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Sports Biz Mom: Maria Holmes, Fifth Third Bank

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I first met Maria Holmes in 2013 when I was a student at Ohio University.   She came back to Athens as part of our graduate program’s Executive Mentor weekend.  I remember admiring her confidence and presence and thought then and now that everyone in the room was smarter for having heard her speak.  When I started this blog, she was one of the first people I thought of for an interview and our conversation did not disappoint.   As a leader, Maria brings such a great perspective and her experience building in flexibility after maternity leave shows how a respected personal brand and solid work ethic can go along way in making work work for you and your family.

Maria Holmes is the VP, Senior Sponsorship Marketing Manager for Fifth Third Bank, where she has worked since 2011. As the Senior Sponsorship Marketing Manager she is responsible for the development and implementation of the bank’s corporate sponsorship strategy and oversees the evaluation, negotiation, creative development and activation of all sponsorships across the Fifth Third Bank footprint.  Prior to Fifth Third, she was an Account Executive on the Consulting team at Octagon.  Maria graduated from Ohio University with a Master of Sports Administration and Master of Business Administration and earned her Bachelor’s degree at Mercyhurst University, where she was also a member of the women’s soccer team.   Maria lives in the Cincinnati area with her husband Ryan, who works for the Cincinnati Bengals, and their three year old son Frankie.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.

“I am a Mom first and I work.  That is my priority.  I never call myself a working Mom, I call myself a Mom who works.”

What are your day-to-day responsibilities at Fifth Third Bank? Myself and my team of four manage Fifth Third’s core sponsorship portfolio.  We lead our partnerships with all the properties that have the opportunity to be activated on a more national level, and often consult with our regional marketing teams and their respective Regional Presidents on their local sponsorships.  Some of our major partners include the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Nashville Predators, Daytona International Speedway, University of Cincinnati Basketball and Ricky Stenhouse Jr’s No. 17 Fifth Third Ford. I am also involved in the overall strategic vision of the marketing team, which is focused on building awareness and consideration for our brand.

Can you describe a “typical” day in the life for you and your family? I prefer to do drop-off and pick-up of our son, so I do most of the heavy lifting in terms of the daily daycare routine.  It’s some extra one-on-one time for Frankie and I to sing songs and chat. [My husband] Ryan makes my Spark in the morning, sets out my vitamins, makes Frankie’s snacks and packs everything up for the day.  Most of the morning at home is spent trying to convince Frankie to get up and moving, and then we get dressed and out the door for drop-off.  We chose a daycare that was as close to downtown as possible so we’re able to get to him as fast as we need to.

I have the liberty leave sometime between 4:30 and 5:00 PM, so I can get out and get to Frankie and not make an extended commute home.  We always try to do dinners together as a family and after we say our prayers at dinner, we go around the table and say what we’re thankful for that day.  After dinner we play every sport imaginable until 8:30 PM, and that’s when we start our bedtime routine. Frankie is usually down by 9:00 PM and if I haven’t fallen asleep in the recliner, I shower and sign back on to work or get things ready for the next day with Ryan.

I am able to work remote on Fridays, which was part of my agreement with my boss after maternity leave. I also teach class at The Barre Code at 7:00 AM and 12:00 PM on Fridays, and try to use that day to minimize all meetings and take the time to get work done.  On the other days of the week I schedule lunch on my calendar to work out at the studio near my office. This is how I spend my lunch hour. Take back your lunch hour!

As a sports industry couple, what are some unique ways you fit in the family time around your crazy work schedules? I don’t have to work the events so much anymore, but I usually am present to be supportive for my team that is there.  In that case, I take Frankie everywhere and will have him on my back in an Ergo baby carrier.  At first, [my husband] Ryan was hesitant and was concerned about me setting a precedent for my team. However, we decided that if it doesn’t impact my work then it’s not an issue.  I’m there to be a resource for my team and Frankie can easily do that with me.

