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Sports Biz Mom: Shelly Wilkes, Lakeland Magic

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One of my favorite things about this blog thus far is the opportunities it has provided me to connect with other women that I would have otherwise never met.   Two months ago, Shelly Wilkes and I were complete strangers, save a few mutual connections.  Shelly’s husband, Dallas, stumbled upon one of my previous posts, and sent me a LinkedIn message bragging about how proud he was of his wife and telling me that she’d be the perfect candidate for an interview.  Not only was I thrilled to see a partner so excited by their loved one’s success, but she also lived up to all of the awesome things he told me about her in that first message.  I learned so much during our conversation (i.e. Twitch being like HGTV – it will make sense, I promise!) and I’m pumped to follow Shelly and the G League this basketball season.

Shelly Wilkes is the team president of the Lakeland Magic, NBA G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic, in Lakeland, Florida. She is responsible for launching and overseeing the day-to-day business operations of the team.

Wilkes spent 13 seasons with the Orlando Magic and started as a game-night staff member in the marketing department during the 2003-04 season and was hired full-time in August 2004 as group sales coordinator.  She was promoted to group sales account executive in July 2005, then named game presentation manager in July 2006.  Wilkes was then promoted to assistant director of event presentation in July 2007, later promoted to the director of event presentation in July 2010 and named the senior director of live entertainment and production services in July 2015.

Wilkes received her bachelor’s degree in general business from the University of Central Florida in 2002.  She later graduated from the DeVos Sport Business Management Program at UCF in 2004 and earned master’s degrees in both business administration and sport business management.

Shelly lives in Orlando, Florida. with her husband, Dallas, and their almost two-year old daughter, Quinn. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Can you describe a typical day in the life for you and your family?  During the week, when we don’t have games, the typical day starts at 4:30 or 5:00 AM when I go to the gym. I am back at 6:15 AM and then my husband goes to the gym.  If she’s participating with our schedule, Quinn, will sleep until 7:00 AM and I can be mostly ready for work at that point.  My husband comes home and we both work to get her fed breakfast and ready for daycare.

I try to leave the house no later than 7:30 AM. I take her to daycare every morning so I can have time with her in the car.  I actually commute about an hour to Lakeland from downtown Orlando.  If it’s a not a game-night, I leave Lakeland by 5:30 PM at the latest, so I can get home and spend a little more time with her.  My husband picks her up from daycare every day and I’m home by 6:30 PM. We’re done eating by 7:30 PM, and then we do baths and bedtime around 8:00 PM.  After Quinn’s in bed, we clean up and get lunches ready for the next day.  By 9:30 PM I’m either going to bed or finishing up work.  I try to go to sleep by 10:30 PM at the latest.

Weeknight game days are similar, except I’m not at home in the evening, but for weekend games my husband will bring her for the first half of the game and I typically get home around 11:00PM.

You’re the first female NBA G League President and were approached about launching the team when you were pregnant.  How did that factor into your decision making process? What advice would you give to women in a similar position? The first thing that popped into my mind was shock, I was like, “You guys know I’m pregnant, right? You know I’m going to be gone for three months.”

It wasn’t like I was newly pregnant – I was eight months along!  However, I now have an even greater appreciation for where I work. In most cases this opportunity would not be provided to a woman who was pregnant.   They valued and trusted me enough to offer me the job knowing that I would be out during the first three months.

Secondly, there was a lot of fear and self-doubt. That’s a lot of change.  I was asking myself, “Am I capable of doing this? I am comfortable in my job now and I know what I’m doing every day and I love what I’m a part of.”  My original thought was I could come back from maternity leave and know what was going on in my current role versus this – I’d come back and I’m launching a franchise.

My advice is, if other people have that much trust in you, you should trust yourself.  Have the confidence to know that you’re capable of doing this.  My partner is also super supportive.  We had to think through the potential of a move and how that was going to work – it’s 50 miles away.  Having a partner that is supportive is a blessing and what I hope everyone would try to find.  It was tough few days of weighing the options.  I knew I was going to have a lot of stress with having a new baby – there’s so much unknown – and now knowing that there’s going to be a huge job when I come back.  However, I knew it was a great opportunity for growth in my career and I wanted to be an example for my daughter and show her you can do what you want to do and make it all work.

