them, don’t forget that they are what guide you -- they have a huge role in your life and success - but for right now, you have to focus on the steps. You see no one starts out at the big goal, they build, systematically to reach the dream. Anchors on SportsCenter start out as a sideline reporter for the rodeo in Pocatello Idaho. They learn their craft, they make mistakes, they build their style and point of view, the refine their writing and communication skills, they understand the entire production and staffing and budgets.And then they graduate to Champaign Illinois. Maybe 5 years later ESPN notices them, and they end up doing sideline for a Wednesday night Toledo vs. Akron college football game. It’s a build. I’ll task every one of you listening with this chore -- take your big dream, and break it down into steps. If you want to be a sports agent -- what are the steps you need to get there? Focus on the steps. Take today’s guest - Dennis Adamovich, CEO of the College Football Hall of Fame. He didn’t graduate college and become CEO of the College Football Hall of fame. He spent 8 years at a major brand, Coca Cola, he worked up within this global brand, to a point where he had 110 staff members he was responsible for. He oversaw the sports marketing and sponsorship efforts for the brand, he managed over $150 million in brand funds. And that was just the first 8 years of his career. Over the next 15 years, he was SVP of Turner Broadcasting. He took the steps, he mastered the business of sports, he managed people and budgets, he landed sponsorship deals and much much more. These were his steps. Now, after making all these moves, and proving himself, becoming a CEO was a natural extension of all he had done to that point in his career.Dennis Adamovich has helped turn the College Football Hall of Fame into a jewel of downtown Atlanta -- I’ve been twice now, and it’s one of the must-see stops when you visit Atlanta. And he joins us this week to share a little more insight into his role and how he’s grown in the industry… here’s Dennis Adamovich CEO of the College Football Hall of FameQuestions for Dennis Adamovich, CEO College Football Hall of Fame1: We’ve had guests of varying experience in the sports industry on this show to help provide the entire picture of what it’s like working in the sports industry – but we’ve had very few with as much experience as you, so thank you for lending your expertise.Let’s start with this – at what point did you decide on sports for a career path, and why?2: I want to get into the details of your various leadership positions - you’ve been an executive at Coca-Cola, Turner Broadcasting and now CEO of the CFB Hall of Fame - but I’m curious about your mentality as much as I am about the day-to-day roles.

Don't try and defeat Applicant Tracking Systems, learn how to work with them! We explain in this edition of the Work In Sports Podcast with Brian ClappHey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning with WorkInSports.com and this is the WorkInSports podcast.I have to tell you all, later this afternoon I am interviewing Dan Duquette for this podcast and I’m a little more than fired up. Dan Duquette was the GM of the Expos, the Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles. He’s a 2-time MLB executive of the year. He traded for Pedro Martinez!He signed Manny Ramirez!He traded Heathcliff Slocumb for Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek!As a die-hard Red Sox fan….I’m in mind-blowing don’t mess this up, mode right now. I usually prep about 10 questions for each interview subject… with Dan, I wrote 25 questions down in like 10 minutes. And for all you Orioles fans out there, your team may be terrible now, but I’d like to remind you it was he who led them to the playoffs in 2012 for the first time since 1997, and won the American League East in 2014. The guy is a baseball genius. He’s going to be talking about his career. But also about a new online course in Baseball Player Development that he’s launching with our friends over at Sports Management Worldwide. Can you tell I’m excited?Alright,m tune into that next Wednesday -- this Wednesday is another great interview with Dennis Adamovich, the CEO of the College Football Hall of Fame. We talk a lot about leadership, event management and who he admires in the game today. Really fun stuff, that’s on Wednesday so tune in. Alright, so what is on tap for today… fan question!Well, before we get into that...a little perspective and inspiration. I don’t appreciate cheesy sayings people put on their wall to motivate themselves. BUT,  I absolutely love when someone LIVES in a way that represents truth and perspective.Maybe you’ve heard this story, maybe not. Sadio Mane, The Liverpool Star from Senegal who earns approximately 10.2 million dollars annually, was spotted by fans carrying a cracked Iphone, and somehow it became a story. People asked him why… why do you a man of great means, suffer through a cracked iPhone, oh the horror.His response is legendary.  "Why would I want ten Ferraris, 20 diamond watches and two jet planes? What would that do for the world? I starved, I worked in the fields, I played barefoot, and I didn't go to school. Now I can help people. I prefer to build schools and give poor people food or clothing. I have built schools [and] a stadium; we provide clothes, shoes, and food for people in extreme poverty. In addition, I give 70 euros per month to all people from a very poor Senegalese region in order to contribute to their family economy. I do not need to display luxury cars, luxury homes, trips, and even planes. I prefer that my people receive a little of what life has given me," I love this man.Floyd Mayweather...are you listening? Hat tip to Alina Menuhkin for sharing this on LinkedIn earlier today. Alright...now today’s question.It is from Nick in Salisbury, Maryland. “Hi Brian, I’ve heard you talk tangentially about how to optimize your resume to defeat the Applicant Tracking Systems -- but I haven’t heard you specifically address how. So...how do you do it?”Nick, I am going to read and answer your question primarily because you used the word tangentially in it. I found that impressive. I think that is a fair critique, I may have mentioned the importance of defeating the Applicant Tracking systems in passing...but never got into the nuts and bolts of it all. So let’s do that!Quick explainer on how ATS systems work.They scan you, and if you don’t hit the mark, I never see you.1: Apply only for jobs you are qualified for!

Minnesota Twins New Business Development Manager Bryan Van Den Bosch joins Work in Sports podcast host Brian Clapp to discuss sports sales jobs, leadership and building a strong teamHey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.As I have admitted many times on this podcast, I am not a natural networker. It is not my comfort zone, I am not the type that will walk up to someone and engage in conversation with ease.  I wish I was. Oftentimes getting out of your comfort zone is essential to growth. And I like growth. I am a curious person who likes to learn and challenge myself, so last week’s National Sports Forum, with 1,000 people deeply connected to the sports industry, was somewhere I needed to be. But I was feeling both anxious and cowardly leading up to the event. You see we all tell ourselves a story in our head that is loud. It echoes. It has power and weight. We tell ourselves, “these people won’t want to talk with me” or “they’ll find me uninteresting or I’ll struggle with relevant things to say”Even deeper we tell ourselves “I’ll never get that job” or “I’ll never lose that weight” or “I’ll never be able to speak in a crowd”Boy, do we have a lot of voices in our head.  So ask yourself the next time you feel this happening -- ask yourself -- is this self-doubt helping me? I broke out of my comfort zone last week. In fact, today’s guest was one of the people who helped me do it. Minnesota Twins New Business Development Manager Bryan Van Den Bosch said hi to me in the line for food the first night of the conference… we struck up a conversation, he’s an awesome guy with tons of sports career experience so we shared a few sliders at Mercedes Benz Stadium and booked a podcast interview. So let’s get to it - Bryan is an expert at building relationships in the sports industry, and he’s here to share his world in baseball with the Minnesota Twins…Questions for Bryan Van Den Bosch, Minnesotas Twins New Business Development Manager 1: For the last 10 years since graduating from Valparaiso you’ve worked for a multitude of teams in various leagues – and we’ll get into all of those details – but I’m curious first, your roles have been all connected to revenue generation – account executive, inside sales, premium hospitality, new business – what led you in this direction, how did you figure out this was your fit?2: Let’s talk about your first two roles – we’ve often talked about how jobs in the minor league or in your case independent league baseball are great training grounds – what was your experience like with the Gary SouthShore RailCats & Lake County Fielders?3: After the independent league, you join the Chicago Sky of the WNBA as an Account Executive -- what was the biggest eye-opening moment for you as you grew from independent league baseball to a big city pro sports team?4: Account executive is a pretty broad term, explain to us what your role was like there and what you enjoyed most about it?5: You were prolific with the Sky.Multiple sales awards, beating your yearly sales goals with months to spare, in fact in one month you led the entire WNBA in new ticket revenue – so at this time what were you learning about sales and how to connect with potential buyers? What was it that was working so well for you?6: In addition to your role with the Sky, you also became part of the Premium Hospitality team with the Chicago Bears --  you’re a Chicago guy, was it hard working for your various hometown teams, or was it a dream come true?7: Would you consider yourself a competitive person?