[When Ryan has to work] I take him with me most places that he has to be. For Monday or Thursday night games, I pick Frankie up early form school and we’ll swing by and see Ryan so he can get some time with him before things get started. On Sunday mornings when we go down to the stadium, he comes with me.  We’re very fortunate that he’s willing to sit and listen. I don’t know if that will always be the case. It’s been a blessing to be able to take him with us wherever we are.

How has being a Mom positively impacted your career?  It’s made me more appreciative of my co-workers and better at focusing on the big things. Before Frankie, I had a hard time delegating, but now I’m able to put my effort behind the things that really matter for my team and the organization as a whole.  Around the same time he was born, I was asked to not be a “doer” anymore, and this forced me into letting go of control of what I thought I had to do.

It also gave me the opportunity to grow my team after a proven record of success.  I wasn’t able to put in the hours at the office until 8:00 PM, and what I was doing by myself previously required us to make moves and take initiative that may not have happened had I not been in that situation.

Was there any advice you received before Frankie was born that has helped you navigate the world of the “Working Mom”? Before I had Frankie, I had a lot of conversations with people who were successful Mom’s in the business world, I talked to a lot of women within the organizations headquartered in Cincinnati.  One of the things that really resonated with me was related to priorities.  Someone told me that for 20 years she hated the term “Working Mom” – and I had never thought of any other way to say it.  However, after speaking with her, I decided I am a Mom who works.  I am a Mom first and I work.  That is my priority.  I never call myself a working Mom, I call myself a Mom who works. Women in leadership positions can help change the nomenclature. You’re a Mom who works at the office or you’re a Mom who works at the home.

One of my goals for the blog is to be a resource for Moms but also for sports industry leaders who work with or manage Sports Biz Moms.  What advice would you give to someone managing (or who works closely with) a Sports Biz Mom or soon-to-be Mom – particularly one who is not a parent themselves? The best thing that you can do is check-in with them more often. I have an added challenge in that the only one on my team who is a Mom or Dad is a remote employee.  She’s in Atlanta while the rest of my team is in Cincinnati.

I can see the workload of my team in Cincinnati and manage it. I can see when they’re in and when they’re gone.  Whereas for my employee in Atlanta, I can’t get the same sense for her by looking at her facial expression. When I ask the team who has the capacity to take on a new project, it’s hard to tell if she’s reluctant or eager.  There’s a tendency as a Mom or someone who wants to continue in their career, that when we’ve been given some more flexibility, we also feel like we need to be on at 10:00 PM because we left at 4:30 PM.  “I need to take on that project because they gave me that flexibility.”

I would recommend having a real candid conversation of your expectations and how a Mom is no different than anyone else. I am SO anti-perception.  I do not care what time you get in or leave.  I don’t care what you have up on your computer screen.  I don’t care what time you sent an email.  Don’t do anything for perception.  Just get the job done.  As parents who work, we’re supposed to put on the perception that nothing has changed, when in reality your whole life and priorities have changed.  I think it’s unrealistic to think there’s not the need for flexibility or a change in work hours.  The expectation of flexibility should be given, and not have to be pried out of a manager. You just make them feel guilty and in turn at risk of disengagement…or worse, resignation!

How did you approach your boss about the flexibility in your schedule after returning from maternity leave? You want to be in a good place when you ask for it.  You don’t want to get to the point where you’re about to break. I scheduled time with my boss at around ten weeks in my leave.  I asked if we could grab lunch and if he’d like to meet my son, and then talk through where I am personally and how we move forward professionally.  It was during this time that I shared with him that I wanted some flexibility in coming back.  I proposed a plan to him for coming back slowly.  The first Monday I would sign-in from home, clean-up my emails, and take care of the HR processes.  On Tuesday, I would be in the office, Wednesday remote, Thursday office and then Friday remote.  The next week I came into the office on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and worked remote on Tuesday/Thursday.  Then, the following week was when I proposed a full remote Friday.  I suggested we try the set-up for six months, and that if he felt my performance started to drop and/or that I’m not available, we’ll take it back.  Three years later, we’re still at it!