The NBA G-League is known to be a testing ground of sorts for the NBA and began streaming games on Twitch last season.  How has this been received by your fans? Does it impact your sponsorships or in-game entertainment? Most of our games are streamed on Facebook Live and Twitch.  There were about 53 games last year [broadcasted] on NBA TV and ESPN as well, and we’re continuing to figure out more distribution channels for the G League.

Twitch came on last year after the season started and it’s an opportunity is to reach a new audience.  Most people know Twitch because they are gamers, but outside of gaming, many don’t understand the platform. I’ve compared it to watching Food Network or HGTV – instead of watching someone else cook or do home renovations, you watch people play video games. Twitch has recently gotten into distribution of sports and also broadcasts a lot of soccer games.  The G League partnership was a way to test the relationship and they ended up being the broadcast partner for the NBA 2K League.

For us, it was another opportunity to reach a new audience.  I like Twitch because it’s not gated at all. You don’t have to have an account to watch a game, which is different from Facebook Live.  Twitch is truly just going to their site and watching the game.  You can get a view from the local arena or watch the gaming personalities commentate on the broadcast.  We were able to partner with users that have millions of followers in the gaming world. They would actually commentate over our games.  This well-known personality on Twitch would talk about the G League, and it bridged the gap between gamers and sports.

The Lakeland Magic recently hosted a Women’s Leadership Breakfast.  What was the goal of this event? Were there any key takeaways from the panel that really resonated with the attendees? I’m in a unique role as a female team president, and I felt like I needed to expand upon that platform and provide an opportunity for women to have this conversation within our community.  I’ve never thought about being the only woman or relied upon it. I don’t think I have ever experienced discrimination.  I don’t think it’s [being a woman] hindered me.  I may have been naïve to what was/is happening me, but I’ve either never paid attention or its truly never happened to me.  However, I obviously want to be a role model and utilize the platform I have to lift others up, but I have not felt the discrimination others had.

I did know that within our community, this conversation needed to happen, and we needed a platform for people to get together.  I wanted a panel from different industries – corporate, education, entrepreneurs – and Kristen Ledlow hosted for us from the sports industry.  It was a very diverse panel with diverse backgrounds, which helped the conversation.  The different experiences can spark something within another person.  That’s what I think was most valuable.  I knew it was going to be a great event and people would have good experience.  I wasn’t prepared for how much people appreciated the openness of that dialogue that was in the room that day.

The most impactful thing most of our panelists talked about was that the only way we can make change and an impact is if we are lifting up those coming behind us.  If we’re not doing that than what are we doing?

Kristen Ledlow also shared a great point one of her mentors had told her on the sports broadcasting side – “No is a full sentence.”

We high achieving women, especially those in leadership roles, feel like we should and need to do everything to prove ourselves.   It’s even less feasible when you have a family. You cannot do it all and you can say “no” to things and feel confident in that answer.

Outside of this event, this season we’re partnering with a small business organization for a women’s leadership event around opening night.   We’ll also do a few different events throughout the season. This includes a basketball hoops and heels happy hour networking event with basketball on the court and a women only basketball clinic with our coaching staff.  We want to plan things to get women more engaged with each other and this conversation, but in a more relaxed atmosphere.

What professional accomplishment are you most proud of? Two things that come to mind were the opportunity to produce NBA All-Star Game in Toronto in 2016 and having the opportunity to launch the Lakeland Magic.  A lot of my pride in launching the team has to do with building an awesome team.  A team that has passion for what we’re building and wants to provide a great community platform and entertainment option for people in Polk County.  I also love watching people growing in their roles. We’re fairly young and getting to watch our staff really flourish and find their own way has been extremely rewarding for me.

Do you have other “Mom Mentors” or Moms working in sports to help guide you through parenthood and professional life? We’ve had a baby boom over the past few years at the Orlando Magic.  It was really nice to experience that together.  They’ve [the Orlando Magic] always been very family friendly, but we did not have the best maternity and paternity leave policy. We had a policy and it was good – but not from the standpoint of what we really should be doing for our staff.  With this boom and all the families having kids, it made the organization really take a look at our leave policy; how we were welcoming mothers back and how we were allowing fathers to take time with their new families.  As a result, the leave policy has changed and now it is awesome for all levels of the organization.  Those types of policies really do lead to loyalty, productivity and helping people appreciate where they work.

I also appreciate that there are a lot of young families I can go to, to with questions.  There are other women and working moms that have so much knowledge about how and what to do.  It’s a great group of people I’m able to lean on and call on.

