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Sports Biz Mom: Megan Eisenhard, Learfield IMG College

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Megan Eisenhard is the Vice President of Campus+ at Learfield IMG College, a position she has held since July 2018, where she is focused on creating best-in-class university partnerships for Learfield IMG College clients.  She also plays a vital role in the Learfield IMG College female-focused initiative – The W.O.W. Factor.

Previously, she served as the VP of Talent Acquisition for Learfield and oversaw the development of the company’s new talent acquisition structure. From 2014 to 2017 she held the title of West Region Vice President, providing senior leadership and guidance to select collegiate partners. 

Before her VP appointment, Megan spent five years as General Manager leading Learfield’s Buffalo Sports Properties team, representing CU in Boulder.  Her experience prior to joining Learfield in 2009 includes working with UC-Berkeley and Cal State-Sacramento.

Megan resides in Plano, TX with her husband, Eric, and sons Owen (6) and Henry (4).  Connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Can you tell us more about the Campus+ program and your day-to-day responsibilities at Learfield?

Campus+ is a division that started three years ago because we were receiving questions from both our university and brand partners about ways we could use our experience in the sports space to develop partnerships and generate revenue for their institutions.  In higher education there are a lot of federal and state funding cuts right now. Costs are escalating and universities are feeling a lot of pressure to reduce costs and increase revenues while still providing a meaningful educational experience for students, faculty and staff.  Lately there have been more business minded people who realize they need to sharpen the pencil and be more creative when it comes to revenue generation.  

We also heard of the need for campus-wide partnerships from our sports division – eventually our local sales team may run out of inventory to sell.  So we started to think about how we develop broader and deeper partnerships and expand what we have available to offer. When our company started Campus+, I was a Regional VP, overseeing the sales staff, so I saw the need and the value of campus-wide partnerships.  There was a change in leadership in Campus+ about a year ago, and in July I joined the Campus+ team because I missed the sales side of the business.  We are a small, nimble team, with only three people running the program.  With over 200 properties, we have to think carefully about what we’re prioritizing and how we are managing our time. I work with a portfolio of over one hundred schools, as well as our partner brands, to help to clarify and develop our Campus+ strategy.  My priority is anything that generates revenue. 

The fact that we’ve been on some of these campuses for ten to twenty years means we have a great connection.  The brands want to be on campus, market to students, faculty, staff, and alumni beyond game day. We were already able to do that socially and digitally, but we as a company decided to develop a campus-wide marketing program to navigate through the waters of campus.  Campuses are siloed and are not set-up to manage sponsorships, and brands need help to navigate those waters. Two examples of Campus+ partnerships are AT&T and Wells Fargo.

For AT&T, we’re not exactly doing marketing campaigns for their brand on campus, rather we’re making introductions so they can grow their business there.  They’ve been a long standing partner of Learfield and they were looking to expand their campus sales. So we discussed their key markets and priorities, and then I worked with the local Learfield General Managers to get the campaigns up and running. 

Wells Fargo sees the value in sports marketing and also being the official bank of the selected universities, including the University of North Carolina.  Their presence on campus includes doing financial literacy programs, recruiting students, and creating meaningful relationships with students, faculty, and staff to best support them financially as they transition throughout life.  Our team helps Wells Fargo decide what schools they work with, what those packages look like, and how they will execute.

You’ve helped to establish the W.O.W. Factor (Winning Our Way) at Learfield IMG which is focused on highlighting the success and sharing the stories of Learfield IMG College women.  Can you tell us more about this program and why you decided to become involved?

I always had a passion for women in sports.  When I became a salesperson I realized we needed more female sellers and I’ve been especially passionate about that.  As a General Manager at Colorado, I was always looking to help on a grassroots level and I often put together calls with the other women GM’s and would mentor sales coordinators who may want to get into sales roles.  When I moved to the corporate office as a Vice President I wanted to continue to do some grassroots things, such as meeting monthly or quarterly with women within our office.  

The actual program hasn’t been specifically defined, as we’ve never really had an official person to manage it.  However, it’s been a mix of networking, mentorship, camaraderie and professional development. Now that we’ve merged, we’re revamping that program so there’s more structure behind it.  I’ve enjoyed it being grassroots and some of it’s just what the women involved want it to be – whether it’s coffee or just telling someone about being a parent. I’ve also been very vocal about our maternity policy – it seems as though whenever someone gets pregnant in the field, they call Megan!  I love inspiring women and believe if you love to work, you’ll love to come back. 

I’ve found that routines are key to keeping the family on track, no matter the time of year or the demands of work. What routines have you set for your family to keep things moving when life gets crazy?

I wish I had more routines and structure.  Lately, what my husband and I have worked out is that I tend to get the kids ready for school and do the morning drop-off.  My husband does the pick-up from school. A lot of time I have happy hours or meetings in the office that take a bit longer; however, my goal is to be at home in the morning and then back by 6:00 PM.   

Our kids do have a routine at night: they take a shower, watch a little TV, brush teeth, say a prayer, and then go to bed. 

It’s taken awhile for us to come to this place.  I became Vice President when I was pregnant with my second child.  It was December and I was due in March. I traveled a bit, then I had a baby, and three months later we picked up and moved from Colorado to Dallas.  I had a two year old and a 3 month old and then I was on the road and gone a lot. We didn’t have any family in Dallas and it was really hard.  

Eric, my husband, was in a career transition, so when we first moved here, he didn’t have a job lined up.  He was taking care of two kids in a corporate apartment and then we rented a house for a year. It was a crazy, hard, time on our family, marriage and workload.  But, it’s interesting, because I was so into climbing the corporate ladder. I was a seller, then a General Manager, and finally Vice President. I wanted to prove that a female could be a VP with a family and kids.  That was my mindset.  

After a year of it, I took a step back and was wondering if it was really worth it.  I love being a leader of people, but I also needed to lead my family, so I shifted to a VP role in Talent Acquisition, which was just as challenging but didn’t require as much travel.  It’s funny, the higher up you get and the more you think you want something, you realize it’s not always what it seemed as you sit there in that position.  