What sort of family leave benefits did you receive when Frankie was born? I took short-term disability and had eight weeks paid through that policy, and then because of my tenure at work, I also had the additional four weeks paid in full.  If I would have had a child sooner than that I wouldn’t have had the same luxury, but I was paid full for the twelve weeks.  Fifth Third has since made a lot of progress in what they offer for maternity and paternity leave.  There’s a maternity concierge that has two dedicated staff members to help Moms with children under the age of one.

What’s something you wish you would have known about being a working Mom – or Mom who works – before you had children? Before I had Frankie, I wish I would have known that I didn’t need to be at the office until 8:00 PM.  In doing that, I was just continuing to take on the workload of what they were expecting of me.  Now, I have set a calendar reminder at 5:00 for each of my employees that pops-up and says “Can this wait until tomorrow?”.  In the body of the invite it says, “If not, give yourself the next 30 minutes to close up and finish what you’re doing.”  We’re not saving lives.  If it requires us to give up time with our loved ones it better be important.  If I could, I would go back and spend time with Ryan and my loved ones while also traveling a bit more.. All of my available time is now spent with Frankie,  That’s by choice and that’s what works for our family.

 

 

 

Picture Imperfect: My Anxious Mom Brain

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“There is stigma [attached to] talking about challenges,” says Liz Friedman, a founder of MotherWoman, which organizes a network of perinatal support groups across Massachusetts. “We don’t want to tell pregnant women about challenging births,” says Friedman, who now runs Group Peer Support for Parents. “We want to keep this facade that motherhood is everything we’ve ever hoped for and pregnancy is blissful. . . . We feel like we are raining on people’s parades and dramatizing our own struggles and scaring people, and we don’t want to do those things.”

“Yet,” she says, “we do need to talk about this.”

This quote is from Chelsea Conaboy’s article last week in the Boston Globe – Motherhood brings the most dramatic brain changes of a woman’s life.   It struck a chord and has really gotten me thinking about being honest and open about some of the challenges I and my family have faced over the past year.  We had a new healthy baby and had just bought our first house.  Life should be perfect, right?

We all have a scenario in mind of what it will be like when we find out we’re pregnant – what the nursery will look like, what we’ll name the baby, and how magical the first few minutes will be when that tiny little human is placed on our chest and automatically figures out how to feed itself.  This of course also means a relaxing maternity leave with mid-day naps, Instagram worthy pictures and plenty of time to re-decorate your new house while having no issues whatsoever breastfeeding.

But, I’m sure you can tell that that isn’t where this story is going – and you’re right.   When I started this blog I said I wanted to be honest and make sure I didn’t paint a picture that hides the messy parts of life.  So, now, I’m going to admit something that is not easy for me to say out loud to friends and family – let alone to a bunch of strangers, co-workers and professional acquaintances.

Over the past few months I’ve been struggling with severe anxiety and I’ve started going to therapy.

Similar to Conaboy, I’ve always been slightly anxious – I’m a planner – but I was so mentally broken down by a tough year that I was no longer appropriately coping with stress.   And I know perfectly well why that was the case.   Not only was my brain and body trying to rewire itself to “Mom mode”, but aside from the birth of our son, almost everything else that happened in 2017 was a personal kick in the gut.

My husband lost his job, I had family members and close friends dealing with some really crappy and heartbreaking life circumstances, and I felt like all of a sudden the world I knew was crashing down around me.  I don’t share this to earn sympathy – I just want to show that stuff just plain sucked.   Life got real, real fast, and it was HARD.

I wanted to be overjoyed about our bundle of joy, but some days, I just couldn’t get there.   The last seven weeks of my pregnancy and my maternity leave were so far from what I expected and I had a really hard time accepting that.  I was different and I was worried that my relationships and professional life would never be the same.

