Sports Marketing Powered By Women: Getting the Play-by-Play with Sherí Barros

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Yeah. No, it's being.

Well, holistically is really the real you. It's not about how much money you're going to make.

Right.

It's not about, like, you know, trying to shit on somebody because you, you, you, your, your business is more successful than theirs.

Yeah.

It is literally the thing that keeps you here the longest on the highest optimal. And that has nothing to do with money.

Yeah.

Has nothing to do with who you know, that has nothing to do with who your family is, who your mom is. It's about, are you healthy mentally, Are you healthy physically, nor are you healthy financially. Right. And being healthy financially is all about your spending habits. Has nothing to do with how much money you make.

You sound like my dad now.

And we are back with another episode of Fuck you Money with Ty and Yo. I'm Yo. This is my partner, Ty.

What's happening?

I have a special guest this episode.

Yes.

Please tell the people your name.

Cherie Valencia Barros.

Now, Cherie, how do you know Ty?

So Ty and I met, you know, to start off, like, high brow at Harvard.

History.

Exactly. We were both in the business of entertainment, media and sports as the executive education course at Harvard.

Now, how did you like the course? Because Ty has spoken about it globally.

Yeah. I mean, Anita Oberst can't say enough.

Can't say enough.

Our professor, I mean, just, she's been doing this for years, but the experience was, I don't know about you.

Like, it was amazing.

Yeah. Like not really knowing what to expect going in. And then I would say the people who we were in the cohort with just made it. And Anita was just the perfect lead to really, like, made us comfortable. We were all able to talk and share. I loved how it was this mix of, like, executives in sports, entertainment and, you know, talent. And so we all kind of dug in and we're so close now. We still, like, you know, keep up.

We're all in WhatsApp group I just had. We had a kickback in for the bet. No, for the Grammys and Lance. It came to our topgolf event that we did. And then I seen Candace and Davos and then I think the opportunities in Super Bowl.

Yeah, Super Bowl.

And I missed a few of the. I missed a few of the team members. And it's supposed to be a big reunion.

There's a reunion coming up, I think, in like, May or something like that. I saw Sarah too, at. At a CNBC event in LA last year. Boardroom. Yes, board. So we all kind of like end up bumping into each other, right? Which is nice. At different events and stuff. But no, Harvard was awesome. And then it's funny because Matt Berdan had actually texted me and knew that both Ty and I were from Atlanta. So he was like, make sure you. Me. Matt Berdan used to work for Nike for a long time. And he's with Overtime elite now.

Yep, 1000.

And he was telling me about the program because he did it a few years before. So it was meant to be that we connected.

Right?

For sure.

Yeah.

I love it. Now, what made you even do the course at Harvard? What kind of was the inspiration behind that?

Yeah, I mean, that and I would love to hear your take on it too, but, like, for me. So at this point, I've been in sports for I20 years, like, just rounded out, but, you know, left Florida State knowing that I wanted to go into this professional sports team side we can talk about. I've taken some shifts and things since then, but what always stood out to me from the time I learned about Harvard, just through someone else who had went through it, was this opportunity to like, connect. Entertainment, sports, you know, talent and executives all in one room together. And it's Harvard, so you know that they're going to do it, you know, and at the highest level. So for me, it was just kind of like, you know, that way to continue elevating everything you do. You want to continue to be able to, like, talk to other people that are in your space or looking at it from a different side or perspective. And so it was just that way to keep elevating.

Yeah, the same. I had heard about it before COVID but then I had met Professor Anita at a Wealth conference the year before in Miami. And so when I was hearing about it, I just connected with her and she had did LeBron James case study live in that actual event. And so from there I was like, man, this seemed pretty cool. So we just stayed in Contact. We joked about me managing her as a basketball player. I got a great jumper, so. So.

And the Jordans, right? That's her signature.

Yeah, she definitely. And she wears all types of Jordans. Right. And so I told her, I was like, yo, I think I'm gonna apply. Right. Because for me, I had just finished my master's in 2021, and I'm all. I was just always seeking, like, just more ways to educate myself throughout different sports aspects of things. Because music, you have to learn. You can work in music for 20 years and never have to learn. And so I didn't want to get caught up and get comfortable in that.

Yeah, right.

Because then you find yourself stagnating. You're not learning about new innovation, not learning about technology. So for me, like, pushing yourself. Yeah. For me, it was another way to go and get educated and meet people. Because I was told that it was the best networking experiences from an education perspective that you're going to experience. And that was what really got me really curious.

Yeah. And I would have to say, I mean, again, like, I've just always sought out type opportunities like that. And so I was able to. I compared it in my mind to Cannes Lions. So Cannes Lions was like one of those top, you know, goals for me at a certain point in my career. And I went twice. I went back the second time as a judge. On the first year, they did the Sports Entertainment Awards. And it was similar to the Harvard cohort. One thing I would say about Harvard, though, is just the week that we spent the amount of time, like just getting so much out of it. And I think the way we've kept in touch, to me, even superseded the can. Yeah.

I think that. I think people wanted to stay in touch.

Yeah.

Right. That's kind of genuinely like, because you've got. You got the chance. People wishing each other happy birthday, like, and they're. They're sharing each other. Businesses that they learned about each other. And people get promotions and all little different things. And I personally, I think college should be like that.

Yes.

Like, I don't think that. I kept thinking that when we get. When you 18 years old. Cause college is your best networking experience. That's where most people that start tech companies or they started with their college roommates. Right. And I don't think that especially in the black household, that they are educated enough to say what college is really beneficial in multiple ways. It's just like, you better go to school.

