Sports Biz Mom

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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: Alex Simons, Cincinnati Bengals

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Alex Simons was named the Director of Partner Services & Community Engagement for the Cincinnati Bengals in June 2018.  She has worked for the Bengals since 2015 and previously held the role of Suite Services Manager & Community Relations Representative.

A graduate of Miami University (OH), Alex has also worked as a Private Events Manager for Paul Brown Stadium and a Marketing & Communications Manager for Resident Home Corporation.

Alex lives in the Cincinnati area with her husband and four sons, Tyler (9), Bentley (6), Bryson (5), and Hig (2). Connect with her on LinkedIn.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities with the Bengals?

My primary responsibility is overseeing our partnership activation team, entertainment and activation on game day and establishing our community engagement strategy.  While no two days are exactly the same, my crew and I ensure that our partners’ expectations are met and exceeded.  We want their brands to be one of the top five things our fans remember when they leave our stadium, website, social channels, etc.  Our activation team supports about 160 partners with five full-time employees and three interns.

Can you describe a typical day in the life for you and your family during the season?

We say teamwork makes the dream work all the time at home!  There are 4 kids and 2 parents— everyone has to pitch in!  The typical day means getting up way too early!  My alarm goes off at 5:15 AM.  Getting a full night’s sleep in our house is typically easy—we’re blessed with four boys who LOVE TO SLEEP.   I fully anticipate a future of boys who, if they had way cooler parents, would sleep until noon.

We’re very boring. We stick to the routine every day.  The kids need the structure – we all thrive with it. Once the boys are up, some get our help in the morning, some don’t.  If you’re in school, Mom doesn’t need to help you brush your teeth, get dressed, etc.  If you forget to put your library book in your book bag – I hope you’ll remember next week.  My husband takes the younger two to daycare shortly before 7:00 AM and I take the older two to school by 7:30 AM.  

You were promoted to your current role prior to the start of the 2018 season.  Has this new opportunity required any major changes to your schedule with your family?

I get home between 6:00 or 6:30 PM and dinner is usually on the table (thanks to my amazing man).  Some nights half of us are out the door for a practice of some sort.  And now that we have two in school, we have to find time for homework, reading, doing flashcards, etc.  Then, because they’re boys and they’re disgusting, we will do baths if they have time – but, sometimes it’s just a baby wipe bath.  We try to have the kids in bed by 8:30 PM, and then it’s doing dishes, laundry, and getting ready for the next day.  By the time we are able to slow down its after 10:00 PM and we just want to fall in bed.

I’ve been very fortunate, because for the most part, it’s been very similar – or at least now it is.  When I took the new role it was less than a month before our season started, and I took on a role that really, I felt I had no business taking. I don’t have a sponsorship background, other than working alongside those in sponsorships at the Bengals, and I still have a lot of learning to do.  The first few months I wasn’t at home much. I was working a lot of hours to keep all the balls in the air at work.  I had to rely on my husband a lot to help.  We’re kind of back to normal now which is really appreciated. 

Previously, I was on the suite services side, which at our organization, is tied to the corporate partner world.  It [Suites] still aligns somewhat with our ticketing department, but our corporate partnership team is responsible for selling those spaces. It makes a lot of sense in my mind because you don’t have a lot of individuals or families purchasing suites. It’s the business community.

Do you have a favorite event or project from your time with the Bengals?

One of my favorite things about working at the Bengals is that we’re a tight knit organization.  This affords many of us the opportunity to be involved in things that we’re interested in or those areas outside your wheelhouse.  So, when there are unique one-off projects going on, you’re able to engage. 

2017 was our 50th season, and we focused on engaging our longtime season ticket member base and reengaging our Legends (The NFL has started calling former players Legends).   I felt very privileged to be tasked with managing the Legends portion of our 50th season.  I had the responsibility of finding out a way to connect with the 800+ former players across the country.  How could we connect with them and encourage them to come back?

We honored fifteen to twenty-five Legends at each home game that season. We held activities and events with them the day before that also engaged our fan base.  The night before every home game, we had a Legends Storytelling Dinner.  We invited Legends, their guests, season ticket members, and corporate partners.  These were small – never more than seventy-five people. 