We look ready to leave the hospital. We were NOT ready for our first night at home…

I was doing pretty well handling everything until the fall, but this winter and into the spring I found myself to be irritable, disinterested and not wanting to talk to anyone.  I just wanted time for myself and didn’t want to be bothered.  I hated email, texting, Facebook etc.,  because I then felt obligated to respond to messages – which also meant I had even less time to spend on myself and the things I wanted to be doing.  It was one more person taking time from me and I resented it.

A question as simple as “What do you want for dinner?” would be irritating because I would have to make another decision.  (To highlight the full extent of the ridiculousness of my exasperation, I should also mention that my husband was almost always the one doing the cooking)…I felt like I was on a hamster wheel and any setback would send my mind down a mental spiral where I would automatically assume the worst outcome.

I was functioning, and on the surface I probably looked just fine, but I knew that it wasn’t sustainable and this was not what I wanted life to be like. So, I asked for help.

In full transparency, I haven’t been consistent about going to therapy over the past month or so (reminder to book another appointment tomorrow); but, I do intend to keep going and find myself mentally re-setting using the tools I learned there when I start to become overwhelmed.  

It was pretty easy to pinpoint the causes of my escalating anxiety in that first session, but I needed to relearn how to cope with it and to also focus on taking care of myself.  In fact, my first “homework” assignment was to run more.  My super sweet husband does a great job of keeping tabs of this and will make sure I put in the time to get outside if he can tell I’m getting “itchy”.

I am sharing this today because I want anyone reading this to know that it’s okay to ask for help and that you don’t have to live up to the idyllic scenes we’ve all been sold about pregnancy, childbirth, #MomLife, etc.   You just created a human for goodness sake! How can we be expected to go through the gauntlet that is pregnancy and childbirth and not come out the other side a different kind of person? You have changed – and that’s natural, that’s good, and that’s what makes you a better Mom, wife and employee.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t also still be good at your job or having a loving relationship with your significant other.   It does mean that you need to forgive yourself and accept that you’re going to have some tough moments.  Yes, that small human loves you no matter what, and you he/she; but, there will be days when you mourn for your former self.  When you wish you could just pick-up and go to the gym, the store, the office, etc. This is NORMAL.  If life does throw you a curve ball like me (or two, or three) while your brain and body are putting themselves back together, you need to be even more forgiving.  Your new life is not going to be perfect and it’s likely not going to be at all what you imagined; but, it can be pretty damn sweet.   Don’t give up on finding it.  Put down the Pinterest page, quit comparing yourself to others, and get help if you need it.

 

Struggling with Postpartum Anxiety or Depression and looking for help? Contact Postpartum Support International: 1.800.944.4773

 

Sports Biz Mom: Jamie Wolfe, Gold’s Gym

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I’ve known Jamie Wolfe for several years, as she was one of my husband’s classmates at Ohio University.  We reconnected at the National Sports Forum this February, right after she went returned to work from maternity leave.  I thought she’d be a great candidate for an interview because not only was she navigating her new role at home, but also one in a new company.  Jamie actually interviewed for her current position while she was pregnant – something that I know I would stress over to no end if I were in a similar position.  I hope any expecting Mom and job seeker out there reads this and feels confident in their ability to take on a new challenge, no matter the timing!

Jamie Wolfe lives in the Dallas area with her husband, Garrett, six month old son, Stephen, and Goldendoodle Belle. She is the Director of Global Licensing at Gold’s Gym. Prior to her current role, Jamie spent time at Learfield Licensing, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and Genesco Sports Enterprises. She holds Masters degrees in Business and Sports Administration from Ohio University. Jamie also completed her undergraduate studies in Economics at Ohio University and was a member of the Swimming and Diving team. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Do not be afraid to be honest about what you need and how you’ll get your work done.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities with Golds Gym?  My day-to-day responsibilities include management of the Gold’s Gym Licensing Portfolio and all associated programming. This could include working with our licensing agency to scout new partners, build offerings and communication strategy for current programs, approve product designs, and assist in the development of programs for partners to sell product at retail or online.