Yeah.

You finish high school, then get out of here. Versus, hey, you should go to college, pick a major, something you're passionate about. But remember the most important thing. Meet everybody.

That's right.

Meet everybody.

It's not just about what you're learning in the book.

Meet everybody. Join every program. Meet everything. Anything you're passionate about, go explore it. And we're not. We're so boggled down with how we're going to pay for college that we don't get the right information. Because I got a master's, I got an undergrad, obviously, I went to high school. All these different things, but nothing was more impactful. And I'll always say this than that.

Four or five days at Harvard, because I say, too. Totally agree. It was how we learned that was different from, to your point, my undergrad or my grad school experience. And you're like, oh, this is why it's Harvard. Because it wasn't just, okay, read the article or read whatever the text is. And then, like, be prepared to take a quiz about. It was like, come in, ready to talk.

Yeah.

And let's all talk. And then the way, you know, we were able to just pick up on what you had to say, and then that taught us a different insight, and we picked up on what the other person like. I think I learned so much from everybody, 1,000%. And Anita was just a master at bringing it all together.

It was.

Yeah, we wish everybody. Right. That's what I was thinking, too. I wish every university taught like this and everybody had the chance to learn like this.

And you remember more. Yes, because there's somebody sitting across from you. And the great thing about it is everybody has, like, these big name tags.

Yeah.

Right. So, like, you can, like, when you see somebody talking, you see their name.

Yeah.

And you're like, oh, man, I didn't even think about it like that. And when you have that different perspective, it ingrains into your head. Now you remember the information not only in a different way, but. But, like, in a permanent way. So I still remember every single case study that we talked about. All the different points I still remember with the different things about decoded and all. Like, things that I would have probably not remembered that I don't remember when I was doing my Masters. Yeah.

And then back to your other point, when you were talking about how college is about more than the books and it's about who you meet and all that. I used to say this to students, like, after I finished grad school, I knew I was going to grad school for two more years where I could work for little to nothing. Like that's what grad school afforded me. Granted, I learned obviously, you know, from what we were studying. But like, for me it was that opportunity to say, this is like an extension of undergrad. Because to get into sports, I know I'm going to have to like intern work for little to nothing. And I want to do that two years longer before I have to go out and like pay for a place to live and face the world. Those. Yeah, more of those real like obligations that you have once you're out of school. So I kind of used it for that too.

So that's that. That triggers me to. My first question for you is as a woman in sports, what was your first job in sports? Yeah, that you felt like, I'm in sports.

Yeah, I'm working.

Yeah. So. And I kind of have two answers to that question because my first job was before I even thought about sports as like a real career career. I was in high school. I was looking for a part time job here in Atlanta. You know, he talks about from Atlanta. And I became a big fan of the Atlanta Braves, like back in the 90s, worst to first. I mean, I was so into it and my dad was into it. So it was like a way for me to connect with my dad too. But I never saw it as a job. And when I went out looking for part time jobs in between, like I was a cheerleader in high school and I remember like applying to work in guest relations at then Turner Field.

Right, right, right, Turner Field, Turner Field, yes, like him and.

Yeah, exactly. So I just went and applied and I remember I worked in guest relations and then somebody was like, oh, you're pretty well spoken. Why don't you become a tour guide? And then I was a tour guide, you know, and that was all before I went to college. But I didn't put that on any kind of resume. I was just like, okay, that was a cool experience. Now let me go like get my psych degree. Cause I studied psychology.

Same. And.

And everybody was saying, do a career fair, dude. Again, those points about college, that is like not in the book. And I was like, all right, I'm gonna go to this career fair. There was a recruiter there from the PGA Tour. Again, timing, because it was when Tiger woods was at the height of his success and thankfully somebody at the PGA Tour said, we don't have any black faces or brown faces in the business side and we should start this diversity internship program. So he was the recruiter from the PGA human resources department was out there looking for Diverse interns at Florida State at this career fair, unbeknownst to me. That's crazy. So I'm walking through and as I put my resume together, the only job I had was my little part time Turner Field, like, tour guide, you know. So I give him my resume. He's like, oh, you worked in sports. I'm like, okay. She say so exactly. I'm like, I guess. And he's like, well, we have this internship and why don't you do this? And I was like, oh, it'd be something fun to do over the summertime. Did that between my junior and senior year. Ended up interning back in Atlanta. We had the 11th largest sporting event in the world, which was the PGA Championship, which I didn't know until, you know, accepting the internship. And it was then that, like, working as an intern with those full time professionals working for the pga that I was like, oh, this is like a job job. Like, this could be a career. And so it was again, what they say is like, by learning, by doing. Had I not been in that experience, I never would have looked at sports as like a career. So that was when I was like, well, I'm getting my psych degree because I'm too close to that. But I knew because of psychology, I was gonna go to grad school anyway. Cause you can't really do a whole lot exactly with that. Like, I wanted to be like a consultant in business or become like the full PhD psychologist. So I was like, all right, well, I'm going to grad school and I'm gonna change my major to sport management. Because as I started researching it, like anything in entertainment and sports and a lot of other industries now pretty much everyone is like, who you know. So I was like, okay, I need some had like my PGA people that I work for. But I was like, I need like more like internships and meet more people. Because I didn't come from Legacy, you know, like a family that had worked in sports before. So I was like, I'm gonna have to build this network from the ground up.

