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Speaker 1: If you really are tapped into your purpose and where

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Speaker 1: you truly believe your call to be, then the dots

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Speaker 1: will always connect. So you just have to be patient

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Speaker 1: and trust.

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Speaker 2: What's going on.

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Speaker 3: Emily Body, here, I have a confession. I giggled when

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Speaker 3: I realized that this is episode three hundred and sixty

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Speaker 3: nine of Hurdle, a wellness focused podcast where I talk

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Speaker 3: to inspirational people about everything from their highest ties and toughest.

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Speaker 2: Moments to essential tips on.

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Speaker 3: How to live a healthier, happier, more motivated life. We

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Speaker 3: all go through our fair share of hurdles. My goal

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Speaker 3: through these discussions is to empower you to better navigate

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Speaker 3: yours and move with intention so that you can stride

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Speaker 3: towards your own big potential and of course have some

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Speaker 3: fun a long way. For episode thirty six nine, I

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Speaker 3: am chatting with Shana Stevenson. She's the chief brand officer

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Speaker 3: for the New York Liberty, Brooklyn's very own WNBA team.

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Speaker 3: I was elated to be connected with Shana last month

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Speaker 3: and so excited to have her on the show because

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Speaker 3: these are the conversations that light me up, the conversations

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Speaker 3: that peel back the curtain so that we can see

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Speaker 3: what's going on behind the scenes. In our conversation today,

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Speaker 3: Shana gives me the lowdown on how she ended up

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Speaker 3: at The Liberty, at background in fashion, in sports, and

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Speaker 3: at one point a dream job at ESPN. We talk

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Speaker 3: about how that term dream job can evolve over time

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Speaker 3: and how, just like we are all growing and evolving

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Speaker 3: every day, so do our career aspirations. We chat about

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Speaker 3: the crazy evolution of the WNBA and what it was

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Speaker 3: like when Shana first started working with The Liberty to now,

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Speaker 3: what goes into building a brand for a team like this,

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Speaker 3: and how it feels that the fandom is really catching

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Speaker 3: on that Woman's bastball is in such a different place

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Speaker 3: than it was when she started with the team in

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Speaker 3: twenty eighteen. We talk about the integral role that Channa

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Speaker 3: played and the team's transition to Brooklyn, what her responsibilities

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Speaker 3: are as the chief brand Officer, what it felt like

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Speaker 3: to be in the building for that championship win last year,

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Speaker 3: and how we're both trying to make more time for

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Speaker 3: our personal lives outside of work, which can be a

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Speaker 3: tad difficult when you're so invested in what you do

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Speaker 3: and the culture. Plus, don't you worry. Of course, of

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Speaker 3: course we talk about Ellie the Elephant. I also need

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Speaker 3: to add that Ellie reposted my photo last week.

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Speaker 2: So I feel like I've hit peak status.

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Speaker 3: I don't know if my interactions on Instagram will ever

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Speaker 3: get more exciting than that. Make sure you're following along

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Speaker 3: over on social It's at Hurdle podcast. I am over

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Speaker 3: at Emily a Body and the Substack. It's the weekly Hurdle.

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Speaker 3: It comes out every single Friday. It's absolutely free unless

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Speaker 3: you want to pledge and support, which is more than appreciated.

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Speaker 2: But in it, I'm telling you a story from the week.

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Speaker 3: I'm giving you my favorites, my gear, what I'm listening to,

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Speaker 3: what I'm reading, what I'm watching, and highlighting some of

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Speaker 3: what's going on in the world of women's sports, health, wellness,

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Speaker 3: links of the week, that sort of thing. So again,

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Speaker 3: to subscribe, it's absolutely free and the link to do

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Speaker 3: that is waiting for you in the show notes. Share

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Speaker 3: the show with a friend today and make sure if

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Speaker 3: you haven't yet rated Hurdle in wherever you get your podcasts,

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Speaker 3: do that too. Your support means the world. With that,

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Speaker 3: Let's get to it. Let's get to hurdling. Today, I

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Speaker 3: am sitting down with Shana Stevenson. She's the chief brand

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Speaker 3: officer for the New York Liberty. Welcome to hurdle, Shana.

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Speaker 3: How are we doing.

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Speaker 4: I'm doing great. I'm so excited for this conversation.