When I was in Talent Acquisition I was in all these leadership meetings and in the know with what the company was doing.  However, it was super intense, and while I loved the opportunity, it was stressful and not where I saw my future career path headed.   So, last summer I moved to the Campus+ team and am back in sales.  

I love being back in a sales leadership role, but this time it’s different.  My boss is not based in Plano, I don’t have a team to manage and I’m not going to be in all these leadership meetings.  I was okay making another lateral move and I’m sure at some point I’m going to want to get back up there and have a seat at the table.  There are times in your career where you can take a step back and take a break. 

What project or professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

One is my time leading the Talent Acquisition team.  I’m proud on one hand because the leadership of the company thought I’d be a good fit for a role outside of my background and that was flattering; but, I had to build an entirely new department.  This included the team, our processes, figuring out metrics to measure, and managing up. It felt like I was building a plane while it was flying in the air, as recruiting never stops. There’s always turnover and jobs that need to be filled.  It’s the hardest job I’ve ever had. I’m glad I did that, and no one probably knows what went into that. I was glad I was able to do something totally outside my comfort zone, and do it well enough to leave it in a good place when I moved to Campus+.  I was able to hand it off to someone that I hand-selected to run the program. There aren’t a lot of times when you’re able to do that within a year and a half. 

In addition, while at Colorado, we developed a partnership with Safeway to increase breast cancer awareness at a football game.  It’s been done a million times since, but it means a lot to me because my Mom died of breast cancer when I was eighteen. Anyone who sells sponsorships has put together an idea, executed, and seen it come to life – it’s an amazing part of our job. I was able to sell the game, activate, and have survivors meet the team and be on the field.  I have a picture of all the survivors lined up on the end zone and it’s an experience I will always cherish.

Do you have other “Mom Mentors” or Moms working in sports to help guide you through parenthood and professional life?   

I wish I had more.  I’ve actually talked to my husband about this.  I have a few mentors, but they’re more like colleagues.

I am on the executive board of the WISE (Women in Sports & Events) chapter here in Dallas.  There’s a group of us that have been meeting unofficially for two years. There’s a few Moms on our board, and when we meet every month, I’ll end up talking to them about life and work outside of WISE.  They’re becoming my sports Mom group. I’ve met some really cool Moms working in sports that I wouldn’t have met without my involvement on the WISE board. 

Within Learfield there are a few women’s leaders in Director or VP roles.  They’re dealing with the same challenges, so we do sometimes get together in a safe space to talk about what it’s like.  

I love seeing women thriving in sales.  I think it’s a very big corner of the industry most women don’t automatically gravitate toward.  Have you seen more women starting in Account Executive and General Manager roles since you first started? If not, how can we encourage more women to pursue this track?

From a global perspective, Learfield IMG is involved in Women Leaders in College Sports, and we’ve developed a revenue generation track for their convention.  We make sure to focus on telling women there are opportunities other than being a SWA (Senior Woman Administrator) in college athletics.  The goal was to get more women to understand the opportunities available in revenue generation positions – including sponsorship sales, ticket sales and fundraising. It’s such a necessary skill if you want to be a leader.

I personally encouraged two women within Learfield whom I love dearly to take sales jobs – I saw a lot of my younger self in them. Originally, I didn’t think I would be in sales.  I was comfortable in activation, but someone pushed me outside my comfort zone and I’ve been in sales ever since.  Women are great salespersons. So these two women in our corporate office left to take sales positions at two of our Power Five schools; however, neither of them liked it. One came back to corporate and one took a job elsewhere.  I then realized that sales is not for everyone, but I’m going to keep encouraging others to try it. 

We absolutely need more women in sales and I know there are many that could be very good sellers.  You do have to like and enjoy sports and be excited about the sales process. I took the Talent Acquisition role because I wanted to hire more women in these roles.   

How has being a Mom made you better at your job?

Number one, I’m more protective of my time, and that forces me to be more efficient and prioritize better.  Number two, I love working. Being a Mom has forced me to not work so much. It’s given me the balance to have a happy home and a happy marriage, but it’s helped me realize that value in my life.  You can still be really good at your job, but you don’t always have to be working all the time. 

What non-traditional benefits do you think would help to make the sports industry more family-friendly?

It’s all down to your leader and how they’re going to set that expectation.  It’s about flexibility and autonomy. I’ve been so blessed that my bosses have given me the flexibility to do my business.  Whatever the case may be, having a culture of flexibility, autonomy and trust is extremely important. If you have that, I don’t think anything else matters.  Clearly, maternity leave matters, or maybe providing some additional perks like a housecleaning service for a newly returning mom; but, I think a boss that trusts you and knows your family is most important. 

No matter what industry you work in, that’s going to make it more family friendly.  The ability to bring your kids to a game and have your boss come over and meet your family, and really get to know them.  That’s why I’ve stayed at Learfield for ten years. I’ve been lucky to have great bosses and work at a company with a great culture. 

Being a Mom who works is not easy, no matter the industry.  However, the competitiveness and irregular hours can make sports extremely challenging for parents.  What motivates you to continue to pursue professional growth amidst some of these challenges?

Feeling like you’re making a difference and having sanity because I’m not dealing with six and four year olds all day.  God Bless the stay at home Moms! It is not in my DNA to stay at home. 

It’s also about doing something bigger than yourself and trying to teach my kids the right thing, especially with everything going on right now between the male and female culture.  I’ve always thought I’d be a cool girl Mom and now I have boys. It’s so important to tell the boys (if not more than the girls) that your Mom is working in a really cool industry because she can do what she wants.  This is what a healthy family looks like and you can have two jobs in your family. When you find your mate he/she can have a job, and you can treat women like the equals they should be.  

Sports Biz Mom: Gina Lehe, College Football Playoff

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Gina Lehe is the Senior Director of External Relations and Branding for the College Football Playoff.  She spent 16 years working in the college football bowl industry prior to joining the College Football Playoff in 2014, most recently as Director of Media for the Rose Bowl Game. Lehe served in similar capacities for the Insight Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.