It's interesting. You said psychology, right? So you have to go to get your grad. If you got a psych degree, pretty much anything you want to do in psychology, you're gonna have to go get your grad.

Yes.

Because you got to go get your hours.

Yeah.

But it was one job that you didn't have to go to grad school for and you could make the most money. And it was industrial organization.

Oh, yes. Yes. That's what study.

That's what I was studying when I figured that out. So I was like, because that's. Those are the people that creates personality tests.

Yes.

So you can license your personality test, say, to Walmart.

Yeah, yeah.

And if they love it, they keep renewing the license. You don't have to go to. So mind you, you know, I try to follow the cheat code.

That was kind of related. Cause I studied behavioral management, like performance management. And that was all under industrial psychology. So that's so crazy.

So that was. That was so. It's funny because I picked my psychology degree probably way different than anybody else. They. Why they pick something? Because I was playing football and I felt like, oh, I'm in. I'm only here for football. Yeah, I'm gonna go to class.

Yeah.

So I can play football.

Yeah.

So my first degree was like. My first attempt at picking a major was Intro to Communication.

Okay.

Then it was like criminal justice. I was like, I don't know what this is, but it wasn't until psychology. I was like, intro to Psychology. And I was like, oh, I'm fascinated.

Yeah, it is, right? It's fascinating. And you still use it. Like, that's what I tell people. Right. Is like, again with college, like, get your degree and whatever. Because you may not work directly in that field, but you're going to use what you learn. And for me, it was not even thinking I was going to end up in marketing. And then when I ended up in marketing, I was like, oh, this makes sense. Because of everything I learned with influencing behavior from psychology.

Same exact thing.

Yeah, but how did you end up in marketing? Like, what was the transition?

So that's funny again, because I, you know, so I was, at that point, went to grad school in Dallas. I went to University of North Texas because I also was looking at the market and I was like, oh, Dallas, that's a big hot sports market. So that's gonna help me with internships. And I interned. I originally wanted to go into community relations. And so I interned with the Texas Rangers. That was my first. Well, my first internship was with a sports agency, which was Host Communications, which got acquired after I was there by img. So it's a part of that whole sports agency, entertainment agency conglomerate. That was my first, then my second with the Rangers baseball team. Texas Rangers. Dating myself back when Alex Rodriguez was with the Texas Rangers before he went to the Yankees. So that's how long ago that was. But I got a job in community and player relations interning with the Texas Rangers. And I was like, this Is it for me? Because I always knew that what I loved the most was the impact side of sports. So initially that's where I was going to go. And then I get out of grad school, that internship's done, I can't find a job. You know, obviously, like, it's hard to get, you know, your first full time job in sports. And again, that was back in the day when, like, you're emailing, not. Not emailing. We didn't even email at that point. You would, like, print out your resume, you would get the address, you would mail your resume out to all these different people. So I'm doing that whole Jazz and other people are telling me, like, it takes a while, it takes a while. For me, it was six months after I got my master's, before I got an offer at that point from the Atlanta Hawks and the Atlanta Falcons. And it wasn't that I was stuck on coming back here to Atlanta, but it just worked out that way. I went to an MBA job fair and I was like talking to Minnesota Timberwolves. It was like all these interviews. But where I landed was with the Falcons. And the opportunity with the Falcons was in what we called at the time experiential marketing, which is a part of grassroots marketing, which is a part of event marketing. So it's all in that same area. Again, wanted community relations, but the grassroots marketing job was what they had. So again, it wasn't planned to get into marketing, but that was where the crossover was for me to get in. And once I got in, I loved it. I loved, you know, what I learned about how the psych is related to the grassroots and just marketing in general. And then what I tell students and folks that I do all the time is like, once you get in, you learn by doing. And I learned marketing by doing. And I applied what I knew, like the principles of psychology, but also the benefit of working for a sports team, any sports team is like a small business in terms of people in the front office that are working there full time. So the benefit of that was I got to like, raise my hand or other people volunteered me. It was a little bit of both. For like, okay, you came in to do this grassroots marketing job, which was like setting up events around town. It was like we did this player caravan tour where we took the players out to outer markets around Atlanta to try to like, get more Falcons fans into the team. And then they were like, but we also need somebody that can help with the game operations and can you do this? And then we also need someone who can help out with the arena football team because at the time the Falcons had an arena. So you get to try your hand. Exactly. At everything. And I'm just building up like this marketing experience from literally doing. Because it was such a small staff that you had the opportunity to do more than one thing.

Yep. I think that's like very important to note. Right. Where. And this is not to discourage any young woman that wants to get into sports because sports has exploded over the years. So there's so many more jobs to be like a woman in sports.

Right.

Which I think is stupid. But that's the world we live in until we don't. Right. But you started so early with a team that the staff was so small to be able to say, you know what, I can try. I can slide over to this department. Slide over to that department. But then another thing that really stood out from just listening to you speak. And I don't think that we touch about, I don't think we touch on this enough with the concept of fuck you money. But there is a certain awareness of what's going on around the world.

Right.

So Tiger Woods.

Yeah.

Tiger woods being so prolific at what he does.

That's right.

Created this opportunity for the PGA Tour to be like, we not diverse enough.

Exactly. Right, exactly.

And then that opened up opportunity for you.

Exactly.

And no telling who other women of color that probably did that. I think that's very important to speak.