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Speaker 3: I'm so excited for this conversation too. We met last

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Speaker 3: I'm like lost all track of time last month. Last

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Speaker 3: month at the Travel and Leisure World's Best Summit. Say

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Speaker 3: that five times fast, right, And I was just so

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Speaker 3: impressed by the wealth of knowledge that you brought to

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Speaker 3: that conversation on sports tourism. And then I inevitably developed

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Speaker 3: a crush on you because I'm like, Wow, this woman

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Speaker 3: is such a boss.

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Speaker 1: Oh, it's mutual. As soon as I saw you first

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Speaker 1: of all, your shoes were amazing, your nails were amazing,

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Speaker 1: and I was like, yeah, I think.

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Speaker 2: We should be friends.

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Speaker 3: I think that's also something I've been thinking about this

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Speaker 3: a lot lately, Like when you meet someone or you

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Speaker 3: come across someone, you have a nice thought about them,

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Speaker 3: I'm like to tell.

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Speaker 2: That, Yeah, you need to tell that.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree.

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Speaker 3: Life is too short to see or to think nice

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Speaker 3: things about people and not let them know. I love

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Speaker 3: that yeah, I agree with that. So you are the

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Speaker 3: chief brand Officer at the New York Liberty. I am

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Speaker 3: explain what that means to people who might not know.

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Speaker 3: Let's start there.

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Speaker 1: Okay, so it sounds like a very fancy title, but

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Speaker 1: essentially I oversee all of marketing and branding and content

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Speaker 1: and social in arena experience design, like graphic design for

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Speaker 1: the New York Liberty. So how we show up on

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Speaker 1: game day, how we show up in and around the

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Speaker 1: community on social media, like establishing the voice and the

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Speaker 1: tone the content that we want to capture. I have

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Speaker 1: a phenomenal team, so I'm not as in the weeds

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Speaker 1: on it on the day to day, but all of

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Speaker 1: that still sits under my purview and it's exciting. I've

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Speaker 1: been with the team now since twenty eighteen, so this

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Speaker 1: is my eighth season with the Liberal, and every season

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Speaker 1: just continues to get.

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Speaker 4: Better and better.

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Speaker 1: I think what I love about the job is that

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Speaker 1: as a roster continues to evolve, the work changes in

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Speaker 1: a way because the team is different. So we have

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Speaker 1: to think about ways that we can continue to connect

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Speaker 1: with the community, connect with the fan, tap into culture

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Speaker 1: in a way that feels really authentic. To who we are,

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Speaker 1: but also our players identify with and so that's something

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Speaker 1: that's fun. And then also as the league evolves and

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Speaker 1: the competition continues to improve and the gap is closed

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Speaker 1: between like the top tier teams and the lower tier players,

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Speaker 1: that also challenges me in a different way, challenges our

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Speaker 1: team in a different way where we start to see

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Speaker 1: other teams are investing, you know, resources into their content

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Speaker 1: teams or their branding or whatever it is, and how

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Speaker 1: can we stay one step ahead of everyone. And then

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Speaker 1: I forgot to mention Ellie as Wellwi it's also obviously

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Speaker 1: eight years.

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Speaker 3: We'll get into all of the growth and the special

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Speaker 3: things that have happened for The Liberty over the past

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Speaker 3: eight years. But when you think about yourself personally, talk

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Speaker 3: to me about your growth over the last eight years

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Speaker 3: and what for you has been the most resonant as

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Speaker 3: you step into your own in this phase of your career.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, that's a great question.

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Speaker 1: I think over the past eight years, I've had to

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Speaker 1: learn how to trust the people that I hire. When

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Speaker 1: I started with The Liberty, I was a team of one,

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Speaker 1: so I was literally shooting the content, posting the content,

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Speaker 1: writing the captions, interviewing, the players, updating the stats in game,

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Speaker 1: you know, editing the video. I was doing it all

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Speaker 1: And so as the team has grown over time and

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Speaker 1: I've hired more people to come on board, I've had

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Speaker 1: to just kind of like trust that they get it

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Speaker 1: and they have the same amount of care that I

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Speaker 1: have when it comes to how we show up and

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Speaker 1: how we execute. Also recognize that their approach might be different,

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Speaker 1: but that doesn't mean that it's wrong, you know. And

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Speaker 1: so as someone who's a control freak, I'm a leio,

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Speaker 1: so you know, everything has to be top tier all

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Speaker 1: the time. How we show up, it's our reputation, it's

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Speaker 1: our everything. And just being able to just kind of

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Speaker 1: like let go and trust that it's going to be fine.

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Speaker 4: So that's something that I would say has.

