Daily Life

WNBA Fan Girl: Committing to Women’s Sports

July 19, 2019 by admin

Like the rest of the country, over the past month, I’ve been captivated by the USWNT and their World Cup run. The team’s win was inspiring for so many reasons, and once again provides renewed hope that their success will lead to greater equality, pay, and publicity for women’s sports.

However, I feel like we as a country express the same sentiment and have the same conversation every few years after the World Cup or Olympics. Impressive women capture our attention for a brief moment, but then as we all inevitably get busy, their day-to-day athletic performances tend to fade into the background and we refocus on the men’s sports that still receive the majority of the airtime, despite the overwhelming dominance of our country’s female athletes.

Even though I would like to think of myself as a fan of women’s sports, outside of following Nebraska Volleyball and sometimes Women’s Basketball, as well as the major tennis tournaments, I rarely devote any of my time to watching/following any other women’s sports. All the conversation following the World Cup has given me the chance to reflect on that fact and realize that my own personal lack of support is in fact, a contributing factor to the continued representation gap in sports. Ouch.

So, what am I going to do about this new realization?

Meet your newest WNBA fan! I am committing to watching every nationally televised game for the Atlanta Dream (NBA TV, CBS Sports Network, and Twitter) through the end of the 2019 season. I want to find a favorite player. I want to find an opposing player I can’t stand because she’s so good. I want to better understand the companies supporting this league. Perhaps most importantly, I want to put my time, and eventually money (their colors are outstanding, so no doubt, I’ll be buying some gear), where my mouth is AND demonstrate to my son that women are also phenomenal athletes worthy of our support.

If I can’t watch a game because of work, family obligations, etc., I am now set-up to receive all the team alerts and will be actively following their social media accounts. If you run into me, I beg of you to ask me how the team is doing. Just one person asking me about the WNBA and the Dream as a result of this post would provide more of a boost than I have ever personally given the league.

Why the WNBA?

I remember being incredibly excited about the launch of the WNBA in 1997. I was ten years old, had just started playing organized sports, and was an avid Sports Illustrated for Kids reader. I’d written letters to Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie, started watching a ton of women’s college basketball, and by Junior High, had dreams of playing in the league myself. While that dream obviously didn’t pan out, the WNBA showed me as a young girl that you could be a strong, female, athlete. It encouraged me to keep playing, and had I not continued playing sports through high school, I know I wouldn’t have ended up working in the sports industry today.

Side Bar – I STILL have dreams about playing high school basketball. I have always forgotten my shoes, shorts, sports bra, etc., and am running incredibly late for a big game. If I do manage to play in the dream game, I have lost the limited athletic ability I once had, and it’s a painful thing to watch as I struggle down the court. Let’s realize, that I am 32, and there’s a part of this WNBA dream that still won’t die.

Why the Atlanta Dream?

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to have been introduced to the Dream’s Head Coach, Nicki Collen. She and I spoke in the spring and the culmination of the Women’s World Cup and our interview going live last week spurred me to act. She’s a mom to three, incredibly genuine, and I can’t help but cheer for someone who so generously gave their time to me. Not to mention, the Dream’s 2019 season hashtag is #DreamOn, which also happens to be my all-time favorite song (do yourself a favor and enjoy some classic Steven Tyler) AND the track that I listened to prior to every single basketball game my senior year of high school. It was meant to be.

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So, as a woman in sports, that hopes to see just as much equality in the board room as on the court, this is the small step I’m taking today to contribute to the cause. If I truly believe in equality for women in the workplace, this seems like the least I can do. I hope my new fandom spurs an interest in the other amazing female athletes and leagues across the country. I know this won’t make an immediate difference, and that it will take many more sports fans tuning in to make real progress; but, I’m excited to learn and support a league that continues to inspire young athletes all over the world. #DreamOn

How are you supporting female athletes? What else can we do to make a difference?

Moving to the Motor City

June 28, 2019 by admin

Six weeks as a single parent and our new adventure

Six weeks of single parenthood. That’s what I’ve been up to since you last heard from me.

Yes, this was all planned. Yes this was all done for good (and happy) reasons!