Can you describe a “typical” day in the life for you and your family?

    • 6:00 AM:  Wake up
    • 6:00 – 6:45 AM: My husband (Garrett) helps to get the dog out and Stephen ready for the day while I get ready
    • 6:45 AM:  We are out the door
    • 6:50-7:00 AM: Drop Stephen at daycare
    • 7:30 AM: Arrive at the office
    • 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM Work
    • 4:30 – 4:45 PM: Leave the office
    • 5:15 PM: Garrett picks up Stephen
    • 5:30 PM: Stephen eats dinner
    • 5:45 PM: Playtime
    • 6:30 PM: Bathtime
    • 7:00 PM: Nightime bottle and bedtime stories
    • 7:30 PM :Garrett and I eat dinner
    • 10:00 PM: Bedtime

How has being a Mom positively impacted your career? Being a mom has helped me with balance. I make it a point to really focus and be productive while I am at the office so I can do the same at home. Being a mom also pushed me to explore an opportunity outside of a traditional sports role. I am very passionate about health and wellness and this role provides me the opportunity to source great brand partners/products for a brand that helps people achieve their potential through fitness on a daily basis.  It was also a chance to rebuild the licensing program at Gold’s and develop a full-on strategy with a licensing partner.  That type of challenge motivates me to come to the office every day and to want to learn and grow professionally.

What’s something you wish you would have known about being a Mom who works before your son was born? How truly challenging it is. I know people say being a parent is one of the most challenging, but most rewarding things you will ever do in life. It is so true, but there are so many things to juggle and my baby is only 6 months old!

How has your employer helped in your transition to being a Mom who works? Have you been afforded any additional flexibility? When I got pregnant, I had to make a decision about how I wanted to balance work and family. I was in a role where I travelled almost weekly. When I interviewed for my current role, I was pregnant. So, from the very beginning Gold’s Gym was understanding of the fact that I would have to balance work and family. Specifically, I am able to get to work early and leave a bit earlier which is huge with Dallas traffic! I’m in the office every day at 7:30AM and leave by 4:30PM, so there’s a lot of flexibility there.

I told Gold’s I was pregnant when I was offered the job. They were supportive and told me we’d work everything out. Unfortunately, since I had just joined the company, I didn’t qualify for the short-term disability benefits while on maternity leave. However, I was able to work flex hours from home for almost a month once I did come back to work, and that helped tremendously with the transition.

Did your husband receive parental leave benefits when Stephen was born? Yes, his company provides fathers eight weeks paid leave. He took two weeks when Stephen was born and then an additional six weeks when I went back to the office. This helped immensely in the transition back to work for me because I wasn’t worried about who he was with and settling back in at the office.

What advice do you have it for women in sports who do not yet have a family, but may someday want to? Do not be afraid to be honest about what you need and how you’ll get your work done.  People inside and outside of the industry do understand family balance. Men often do too (especially if they have kids of their own). They may not practice it, but they understand it.

Sports Biz Mom: Brooke Faw, Bespoke Sports & Entertainment

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I had so much fun talking with Brooke for this interview! She cold emailed me after the blog launched and not only did I wish we could be friends right away, but it also quickly became obvious that she would be a great resource for other Moms in the industry.  While we did not know each other a month ago, I feel like we could have talked forever, and I’m excited to stay connected with her now and in the future.  Brooke took a unique path to the sports world, that I think shows the power of setting goals and believing in them.  She also travels frequently for business and I hope her experiences can help other Moms feel confident to do the same, should they choose to do so.