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Speaker 1: Been the biggest area of evolution for myself, is just

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Speaker 1: being able to delegate and not be so in the

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Speaker 1: weeez and just like let go when I need to.

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Speaker 3: Also a gift to have this opportunity now to delegate,

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Speaker 3: knowing what you used to do all on your own

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Speaker 3: such a massive undertaking. I love what you said about

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Speaker 3: just because someone does something different than you doesn't mean

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Speaker 3: that it's wrong. And I think that oftentimes when we

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Speaker 3: talk about hiring a team, you're almost looking for people

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Speaker 3: to do things differently or see things differently than you do,

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Speaker 3: to challenge that perspective, to bring in different points of view.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, for sure.

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Speaker 1: And I'm older, Like I still think I'm like cool

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Speaker 1: and I know it's hot. You were cool, Well, thank you,

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Speaker 1: But I'm not like a twenty something year old's cool,

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Speaker 1: right and so, and a majority of our players are

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Speaker 1: a twenty something and so having a social media manager

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Speaker 1: who speaks their language in a way that I don't,

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Speaker 1: I just trust, like, all right, if you guys think

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Speaker 1: this is hot, then I trust that it's hot. Or

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Speaker 1: even in terms of the celebrities that come to our game,

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Speaker 1: we just had the cast or a few cast members

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Speaker 1: from the Summer I turn pretty never heard of that.

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Speaker 2: Show, never heard of it, never heard of that show.

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Speaker 1: Literally everybody on this team was like, oh my god,

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Speaker 1: they're coming to our game. And I was like, okay, Like,

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Speaker 1: if you guys think this is going to move the

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Speaker 1: needle or resonate with a subset of our crowd, then yeah,

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Speaker 1: let's put them up on the jumbo tront you know.

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Speaker 4: So Yeah, being able to.

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Speaker 1: Just trust and know that this is that area is

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Speaker 1: not my specialty when it comes to like pop culture

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Speaker 1: gen z stuff that's happening. Yeah, but also knowing how

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Speaker 1: to surround myself with the people who are tapped into

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Speaker 1: that yeah, and know that they're going to get it right,

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Speaker 1: you know, And so so that I mean, it's fun

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Speaker 1: because I don't have to think about a million things

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Speaker 1: like I used.

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Speaker 3: To, Yeah, like I used to, Yeah, which I'm sure

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Speaker 3: could get overwhelming and then perhaps be an easy avenue

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Speaker 3: for burnout. From the early days when you were doing

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Speaker 3: so much all at once, and also stepping back into

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Speaker 3: corporate life from working for yourself, how did you navigate

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Speaker 3: maybe the anxiety, the pressure, the inevitable burnout that comes

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Speaker 3: with doing it all.

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Speaker 1: That's still a work in progress. I'm being completely honest.

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Speaker 1: I think just because I have a bigger team now,

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Speaker 1: it doesn't mean that I'm still not overwhelmed at times

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Speaker 1: with work. And like before we started recording, I told

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Speaker 1: you that I'm like always trying to find that balance.

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Speaker 1: And because our season is in the summer, I don't

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Speaker 1: have a traditional summer like everyone else.

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Speaker 4: Like this summer, I didn't take a vacation. I usually travel.

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Speaker 1: Didn't travel this summer, and so that's something that I'm

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Speaker 1: trying to still like navigate daily. I carve out moments

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Speaker 1: in the day. I try to work out every day.

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Speaker 1: If I don't get it done in the morning, it

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Speaker 1: won't happen. And I know that about myself, so really

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Speaker 1: just prioritizing that hour in the morning to just like

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Speaker 1: get it in, make sure I get in a good sweat,

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Speaker 1: and then throughout the rest of the day it's like, Okay,

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Speaker 1: everything else will take care of itself and fall into place.

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Speaker 4: But I notice that if I don't.

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Speaker 1: Prioritize working out in the morning, I just feel sluggish.

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Speaker 4: Attitude is off. I it's just like the vibes are

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Speaker 4: just low.

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Speaker 1: It's just like I'm a very low vibrational person when

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Speaker 1: I don't work out.

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Speaker 4: And so for me, I have.

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Speaker 1: To prioritize that because not only it's not only for myself, but.

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Speaker 4: It's more the people that I also interact with.

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Speaker 1: You know, I want to just make sure like I'm

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Speaker 1: always showing up as my best self, and for me,

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Speaker 1: that is something that is really important.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, you have to put your own oxygen mask on first.