I love that you made that connection. Right. Because it is so true. And it's what I love about the Tigers and the Serena Williams. You know, it's like all of these other doors they're opening up because they made that, you know, impact. So it's such a great point. Thank you, Tiger.

Yeah.

But I guess that's sometimes a hard thing to think about is you look at the market and people are like, oh, it's hard to get a job here.

Yeah.

But there's also so much going on in the sports entertainment world that you don't know what might open that door for you.

Yeah.

And they seem like you were super open minded to go to any city, work for any team. You didn't seem to be very stubborn about. Like, I have to do this thing.

Yeah. Thank you for.

Where did that open mindedness come from?

Woo. Well, not to get too deep, but one of the first things I think about when you say that, especially as a woman is like for me it was take advantage of this time now where you can pick up and go anywhere. Take advantage of this time in your 20s. And like, I always thought I was going to get married. So it wasn't like, oh, I'm never going to get married and settle down. But I was conscious of that as like, okay, do it early, because once that happens, you're not going to be able to just pick up and go anywhere, you know. And I had to exercise that, right, because after I'm in The Falcons for four years, the economy shifted. It was.08 and the whole financial crisis and everybody's losing jobs. And by that time, they had promoted me to heading up marketing for the arena team and the Arena League folded. So I had to go. They eliminated staff. And I was like, I had, you know, again, thinking ahead. I was interviewing before that, so, because I was reading obviously where the league was at, but immediately got an offer to go for a little bit to the Braves to help with a minor league team they were bringing to the market, and then decided I missed football and moved to Oakland, got an opportunity with the then Oakland Raiders. So had I not been flexible and free to do that, I wouldn't have been able to make that move. And that was one of the best moves I made because it gave me a different experience, totally different football team than the Falcons, which I appreciate. And they fans of us. Right, right. Like the real deal, greater nation. And so I would say that not only from that perspective was it good to be open minded, but then I would say that to other, like, students, even just from, like, where you want to be. Because, like, I was fortunate. I knew I wanted to start out. Like, my first goal was work for a team, and I got that. But there's only 32 NFL teams, there's only 30 NBA teams. Like, there is a limit to that. So where else do you want, you know, to utilize your skills? Are you looking at media? Are you looking at agency? Are you looking at brands? Like, so I definitely appreciate that comment because it's like, you got to be open 1000.

And I think one of the things that piggybacks off of that comment that's like underlining, is that rather you knew it or not, you had a strategy.

Yeah, yeah.

It wasn't something where you, like, like, I got this plan, but no, there was a strategy within your openness because there's a lot of people that graduate from college who don't have no kids and don't got no husband or wife who get homesick or who go somewhere, and right before they're about to have a breakthrough, they quit and come back home. So having a Strategy really drove these success points, Right? Yeah. Your strategy for yourself helps. The things that was happening in the world helped you the most because you had a strategy.

Yes.

There was other women that black that love sports who probably didn't have a strategy. And so do you think you pick that up from somewhere unknowingly?

Yeah. Ooh, that's a good question. I mean, well, first and foremost, of course, I think I'm gonna say my family. Right. Like, I think watching my grandmother, my D, and my mom's mom and just how they worked through their lives and careers as women, as black women who didn't have the type of opportunities I then had, you know, motivated me from the perspective of. I used to always think this to myself, too. Like, yeah, I want to get married. I want to have kids, but in the meantime, like, I'm going to do something I love, and I'm going to have fun with it. And, like, I'm going to give it all I have while I'm in it. And I didn't even realize I had that type of drive until I got in and started doing it. And I was like, all right, if I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it the best I possibly can. And to your point, it's like, oh, now I'm meeting people and I'm so interested in what they're doing, and I'm building, like, my network, and that's opening up opportunities. So it's such a great point. I didn't think I had a strategy, but I'm looking at behaviors that I saw modeled in my family, and then I start looking, obviously, at other people in my industry or in other industries that I kind of admired and looked up to.

So it's funny, because I always had a strategy. I didn't know that word.

Yeah, right.

So at seventh grade, I'm like, I'm going to the NFL and I'm gonna get rich. Take care of my mama.

Yeah.

And so when I started to learn, like, okay, so I gotta go to college, so. Or to get to the NFL, right? I gotta go to college, right? When I'm in, I'm like, focus. I gotta graduate. So I worked my way back from the goal, okay? So the only way that I can go and play football in the league is that I gotta go to college. Like, you just. Absolutely. There's no way to get there without going back.

The base strategy doesn't change.

Yeah.

The steps might, like, extend themselves, but you're still trying to go to the same finish line. That didn't change.

And so now, at the age now when I look back at it, I'm like, dang, I had a scrat. I had a serious strategy where I had. I knew my grades even from when I picked my school right from college. I went on one recruiting visit. My first recruiting visit. So back in the day before nil and all of this fucking, all this exposure athletes get. The first weekend of the year is the largest recruiting visit. So if a school brings you there, they really want to sign, right? So I happen to been blessed because I had a bunch of. I had a high school coach that would hide our letters from the colleges. He was, like, very malicious in that way. So I end up getting found out about through another scout watching film from one of the coaches at North Clayton.

All right, wow.

And so we went to. So I ended up getting invited to University of Tennessee Chattanooga. First invite, right? First weekend visit. They brought my mom up, my cousin took my brother to, like, a wrestling match. We had steak. It was crazy.

I was a recruiting hostess at Florida State. So you already know exactly.