Save a few weekend reunions with Dad, it was just me and my small human for all of May and the first part of June. During that time we called poison control once; made approximately eight trips to Chipotle for dinner; Face Timed Daddy at least twice a day; spent countless evenings “snuggling in Mommy’s bed” on demand; and developed a mildly concerning addiction to Thomas and Friends. In the midst of our day-to-day survival, we also sold our house, packed up all of our possessions, and then two weeks ago, left Milwaukee and moved-in with my in-laws in Michigan.

I did not force this. Snuggling in Mommy’s bed was often a daily request. Be still, my heart…

You see, not only did I decide to pursue a career in the sports industry, but I also happened to marry someone who wanted to do the same. Since we’ve been together my husband has moved twice for me, and when an amazing opportunity came up with his hometown team, we couldn’t pass up the chance for him to make a great career move that also brought us closer to family.

So, my “Sports Biz Dad” is now a Corporate Partnership Activation Manager for the Detroit Tigers and I am searching for my next professional opportunity. My last day at DICK’s Sporting Goods was June 7th, and after coordinating our move, I am now a full-time parent, job-seeker, and part-time Coursera student working on a Digital Marketing Specialization.

When your house has a tight staircase, this is how you move furniture out/in from your 2nd floor. No movers or dressers were harmed in the taking of this picture. I spent this time distracting my nervous self by weeding our garden…

I’ve spent much of the last few weeks searching for a new daycare, pediatrician, and scouting potential neighborhoods. Once I do find the right fit, we’ll be off to the races on the home search – something I am both dreading and can’t wait to begin!

It’s been a crazy exciting, tiring, emotional, and yet hopeful transition. One that I know we’ll be glad we’ve made once we’re officially settled. It was much tougher than I expected to say goodbye to our first home in Milwaukee, the friends we had made there, and my job and the awesome people I worked with at DICK’s Sporting Goods. It was NOT hard to say goodbye to being a single Mom. This entire experience has made me that much more appreciative of my husband and I’ve developed a whole new level of respect for any parent who is raising kids on their own full-time. RESPECT.

While the uncertainty for me in this transition has sometimes been scary, I am excited about the future and grateful that Ben has landed in such a great organization. The people there have been incredibly willing to help me in my search (including past interviewee, Molly Wurdack-Folt). I have to remind myself constantly that some part of this craziness is all a big lesson in patience – a lesson that some days I’m absorbing better than others. In the meantime, I’ll be soaking up the extra time with our sweet two year old and re-engaging with the many projects for Sports Biz Mom that were put on the back burner while we attempted to sort through the messiness of our move.

I could write a whole post on self-forgiveness, mental health, and my guilt about not keeping up with the blog for the past 6 to 8 weeks. I was pretty hard on myself early on, and eventually I realized I was the only one setting those expectations. My theme while flying solo was “one day at a time”; and between working, house-selling, and toddler parenting, there were just not enough hours in those days. I thought anyone reading this could easily understand and emphasize with my reduced capacity.

With that, you have your official Jacobs family job and location update. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever find yourself in Michigan. Shamelessly, I’d also appreciate any personal or professional connections in Detroit. Not only do I need a job, I also need friends – so please send them my way!

Top Three Lessons of 2018

December 30, 2018 by admin

There I sat on December 31, 2017, alone on the couch with some over-fried delivery hot chicken and cheap wine. My husband was upstairs recovering from a second battle with a holiday stomach bug that managed to wipe out my entire family and cancel Christmas. Our sweet, small human – just nine months old – had been patient zero. We spent most of the week in Nebraska taking bets as to who would be the next to go down and spend their night with their head in the toilet. It hadn’t really been the “First Christmas” we imagined, but really, unrealized expectations were the theme of 2017.

For many reasons, it was most certainly not the first year of motherhood I had imagined and it was incredibly difficult for many others we knew and loved (more on that here). I was ready for a fresh start and was hoping and praying 2018 would be brighter. As I spent my evening watching terrible TV, thinking about what may lie ahead in the next year, a thought continued to pop-up in my mind again and again – as it had been for months. So, I finally did something about it. I purchased the domain name for this site.