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Speaker 3: As like cliche as that can sound. It's not only

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Speaker 3: so that you can help yourself and show up for yourself,

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Speaker 3: but it's so that you can show up for your

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Speaker 3: other people.

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Speaker 2: Right.

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Speaker 3: So it's been a very fun year for the Liberty Championships.

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Speaker 2: Last season, big season for the team again.

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Speaker 3: And as you said, so much has changed since you

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Speaker 3: joined the Liberty. When would you say was the tipping

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Speaker 3: point that you really felt like the w was starting

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Speaker 3: to get some more traction.

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Speaker 1: So there are two moments that come to mind, and

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Speaker 1: I would say one was twenty twenty, and that was

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Speaker 1: the season that we played in the bubble, the WNBA bubble,

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Speaker 1: and I was in the bubble for about a month

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Speaker 1: of that time, and that was the height of you know,

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Speaker 1: the protests and Black Lives Matter and Breonna Taylor, George

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Speaker 1: Floyd and also when Atlanta like flipped the Senate seat

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Speaker 1: for that Senate race in Atlanta, and so just social

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Speaker 1: justice was really at the forefront and seeing these athletes

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Speaker 1: use their platforms to really make noise about something that

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Speaker 1: mattered to them but was also better for our country

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Speaker 1: and for them to start to get the recognition and

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Speaker 1: the publicity around it, but not do it for that reason.

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Speaker 2: They just did it because I felt that it was right.

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Speaker 1: That was a really pivotal moment I think in our

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Speaker 1: league's history and our story, and they've always had history

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Speaker 1: rooted and activism within this league. When you think about

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Speaker 1: the league being majority black women or women of color,

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Speaker 1: you know a large queer LGBTQ plus population within the league.

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Speaker 1: So being marginalized people, you can't stay silent about these issues, right,

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Speaker 1: and so they recognize like there's a lot on the

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Speaker 1: line and just saying like e fit, we have to

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Speaker 1: use our platforms to speak up and for them to

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Speaker 1: really be united in that was really really special and powerful.

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Speaker 1: So to be a part of that at that time,

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Speaker 1: it was really meaningful. I mean, there were so many

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Speaker 1: nights in the bubble where it was just like such

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Speaker 1: an emotional time just because it was like, what are

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Speaker 1: we doing? How can we better use our platforms? As

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Speaker 1: someone who's not an athlete but understanding that I'm there

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Speaker 1: also for a purpose and how can I support you

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Speaker 1: in that? And not just liberty players at the time,

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Speaker 1: but just all of the players that were there, the

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Speaker 1: one hundred and forty four players that were there. So

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Speaker 1: that's a moment that really stands out to me and

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Speaker 1: then also for the Liberty specifically, we played our first

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Speaker 1: season in Brooklyn in twenty twenty one. Twenty twenty two,

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Speaker 1: we went to the playoffs and we played Chicago in

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Speaker 1: a series, and admittedly, when we went to Chicago on

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Speaker 1: the road for Game one, we didn't expect to win.

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Speaker 1: They were just much better than us, and we ended

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Speaker 1: up stealing a win in Chicago, which then forced a

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Speaker 1: Game three back in Brooklyn, and we suddenly were like, Okay.

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Speaker 4: We have to sell tickets. We have to try to

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Speaker 4: fill this arena.

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Speaker 1: And at the time we were able to get eight

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Speaker 1: thousand fans in the building. And I say get eight

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Speaker 1: thousand fans in the building because that wasn't all tickets sold.

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Speaker 1: It was some comps, you know, some sold, but it

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Speaker 1: wasn't just like all paid tickets, and it was such

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Speaker 1: an electrifying energy in the building, and it was just

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Speaker 1: so loud and so for context, eight thousand fans pretty

287
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Speaker 1: much filled the lower bowl in Barclay Center, so the

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Speaker 1: top was still curtained off.

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Speaker 4: But when we looked around and we saw a.

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Speaker 1: Full lower bowl, that gave us a sense of what

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Speaker 1: was possible in Brooklyn. And then as we started to

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Speaker 1: look ahead to the twenty twenty three season. My goal

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Speaker 1: was just to carry that momentum into twenty twenty three

294
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Speaker 1: and really position the team as growing and fun to

295
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Speaker 1: watch and just have this team that just has this

296
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Speaker 1: buzz about it in Brooklyn. And so from that moment on,

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Speaker 1: we knew that we had something great and we were

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Speaker 1: really building something wonderful and we were on the right path.