It’s also been great to see some of our leaders that have families.  If their child has a game or activity at school, they make it a priority and go.  It’s important that leadership is showing that as an example.

How has being a Mom positively impacted your career? Your empathy grows.  One, a huge part of my job is maintaining a culture, building a staff, and keeping people motivated.  People bring their whole selves to work every day. It might not be visible, but it’s part of who they are.  I think becoming a Mom and knowing what my whole self looks like now has made me more empathetic and understanding of others life circumstances.

It’s not only made me a better leader, but I feel like I’m way more efficient. Efficiency is my love language!  I know I have an hour with my daughter in the morning and maybe two more at night.  What do I need to accomplish now?  I’m wearing my work hat now, I need to get this done because I need to put my Mom hat on and spend positive, focused time with Quinn.

Quinn showing off her athletic skills early, cruising past the competition to win the 2017 baby race.

The sports industry is always going to have irregular hours that can make managing family life difficult.  If you want to work in the sports, that’s just a fact.  What can we in the industry do to make it a more family-friendly place to work?  What I think organizations can be doing across the board is improving flexibility.  Having a flexible mindset when it comes to staff and what they individually need to make work, work for their family. We are very much a 9:00 – 6:00 office, but I think the days of that being the only option are no longer and should be no longer.  If somebody needs to come in at 8:00 and leave at 5:00 or they have a doctor’s appointment – they should be able to do it.  I know leaders that are not flexible and it doesn’t make you feel like you can do anything or that you’re valued or trusted to get your job done.  Flexibility is key as a leader in any organization.

I think family leave policies are also extremely important.  You should be showing that you’re truly valuing what that looks like, and that includes both maternity and paternity leave.  We all look at Sweden as an example.  There, the Mom AND the Dad have a year off – how amazing would that be?  Realistically, I don’t ever see America going that route, but you should have a leave policy that truly supports mothers and fathers taking the time and your leadership should support them in doing so.

Women are often stunted in their growth and career because their organization thinks they’re no longer capable of growing and that’s just not true. You become more efficient and much more focused on the job.  At the end of the day, there are definitely times when I think, “What would it be like if I did take a step back so I could spend more time with Quinn?”

But, the question is, does the father ever think that? At what point, do we as a culture, have a father that says, “I should take a step a back in my career so I can stay home and raise the kids.”  It’s an interesting dynamic, and whether it’s in our DNA as women or our culture to have that thought, we should have an environment that welcomes family into the workplace. Families should be celebrated.

Lastly, the unrealistic, but amazing option, would be to have on-site daycare.  I don’t need them to pay for it. I’ll pay for it.  A third party or organization on-site for daycare would make all the difference in people’s lives.

Do you have any book/blog/podcast recommendations for the Sports Biz Mom?  I listen to a lot of podcasts because I drive a lot. I really do think The Daily from the New York Times is a great thirty-minute news show.  I would also encourage people to sign up for theSkimm, which is an email newsletter that has quick snippets of the news presented in a very digestible way.  I think it’s very important to be up on current events and be informed, particularly in our political environment.

A work-related podcast is How to Be Awesome at Your Job. They interview leaders in different fields and it’s all focused on learning and growth.

For parenting, I love Unruffled by Janet Lansbury. She has a very unique parenting style and is super interesting.  She’s all about respectful parenting – speaking to your kids like real humans and explaining to them what’s happening.  When kids are frustrated, they don’t have the emotional capacity or language to deal with things, so we have to think of things from the child’s perspective and explain it to them.

I also love Simon Sinek and would encourage everyone to read Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, and also listen to his Ted Talks.

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.

 

 

 

Maternity Leave Planning: Put Your Best Belly Forward

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So, you’ve told your boss your pregnant.  Which probably means your family, friends and co-workers are now clued in to your big news as well, or will be very soon.  Inevitably, you’ll soon be setting up baby registries and trying to avoid the silly diapering or toilet paper-based games at your shower.  While you’re busy planning your nursery and picking out baby names, it’s also important that you’re preparing appropriately for your maternity leave at the office – and this can be a daunting task.

We all like to think that we are irreplaceable and that no one else can do the job that we do.   While it may be true that no one else can do the job just like you do, if you do it right, your co-workers SHOULD be able to bridge the gap for you during our leave with little disruption to their own roles.  As career driven women, who have spent years climbing the ranks, this may be hard idea to accept – I know it was a scary prospect for me.   You’ve spent how long building up your capital and respect at work and now you’re just going to hand it over for three-ish months to somebody else? What if they find out I’m a fraud or decide I’m not good enough? What if we lose a major client because I’m not there to steer the ship?  I’m due on Opening Day – my entire team is going to hate me – how will I make this work?