It was a small step, costing me $89, that was just one of many micro-actions that lead me to finally making this idea public in six months later (Yes, it took me that long to work up the courage to do so…). However, as we approach the end of 2018, this small step has me reflecting on some of the other lessons I learned this year. So, here are my TOP THREE LESSONS OF 2018 – because, really, can you claim to be a blogger if you don’t write the end-of-year, “What I learned”, post?

1. Going public with an idea generates confidence AND accountability.

I didn’t even tell my husband about my idea for this site until after I had bought a domain name and stewed over it for at least two months. There was no doubt in my mind that he would be supportive, but verbalizing this idea to someone else also meant I would be held accountable to following through. It was safe and comfortable to keep it to myself. Bit by bit, I started to tell others – mothers in the sports industry I respected, my friends and graduate school classmates – and the overwhelmingly positive feedback I received built my confidence and encouraged me to continue pushing forward.

However, it also caused me to seriously consider whether or not I was built for something like this. I’m an introvert by nature, and I’ll admit, I need a breaks from our constantly connected world. I knew the success of and value provided by this blog would be highly dependent upon me becoming more active and engaged on social media, and that TERRIFIED me. I value my privacy and sharing my struggles and perspective with close family members, let alone colleagues and complete strangers, had me swimming in the “What will they think?” purgatory for quite some time. I also try to be intentional about not being on my phone when I am with my family after work, and I knew that this would make that more difficult.

Nevertheless, I felt that this concept had been stewing for long enough that I would regret not seeing it through. I knew I’d feel even more sheepish not putting myself out there after having shared my idea with women I considered to be examples for other mothers in the sports industry.

So, to anyone who spoke with me before Sports Biz Mom was public, or who has reached out to me, shared an article, or participated in an interview since – THANK YOU! Please keep it coming! I still have days where I question whether or not this is worth it or if I’m the right woman to be hosting this platform. Your engagement continues to build my confidence and also gives me the motivation I need to try to find more ways to provide value and content.

2. Saying “Yes” with your time also means saying “No” to something else.

As with most women who were starting out in the workforce in 2013, I read Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” and I took the message to heart. Progressing in my career meant being assertive and taking on new opportunities without questioning my readiness to do so or how I would fit said obligations in my daily life. If someone requested a volunteer or that I take on a leadership role for a new project at work, or in one of the community organizations I was involved with outside of the office, I’d jump in with two feet and figure out the logistics later.

However, I found myself taking on responsibilities without really considering what I may be giving up to do so. Every time I said yes, I was also saying no to quality time with my family; no to taking care of myself; no to having a social life; and no to the minimal minutes I already struggle to find to work on this blog. I felt depleted and uninspired, and that I really had no time to pursue the things that truly brought me joy. With the busiest season of work on the horizon, I knew something had to change.

Then, I stumbled across this episode of The Refined Collective podcast, featuring Jordan Lee Dooley – an Etsy shop owner, blogger, podcaster, and soon-to-be published author of the book Purpose: Breaking Through Insecurities, Expectations, and the Pressure to Prove.

I had never heard of Jordan before that day, and admittedly haven’t spent a ton of time perusing her site since (although I am looking forward to reading her book come March 2019) – but her message really spoke to me and has been in the back of mind as I’ve focused on being more intentional with how I spend my time.

The just of the episode is that we often live under chronic pressure to prove. We do things because we feel it’s expected of us versus something that is truly a passion of our hearts. She encouraged the listeners to make a list of the things in their lives that come from a place of purpose and also a place of pressure – and then prune the activities from the “pressure” side of the list. I’ve been working hard on doing this over the past two to three months, and honestly can say I am feeling the metaphorical weight of that pressure off my shoulders. I said no, so I could say YES to the things that really matter to me, my family, and my purpose.

Sidebar: Typing the above paragraph – particularly the “passion of our hearts” portion – makes my skin crawl. I come from a long line of emotional turtles that “don’t do feelings” well. Thinking and speaking this way makes me incredibly uncomfortable and feels inauthentic, but I’m working on being more of a feeler, so bear with me…

3. Regular exercise is non-negotiable.

Prior to 2014, I hadn’t been much of a regular at the gym. I was an athlete in high school, but I spent much of my college years and immediate ones afterward going through an intense few months or exercise and then extended absences when life would get busy or it became inconvenient.