She is a member of the Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM), College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), National Football Foundation (NFF) and the Football Bowl Association (FBA).

In 2017, she was named to the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) Game Changers: Women in Sports Business.

Lehe graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor of arts in communications. Originally from Pacific Grove, California, she is married to husband, Adam. The Lehe’s have two daughters, Adriana (4) and Natalia (18 months).  Connect with her on LinkedIn.

What are your daily responsibilities with the College Football Playoff?

My title was recently changed from Communications to External Relations to better capture how the industry and environment evolved over the years. I recently celebrated 20+ years in college football and when I started “branding” didn’t exist.  People don’t really understand what branding is.  I think folks that do have proven to be successful because they’re looking outside of what some people just view as a logo.  Along with my title in college football shifting, so has my focus.  The same goes for the Sports Information Directors on campus.  We’ve had to evolve what we do, and those of us that have, have reaped some of the benefits of not getting left behind with social and digital media.

For us, external relations is anything that’s leaving our office walls; press releases, programs, game banners, commercials, tweets, logos. Anything that speaks to who and what the College Football Playoff is.  This includes items generated internally and externally.  We also handle all of the traditional media relations functions like credentialing.  All of these ties into the perception, trust and likeability of our company. It’s all about how people are digesting your content and interacting with you as a company.

We have a pretty lean team.  I have an assistant that works with our department specifically and a seasonal intern.  We work very closely with vendors, but only have two people solely dedicated to the department.

While most working in sports do not have a “typical” day, it seems that daily and weekly routines are key to keeping the family on track.  What sort of routines have you developed for your family throughout the work week?

My husband and I both travel for work, so I think the biggest thing is that we have a joint family calendar. It’s a basic, color coded, calendar in Excel.  Fortunately, for at least my side of the travel, we have a fairly robust planning system for the site visits for the national championship games.  I know in January/February what my calendar will look like for the rest of the year and my husband plans his trips around that.  This calendar is the bible of our household operations.  We don’t have family in Dallas and with two kids and two parents that travel, making sure we have care scheduled in advance is really important.

It’s also a perspective piece. We use the calendar to plan what are we going to do when we’re not traveling.  We still need to have fun with our kids when we’re not on the road.  I think looking at it from a full year perspective is what does it for me. I sit back and I look at it, and I’m like, “Man, we need to make sure we do stuff with our family and not just work.” 

Working in sports, I think we all have those “pinch me” moments, where you can’t believe you’re being paid to do what you’re doing.   What is your biggest “pinch me” moment to date?

Having an opportunity to be in the room with the selection committee from day one and seeing the different people who have been in those seats.  Just knowing their backgrounds and having the opportunity to side bar with them during lunch or breaks.  How often do you get to learn about the career path of someone like Condoleezza Rice?

In the first year, outside of the fall for rankings, we met two times per year.  My real “pinch me” moment would be when Tyrone Willingham, Barry Alvarez, Archie Manning, and Condi sang “Happy Birthday” to me.  In what world would that happen? These are iconic coaches and a hall of famer – I would have never imagined in a million years those folks would be in the room together, let alone singing “Happy Birthday” to me.

If you could go back and tell your pre-children self-one thing, what would it be?

Appreciate the now for what is.  I’m extremely Type A, and I’m always worried or thinking about what’s next and what I’m going to do.  I wish I would have stopped to value more and appreciate what is now, and I can pinpoint when that shifted for me – when I lost my Mom to cancer. It changed my whole perspective on time and living in the moment.  I hate it took that for me to accept that message and receive it, but I have to look for glimpses of the silver lining from that experience.

In your SBJ Game Changers feature, you mentioned that our constant news cycle and the need for immediacy has a detrimental impact on credibility and productivity.  How do you ensure that your team does not fall into this trap during the high-pressure moments surrounding the CFP?

First, respect yourself and respect the people that you work with when it comes to communicating.  If somebody takes time out to reach out to you, you need to do so in return.  When we have new staff and interns, we establish a pretty well outlined communication process.   For example, with our social media guidelines, it covers what we post, how we post it, when, and on what we post.

For a lot of 20-year-olds, especially ones that have worked in social media, they’re coming from a school where they’re promoting every single athlete and every sport.   If you look at our platforms, we don’t talk about specific athletes or teams.  If we talk about one conference, we’re talking about all of them, and that’s intentional.  We have to remain neutral, fair and balanced.  We created these best practices and guidelines in the beginning, and we stick to that to this day.

We’ve had consultants come in tell us what we could get more followers, but that’s not our goal.  Our goal is to match our brand philosophy/best practices philosophy.  This helps us not get into a frenzy during the busy times, because we’re not trying to be somebody we’re not.  We’re not creating unauthentic content for the rest of the year and people trust us.  If you choose to stray from this for five to seven days because everyone thinks you should do something else, you’ve just lost all the trust you have built.

People get so excited about being reactive to comments.  The news cycle is so short anymore. It’s not to say I ignore it or don’t listen; but, if we were to jump onto every piece of criticism, you’d lose your mind. When people stop talking about college football, then we’re in trouble. We don’t need to make the news cycle. We can be the news cycle.

We don’t need to make the news cycle. We can be the news cycle.

Who have you looked to for support and parenting advice while also navigating your career?

There are not a lot of women who work in sports who have kids.  At least not a lot that I know.  Many people suggested I read Lean In, but no offense, if I had a nanny and a chef, this would be easier (maybe!).   I don’t have the financial means to do those things and it’s not real to me.  It’s not a fair comparison.

I was talking to my mother in law in Florida about this recently.  Every now and then I need to break down.  I try to do so much, and I’m not looking for credit, but I need a break every now then.  We don’t have family here or any relatives or friends with kids that we can call for a date night.  It has to be a huge orchestrated plan for us to do anything together. That’s not always fun as a married couple.

I talk to my mother in law a lot. She was a teacher.  I like to hear her opinion and seek her advice.  She grounds me a lot. I make a bigger deal out of things, and she shoots straight with me and can level set me when I’m breaking down.

