Ep. 1: Where it all began
Passion to Legacy
Welcome to the first episode of Passion To Legacy - a podcast where listeners can get a true behind-the-scenes look into the various careers in the sports industry! If you’re wondering what this show is about and what you can expect to learn in future episodes, this episode is for you! I will be walking you through WHY I started this podcast and my personal journey into the sports industry.
INSIDE THE EPISODE:
Early on in my professional career, I felt stagnant, unfulfilled, and ultimately in search of more. I did everything I was supposed to. I went to school, got a degree, volunteered, and landed an unpaid internship. When it was finally time for me to enter the job market, I applied for a ton of jobs and found out just how challenging it was to get any kind of job. I eventually landed my first job thanks to a connection I had. However, it didn't take long for me to start questioning everything. I started dreading going into work in the mornings and I started doing the countdowns shortly after I arrived.
I began to really think about the type of career that I longed for. I started diving into research and absorbing things like a sponge. I had always loved sports, both playing and watching. In high school, my dream was to be the first female general manager in the NFL. Unfortunately, I'm Canadian, a female, and I've never played or worked around football. So I was at a bit of a disadvantage. I then started to think about how I could mesh my business knowledge with my passion for sports.
I began writing for FanSided.com. I wrote about the Boston Red Sox. This passion was ignited within me. I was able to have an outlet for my creativity. I was able to be involved in sports, which I had always loved, and I was able to use my analytical knowledge that I had from running ads. After a while, I started wanting more. I wanted to learn more about sports business jobs from the people that were actually in the industry.
One of the really challenging things about the dream that I had to be the first female general manager in the NFL was that I didn't see any other woman in that position. And frankly, I didn't know, or speak to any of the men that held those positions. So I didn't know what that job actually entailed.
It just seemed like it would be cool. And because I already was in a lucky position to have a job, I knew that I could explore other opportunities at a low risk factor, as opposed to applying for different jobs, getting something and then learning what the day-to-day responsibilities are and seeing that it really wasn't something that I wanted to do.
So I knew that having these conversations would help me to make more of an informed decision about what I wanted to do with my career, but it's really scary to reach out to a stranger and ask for help. So I put it on the back burner and I sat with it for a while.
I started diving more into sports books and came across a sports business course. In order to complete the course, I had to talk to three people working in sports. So it forced me to finally do this thing that I wanted to do. I was exposing myself to people who I otherwise would not have been exposed to. I was able to learn from them, as well as understand why continuing to advance your knowledge by taking courses is so important.
When I started reaching out to people I dove right in and I was shocked by how many people responded to me and how many people were willing to sit down and chat for 15 to 20 minutes. I learned that people who are working in sports are particularly helpful because they know how challenging it is to get your foot in the door. And they're more than willing to sit down and have a short conversation and try to help you out as best as they can. The problem is that a lot of people don't know where to start, and there's a limited amount of time that people who work in the sports industry have. So it's a lot of people who are trying to do the same thing who are trying to ask the same questions, but through my networking, I had some really, really incredible conversations.
I learned a lot from a career and personal standpoint. Every single conversation that I had with somebody I left with a nugget of wisdom that I didn't have prior. Things don't happen overnight, but it created opportunities that otherwise wouldn't have been open to me. The more people that I talked to, I learned that if you want to break into the sports industry or accelerate your career, it really comes down to who you know. People need to learn how to network and they need a space that allows them to do so.
That is why I created the Passion To Legacy podcast. I'm opening the curtains and sharing these impactful conversations with professionals working behind the scenes in the sports industry. The bases are loaded in this podcast. We're chatting about career goals, hurdles, and charity. So grab a pen and pull up a seat. You're going to want to take notes. This is the podcast that I wish was around when I first started networking with people. This is a podcast that I wish I could have utilized to dip my toes into networking.
As a listener, you can expect to gain motivation and inspiration for pursuing your dreams because your dreams are worth pursuing. You don't want to spend the rest of your career working at a job that is not feeling fulfilling. You'll get an insider's perspective into what it's actually like working in the sports industry.
You'll gain clarity from that on what it is that you actually want and what you don't want, which is equally as important. You'll gain insights for getting involved in different charitable work. You'll learn networking, getting tips to land a role in the sports industry and much more.
CONNECT WITH ME ON:
LinkedIn - Emma Vertolli
Twitter - emm_vert
Instagram - @itsemmavert
TikTok - @itsemmavert
Clubhouse - @itsemmavert
MORE ABOUT THE PASSION TO LEGACY PODCAST:
Passion To Legacy allows listeners to get a true behind-the-scenes look at the various careers inside the sports industry; even as detailed as the day-to-day duties and operations. Learn what it takes to land your dream role. Gain clarity on what your future career could be. Take action and kick start your humanitarian spirit.
Emma Vertolli is a marketing strategist whose career has centered around growing and nurturing communities. Early on in her professional career she felt stagnant, unfulfilled, and in search for more. She dove into sports business courses, books, & networking. To her surprise, she learned that if you want to break into the sports industry AND accelerate your career, it all comes down to who you know. There was a trend that kept coming up: people need to learn how to network & people need a space to be able to do so.
In Passion To Legacy, Emma shares impactful conversations with professionals working behind the scenes in the sports industry. The bases are loaded in this podcast, we’re chatting all about career goals, hurdles & charity. So grab a pen and pull up a seat - you’re going to want to take notes!
As a listener, you can expect to:
- Gain motivation and inspiration for pursuing your dreams
- Get an insider's perspective into what it’s like working in the sports industry
- Gain insight for getting involved in charitable work
- Learn networking tips for landing a role in the sports industry
- Plus much more!
Pro tip: new episodes drop every Tuesday & Thursday. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a session!