Then, in an effort to look like a smaller version of myself in a wedding gown, I started running and registered for my first half marathon in May 2014. Yes, this was incredibly vain. No, I did not keep the weight off after the wedding.

However, this stereotypical “shedding for the wedding” did lead me to realize that that I am also mentally healthier when I move consistently. I’ve found that long distance running is just what this Type-A gal needs in her life to feel accomplished…and tired enough to shut her brain off at night. Using a term one of my co-workers coined (you know who you are, Mama!), I am a run-hole, and I am proud of it. I’m not fast and it’s not pretty, but it makes me feel like a better me.

Anyway, other than a six month period from November 2017 to May 2018, I’ve been consistently active for the better part of the past five years. Even when I was majorly pregnant, I still attempted to waddle my way up and down the hill to our local coffee shop. But, for whatever reason, last winter – I just stopped. I have no idea why, but I felt HORRIBLE all of the time. I was irritable, stressed, unhealthy, and perhaps worst of all, felt unaccomplished. It’s no wonder that my anxiety sky-rocketed during this period and eventually forced me to seek help. The first assignment from my therapist? RUN.

It was incredibly simple, but somehow I veered off track. Since May, I’ve been running consistently and am getting in a good sweat session either outside or at the gym three to four times per week. My body may not be any lighter (I live in Wisconsin – cheese and beer make this impossible), but my mind sure is – and that’s honestly so much better.

I don’t share this to shame anyone, but rather to encourage you to take time for you – in whatever form gets the endorphins flowing. Even if it’s just a half hour to read, or a quick walk around the block – you need it. I am a better Mom, wife, and employee when I do, and I’m so sad that I forgot that for a brief period of time this year. Lesson learned.

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And there you have it – my TOP THREE LESSONS OF 2018. As you celebrate the New Year, I thank anyone reading this for their support of this blog thus far. It’s not where I want it to be, but I’m also incredibly excited to see where it goes with renewed focus and perspective. May 2019 bring you love, success, health, and just enough uncomfortable moments to keep you on your toes. Cheers!

Five Podcasts for the Sports Biz Mom

August 24, 2018 by admin

Remember me? Thought I already gave up on this didn’t you? Between work and some planned personal travel, August has been a whirlwind. After much internal chiding, I decided to give myself a break in producing content for a few weeks. I wouldn’t be following my own advice if I didn’t take a step back to reset and I really didn’t want to force it and send myself down the anxiety spiral. Instead, today, I am going to share someone else’s content. I’ve been listening to a lot of Podcasts over the past year and I wanted to share some of my favorite shows related to professional development. So, here are Five Podcasts for the Sports Biz Mom (or really anyone…)

1. Akimbo

One of my co-workers recommended Seth Godin’s Daily Blog nearly two years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. When I heard he was launching podcast, I knew this was going to be a good one – and it has lived up to all of my expectations. To quote his website, “Akimbo’s a podcast about our culture and how we can change it. About seeing what’s happening and choosing to do something.”

Seth is one of my favorite people to read/listen to when I need to reset and boost my motivation. In fact, one of my all-time favorite quotes comes from Seth’s October 2016 blog post “On being irriated”. I set a reminder in my email once a month to re-read this post (seriously, I’ve been doing this for two years) and that day it pops up is usually one when I’ve been feeling especially slighted or entitled. As soon as I read, “Irritation is a privilege.”, I’m immediately knocked back into reality and given a much needed dose of perspective. I’ve also said “Irritation is a privilege.” to my husband multiple times and received my fair share of eye rolls…

2. She Innovates with Michelle King

She Innovates shares the stories, challenges, and triumphs of women across innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. Its creator, Michelle King, currently leads the UN Women’s Global Innovation Coalition for Change and is an Advisory Board member for Girl Up, the United Nations Foundation’s adolescent girl campaign. I just found this podcast a few weeks ago, and I have being listening non-stop ever since. She has incredibly accomplished guests and their insights are valuable not only to Sports Biz Moms, but to anyone in business. These are my two favorite episodes thus far:

7/9: Georgene Huang: Should I stay or Should I Go?
7/23 Episode: Maribeth Bearfield: Is Your Mental Load Holding You Back?