I'm like, this shit. I said. I was like, this is fire for all my. All. Like all of my. My family and everything. But I ain't seen no black people, right? Right? So I'm in Chattanooga. So I'm like, man, y' all better be glad. I'm trying to go to Lee. And this is the biggest offer I got. So I gotta come here because this is the biggest offer I got. I had other recruit. Like, I had other recruiting visits set up after that, but it was smaller schools.

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After I left there, I called them up. I said, I'm not coming. And, like, they was mad. They was mad. Cause it was like, you're not even giving us a chance. I'm like this. I just went to the biggest school. I'm trying to get to the league. This is the only way I'm gonna get to the league.

You're not changing your strategy for nothing.

And when I did finally get to Chattanooga, it was so many niggas. I was like, the first week, I think the Alphas had a party right across the street from our dorm room. And it was a line of black people. That's when I realized I was like, oh, this is like, let's digest it.

I love how you. And it's so true that we don't realize the strategies that we're like. I had a. When you said that, it made me think it was the same reason I ended up at Florida State. Like, I actually applied to Florida State and University of Arizona because they had a great basketball team, Miles Simon and Mike Bibby. And I was like. I knew I loved sports, but I ended up at Florida State. And I was looking and I was like, all right, FAMU is right across the street. So I knew there was gonna be, like, that black colle. Both of my parents went to HBCUs, Morehouse and Spelman. And so I was like, all right, I'm not gonna be at hbcu, but I'll be right there, like, with it. Cause I knew I was in high school. Exactly. So that is. So that was my strategy. And it worked out. Yeah.

Now, I know Todd mentioned not seeing black people in Tennessee. And then you get there and you saw them in sports. Did you see other women once you, like, entered into the industry?

I mean, I knew that we were making strides, women in sports, but I didn't see a whole lot of executive level. Right. I definitely saw women in the business, but not at the top. Top. At that point, there still wasn't as many. And I think because of that, a lot of the sports career fairs and stuff that I was going to was all men. And I'm taking my advice from men. And what you are also getting that I think I almost overcorrected for was like, if you're a woman in this business, you can't be that woman that's, like, only in it to date an athlete. And I would get that advice a lot. And so to the point where. And I tell this story, you know, I told it before. I think I get to the Falcons. Even if I know you and you're a player, I'm not speaking to you. You know, Like, I'm like, tunnel vision. They are gonna know that I am here because I wanna do the work. And it's not about all of that. So I talk to young women a lot in sports now because I think that started to change. I had to, like, balance that out to, like, okay, but I still gotta be myself.

Right.

And I think that's what my advice now to women is, like, get in there, grind, work Hard that credibility. Let that speak and be yourself. You know, at that point, don't try to be somebody else, you know, because it's gonna be awkward.

You know why I understand the concept of like dating aspect of it? Because you're into sports. But it's bullshit because before technology, before all of this stuff, people were dating based on proximity.

Exactly.

So if you're going to work eight hours a day. Yep. Right. And you're young, you're young, professional. Right. You're more likely gonna get invited out by some of your staff members or your peers. You're more likely gonna run into athletes.

Yeah.

If you're working, you're spending eight hours a day at a place where it's sports. You're either gonna run into an agent or manager or athlete or college becomes your community. It becomes your community. So it's just like another one of those points about how unfair that, you know, it happened. Nobody's saying that to a man.

Right?

Exactly.

Right. Nobody's being like, right now, don't be trying to hit on the girl basketball team.

No cheerleaders.

No cheerleaders. I'm just saying stay focused. And it's the. That is why it's women in sports. Right. It's so categorized out where, you know, you have to be so conscious of things that you shouldn't have to be conscious of. Right. And it distracts you from being yourself at times. It can distract you from opportunities because that same person that might like you as two adults might come together and be like, you know what? We not even really compatible. But would you manage me?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Next thing you know, that's a superstar athlete.

You want to start a business together.

It's a whole nother different aspect of it.

I love your skills, I love the way you work. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's not always about dating a person. It's about getting to know somebody, to know how you guys can have rapport.

And that's what, thankfully I think is happening more now to your point, like women are able to be viewed as just business women in the business of sports and, and not looked at for like some ulterior like, motive from a like, personal standpoint. Because you're absolutely right. Like, it is natural. And I have formed relationships and friendships, you know, with players and agents and, you know, coaches and all sides, you know, of the business. But yeah, for women it still is just something you have to be extra conscious of. And I think it's that way for a lot of male dominated industries.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Can you recall the first woman executive you met in sports?

Ooh, that is a good question. Well, I would say my earliest probably memory was that PGA Tour internship. Sharon Helbig was my supervisor, and she was the tournament manager. So you had a tournament director and she was a tournament manager. So she was who I reported to. And I just remember, I mean, again, like, being impressed by, like, her leadership, her organization, like, you know, her relationships and all of that. So I'd say her. And actually, as I'm backtracking, my second internship was a woman named Jennifer Andraka at Host Communications who hired me. She was a woman. I literally walked my resume. I think it was like, day two in Dallas. I had moved to Dallas again, did my little research, and here's the sports agencies print off my resume. And I just walked in like, I'm just gonna give you my resume, let you know I'm new here. I want to. Walked right into Jennifer Andraka, who was the director of marketing, I think, for. I don't know if you remember. Hoop it Up.

Yeah, but.