In your recent D Magazine feature, you spoke of integrating your young daughter into your work and not asking if it was OK to do so.  Did/do you receive any push back when doing this? How can we make that a more acceptable practice across the industry?

This is one of those things that I didn’t see as doing something revolutionary.  I was just trying to find a way to make it work, given that my husband and I were both working and traveling.

I didn’t want to sacrifice – I don’t believe in that – integration was always part of my mindset.  If I choose to have a family, I better choose to support my family as much as my job.  The first time it happened my daughter was three or four months old and my husband had a work trip the same time I did.  I was going to Arizona and Atlanta and I brought her to the meeting because it was her nap time.  In Atlanta I carried her around in a Baby Bjorn during a walk through for an site visit.  I’ve been creative. I tell them she’s going to be with me, and I don’t really ask if it’s okay.

My 2nd daughter was born in September, and that winter I was going to the Rose Bowl Game for the semifinal, and I took her with me because I was breastfeeding. I hired a babysitter when she couldn’t come with me and then I took a red eye from Los Angeles to Atlanta with a three-month-old so I could be Atlanta for the championship. It’s one of those stories I think about now and I think it’s crazy.

People make comments.  I can name names and certain places, and I can tell there are super old school people who wonder what the hell I think I’m doing.  Until I don’t do my job effectively or I don’t get the job done, I’m going to continue to do it. I know myself well enough to know that I’ll get it done and do it well. I’m not going to sacrifice my job or my family if I know I can make it work.

The women who I’ve encountered, whether they have kids, or are younger, have all thanked me for doing it.   I don’t’ think I need to be, because I’m not doing something revolutionary for the working Mom and I haven’t asked to do it, because I don’t feel like I am jeopardizing my job. I am just adapting to the situation so I can give my best to my personal and professional life so they both get equal due and what they deserve.

My mother in law has also met me on work trips and taken the kids from me.  If you really want to have a family, you’ll figure out a way to have a family. If you want to have a family and work, you’ll figure that out too.  There’s always a way to figure it out, it may be unconventional, and people may judge you, but you’re going to figure it out.


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SPORTS BIZ MOM KEYS TO THE GAME:

  1. Schedule family activities: Yes, this sounds super regimented and not fun, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day rush throughout the week. I know I’ve found myself sitting on the couch during a day off wishing we were doing something fun together as a family, instead of just watching TV or cleaning up the house. Sometimes, we have to conciously work to make time for fun activities, even if it’s just going to get donuts on a Saturday morning. I couldn’t agree more with Gina about how important this time can be and am personally trying to schedule fun family time with as much care as I do my professional schedule.
  2. Don’t compromise your brand for short-term gain: I think this mindset is so easy to lose site of in a world with such a short attention span and news cycle. Whether it’s your personal brand or your company’s being authentic and trustworthy sholud always be our first priority.
  3. Don’t apologize for being unconventional: Even if you are not able to bring your baby/child with you when you travel, that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative in how you integrate your family into your work-life. Depending on the circumstances, your partner or another caregiver may need to come along to help, but I fully believe that having clients, coworkers, etc., see that your family is also a priority humanizes you and sets a precedent for the other future parents in your workplace. Yes, a two year old is not going to be appropriate in an important meeting or even; but, he could be a huge hit in a suite with a sponsor who has grandchildren of the same age. If you’ve proven that you’re going to get the job done and do it well, and you’re working for a supportive organization, you’ll be in a position to be able to bring your whole self to work and let her shine.

Sports Biz Mom: Erin Kraebber, UAB Athletics

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We’re kicking off the New Year and closing out the college football season with a Mom whose team experienced a lot of excitement in 2018! Erin Kraebber is the Associate Athletic Director for Marketing at UAB Athletics, which just completed a historic year on the football field, going 11-3 in only their 2nd year back after the program was elimnated in 2014.

Erin and I connected on LinkedIn in the fall, and after I noticed she was running a parenting related website of her own (more on that below), I knew our common interests meant we had to talk and that I wanted to know her story. Not only has she shared with me a few tips to better manage my time with this page, she also knows past Sports Biz Mom interviewee, Corrie Schantz. It never ceases to amaze me just how small this industry is, and I continue to be grateful for that as it has given me the opportunity to meet so many women who are generous with their time and genuine in their intentions.

If you have been following this blog, I encourage you to check out Erin’s – I know I’ll be keeping a close watch!

Erin Kraebber joined the UAB Athletics staff in 2016 as Associate Athletic Director for Marketing.  She is responsible for the operations of the sports marketing department including branding, advertising, in-game promotions, game production and community engagement. 

Kraebber joined the UAB staff following three years at the NCAA National Office. Working in the Championships Marketing, Broadcast and Alliances area,  Erin served as the primary liaison to NCAA Corporate Champions and Corporate Partners: AT&T, Infiniti, Lowes, Scott’s Miracle Grow, UPS and Werner Ladder. She developed fan engagement programs and assisted corporate partners in their activation of the NCAA platform at key events including Men’s College Cup, Women’s Volleyball Championship, Men’s Final Four, Women’s Final Four and Women’s College World Series. 

Prior to moving to the NCAA National Office, Kraebber served as the Director of Marketing at Bradley University from 2010 to 2013 and the Assistant Director of Promotions and Advertising at Purdue University from 2006 to 2010.

A two-time Purdue University graduate, Kraebber earned a bachelor’s degree in management in 2004 and master’s degree in organizational leadership in 2006. She is a board member of the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators and has been recognized with several national awards for her successful marketing efforts.

Erin is also the creator of Her Generation Project, a site focused on connecting mothers of daughters with other mothers of daughters to build a network of #GirlMoms.  Her Generation Project was recently recognized as one of the “33 Best Mom Blogs You Haven’t Read Yet” by the Stay Sane Mom.

A native of Oshkosh, Wis., she resides in Hoover, Alabama with her husband Karl and daughters Allyson and Hadley.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities with UAB Athletics?