3. SBJ/SBD Morning Buzzcast

Brought to you by the team at the Sports Business Journal, the SBJ/SBD Morning Buzzcast is a nice, quick, daily update on the latest happenings in sports business. The episodes are only five minutes, so it’s a great thing to listen to in the car or as you get ready in the morning. I love that it keeps me up to date on industry trends and sparks ideas for topics to learn more about or write about here!

4. WorkLife with Adam Grant

WorkLife is a TED original pod

cast led by the aforementioned Adam Grant, who is an organizational psychologist and the top-rated professor at the Wharton School of Business, as well as a member of Fortune’s 40 Under 40. Each episode of WorkLife takes you inside a different, and unusual, workplace to help us discover better ways to work. One of his most memorable episodes for me was his first, How to Love Criticism. This one will change how you think about giving and receiving negative feedback – which is such a crucial factor for professional success. The episode focuses on the idea of “radical transparency”, and while frightening, it made me think about what would change in my own workplace if we operated in the same fashion.

5. How I Built This

How I Built This with Guy Raz highlights the origin stories of some of the world’s best known companies. I find it fascinating to hear how the founders of companies like Lululemon, Rent the Runway, Chipotle, LinkedIn, etc. got their businesses off the ground and it’s such a great reminder that all great things start small. Even if you have no plans of ever becoming an entrepreneur, there’s a lot to learn from the stories of his guests and I’ve found it gives me a newfound appreciation for some of my favorite brands.

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Do you have a favorite podcast that’s not on this list? I’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments. I’m always looking for a new voice to add to the rotation.

On a final note, I have spent the last few weeks putting the final touches on some awesome new interviews and lining up future conversations. The next two months will feature some inspiring Sports Biz Moms and I can’t wait to share them with you.

Picture Imperfect: My Anxious Mom Brain

July 25, 2018 by admin

“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

Babies Are Gross

June 21, 2018 by admin

To quote my good friend and co-worker, Hollie, “Babies Are Gross.” Don’t get me wrong, I love my son dearly, but my sweet ball of germs was sick last weekend, which of course means I was also sick by Monday evening.

So, for anyone wondering what happened to me after my big intro last week – daycare, daycare happened.

Snot and snuggles. You win some, you lose some, right?

I had intentions of writing one, if not two, well-researched posts and getting another interview under my belt. However, the best laid plans are ruined by toddlers and head colds, and these few paragraphs are all I’ve been well enough to muster in the evening outside of work.

Tonight is the first night since Monday I’ve been upright after 8:00 PM, so I am hoping to be back in working condition for the weekend. For someone who correctly or incorrectly derives a lot of self-worth from being productive, being sick is mental torture. However, I am trying my best to not put pressure on myself to write something when I really just need the time to recover (this is a really easy reference to “should-ing on myself” that I just couldn’t help but use…) so I can enjoy a full weekend with my family.

So, this short, but ironic post is all I have to offer in week two. As much as we want to try to do it all, sometimes the universe just has its ways of making us slow down and appreciate the sweet relief of NyQuil. All another week in the life of a working Mom, huh?

Here’s to a more productive and less congested last week of June!

Farewell, Ms. Medela: A Goodbye Letter to My Breast Pump

June 16, 2018 by admin

Ms. Medela, her entourage, and that terrible green bag…

Dear Ms. Medela,

Today, April 16th, 2018, is the first day we have not been connected since almost exactly a year ago. I thought the day I put you away would be a momentous one, and that I would celebrate my new found freedom. However, I barely noticed your absence. In fact, I did not know that Friday would be our last day together. Had I known, I would have rejoiced during our final work-day session; because, Ms. Medela breast pump, I WILL NOT miss you!