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Speaker 1: And then we also had a really special free agency

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Speaker 1: that summer or that off season we were able to

301
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Speaker 1: sign while we traded for JJ and we signed Rihanna

302
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Speaker 1: Stewart or Stewie, and we also signed Courtney van der Slute,

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Speaker 1: so that also helped. But I would say that those

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Speaker 1: two moments were the ones for me.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I can't even imagine what it had to be

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Speaker 3: like being in the bubble, which will be the word

307
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Speaker 3: I use now moving forward. And it's so interesting to

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Speaker 3: me now hearing you say we wanted to portray this

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Speaker 3: team as something that was electric and exciting, and so

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Speaker 3: then I think about what it's got to be like

311
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Speaker 3: to be you, Shana and to be like, Okay, I

312
00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:33,920
Speaker 3: know that this is my goal. How do I do

313
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Speaker 3: this right? How do I what balls do I put

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Speaker 3: in motion? Who am I talking to? What am I creating? Like?

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Speaker 3: How does your head go about that type of problem solving?

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Speaker 1: Yeah, so it's working really closely with our game presentation

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Speaker 1: team and a lot of what and I know you

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Speaker 1: come to our games regularly, so a lot of what

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Speaker 1: you experience at our games today existed. Then it's just

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Speaker 1: like you know, ten times amplified. Yeah, it's just amplify

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Speaker 1: just because now there's twice as many fans in the

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Speaker 1: building every game. But a lot of it is just

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Speaker 1: like really being in tune with the DJ, our game director,

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Speaker 1: understanding what songs to tap into. And again it goes

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Speaker 1: back to that trust, right, So me being the person

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Speaker 1: that kind of leads it all and has this vision

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Speaker 1: of how it should all come together, being able to

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Speaker 1: effectively communicate that in a way that they understand and

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Speaker 1: it translates for them to be able to execute. I'm

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Speaker 1: not a DJ, you know, I can't tap into the

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Speaker 1: songs at the right moments, but we have someone who can,

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Speaker 1: and he understands the type of vibe, the type of

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Speaker 1: music that we want in the building when to hit

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Speaker 1: those moments. Because it's something that we've discussed over time,

335
00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:50,800
Speaker 1: and if there are moments where it feels off, I

336
00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,880
Speaker 1: send a text like midgame like h please don't play

337
00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:57,280
Speaker 1: that song again, you know, or not at that moment,

338
00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:00,320
Speaker 1: and so all of us have to really stay in

339
00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,640
Speaker 1: in communication around that. And then obviously, like Ellie's team

340
00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:07,359
Speaker 1: is a huge part in that. Christia Long, who's our

341
00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:12,680
Speaker 1: senior director of entertainment. She manages Ellie and the entertainment team,

342
00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:19,119
Speaker 1: so timeless torches, torch patrol and little torches, and she

343
00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:21,480
Speaker 1: also does it for the nets and the Long Island nets.

344
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Speaker 1: But she's so talented and so we can talk about

345
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Speaker 1: Ellie should perform as Nicki Minaj for a home opener,

346
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Speaker 1: and that's all, you know, that's the conversation between the

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Speaker 1: two of us, and then she just goes and executes

348
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Speaker 1: however she feels like it'll come to life and then

349
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Speaker 1: I'll come in and like look at it and be like, yeah,

350
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Speaker 1: this looks great, or you know, for halftime performances during

351
00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:47,800
Speaker 1: the playoffs. We understand the type of vibe we want

352
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Speaker 1: in the arena. We want there to be a party.

353
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Speaker 1: We wanted to feel very New York. We wanted to

354
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Speaker 1: feel intimidating for our opponents, and so you know, collectively

355
00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,760
Speaker 1: will id eight around. How does that, you know, transform?

356
00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:03,800
Speaker 1: How does that all come together? So everyone is completely

357
00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:08,040
Speaker 1: bought in, Everyone understands their role. Everyone stays in their lane,

358
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Speaker 1: so there's not people trying to do jobs that is

359
00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,800
Speaker 1: someone else's. And I think, you know, that's why we

360
00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:16,320
Speaker 1: have so much success on our team, because there is

361
00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:18,720
Speaker 1: a lot of trust there and a lot of respect

362
00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,320
Speaker 1: for you know what everyone else brings to the table.