In my role as Associate Athletics Director of Marketing, I have oversight over a variety of different operational elements within the UAB Athletics department. I am responsible for the branding, advertising and ticketing strategy that directly impacts how we position our program in the community and on campus. My team works to determine advertising campaigns, creative concepts, sales opportunities, ticket packages, fan experiences, community engagement, campus engagement and more. I determine how our budget is allocated to reach our ticket sales, event attendance and fan engagement goals.

My marketing team also manages the live event operations for our 8 ticketed sports (football, volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball). I have direct oversight of every piece of the fan experience for football and men’s basketball, and oversee the two staff members handling this for the other six programs. This is everything from the music that gets played to the use of band and cheer to fireworks, to fun contests for fans during the games and the scripting of the game for the announcer.

What sort of daily or weekly routines have you established to keep your family on track?

Now that the girls are both in elementary school and very close to the same daily schedule, this has gotten a lot easier to manage. My husband is a major piece of this puzzle and we have a pretty set routine we try to stick to on the school days. Luckily we both have somewhat flexible schedules (on average) and aren’t racing around as much these days. We also use a shared Google calendar for everything for all of us – this includes game days, the kids’ school events, their sports, work travel, etc…

Our girls wake at 6:15 AM and I do the dressing while Dad does breakfast and packs lunches (we have one that straight up refuses school lunch). Breakfast at our house is a microwave Eggo product of some kind or peanut butter toast. After breakfast they do teeth and hair brushing while I close up backpacks. They are out the door for the bus to arrive at 6:50 AM. It’s quick but we find that giving them the minimal amount of time works best. This way, they can’t ask for playtime or expect to watch TV before school. Once they are out, I get myself going and to work by 8:30 AM. I am not an early morning person at all!

After school its much of the same. If I do not have an event, I try to get home by 5:45 PM and my husband usually is about the same or earlier. We try our best for no work between the time we leave the office and the kids go to bed. Dinnertime is critical family time for us. My husband does all the cooking. ALL THE COOKING. Every dinner we go around the table and share about our day.

After dinner we go through backpacks and try to do as much as we can to be ready for the next day. They both now have activities –  so it’s dance two nights every week and then volleyball is seasonal. I typically do all things related to dance and try to pick days for activities that align with our schedules the best. On those nights we might just meet out for dinner and everything does get a bit rushed.

Once the kids go to bed, I’m back on my laptop; creating game scripts, working on graphics, sending emails and getting myself prepped for the next day. Often times, I have so many meeting during the work day that I feel like I get nothing done. My husband often hates it that I work late at night but I just haven’t figured out another way to be more efficient during the day hours. I don’t like to feel the stress of unfinished projects and deadlines weighing me down. I also enjoy the quiet of my home to do work at night from the comfort of my couch.

If it’s an event night for me, their routine doesn’t change but it is all on Dad to execute. I get home when I get home and catch up with them in the morning to do it over again.  Weekends are different and a toss up as to how much family time we get.

How do you integrate your girls into your busy sports lifestyle?

Honestly, they just don’t know any other way. They were born into it and have always been around college sports. Their grandparents are highly involved at our alma mater (My husband is a 3rd generation Boilermaker – which is also where we met) so they have a love of all things Purdue and know a lot about the different sports. My husband and I both love sports, so naturally it’s on a lot at home and they are big Purdue, Wisconsin, UAB, and Packer fans. They also pick up random teams based on wins, jersey color and mascot.

But on a more serious note, they don’t always get integrated. We have learned that it’s best for them not to really see me at games. They know when they come to football or basketball, Mom can wave but they can’t really come down to the score table/field and spend time with me. I can’t do my job and keep track of them at the same time. It caused issues when they were younger and didn’t understand “Mommy is working” so sometimes they just didn’t come. Now that they are older they like being fans but coming to games that start at their school day bedtime is not an option.

As they get older, they do want to come to more, and they will ask to go to weekend events to help. If my husband is out of town or just one of them wants to come, they are good enough to entertain themselves or be helpful to me while Im working. They like handing out programs or rolling posters. I really don’t let them around the sidelines, be ball kids or anything like that. I probably could but I just don’t want them taking away a spot for a fan or getting too much special treatment.

My staff becomes part of our family so people I work closest with are really great to my kids and my kids enjoy seeing them more than me most of the time!

The sports industry, and in particular collegiate athletics, is notorious for its demanding schedule and long hours.  As a leader in your organization, how would you suggest women and/or parents approach the subject of flexibility with their supervisors?

This is a tough one because every organization has its own culture and cycles of demanding times. I’m a proponent of flexibility for all employees, not just those with kids. It’s tough when you are just starting out in a career to make any type of demands but I think with experience comes more flexibility.

You learn how you work best and can create a system that allows you to get your work done and still do the other things that are important to you. The best piece of advice I can give is to be honest and realistic with your asks for flexibility. I didn’t start out saying I refuse to work from 5:00 – 8:30 PM on school nights, but that has evolved over time because I have shown I am someone that gets work done and that family time is important. Start with the things that are the most important and show that you can fulfill your responsibility to earn flexibility.

You also need a really good support system to parent in this career. I could not do this without my husband and his flexible schedule and the help of neighbors, babysitters, co-workers, etc… Our closest family is over 400 miles away so it’s not easy. When a kid gets sick, or has an appointment during the day, or an activity at school they want you to be a part of, we have to find a way to make it work. I have to ask for help and support when it’s important to me. As a supervisor, my staff knows this stuff is important to me and I know what’s important to them. We can advocate for each other.

What motivates you to continue to pursue your career in sports?

I really seem to gravitate towards challenging positions. I enjoy the process of building/rebuilding, so seeing small successes over time is fulfilling. It is true that our jobs are easier and more enjoyable when our teams win but we have little to do with that.

I love the brand-building side of things and also watching the programs, individual athletes and members of my marketing team grow. The traditions and fan loyalty of college programs cannot be found everywhere. Those things are unique to college sports and I enjoy working hard to keep improving them.