Well ladies, I’m going to tell you a little secret – with proper preparation, NOTHING WILL BE IRREVERSIBLY DAMAGED WHILE YOU ARE HOME WITH YOUR BABY.  Yes, you are awesome and work your butt of every day, and they’ll be glad to have you back, but they WILL BE FINE WITHOUT YOU! In fact, planning for your maternity leave is an amazing opportunity to show your company just how much value you really bring to the table.   You can demonstrate your delegation skills, plan for the long-term, and put your rock star status on display.   Think about it – not only will you be forced to prioritize your time leading up to your leave, you’ll also have to think about projects three to six (or more) months past your due date and try to determine how to best prepare your team for success with that vision in mind.

Even though the few months leading up to the birth of my son were hectic (he was also born at the tail-end of our busiest time of year), I honestly enjoyed the opportunity to take a step back and take a look at the big picture.   So, I thought it would be helpful to share some of the key things I did to make sure I left my book of business in the best position possible. I wanted to spend my leave focused on my fresh, sweet, screaming small human – and not on my cell phone (this is also probably going to show just how much I like to plan, make lists, etc. – so I hope this isn’t overkill for any of you more “go-with-the-flow” gals).

This isn’t an all-inclusive checklist, more questions to ask or things to think about in the months after you announce your pregnancy.  Every company’s maternity leave policy is different and it’d be impossible to come up with a checklist that can be applied so broadly.  However, thinking about some of these things early in your pregnancy can help you build out your own checklist and make sure everyone on your team knows the plan during your time out of the office.

Do not take these bullet points as gospel.  I am by no means a FMLA expert (at least not yet – I hope it’s something that’s a by-product of this blog), so please be sure to confirm all of your company’s requirements with your Human Resources office.   These suggestions are based on my personal experience and conversations with other Sports Biz Moms.