The Legends told stories the whole night and engaged with the guests directly.  I swear, there must be some unspoken requirement that you have to be a good storyteller to be a Legend!  They were phenomenal stories, and as a football fan, I was able take off my work hat and just enjoy the evening.  These dinners will be memories I keep forever!  On game day, we created opportunities for just the Legends to just enjoy themselves and each other’s company.  It was such a memorable season!  Definitely one for my book!

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

This was tough question for me. I have mentors on the business side.  I never really looked at them as mentors because of being parents – more for their business savviness or their reputation in the community. 

There is a woman I work with and while I’ve never officially thought of her as a parent mentor, she’s always been an industry mentor.  She and her husband have two adult daughters, and she’s been with the company for over 20 years.

I know how hard she works; I see her there every day for hours.  As Moms, we put self-inflicted guilt on ourselves, because we work so much.  That guilt is relentless.  I choose to work in an industry that isn’t 40 hours a week.  I’m constantly wondering if the time I’m spending here at work is going to lead to my kids resenting me.  I don’t play with them as much as other Moms, or go to the zoo, classroom parties, or on field trips. 

I’ve had the opportunity to experience my colleague’s daughters over the years and they’ve always been close to their Mom.  I look at the girls now, as adults, and how close they still are with their Mom.  They don’t live in Cincinnati anymore but when they’re home, they’re always here at the stadium or taking their Mom to lunch.  They just want to hang out with their Mom. 

I see this and know I don’t need to feel guilty.  As much as two people work, you can still have a close relationship with your kids. I think your kids will respect you for it and love you regardless.

One of my goals for the blog is to be a resource both for working Moms but for sports industry leaders who work with or manage Sports Biz Moms.  What advice would you give to someone managing (or who works closely with) a Mom or soon-to-be parent – particularly one who is not a parent themselves?

The first thing that came to mind for me is offering grace; because, life is messy.  Especially when you have two parents that work. Kids get sick and you have to adjust schedules.  There’s already enough self-inflicted guilt.  As a manager, offer grace and don’t add to that already self-inflicted guilt that your staffer is inevitably feeling.  

Sometimes that can be hard to do as a manger, because you’re thinking , “I need you here to get your job done.” When you’re busy in our own world trying to lead and get done what you need to do, if you’re a (wo)man down it can be so easy to forget that your employees have stuff too.

What sort of example do you hope to set for your kids as a Mom who works?

Hard work pays off. I want to instill in my kids that you have to work hard to be successful. The world will not give you what you want, just because you want it.  I want to see my kids work hard and reap the rewards.  They know the toys in their room are because their parents work hard (Santa doesn’t get all the credit at the Simons house).

We want our kids to know life is not easy and you do not get things handed to you.  You have to earn them and work hard for them – whiners are wieners comes out of my mouth at least once a day! You don’t get anywhere in life by bitching about your situation.  If you don’t like what’s going on…change it.

Do you have any final thoughts or additional questions you’d like me to ask other women that I speak with?

I always feel like I’m hearing Moms talking about the guilt. I hate that word.  It’s there and it sucks.  At the same time, I think it’s important to not feel guilty when you just have a day when you want to come home, feed the family frozen pizza, watch TV and just veg out (and maybe force one of your kids to cuddle on the couch with you).  Nope, Mom needs time for Mom, I haven’t had any time for myself and I don’t feel bad about it. 

Your kids need you to be mentally healthy – whatever that means to you.

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SPORTS BIZ MOM KEYS TO THE GAME:

  1. Offer Grace: Kids get sick, schedules change, basements flood – life happens. We should offer grace to all employees, regardless of their parental status; but, those of us who have personally experienced the unpredictability of children should be especially careful to not pile on to anyone’s personal guilt party.
  2. Teach Accountability: I LOVED that Alex’s school-aged boys are responsible for getting themselves dressed, brushing their teeth, packing their bags, etc. As parents, it’s so hard not to try to manage every part of our child’s lives, because, well, we could certainly do it faster. However, I think it’s important to remember that our job is also to raise capable adults who understand how to learn from their mistakes. This piece of the interview stuck out to me in a big way, even though my 2 year old isn’t quite ready for it…
  3. If You Don’t Like It, Change It: I think this is another important lesson for our kids, and one that I still have to remind myself of on a regular basis. We have to work hard for the things we want/need in life – whiners are weiners!

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.