What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

I’ve had a lot of memorable experiences over the years, but not much can compare to the re-birth of UAB Football in 2017. I came to UAB after the program was shut down in 2014, amid some major backlash from the community and a lot of local politics. The program was reinstated but still had 2 years with no games and not much of a team when I arrived. Coach Clark stayed and a lot of people worked tirelessly to build a new brand and a totally new identity for UAB football. We shattered every record from a ticket sales, attendance, national media, on-field performance standpoint that had ever existed for UAB and Conference USA.

Watching what this team has done for the community and the brand of UAB as an institution has been amazing. No one believed it but those of us working on it from the inside. The team was picked to finish dead last in all of college football in 2017, went on to a program best season until just this year when we went 10-3 and won the program’s first conference title in just its 2nd year back. It’s a truly amazing story and I have no doubt it will be made into a movie someday.

Outside of work, you also run, author and maintain the Her Generation Project website/blog. Can you tell us more about what lead you to create this site and what you hope it can provide to other parents?

I launched this passion project in March of 2018 as a result of some conversations with other mothers I spend time with – when I do have the time to spare. We are all mothers with daughters, going through different struggles on how to do “the right thing” as parents. Kids are growing up in a much different world these days!

The more I listened, I learned that all moms, no matter what they do or how they parent, are struggling with something. We all want to know that there is someone out there that can relate to our insecurities and tell us it’s all going to work out. To tell us they have been there and we aren’t going to screw our kids up for life. It’s a legit fear!

The website itself is a blog based repository of stories and experiences targeted at mothers of daughters. Its real life situations and how I or another mother has handled them. A blueprint of sorts that a mom can read and take pieces from and apply it to her own situation. It covers a variety of age groups and some things are light-hearted and fun and others are more serious.

The other component, and the most special I think is the social network that goes with it. Readers are invited to join the Project Network which is a closed Facebook group of moms that share advice, seek feedback, answer questions and more. It’s a safe space for judgement-free conversation with the goal of easing fears and connecting to moms in similar situations. It’s about real life things and nothing is off-limits.

I hope to push out quality content that is relatable for parents. To let them know that it’s all going to be okay and that they are doing a good job – whatever that looks like for them and their current situation. I want to grow this network to give Moms a place to come to for honest feedback from other Moms that are doing it in real time.  They can take a little bit from everyone in the group and find something that will work for them. There is no one way or best way to parent and that is absolutely okay.

If anyone would like to join the Her Generation Project community, how should they get in touch with you?

The Her Generation Project Network is a closed Facebook group but access is available to any Facebook member that would like to join. The page can be searched and is also linked directly from the Her Generation Project website or the Her Generation Project Facebook account. When you request to join the page via Facebook, you will be prompted to answer a couple of questions about yourself. I field all the requests and typically get them processed in less than 24 hours.

The closed group is really where the networking and real conversations happen. Its a judgement free zone where members are invited to post comments, share experiences and ask for advice on any parenting topic. No matter what it is, silly or serious, chances are very good that someone in this great group of ladies has been there and done that. If a member is ever uncomfortable asking a question or sharing feedback under their own name, they are welcome to use the messaging feature to send it to the Her Generation Project account and it will be posted anonymously on their behalf.

You can also follow along on the public Facebook page or on our Instagram Account (@hergenerationproject).

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SPORTS BIZ MOM KEYS TO THE GAME:

  1. Use routines to help keep your family on track – Control what you can to limit surprises. Eliminate distractions in the morning, make your lunch the night before, pick out your clothes before you go to bed, etc. – your kids wil take comfort in knowing what to expect and you will all get out the door in a less chaotic form.
  2. Fulfill your responsibility to earn your flexibility – Life happens and we all want to work for an organization that respects our time outside of the office. Prove that your work and word is reliable before you need the flexibility and you’re much more likely to receive it.
  3. Build a support system and don’t be afraid to ask it for help – Whether it’s a spouse, grandparents, a back-up babysitter, or even your co-workers – you’re going to need some help to take care of your family every once in awhile in this business. Your toddler will undoubtedly come down with pink eye the week of your team’s big rivalry game. Make sure you have a plan with your village AND your boss to before you’re all quarantined.

Sports Biz Mom: Corrie Schantz, UConn Athletics

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This interview was a a fun one for me to do, not only because it was my first posting from a Mom in collegiate athletics; but, also because this Sports Biz Mom is also my former boss!  When I was a young, naive,  Marketing Intern with Nebraska Athletics (#MarketingWinsChampionships) Corrie Schantz was the Director of Athletic Marketing and we’ve fortunately kept in touch as she’s progessed in her career through some of the largest athletic departments in the country.  I was also excited because Corrie is expecting her first child (at least as I write this – the clock is ticking for this small human) and I thought it would be valuable to gain perspective from a soon-to-be Mom in the sports industry.  It’s no secret that college sports can be a grind and I hope Corrie’s experience can provide encouragement to women in similar positions.   Thank you, Corrie, for sharing your story during such a busy time in your life. I can’t wait to do a follow-up once the little one arrives!

Corrie Schantz is in her second year as the Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Marketing and Fan Engagement at the University of Connecticut.  She oversees both the marketing and video services areas of the Division of Athletics and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Corrie joined UConn after serving as the Assistant Athletic Director-Marketing at the University of Texas. She also served as the Assistant Athletic Director-Marketing at the University of Minnesota from 2013-16 and had oversight of the marketing, new media, video board production and spirit squad units. Schantz was the department’s daily liaison with Gopher Sports Properties and developed a student ticket sales campaign that saw a 118% growth in three seasons.

From 2011-13, Corrie was the Assistant Athletic Director-Marketing at Virginia Commonwealth University and developed a brand marketing campaign for VCU to capitalize on its run to the 2011 NCAA Men’s Final Four.  Prior to joining VCU, Shantz spent four years as the Director of Athletic Marketing at Nebraska and from 2004-2007, she was the Director of Marketing for Nelligan Sports Marketing at Colorado State University.

Schantz was a member of the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators Board of Directors from 2015-16. She took part in the NCAA/Women Leaders In College Sports Institute for Administrative Advancement in 2014.