So this was the agency that managed the NBA Hoop it Up tournament. And she was like, oh, come on in. I was like, here's my resume. She's like, all right, sit down. She offered me a job right there on the spot. She was like, you're here in grad school, we have an internship, and why don't you do it with us? And then my boss at the Texas Rangers was a woman ever since then, and I don't think I've ever made this correlation. It's been all men.

Wow.

Yeah. So I got lucky that I think my first three internships were with women professionals. That gave me that comfort level and that foundation that, like, okay, women are in this business.

And confidence.

And confidence.

Seeing it being it.

Exactly, exactly. Yeah.

When you. Well, explain how you end up with the San Antonio Spurs.

Yeah. Yeah. So I was at the Raiders, and by that point, I had tested enough different, like, parts of marketing that I knew advertising was something that really appealed to me. And I hadn't really had a job where I was able to really focus on the advertising, the creative side, like creating the content and being a part of the production, the media, buying, all of that. So what I was doing at the Raiders was a bit more still event marketing, database, direct marketing and all that. And the opportunity with spurs opened up that it was like, really more of an advertising job. And so I went after it for that reason. Cause again, that's what I was really, really intrigued by at that point. And it was, you know, it was a great experience. Now, again, what I think people need to keep in mind with being open is I'm going from the San Francisco Bay area to San Antonio, Texas. And it was down at the bottom, bottom, very different market. And I think I went in. Cause by that point, I got my master's already. So I lived in Dallas for two years. I'm like, oh, I lived in Dallas. Like, yeah, I get to San Antonio, I'm like, this is not Dallas. It's smaller. But yeah, it was. Again, like, that experience shaped me, and I'm so glad that I. And you know what? It was also good because it was my first time, I think, at that point, really being in, like, the smallest black minority population of the city. Cause San Antonio was only 6% black at the time I was there. And 3% of it was transient because it was military. It's really 3% that, like, live. Live in the city. So that was a challenge for me. And I was like, especially coming from Atlanta, right? Coming from Atlanta. And then I'm out in Oakland in the Bay, right? And then I go to. So it was that culture shock.

Because even South Dallas got niggas in South Dallas.

Absolutely. I mean, again, like, tmi. But, like, I was dating somebody who was from Dallas and, you know, like, DeSoto. And, I mean, I knew about it.

They still had the car washes where they do the car wash, while the park where they do the. They do the car wash. Old schools in South Dallas. I'm probably cookouts. And everything was crazy. Mlk.

Yeah. But, like, you're right. Dallas, Houston, like, huge black culture. So again, I get to San Antonio. But I mean, again, like, it was okay. Let me tap into, like, what is different about this that I can grow from, that I can relate to. And, like, one thing about me, I minored in Spanish, double minored in communications and Spanish at Florida State. Because my background on my dad's side is Cape Verdean, which is, like, Portuguese, and my last name's Portuguese. So I was always interested in, like, Spanish and Portuguese cultures. So I was like, you know what? San Antonio, I'm going to lean into the Spanish culture. I'm going to learn so much more about it. And I appreciated that part. So that kind of was what made my experience. But again, as being, like, a woman by that point, in my 30s and single, I was having to make it the best situation for me because it was a career move. And I was, like, on the road to Houston, up to Dallas spent some time in Austin. So full on Texan experience while I was in San Antonio.

Right?

Yeah. Yeah.

That's fire in my mind. I'm looking at the different, like, paths of, like, openness, grit, the inspiration. Cause you, like, you're like, I was inspired by advertisement. This job came. You didn't even think about the market, didn't think about you.

You said you went for it and you're in your 30s. I think most people, by the time they get into that 30s, they want to settle down into something. You were starting something new. Where did that come from?

It's such a good. I think for me, once I got into the career, it was always like, well, what can I do next? And then the personal is just gonna work itself out around it, you know, I think what I did, to be honest, like, what worried me about San Antonio was like, oh, is this too far? Right? Cause is this taking me too much away from the personal?

Did it get your Spanish poppy right?

Like, we had to expand on the border. That green car, expand the horizon. Like, funny story. So my last year in San Antonio, I was named. You know how they do, like, the most eligible bachelor bachelorette? It's like a most eligible bachelorette in San Antonio. And this, you know, cute, adorable, like, Mexican man had, like, we did this little auction where you could bid to go out on a date. So, yes, it definitely opens you up. But no, I think for me, without even realizing it, right, Like, I just became so focused on, okay, now I'm in this, what's next? And I knew that I probably wouldn't be in San Antonio for my entire career, but I knew that, like, the opportunity that that would be to really, like, manage and learn more and lead advertising and marketing on that scale was like, okay, that's a good step, you know, and I'm just gonna make the best of it. Yeah, dope.

So we're gonna talk. We're gonna talk about the future a little bit, right? So you're like, let's say 30 years in marketing experience, right? And you got everything you want out of life, right? And you got you money, right?

Yeah.

What do you do?

Well, you know, my first answer is going to be like, I'm definitely investing in creating. Because I do feel again, for me, it's always like, what? That's. If you haven't seen. That's always a theme for me, too. Like, what's next? What's next? What's next? Let's keep building. Let's keep doing things we haven't done. And one of the things I haven't done that I'm really curious about is, like, entrepreneurship, like, full scale. Like, I've done some consulting, you know, and stuff like that, but, like, I so value creators and like. And when I say creators, I mean someone who creates a brand, you know, I mean like the Kim Kardashian type of creative mind that can envision a brand and, like, see it through. And so I think that would be nice to, you know, really, really be able to put some. Some energy into. Energy into. Exactly. And then it's the giving back. Right. To me, it's hand in hand. It's like, how can I create? How can I, like, you know, add this, you know, to the world and then how can I give that back? So I think impact and, you know, giving back is just always gonna be a part of, like, what I wanna.