  • Tell your boss: Before you do anything else, go back, do not pass go, and read this post if you need help.
  • Talk to HR: Confirm your maternity leave benefits and filing requirements with your human resources department. If your leave is not entirely paid (which unfortunately in the United States, it’s probably not), you may be able to take vacation days concurrently with your leave.  This is important to think about, especially if you’re able to rollover vacation days from year-to-year. I found out I was pregnant in July and my son was due in March, so I purposefully banked a bunch of vacation days in the year prior so I could have more weeks paid during my leave.  I received six weeks paid through short-term-disability and then used my saved vacation time for another two weeks’ pay.
  • Short-Term Disability: Some of you may be wondering what the heck I was referencing in the previous bullet point. Many companies pay their employees during maternity leave through their short-term disability insurance policy.  The exact benefits vary, but in most cases the length of time paid depends on whether you delivered vaginally or via cesarean section.  I thought this article did a nice job at attempting to explain this exciting topic…
  • Technology: Talk to IT about their suggestions for prepping your technology for an extended absence. Does your computer need to be logged-in to your internal network/VPN every so often to make sure you’re not locked out of the system when you return?  I learned this the hard way and spent two and a half miserable days being able to only access email through a public desktop that had not been updated in several years.  The worst part of my first few days back at work was not being able to do actual work – it just made it that much easier to remember the small human I left with complete strangers at daycare.
  • Childcare: Talk to your boss about your childcare plan and how they would prefer you handle any emergencies. Your partner’s work flexibility will weigh heavily on your options here, but it’s important to consider should you need to pick-up you baby from day care during work or event hours.  Once you get to cold and flu seasons there will come a day when your sweet ball of germs isn’t allowed to be around other babies, and it’s going to be during the playoffs, big pitch meeting, opening day, etc.
  • Work Flexibility: On a related noted to the point above, be sure to discuss options for flexible work arrangements with your employer. Your baby’s doctor appointment schedule will put your own social calendar to shame and it sometimes may be more efficient for you to work from home in the morning/afternoon if your doctor’s office is not convenient to your commute.  You may also be able to consider creative ways to fit in time with your child during game nights or weekends when you don’t have direct work responsibilities.  Can you have them with you at the ballpark/arena/stadium if your partner or another family member is able to take over if an emergency pops-up?  On non-event or game days, can you come in early and leave early? Check out my interview with Tiffanne Ryan at the St. Louis Cardinals, as we touched on this topic. Everybody loves a baby in those cute noise-cancelling headphones…
  • Mom Network: Are there other Mom’s in your office? Talk to them. Get to know them well. They should be the best resource for you in navigating your company’s approach to working mothers. It’s so important to have an empathetic resource in the office and this can make such a huge difference on the day when you haven’t slept, your babysitter bailed, and you’re on week 3 of the world’s worst cold.  You’ll love your baby, I promise…
  • Breastfeeding/Pumping: If you plan to breastfeed, be sure to discuss pumping accommodations and schedules with human resources and your boss. It’s important that you are able to schedule this time throughout your day (in the beginning that life sucker – the pump, not your baby – will probably be attached to you every 3 hours) and that you have clean, private place to do so.  This DOES NOT mean the public restroom.  This means a room with a lock and shielded from the view of the rest of your office.  Ideally, it would also include a sink and a refrigerator.  This is actually a law, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, so please share this link if you need to lobby for real estate.  If you need help with this conversation, I am more than happy to chat at any time and I truly mean this.  Please email me.  I pumped at work for 13+ months and have grown far too comfortable talking about it with anyone who will listen.
  • Your Stand-ins:Think about who will cover for you while you’re out. Your boss may have a preference, but I would also recommend coming to this meeting with your own suggestions, particularly if you have a big project that you want in trusted hands. When I was leave, it was during a somewhat busy time of year, so I split my territory among three of my co-workers and that helped lighten their workload and make sure my partners received the best service possible in my absence.
  • Your To-Do List: Build a calendar working backwards from you due to date (mine started about 10 weeks out) that highlights important projects, deadlines, etc. and cross things off the list as they’re completed.   This will be help you prioritize your work before you are out of the office, and can also serve as a guide for your co-workers should baby arrive earlier than expected.
  • Looking Forward: After you create your plan of work to get done BEFORE you’re on leave, extend that calendar through your time off and your first four weeks back at work. This should highlight projects and deadlines your team needs to keep the ship afloat while you’re out and will help you focus once you get back to the office.
  • Status Updates: Schedule regular meetings with your co-worker(s) to discuss status updates and any outstanding issues once you near your due date. About six weeks prior to my due date, I began weekly status updates with my colleagues where I ran them through any major project updates and filled them in on the various idiosyncrasies of my partners.  Depending on the relationship with your supervisor, they may also want to be included in these meetings.
  • Back-up: Save all of your important files on a shared office drive. You don’t want to have to crack open your laptop during a precious nap time to send someone a spreadsheet.  I’d also suggest diving into these folders with your colleagues to explain your own system of organization in your weekly status meetings.
  • Go-Time: What is the communication plan for when you go into labor? Will you tell your boss and your co-workers when you go to the hospital or after the baby is born? If your experience is anything similar to mine, you’ll have 27+ hours to keep the team updated, but the constant barrage of nurses, doctors and husbands poking around (literally) will make you want to avoid all conversation – figure this out ahead of time.  I texted both my boss and my co-workers to let them know it was go-time and they all received an update after my son finally made his appearance.

There you go folks.  My over-planning tendencies for all the world to see.  If I had to sum up the maternity leave planning process simply, it would be OVERCOMMUNICATE.  You may think your co-worker knows that Mrs. James in Suite 42 likes her popcorn stale and beer served at room temperature, but it’s best not to make assumptions – both in planning for maternity leave and in considering the capacity of your infant’s diaper.

Please do reach out to me with any other suggestions or tips.   I’ve only birthed one human at one company, so I’m sure there’s some things I’ve missed that we can add to the list!

Telling Your Boss You’re Pregnant – 5 Tips

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When you first find out your pregnant your mind is awash in emotions.  My first thought was somewhere along the lines of, “YAY-Ermahgerd-Holy *@%&*!-So excited-So scared”.  I also immediately started to think about how I would tell my husband (he was out of town for a wedding when I took the test), our parents, and the one I was dreading the most – my boss.