Don’t get me wrong, I am incredibly grateful that you and I were able to work together to feed my small human for so long; but, that precious liquid gold came at a price. A price, I will not miss paying. In addition to the small fortune I spent on that (oh, so attractive) hands-free bra with holes in just the right places, the spare parts, travel battery packs, a car adapter, etc., the biggest price I paid was with my time. Time spent, prepping, pumping, and washing parts. Time spent scheduling our sessions around phone calls at work for fear someone would hear you (Although, my co-workers can attest that I eventually got over that fear, and had no problem letting you contribute to many a conference call. You’re a true professional, Ms. Medala.). Time spent hidden at social functions so I could “place the order” and have a few hours of comfort. Time spent leaving early for work road trips so I had time to connect and disconnect you along the way. No, Ms. Medela, I will not miss our alone time.

I won’t miss our meeting spots. Whether it be my desk, the dining room table, or the driver’s seat – I could find you wherever I went. You were always there Ms. Medela – in airports, restaurant bathroom stalls, the judge’s library while on jury duty, and a port-a-potty at the start-line of the NYC Marathon. No, Ms. Medela, I won’t miss our meeting spots.

Nope, these 50,000+ runners won’t mind if I takeover this porta-potty for 20 minutes.

I also won’t miss the tired green bag I carried you in each and every day to work. The bag that everyone assumes is a gym bag. Of course, I just let them believe that the contents are my running shoes instead of the object that, other than my son, runs almost every other aspect of my life. No, Ms. Medela, I won’t miss your green bag.

Perhaps, even more than the tired green bag, I won’t miss your entourage. Let’s see – you run with tubes, shields, membranes, valves, bottles, bottle caps, special bra, ice pack, cooler, and sometimes plastic storage bags. (Forget one member of the entourage and watch Mama turn into MacGyver!) While it’s hard to choose my favorite “friend” of yours, I am partial to those handy plastic storage bags and my own hair tie. A packing mishap on a business trip necessitated some creativity in fashioning a milk receptacle. I recommend all pumping women carry these two items in reserve in case you forget milk bottles…but, I digress – No, Ms. Medela, I won’t miss your entourage.

Most of all, Ms. Medela, I won’t miss our awkward conversations. Here are a few of my favorites:

“Mr. Construction worker, why did you so rudely rap on my window while I was getting hooked up outside daycare? I’m sorry I parked right where you planned to place those cones. Little did you know, this is my 2nd day back from maternity leave and you made me cry. Had you scared the living mother’s milk out of me 10 seconds later, you may have even gotten a little show. Good luck with your project!”
“Hi, male co-worker! How’s your day going? Oh yes…that’s DEFINITELY my printer you hear in the background – busy day in the office!”
“Excuse me boss, I’m still breastfeeding and need to go out to the rental car before our event tonight to pump. That’s right, the rental car you’re going to spend the next 45 minutes in after I’m finished. I’ll try not to spill.”
“Your Honor, I am pumped (pun intended) that I’ve been selected for jury duty. However, we need to delay the start of this trial so I can pump and feed my baby…Why, yes, your judge’s library would be the perfect place for me to expose myself.”
“Hello, gentleman I just met an hour ago. I will be returning late to the next session at this professional conference so I can pump in a dirty bathroom stall. Please don’t think I’m being rude.”

I’m sorry, Ms. Medela, don’t feel hurt as I find a place to store you in my dark, cold basement. It’s nothing personal, you see. You’ve done your job and you’ve done it well. The small human will be 13 months tomorrow and loves to eat, play, and sometimes…sleep. This is in many ways, thanks to you.

Had you not been there with me as I cried on my first day back at work, during jury duty, or in that smelly porta-a-potty; I would have had to find another way to feed his sweet face. While he would have been just fine, I most likely would not. Mom-guilt and the pressure to breast feed are REAL, and I can only imagine how defeated I would have felt without your cooperation. Selfishly, I’ve secretly enjoyed that your involvement meant that I had an excuse to spend more time alone with the small human, and for that, I thank you. While I have not always appreciated you, Ms. Medela, I am truly grateful for what you have allowed me to do for the past 13 months. I know that because our time is ending, my time breast feeding the small human will soon be too – and that, Ms. Medela, I will miss. So, I guess, Ms. Medela…I may just miss you after all…