Do with, you know, so, boom, you got. You got 30 year experience. Boom. So you can do mentorship in that area of marketing and sports. Then you got your fuck you money.

Yeah.

Now you're gonna start a new business.

Yes.

And you gonna do philanthropy work.

That's right.

And now, boom. So you got. Do you got a business partner in this new business or. You don't know, potentially. Potentially. You know, you gotta balance it out.

That's right. Absolutely.

You got the new business, potential business partner, you got the foundation that you're doing really great things. What are you doing for your wellness?

Mm. Such a good question. So, you know, one of the first things I like to say is, like, I am a sleep expert. I am like a sleep pro.

Let me tell you.

You know, like, sleep is my remedies. I don't need any help. I mean, I'm like, I love sleep.

I met a challenge. I got my Fitbit on right now. I was asleep at 9:30 last night.

Okay. Like, those are the good days because you're going and I'm up early typically. And so, like, you're going, going, going so much throughout the day that, like I said, that's my reward. That's my reward at the end of the day. That's my refresh replenishment, you know. So, yeah, I think for me, sleep is number one in wellness. And then, you know, when I had a time, like, I used to love to dance. Like, I want to, you know, do that more with free time. And that's great for. And stretching and whatever wellness is out there. I'm down. I love the infrared. Has anybody, y' all done the infrared sauna?

I've been Hearing about it.

I haven't heard about it. The infrared sauna is amazing. And I will. I mean, again, I get people, like, giving me the side eye when I say this, but I had, like, injured my back, actually, in a yoga class. I was doing hot yoga, right? And I did a twist, and it was like, no. And so I was trying everything, and it just wasn't quite going away. And I went to the infrared sauna for, like a week straight. I kid you not. The back pain was gone.

Yeah. I gotta sit my. I gotta sit.

So since then, I swear by the infrared sauna. Yes.

Really?

Yeah.

I have a funny story about my sleeping habits, Right. So growing up, my mom would always be yelling at me and my brother to clean up.

Yeah.

And I used to go under the bed and go to sleep, right? So I used to go under the bed and go to sleep. So to this day, I still will fall asleep on the floor. I'm used to falling asleep on the floor. That's crazy. So, like, so that this is running joke that I can fall asleep anyway?

Yeah.

Like, literally anywhere. Plane, floor, it don't really matter. You mean knocked out all the time.

We are kindred spirit.

Literally. I can't even. It's not even. No thinking. Like, when people say that they have a struggle, they struggle, like, with sleep. I really do be, like, trying to help. Like, I feel bad. Cause I'm like, I know the pleasure.

It's so amazing. How can I help you? Exactly.

How can I help you? I had. So. So what I do is you said. I don't know if you said before. I've shared some of my. I shared some of my, like, fitbit of my sleeping hours on my Instagram, right? So I sat on my Instagram, right? So one time I shared it with wealthy. I had stuff, like, 11 hours. She was like, how do you do this and still be doing all this other stuff? What do you find the time to sleep for? 11 hours? I'm like, bro, I'm the sleep champ. My body can't poke me when it comes to sleeping.

I'm so there. I am so there. Yes. I used to be in college to that point, Yarron. And, like, my roommate just knew, like, she'd be talking to me and it'd be like, a certain time. She'd be like, cherie Sheree. She's like. She's like. It's like my battery just is, like, done, so.

But both of you work in industries that require a lot of brain space, right? You could think about your Work all day and night. How do you cut that part off?

I'm still working on it. Yeah, right. Like, I am not. I haven't mastered it.

Yeah. So. So this is the thing that's really funny about the sleeping thing for me. Like, the reason why I can't sleep. If I can't sleep, I'm fucking excited to get up.

Yeah.

Cause it's like either something that I'm toying with in my brain or it's like it's something that happened or about to happen. So if I can't sleep, it's like the day before Christmas every day.

Yeah.

So I'm just like, bro, I can't wait. I just gotta. It's this idea that I'm trying to get out of my mind, but recently I've just. My phone automatically, at 10, it just cripples whatever it was. Nothing happens. You can't cough. It just goes away. And then I literally, you know, don't turn on no tv. I can stick through anything already. So if I just make everything completely quiet, then my mind and my body just follow the rest. I just can't see nothing. Because if I see something, then they're going to trigger me to be like, oh, I gotta think about this. Yeah, I gotta email Vanessa this. I gotta send this. That. I gotta talk to this person.

So you feel like. So your sleep helps you to have that shut off.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. So usually in December, I would travel, but this past December is the first time that I didn't really travel to go to. I just. I just sat in Miami and kind of got my crib scraped.

Yeah.

Because I didn't have, like. Like ordering stuff, getting furniture. And so last year it wasn't. No longer. I didn't stay in one city for two weeks last year. The whole entire year.

Wow.

So being able to sit down for three weeks, almost a month, that I felt like I had just got out of, like, success, prison success. I was like, bruh, this feels so good. Like, I don't know what's going on. Like, I wake up every day, I could just go work out. I can go walk and I don't have to get on no plane. To the point when I. When the year started back up, I was dreading getting on that plane. I was like, this is. Sucks. So now I have. Every week, every month, it's a week I block out that I don't travel. That's great because I'm like, man, this shit here's.