I don’t know why I was so nervous about this.  My boss at the time was an awesome person to work for.  He understood that we had a personal life outside of work and was genuinely happy/excited/sad for his employees whenever one of us experienced a major life event.  However, I was terrified, as I had been in my role for less than a year, and truly loved it.  I didn’t want my pregnancy to be seen as an indication of my commitment/non-commitment to my job and my career.  I also felt incredibly awkward in telling my male boss I was pregnant because, well, you all know how babies are made and how immodestly we enter this world…

Yes, I understand this is silly, but I’ve always been a rule follower and something about the situation made me feel like I was doing something wrong.  Which is probably a reflection of misogyny, expectations for women, etc., but that’s for another post…

Anyway, I actually told my boss I was pregnant at only 9 weeks along. This was 2-3 weeks before I told my parents, and he was only the 4th person to know behind my husband, a girlfriend and my doctor.   A situation had come up at work that required us to plan for something several months down the road, and I didn’t feel comfortable having those conversations without also letting him know I was now carrying around a very tiny co-worker. I hadn’t intended to tell him that early; but, I felt the circumstances necessitated I divulge my little secret.

So, I spent a weekend stewing over the appropriate wording; googled all the articles about telling your boss your pregnant (I recommend this one); and wrote down my talking points, so that when my voice undoubtedly started shaking, I had an anchor point.   In the end, my boss was overjoyed, immediately insisted I take the full 12 weeks of leave offered by my company, and assured me we had plenty of time to come up with a plan.  I tend to jump to worst-case scenario as I think through tricky conversations, but as per usual, my worry was much ado about nothing.  It was a pleasant conversation (although I probably sounded like I was about to cry the whole time) and I came away even more grateful for a supportive supervisor who placed such great value on family.  Regardless, it was an exchange I was THRILLED to be finished with and I know that not everyone comes away feeling better after having it.  However, with a little preparation, you can put yourself in the best position possible to walk out the door leaving your boss confident in your plan and still feeling excited about your good news.

Here’s my five tips for telling your boss your pregnant:

  1. Call your HR department and/or review your employee manual before you speak with your supervisor so you are up-to-date on your company’s family leave polices. My HR department had an anonymous line, which was a huge help.  However, if this is not possible at your place of employment, be sure to ask your HR department as soon as you’ve spoken with your boss so you can begin to develop your plan.  If have a mind for legalese and the patience to read a government website, the Department of Labor also details your FMLA rights.
  2. Schedule a specific time to talk with your boss. Don’t spring it on her/him at the end of the meeting or during a particularly stressful project.
  3. Prepare a rough outline of your plan for coverage while you are on leave. Your boss will appreciate you taking the initiative on this and coming with ideas in hand.  Some questions to consider:
    1. Will you be out during a busy time of year?
    2. Do you plan to work up until the baby arrives?
    3. Who on your team would you need to step-up in your absence?
    4. What will you need to do to hit the ground running when you return from leave?
    5. What’s your childcare plan (or when do you plan to have one), particularly for nights, weekends, etc. You do work in sports…
  4. Consider the appropriate timing. Many women choose to wait until they are in the 2nd trimester, but if your small human has you spending a lot of time w/ the doctor or in a bathroom stall, you may not have the choice but to share.  This is a personal decision, but one that needs to consider the appropriate amount of time your company will need to prepare for coverage while you are out of the office.
  5. DON’T tell your co-workers before you tell your supervisor. Your boss should hear the news and your plan directly from you, not the rumor mill.

I hope these five tips help guide you through our own conversations with your employer.  Please comment below with any other suggestions and check out my post about preparing for maternity leave and your first few weeks back at work after baby.

Sports Biz Mom: Tiffanne Becks, St. Louis Cardinals

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One of the goals of this blog is to celebrate and highlight the awesome work of Moms in the sports business industry, and one of the first Mom’s I thought of when I embarked on this project was Tiffanne Becks.   I first met Tiffanne when I was a graduate student at Ohio University.  She worked in Community Relations for the St. Louis Cardinals and was kind enough to meet me for lunch while I was in the area over Christmas break in 2011.  Fast forward 6 or so years, and we were both expecting our first babies in early 2017.   Her daughter Brynlee was born about 6 weeks prior to my son, so we’ve both be managing the Sportz Biz Mom life for a similar amount of time.  Tiffanne is an amazingly genuine person, who is always willing to talk.  I hope you enjoy reading this post as much as I always enjoy speaking with her.

Tiffanne Becks lives in the St. Louis area with her husband 1-year old daughter, Brynlee.  She is the Manager, Cardinals Care for the St. Louis Cardinals and has also served as the Associate Director of Major Gifts for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri.  She holds Masters degrees in Business and Sports Administration from Ohio University.  Tiffanne attended Southeast Missouri State University as an undergrad, where she studied Sports Management and Business Administration, and was also a member of the Women’s Basketball team.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Be in the moment. Live in the moment. Appreciate the moment.