Brooke Faw lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband Rocky and five-year old son Griffin.  She is an Account Director at Bespoke Sports and Entertainment.  Brooke became one of the company’s first employees in 2014 and oversees their expanding VIP Hospitality & Experiences group.   Prior to Bespoke, she was the Sports Partnerships Manager for Novant Health, working with the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets, Charlotte Checkers and several NASCAR teams.  Brooke also spent two years with Earth Fare, a healthy grocery store chain, as their Community Relations Manager. She helped establish the Earth Fare Foundation, a non-profit organization with the goal of ending childhood obesity by teaching kids about eating healthy and living an active lifestyle.  Brooke began her career as a Kindergarten teacher and high school basketball coach. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education and a Masters in Administration from Ball State University.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities with Bespoke Sports & Entertainment? I oversee Bespoke’s expanding VIP Hospitality & Experiences group that is building custom client programs throughout sports and entertainment.  In addition to VIP services, we provide our clients with strategy and brand consultations as well as activation and event execution services.  I am focused on our hospitality and experiences, hosting clients and planning business-to-business events at sporting and entertainment events so our clients stay closer to their own customers.   Last year I traveled approximately thirty weekends of the year, mostly for NASCAR races, but was also on the road for Formula E, college football, baseball, golf, hockey, as well as some entertainment events.

Can you describe a “typical” day in the life for you and your family? One thing I love about working at an agency is there is never a “typical” day. However, when I’m not traveling, I usually get up around 5:00 AM and go for a run or go work out. If I don’t work out in the morning I never find the time to get it in, so I force myself to do it in the morning.  Then I come home and get ready. My husband is usually up by then and he’ll make our son breakfast while I’m in the shower.

Our son Griffin is one of the most independent kids I’ve ever met, so he will get himself up, shower, get dressed (usually he matches!), brush his teeth and meet us downstairs for breakfast. The fact that he can do all of that on his own now has drastically reduced my morning stress!

We’re out the door by 8:30 AM. I drop him off at preschool and then head into the office. We live about 30 minutes from where I work and I usually get into the office around 9:00-9:30AM.

My work day is a balance of client calls, answering emails, creating presentation decks and planning events. These events can be anything from planning client hospitality around NASCAR races to custom fly-away trips to go to Spring Training camp to creating a B2B summit overseas around a Formula E race – and everything in between!

I leave the office around 6:00 or 7:00 PM and am usually home by 7:30 PM. Griffin’s great-grandmother picks him up from school and takes him to Tae-kwon-do practice. My husband picks Griffin up from Tae-kwon-do and brings him home. Dinner is usually done when I get home so we can sit down and eat as a family.  We make it a point to do this whenever my husband and I are both at home.

Griffin and I will play Legos or games until about 8:00 PM when I take him upstairs to read a book (his favorite is Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site) and tuck him in bed. Then my husband and I usually lay in bed and catch up on our Netflix shows while both finishing up whatever work didn’t get done during the day. It’s usually lights out around 11:00 PM and do it all over again the next day!

What professional accomplishment are you most proud of? When Bespoke first started, one of our very first big projects was a nationwide tour for FOX Sports 1, which celebrated the kick-off of the college football season and highlighted their first game – Michigan versus Utah.  This was during [Jim] Harbaugh’s first year as the Michigan head coach and everyone was hyped for his return.

We worked with FS1 to come up with this crazy idea – make a tour bus look like Coach Harbaugh; complete with khaki pants (real fabric!), a Michigan blue sweater, play card tucked into his belt line, etc.  We called the bus the “Harbus.” And took five Michigan students who resembled Harbaugh – the “Harbros” – and put them on the bus.  We also included Cleatus, the FOX Sports robot and a sports blogger who documented our trip.

We started in Michigan and traveled for fifteen days through the Midwest, down the East coast, through the South and then through the West to reach Utah. Every morning we did an appearance on a FOX regional network morning show and every afternoon we did an appearance with a former Wolverine or Ute celebrity.  In the evening we attended a baseball game that was broadcasted on FS1 and used an in game feature to promote the upcoming college football season. In total we did six baseball games in 14 days (Detroit, Cincinnati, New York (Yankees), Atlanta, Texas and St. Louis) while also stopping at the Big 10 headquarters, taking a lap around Charlotte Motor Speedway and eating at as many Cracker Barrels (Harbaugh’s favorite restaurant) as we could.  We created so much content and buzz around our trip that the Harbros started to get recognized and became mini celebrities by the end of the trip!