Yeah, well, I mean, that's back to wellness Right. Like, I mean, I agree with that. Having not traveled nearly that much, but like regularly, at least a few times a month. And it's like it messes up your pat. Your routine. Right. Like it's hard to get. And that's definitely a part of my world, like getting that routine going again. So that's a great strategy to like business strategy. Not travel for a month.

I just learned recently that I'm a strategist.

Yeah, you just learned recently.

I didn't, I didn't. Because when you are. One of the things about being black and trying to run a business, you just try to be successful. You're not thinking about your health necessarily. You're not thinking about what your real title is because you're doing so many. I'm the janitor, I'm the assistant, the runner, the investor, whatever it is. Right. But once you start to like. And I never worked, I never worked at a corporate full time job. I've always had like part time job. You didn't have to get a resume, you'd have to use a resume to get the job.

Right.

So it was never attached to a actual job description and a job title.

Yeah.

Right.

So this is why you never confined your work to that.

Right. And so when you think about it, and I'm thinking about it now because people are like, hey, would you consult? And I'm like, what?

I consult.

I don't know, man. Some of this stuff, they be having like unreal expectations or they don't have their stuff together.

Yeah.

And you come in and you spend more time trying to get their stuff together. When you don't do what you was brought in to do now you're like the bad consultant. Yeah, yeah.

As someone who's consulted, that's exactly, that's the challenge.

So I'm so hesitant on doing it.

Yeah.

To, to like, I already know this about this, but as of lately, I started to really piece together the things before. I used to call it I just connect dot. That's what I used to call it before. But then when I was sitting down, I was like, I'm really a strategy person because I'm like thinking about how does this look?

Yes.

Like, what are we gonna do this?

If this, then this. Right. Yeah.

What happened? What happened? If it don't go that way, do you got a plan B? Like all these different things and that's not marketing, that's not creative, that's not being an entrepreneur. That's literally sitting down. And as we're having this conversation, I literally Been doing it my whole life with myself being like, what's the NFL? I'm gonna get good grades. I gotta get good grades. Right? Cause when you build out of the strategy, you have to stick to the strategy, or you can't really say. You can't really measure what the results really are. Right. So it's one of those things that was like, really, really, really just hit me in my late 30s. I'm like, oh, so I can live the rest of my life and I can kind of be like, as a strategist, and I can look back on my work history and be like, these are all the different strategies that I deployed to help grow my own business or to help grow somebody else's business or be able to do all these different things. Right. And that's where it kind of hit me as of lately, now that you're, like, after, like, the Harvard course, like, taking. Doing a lot of reading and hearing other people's stories on how they got to certain things, I just been really stuck on strategy lately because I don't think us as black people, we don't think about strategy and infrastructure.

And I think that was a really good connection between strategy and DOT connector, because I'm that way too. Right. Like, when you think strategically all the time, you're constantly like, I'm meeting somebody. Oh, this person should know that person. And, oh, I could see how they would work well together on this and that. And so, yeah, DOT connector is like. Like, right there. And the other thing you said that I can relate to is like, you're really good at setting goals and then the strategy to get there. And so for me, I've met a goal and then set a new goal, and then it's like, okay, now what's the strategy toward that? And now it's the strategy toward that. So it's like you're constantly goal setting and then building those strategies.

One of the things I always say, and we can leave off on this, is they don't tell you to find print with ambition. Right?

Yeah.

And, like, literally, that's what I suffer from. It's the fine print of ambition. It's like a running joke. That's like my business manager, which is my cousin, she's like, all right, Tygo, start another damn business this year. Because it'll be something. I'll be like, oh, maybe do a podcast distribution. And so it's nothing but, like, the fine print of, like, ambition that they don't take.

That's right.

They don't tell you about, hey, you know, if you want more, you're going to want to explore more and that, that's going to. Cause you might get married later.

Yeah.

You might have kids later.

Yeah, right.

Or you might, you know, you might not get to the thing that you really passionate about because you're so ambitious on getting this thing done that you kind of overlook certain things or your wellness might be affected. It's all these different things. They don't really.

Because it's fine print. You don't see it.

Exactly.

We don't read.

But I do want to ask you before we get out of here, your discipline, like, how did you build the proper discipline of work in the industry that you operate in?

Yeah, well, I mean, I think it's connected to the ambition. And it's so funny that you made that point because I think I was in denial about my ambition for a long time. When people would be like, oh, you're a career woman. Be like, oh, am I really? Like, I just, I wanted to do this and I just did what I needed to do to get. You know what I mean? They're like, that's what we mean, you know. So for me, I think my blind ambition sometimes drove the discipline without me even realizing it. Because I'm so focused on like I'm a dreamer, you know, and like I'm constantly dreaming. I'm kind without even realizing it. It's like, okay, here's what I gotta do, you know, to get to that. So yeah, for me it starts with the dream and then it's like, how are you gonna get there? Apply.

So this is the real thing. I'll leave you with.

Yeah.

I asked about your fuck you money and where your end goal at. Cause these always get my brain re rolling. Impact investing, it is where you raise money.

That's right.

Non profit and then you can go out.

Yes.

That's into business.

Absolutely.

I think that's your business.

Absolutely. That's my 30 years. Thank you, Ty. That's my plan.

Yes.

Impact investing. Exactly. Thank you so much for having me. This is great.

Thank you so much.

Absolutely.

And that was another episode of Lucky Money. See you guys soon.