What is your role with the Cardinals and your primary responsibility? Established in 1997, Cardinals Care has provided over $24 million in grants to non-profit youth organizations and built 22 youth ball fields in local under-resourced neighborhoods in both Missouri and Illinois. Since 2004, Cardinals Care has also orchestrated the innovative Redbird Rookies program. Redbird Rookies is a free baseball/softball league for kids who otherwise might not have the opportunity to play. In addition to providing all the uniforms, gloves, bats, balls and other equipment needed for each team, Redbird Rookies also provides extensive off-field support in the areas of health, education, mentoring, cultural arts and scholarship for each of the nearly 3,000 kids who participate in the program each year.

As manager of the foundation I oversee all our fundraising efforts, which includes, in-stadium 50/50 raffles and silent auctions, golf tournament, 6K Run/Walk, and 3-day fan fest, Winter Warm-Up.  I also oversee the administration of our Redbird Rookies Program, including planning  all of the off-field events, as well as ordering all of the equipment and uniforms for each of our 14 leagues.  I coordinate over 500 volunteers a year in the execution of these fund development and community events.  I also play a role in the review and allocation of our cash grants to other non-profits serving youth.

What do you feel is your greatest professional accomplishment? Establishing a new role within the foundation and achieving consistent improvement to our community initiatives and partnerships. 

What do you feel is your greatest personal achievement? Overcoming insecurities in order to strive every day to be the best wife and mother I can be.

How has being a Mom made you better at your job? Being a Mom has improved my  time management skills.  In the past, I did not need to rush home and the ability to  stay late here or there meant it was easy to get off-task.  Now, I am more focused and on-task,  and organized in general. My “Working Mom Brain” mind goes 100 mph making sure her needs are met.  I also take things less seriously.  Some of the things I used to let stress me out at work, now I don’t. Life is too good and too short and I want to be in the moment. Live in the moment. Appreciate the moment.  Your child is with the childcare provider more than she’s with you and I am intentional about spending time with her.  If Brynn is awake, we’re awake.

What has been the biggest challenge for you at work since becoming a Mom? Being away from her (Brynlee) goes against every motherly instinct.

Would you have done anything differently in your preparation for becoming a working Mom? While I was pregnant I was preparing for what life was like when she got here and we were home together. I didn’t think to prepare for how hard it would be to go back to work.  I dreaded the day I went back and the transition was harder than what I thought it would be.   Looking back, I would have asked my boss ahead of time about what type of flexibility I would have had more discussions with my supervisor about adjusting to being a working Mom.

How has your employer helped in your transition to being a working Mom? Have you been afforded any additional flexibility? I now come in early so she can leave early.  The evening time is crucial – in the morning it’s just getting out the door.  There isn’t any time to enjoy you family in the morning. I am always in by 7:15 or 7:30 and leave by 4:00 PM if I don’t have game duties.  When I have game duties, which is about a third of the time, I can’t bring her to work with me. However, I am able to have her at  some community events outside of game days and sometimes in our suite when my responsibility is to host partners or sponsors.  May is also the thick of our season for community events, so from May through September I will be working from home every other Friday.

What type of childcare do you use? Brynlee goes to an in-home day-care and is cared for by my best friend’s Mom.  However, we will likely be transitioning her to preschool around 18 months.  My husband also works from home so he’s able to keep her home in the morning sometimes.

Did you, your husband or partner receive paid parental leave benefits when your child was born? I received and took the full twelve weeks mandated by FMLA.  However, I only received 60% of my salary for six of those weeks. The last six weeks I used vacation and sick days. It was like being punished for having a baby!  This level of [parental leave] benefits is hard when a woman does go back to work, because now, when the baby gets sick or has doctor’s appointment you have to hustle to not use a bunch of sick days.

My husband received four weeks fully paid.  He used two of those weeks immediately after she was born and was able to split the rest of the time throughout the year.   He took the final five days the week I went back to work to help ease with that transition.

What advice do you have it  for women in sports who do not yet have a family, but may someday want to?  Be intentional about the time you have and keep a positive mindset.  Make it as fun and the best quality it can be… and put your phone down! Be in the moment. Live in the moment. Appreciate the moment.