When we arrived in Utah we knew it was going to be tough. The Utah Athletics department wasn’t thrilled with how much FS1 had talked about Michigan when they had a really good football team as well. We weren’t given any access to the game and thought we were just going to have to watch it from our hotel room. However, we went into the stadium and just kept acting like we were supposed to be there. No tickets – just a smile and a polo shirt!

I led the boys down onto the field and no one stopped us! We hung out by the FS1 booth trying to keep a low profile when Sarah Harbaugh, Jim’s wife came over to our group. She had been following the tour and thought it was hilarious. She asked to take a picture with the Harbros and as we’re taking the picture, Coach Harbaugh walked out of the locker room! He came over to talk to the Harbros (who I thought were going to pass out because they were so excited.) Once the camera crew realized that Harbaugh was meeting the Harbros, they immediately came over to film the action. Our cover was blown and we were quickly escorted off the field, but not before our 15 minutes of fame. I remember my boss calling me asking how in the world I was on the field meeting Harbaugh (he saw us on TV) when I wasn’t even supposed to be allowed on campus.

Before that tour, I had never really traveled and definitely had never been away from home for two weeks. I also had never planned a tour route, hired staff and put fabric on a bus! I learned so much from that experience and now know that nothing is ever “impossible.”

What personal accomplishment are you most proud of?  My ability to step outside my comfort zone in order to chase my dreams. I’m from a map dot in Indiana where you marry your high school sweetheart, you live down the street from your parents and you raise a family of your own that turns around and repeats that cycle. While it’s an amazing life, I knew I wanted something different.

I took a leap of faith and came to North Carolina for what was supposed to be a “summer vacation.” I had no job, no family other than my uncle who I was visiting and barely knew anyone. Within a month I had a job, lots of new friends who I considered family and had met the love of my life who I quickly got engaged to just a short time later.

As a former teacher, you’ve forged a unique path into the sports industry.  Can you tell us about that experience?  [After moving to North Carolina] I felt my personal life was perfect but my professional life was still missing something. As much as I loved teaching and as comfortable as I was doing it (I come from a long line of educators) I knew I would kick myself if I didn’t pursue a career in sports. I quit teaching on the last day of school (a Thursday) got married on that Friday, went on a weeklong honeymoon and when I came back I started a new career in community relations at Earth Fare.

From there I worked up the nerve to ask my CEO if we could start the Earth Fare Foundation, as I saw it as a real need for our company – and in the next breath I told him I was pregnant! I started the foundation from scratch and it grew to be very successful, but I still wanted sports to be a part of my job.

I left Earth Fare when I landed a dream role of running sports partnerships for a large health care system in the Southeast. They also happened to have a PSA with Michael Jordan – the first time I met him I held it together and then called my dad from the car crying with excitement! I loved my job, my co-workers and everything about my career, but found myself bored with the “corporate” role of my job.

So I took my biggest step outside my comfort zone and came over to a startup agency. I had no idea what was in store as it was brand new but I knew I was working with some of the best in the business and there was no way we were going to fail. I’ve now traveled to almost all 50 states and internationally!  All this coming from the girl that had barely been outside her county line in Indiana.

How has being a Mom positively impacted your career? It has taught me so many things!