She received her bachelor’s degree in sports administration and business administration from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 2001 and her master’s in sports administration from the University of Northern Colorado in 2003.   She lives in Connecticut with her husband, Adam, and is expecting her first child this fall.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities with UConn Athletics? As an administrator, my primary responsibility is to provide leadership and management to the units and individuals for the various departments I oversee, including our marketing department, which includes marketing, social media and graphic design, our video services department, which includes live production and content creation, and our men’s and women’s tennis teams as their sport supervisor.

I serve on our leadership team, the senior administrators on our staff, our external team, and I serve as one of the primary liaisons to IMG, our sponsorship rights holder.  Strategically on a day to day basis, I am primarily responsible for revenue generation, ticket sales and attendance, fan experience, fan engagement and strategic partnerships.  All of those encompass a myriad of things including sales and branding campaigns, student engagement, gameday experience and presentation, etc.

To date, what project or career accomplishment are you most proud of? I think there are several moments I could reflect on and be incredibly proud – including a campaign at VCU that ultimately helped capitalize on a Final Four run the season prior that really helped leverage the VCU Basketball brand.  The end result was a very successful campaign that garnered some national media attention but what stands out the most from that particular experience is the relationship that was built with the coach and program from that effort.  I think the key factor for any level of success is the ability to build relationships, which I’ve found stem from a foundation of trust, accountability, communication and transparency.

I mention the above example, however, I think the accomplishment that stands out the most to me personally is the ability to be in a leadership position as a female in college athletics and be a resource and a mentor to encourage, motivate and inspire other females and young professionals pursuing careers in this field.  I truly feel it is a personal responsibility, and something that I’m obligated to give back simply from my own experience and journey.  If I had had a mentor earlier on in my career to help build confidence, perhaps help me find my voice and overall how to be better positioned and prepared to face some of the challenges that we do, such as being the lone female in a meeting, how to balance being direct but respected, etc., I don’t think I would have questioned myself as much as I did.  I’m fortunate now that I have several females that have helped me tremendously and that I look up to, but I think the early years are so critical in terms of your outlook, attitude, approach, etc., that having that network and support is key to long-term success for us as females.  I’m very intentional and passionate about how I can impact other females, whether they choose to stay in this field or not, but a couple of years ago the term “lift as we rise” became a working order for me personally.

The sports industry, and in particular collegiate athletics, is notorious for its demanding schedule and long hours.  As a leader in your organization, how would you suggest women and/or parents approach the subject of flexibility with their supervisors? With the advancement of more and more females in leadership roles, either as coaches, administrators, executives, etc., I do think there has been some progress in making better accommodations and willingness to be flexible to better position women with children to be successful long-term for higher retention of females in this industry.  However, ultimately, it is up to the leader of your organization and while we’ve made progress, not all are making such accommodations which to me inevitably means we’re going to unfortunately continue to lose some very talented and valuable women in this field.  There’s substantial room for more male leaders to be advocates, proponents of and supporters of advancing women and help position them for long-term success.

Let’s be honest.  I literally found out I was pregnant from an unexpected phone call from my doctor as I was standing outside in March putting our women’s basketball team on a bus to go to the airport for the Final Four in a send-off party on campus.  From that moment it became “real” that two worlds are inevitably colliding!  What I have been transparent about to my supervisor is as a first-time mom (and a tad bit older one at that!) is that I don’t know what or how this is going to look or work for me and my family, that I can’t sit here today and say yes, I’ll still be in the office from 8-5, I’ll still be at most of our events and accessible on my cell phone 24/7.  There’s inevitably going to be some change and we’re both going in anticipating and being prepared for change – even though right now we may not know exactly what that looks like or how it will work.  I’ve been very transparent in reassuring him that my goal by making small accommodations and flexibility is that I will continue to be accountable and reliable, and that I’m confident that not only can I continue being an administrator, but also continue to grow professionally and have a sustainable future in college athletics.

Sidebar:  I met my husband a little later in life, so up until meeting him I just kept forging forward with my career – moving wherever and whenever the next right opportunity came up.  However, when I did meet him my priorities, albeit surprisingly, naturally started to shift, then we got married, then we got a puppy and I saw them shift even more (never thought I’d be “that person” – a dog mom!).  Early on in my career, and this will totally sound cliché, but I had an epiphany.  Mentally and emotionally I was bringing work home with me every single day and I was questioning if I could see myself doing this longer-term.  At the time I thought that as a female if I didn’t show the same level of drive, passion, grit and work ethic day in and day out that I wouldn’t succeed or thrive in this field.  I decided literally in that moment that by choosing instead of letting this career define me, to simply be a part of me, that I could still be all those things but still be “me”.  I can’t even begin to express how such a simple decision changed my outlook on life and on my career.  Over time and particularly in most recent years I’ve been more okay and comfortable with not giving every project 110%, or accepting that anything less than 110% wasn’t deemed a “success”, or feeling obligated to say “yes” to every task, challenge, etc.

My husband and I had to have some serious, sometimes tough, and honest conversations before we dove into this process (not only planning for a family but commit to a process to get pregnant) and to be honest I had to have a lot of conversations with myself.  It was important for me to “bare all” if you will, so that along with all of the joy, happiness and excitement building a family would bring, that he also knew my fears, my anxieties and my concerns and just as important – that I processed them myself.

The emotional planner in me had to be prepared for some very real scenarios – am I ready to sunset my career if unexpectedly I’d rather stay at home?  If I continue working can I truly be the mom I want to be or envisioned to be?  On the flipside to working, can I continue to be the driven, committed and passionate professional that I’ve been?  Ultimately I think I felt I would be dis-servicing someone or something.  Additionally, we’re still relatively new to Connecticut so we don’t have a huge circle of friends or a “village” established, our closest family is 650 miles away, my husband travels fairly significantly for his job, etc. so there were a lot of other factors that were also leaving me a little nervous and anxious.  Ultimately, I needed to know that as partners, my husband heard me and understood me, but that I was prepared myself.