Sincerely,

The Producer

Sports Biz Mom – An Intro

June 11, 2018 by admin

Sports Biz Mom – An Intro

June 12th, 2017 was a day I had dreaded for entire pregnancy. Not the specific day exactly, but the idea of it. After 12 weeks, I was headed back to work. I was officially a “Sports Biz Mom”. I choked back tears the night before while I packed up my things for the day. I cried as I put my son in his car seat. I cried as I dropped him off at daycare. I cried as I drove away and pumped on my way to the office. I cried when I called my boss to check-in. I cried when we got home from daycare that night because he was so sleepy from his first day, he went to bed almost immediately. I was just as exhausted, and incredibly overwhelmed with the thought of our new schedule of ;bottle washing, pump bag packing, bottle making, nighttime feedings, and…oh yeah, also working. How in the world was I going to do this? How in the world did anyone do this?

But, we did do it. One year later, I have a healthy almost 15 month old; we’re on our second daycare; have weathered our first winter of ear infections and pink eye; and I learned to pack a pumping bag, diaper bag, and computer bag like a pro. I’ve officially been a Sports Biz Mom for 365 days and I am proud, grateful, humbled and wonderfully exhausted. I’ve learned a lot over the past year, but also know I have so much more to discover and share about life as a working Mom in the Sports Industry. So, here I am – officially writing and putting these thoughts out in the open. Thoughts that are probably at least 8 months in the making. Thoughts that I have doubted were of any value time and time again. However, I believe that if an idea just won’t leave the crazy, scary corners of your mind, it’s worth exploring – so here goes – my official entrance into “Mommy Blogging” and your introduction to Sports Biz Mom.

WHY: I think no matter the project, Why is the most important place to start – without it, we have no purpose. First, my “why” is Fraser Steven Jacobs – my sweet, sweet, son, who turned one on St. Patrick’s Day. This boy lights up my day and I could probably find a way to incorporate every Mom cliche into this section – but I’ll spare you. Since he was born, I have felt an immense obligation to leave this world better than I found it. And while the summation of that is “don’t be a jerk”, to me, it primarily means striving for equality for all. One of those areas where I think I can help to make a big impact is for women’s equality in the workplace – particularly those working in the sports industry. So, here you go baby boy, this is my gift to you (one you’ll probably hate come junior high).

WHO: Sports Biz Mom is me, Abby Jacobs – native Nebraskan, current Milwaukeean, and former New Yorker. My husband, Ben, and I have been married since 2014 and are both proud alumni of the Ohio University Sports Administration Program. I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska and have worked in professional and collegiate athletics, as well as on the agency and brand side of the industry. I love running, bad documentaries, baseball, scotch tape, and spicy food.

WHAT: Sports Biz Mom is where I plan to shine a light on some of the amazing things Moms in the sports industry. Yes, there are challenges, but my goal is for this to be a positive, uplifting site that focuses on what we as Moms can do, not what we can’t (Please call me out if I get to be a Negative Nancy – we all have bad days). I want this blog to be a resource for Moms in the sports industry, or women who someday want to be one. It takes a village to raise a child, and my hope is that this will become a community and platform to share ideas, ask questions, and empower others.

HOW: This is going to be real. I want to be REAL honest. I don’t want to sugar coat my experiences nor make myself or other working Moms out to be martyrs. But folks, THIS. IS. HARD. I am going to touch on awkward subjects (Pumping at Work), sensitive subjects (Deciding NOT to Return to Work), and practical subjects (Maternity Leave Prep Checklist). I plan to interview current Moms in the business, highlight employers that are Mom friendly, and showcase Mom/Baby/Kid related Sports Biz activations. Some days it will be based on my personal experiences, sometimes on those of others.

WHEN: A goal is just a wish until you write it down, right? Well, my goal for the first 6 months of this blog is to publish at least one post per week. The day of the week things will go live is TBD; but, I plan for this to be consistent. I’m a Type-A type of gal and I work well on a deadline!

There you have it. My blog plan in a few paragraphs. Thank you to anyone who is still reading this. It is PETRIFYING that someone out there still actually is.

Story ideas? A connection you’d like to share? Cute baby pic? Please comment below or email me at sportsbizmom@gmail.com or share your ideas on social media using #sportsbizmom and/or #sportsbizbabies.

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