  1. How to survive on very little sleep – having an infant trained me to be up and power through at an event, even if I’d only had three hours of sleep.
  2. How to have the patience of a saint – I’ve found myself in meetings and where I may have previously been worked up, I now realize it’s not that big of deal.
  3. How to be emotional and connect with people – I always thought that emotion was a sign of weakness – and when I became a Mom I cried at the drop of the bucket. Now, when I’m emotional in meeting it shows that I care and it changed my perspective and turned what I thought was a negative into a positive.
  4. It has made me so extremely loyal – I will do anything for the people who help me instead of hinder me because I’m a Mom. I was told in my early 20’s that I could never have children, so I didn’t ever think this would happen for me.  I was very career driven and didn’t understand the concept of being so focused on family.  After my son was born I finally got it and I had great co-workers that would babysit for me or clients that would let me bring my baby to meetings.  I will do anything for those people now.  It’s tough being one of the only ones in the office with a child and working spouse and not having a dedicated person at home. Anyone who is willing to help me manage our crazy schedule and cares about my kid is gold in my eyes.
  5. It has made me want to help new moms so they know that they can do it too. It takes a village!

What’s something you wish you would have known about being a working Mom before you had children? That you don’t have to work yourself into the ground just to prove that you deserve to be here. I think we as females feel like we already have to prove ourselves so much more to deserve a seat at the table – we have to answer that email as soon as it comes in, we have to stay in the office later than everyone else, we have to work all night on the presentation – just to show we committed to the job.

As a new mom I felt like I had to double that – if I took an hour out of a meeting to pump, I needed to stay an hour later to make up for it. If I had to leave early to take the baby to his doctor appointment, I needed to come in early to make up for it. I constantly worried about “proving” that I wasn’t taking shortcuts just because I was a mom. I literally took a conference call while pacing the halls of the labor and delivery wing because I knew it was important and while I was in labor, the baby wasn’t coming right that second, so I had time.

Then someone finally shook some sense into me. “Work smarter, not harder” she said.  “There’s no eye for an eye and I don’t need to see you in here 10 hours a day.  I just need to know that whatever needs to be done is going to get done – I don’t care if that happens while you’re in the waiting room at the doctor’s office.  You don’t have to show me your face in order to prove to me that you’re doing your job.

It’s all about balance and it took me a long time to figure out how to balance all the wonderful things I have in my life. At the end of the day, I’m not curing cancer – that email can wait, my little boy can’t!

One of my goals for the blog is to be a resource both for working Moms but for sports industry leaders who work with or manage Sports Biz Moms.  What advice would you give to a supervisor about managing a Sports Biz Mom or soon-to-be Mom – particularly one who is not a parent themselves?  I would say, don’t be awkward, communicate, be open minded and flexible and ask them how they’re feeling.  Let them come in early and leave early.  Let them take a conference call from their office or work from home on Friday. If you put that hammer down and compare females to males, it’s the quickest way to lose good employees.  Supervisors also need to consider the bigger picture. They need to realize that other women who are not pregnant are watching how the company handles their co-workers pregnancy. If they want to have a family someday, they’re wondering how this is going to work and if supervisors want young females to continue to work for them, they have to set the right precedent.

What non-traditional benefits do you think would help to make the life of a Sports Biz Mom easier?  In-office or near office childcare – one of my biggest “mommy guilt issues” is that I feel like I don’t get to spend enough time with my little guy. However, if he could ride to work with me, I could spend my lunch time hanging out with him and then he can ride home with me; that would be awesome!

What type of childcare do you use?  There’s an African proverb that says “It takes a village to raise a child.” That couldn’t be truer – we have a combination of preschool, summer camps, babysitters, family and friends that we lean on – especially when we both have to travel. We try to spread it around so that no one feels overly used and are so incredibly grateful for all of their help. I wouldn’t be able to have the schedule I have without them.

What advice do you have it for women in sports who do not yet have a family, but may someday want to? Travel now! I didn’t start traveling until after I had Griffin and if I had it to do all over again I would have done this job in my 20’s so that I could be home more often now.

However, the best advice I can give is give yourself a break and stop worrying about it! I talk to so many women who say “I have no idea how you balance it all.” Some days I have no idea how I balance it all but I didn’t figure it out until I had to. You’ll never have enough money saved, you’ll never have enough vacation days banked up, it will never be the perfect time in your career to have a baby. So just go with the flow and if it happens, thank God for how blessed you are and don’t worry – you too will figure out how to balance it all.