Did I overthink it a little too much?  Probably, but when you work in an external unit where most every decision you make plays out in some fashion on a public pedestal it’s just natural!

I think what’s been tough in having this conversation with other women and moms, and the response has repeatedly been “you’ll find a way to make it work”.  I think I’ve always known that, have always operated that way, and have embraced that approach.  But after what feels like the 50th time you’re like okay I get it, but I was hoping to find more women or perhaps hear more encouragement or words of advice – perhaps at the end of the day it truly is as simple as that.  But I am hopeful that if you ask me that question a year from now that I can say “lean in” to other women and colleagues, be realistic and prepared for your career to change in some fashion, recognize that it will be different and accept you may “mom fail” at some things, it will be normal to question if you’re a good mom or spending enough quality time with your kids.  So far I’ve gotten one response that makes me tear up now thinking about who it came from, I said “I’m going to need some tips from one of the best moms I know”, and her response was “You already know the answers.  Starts with L and ends with E.  It all starts and ends there.”

You’ve worked at Texas, Minnesota, VCU, Nebraska and now Connecticut.   Were there other Moms in those athletic departments? Can you recall how they integrated their families into their work life? Most definitely yes, there were other moms, but did I pay attention or learn from them as much as I should have?  Definitely not!  What I recall most is almost fascination – as in how are they doing this?  How is our director of ticket operations working every single Saturday from late August to January, travelling half of the season – leaving on Fridays for away football games and getting back in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday and then fully functioning on Monday all over again back in the office?  I think what I probably wasn’t in tune to was the support system behind them, at both work and home, and likely how they adjusted their work schedule to better accommodate their family but changes that were fairly invisible to colleagues.  Of course having families at athletic events or other events such as community outreach or fundraising efforts has almost always been the case – which is one of the things I love about college athletics.  I think I learned a long time ago that it was no longer about balance – it really doesn’t exist anymore – but integration as you mentioned.

You’re currently part of the senior leadership team at Connecticut.  Do you think your experience as a new Mom and the flexibility you may/may not be afforded would be different if you would have started a family at an earlier point in your career? That’s a tough one for me to answer as I honestly don’t know.  But again I do truly think it depends on your leadership.  There was a video that was viral of the Florida volleyball head coach, and how if it had not been for her athletic director to allow her to bring her kids with her on road trips and travel with her, as well as doing the same for other athletic support staff members such as athletic trainers, or make accommodations or help find resources on campus to help, is the key to retaining women in this profession.  My athletic director feels strongly about females in our industry and finding and creating opportunities to advance women is important to him, so I’m confident that he truly believes flexibility will be key for me to continue to be successful and continue to progress in this field.

I think if I were true to myself, I could probably say if I had had children early on in my career, I’m not so sure I would have kept pushing myself to progress in this industry, but that’s only something I can say in hindsight knowing what I know now.   Perhaps it is better not knowing!

Can you tell us about your conversation with your boss when you told he/she you were expecting? Is there anything you would have done differently? Like some other women whose stories I’ve read, I was absolutely petrified to tell both my boss and athletic director that I was expecting.  In full transparency I shared this with them after the fact, but I, like many others, had absolutely no reason to substantiate this fear from them personally.  I’ve known them both for quite some time and knew they would be nothing but supportive, excited and happy about our news.  My overall experience as a female in this industry is what I feel built that fear and not necessarily just for moms, but females in general.

Was I going to start being overlooked for opportunities or additional responsibilities? Or, are they going to pass on me now due to my “situation” so as not to put too much on my plate?  I’ve always felt I’ve had to work harder, smarter, take on more, etc., either from self-pressure or from true experiences.  I think the only thing I would have done differently is communicate my commitment more and desire to continue working. I think I was so focused on just getting the news out itself that I didn’t put much thought into my future plans.

What are you doing to prepare for maternity leave? I don’t know that I’m the best example – as I still feel totally unprepared and that’s not me at all.  I feel like I’m failing both at home and at work, the nursery still needs A LOT of TLC and work, I’m still wrapping up plans that probably should have been done weeks ago.  But, I have faith and confidence that everything will be fine.  My sister keeps telling me as long as I have the essentials to bring a baby home (car seat, diapers, etc.) to not worry and I’m confident that when I’m gone at work there will be a new norm for some but nothing that drastic.

Have you discussed your transition back to work with your boss? Definitely, because it’s my first and because I do have a great relationship with my boss I’ve been transparent in managing expectations – which I know can be difficult conversations.  I don’t know how things will change, what will be realistic, etc., so we’ve talked about a different work schedule in terms of hours, possibly working from home one day a week, etc.  I think the biggest takeaway is the ability for both of us to be flexible and expect the unexpected, that what we plan may change.  I intend to check in at some point when I have a better sense and realistic idea of what our new reality and day to day looks like so we can both be on the same page.  We have an understanding that while on maternity leave I may start to check in occasionally, but if I don’t that’s okay too.  My husband and I are very blessed and fortunate to be in this position at all (being pregnant), so the priority is definitely being focused and present at home and not have guilt or concerns while I’m away.

Have you and your husband determined what type of childcare you use when you return to work? We are going to be using a childcare facility located within the community of our campus.  Unfortunately we live about 45 minutes from campus, for anyone that’s ever been to UConn, Storrs is very unique in being fairly remote!  We wanted to live somewhere we felt we could build a community or “village” so sacrificed a little on having a commute.  For the first year I felt it was important to be close to the facility for the times my husband will be travelling, I definitely needed that peace of mind although I am struggling internally with having to force our baby join in on the commute with me.

SPORTS BIZ MOM KEYS TO THE GAME:

  1. You already know the answers.  Starts with L and ends with E.  It all starts and ends there.
  2. You don’t have to let your career define you, it can be a big, important part of your life; but, it’s not what makes you, you.
  3. Even if you don’t yet have or want children, pay attention to the Moms in your office now and how they manage their home and work responsibilities.  Their experience can speak volumes of your employer’s willingness to support your life outside of the office, while also helping you determine what you would like that experience to look like for yourself.