363
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Speaker 3: So cool, you've mentioned Ellie. We must tap into Ellie

364
00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:28,480
Speaker 3: at least briefly, right now. Ellie short for Ellie the Elephant,

365
00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:32,360
Speaker 3: also a reference to Ellis Island, Ellie the Elephant, elephants

366
00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:33,600
Speaker 3: crossing the Brooklyn.

367
00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:35,560
Speaker 2: Bridge right back in the days of P. T. Barnum

368
00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:36,000
Speaker 2: and Bailey.

369
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Speaker 3: And so I take a step back and I think

370
00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:41,120
Speaker 3: about the thought process and the people in the room.

371
00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:46,040
Speaker 3: So when you were throwing around ideas for Ellie, when

372
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Speaker 3: did you know you hit the nail.

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00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:47,879
Speaker 4: On the head.

374
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Speaker 1: It didn't happen in that early phase because when we

375
00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:57,800
Speaker 1: when we started ideating around a mascot, we were still

376
00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:02,240
Speaker 1: in Westchester, and then the pandemic hit and then that

377
00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:03,560
Speaker 1: put a pause on everything.

378
00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,080
Speaker 4: So we really didn't start. We didn't really.

379
00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:10,280
Speaker 1: Resume planning Ellie until the latter part of twenty twenty

380
00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:12,679
Speaker 1: as we started to head into the twenty twenty one season.

381
00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:15,920
Speaker 1: But even then, we were still dealing with a lot

382
00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,840
Speaker 1: of the after effects of COVID. You know, we were

383
00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:22,880
Speaker 1: testing fans every day, and our entertainment teams couldn't even

384
00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,880
Speaker 1: perform on the court, and so we built a stage

385
00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:28,080
Speaker 1: in like one of the end zones where that's where

386
00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:30,639
Speaker 1: they were performing. And so we had a subset of

387
00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:34,119
Speaker 1: fans who were loyal to the Liberty but also really

388
00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:38,160
Speaker 1: loved our previous mascot, Maddie. And so, you know, because

389
00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:40,960
Speaker 1: Ellie wasn't able to really perform in the way that

390
00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,879
Speaker 1: we know her to today, it took some time for

391
00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:47,200
Speaker 1: us to figure out, you know, who is this mascot

392
00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:48,840
Speaker 1: going to be, Like, what is she going to be

393
00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:52,000
Speaker 1: most known for? And so even with the costume, like

394
00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,480
Speaker 1: Ellie's look has evolved over the years, and a lot

395
00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:59,000
Speaker 1: of that just comes through her just trying new things,

396
00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:02,920
Speaker 1: and we realized, like she's an amazing dancer, and the

397
00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,159
Speaker 1: weight of the costume was inhibiting her ability to really

398
00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,880
Speaker 1: perform in the capacity that she wanted that, we wanted

399
00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:14,080
Speaker 1: that fans could really connect with. And so it's really

400
00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:19,679
Speaker 1: just been, you know, an evolution. I think when Carti

401
00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:24,440
Speaker 1: B tweeted about Ellie because at the time, Ellie had

402
00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:29,080
Speaker 1: done a TikTok dance to Bongo, one of Cardi B's

403
00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:33,959
Speaker 1: songs from a few years back, and she says something

404
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,639
Speaker 1: like that elephant ate me up. It was it was

405
00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:40,640
Speaker 1: something to add effect. And then Billboard picked up Carti's

406
00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,720
Speaker 1: tweet turned it into a headline and a story about Ellie.

407
00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,320
Speaker 1: And then that's when I was like, wow, like this

408
00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:51,000
Speaker 1: is this is different. And then you know, since that moment,

409
00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:55,520
Speaker 1: She's danced on stage with Sierra at Sierra's concert, She's

410
00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:59,080
Speaker 1: collaborated with Justin Timberlake when he was at Barclay Center.

411
00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:02,840
Speaker 1: She's performed with Little Kim at our basketball game. You know.

412
00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,440
Speaker 4: So Ellie can do it all.

413
00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:09,280
Speaker 1: And I don't even think that we've reached the capacity

414
00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:11,960
Speaker 1: or limits around what Ellie is capable of.

415
00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,120
Speaker 2: I think there's still so much more for us to explore.

416
00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,400
Speaker 3: It is so fun to see how she has evolved

417
00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:20,000
Speaker 3: in like Ellie getting partnerships.

418
00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,720
Speaker 2: I'm like, shoot, Ellie's making the bag Ellie.

419
00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:23,600
Speaker 4: Is getting to the bag.

420
00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:26,879
Speaker 1: I mean, you know, it started when she started to

421
00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:32,320
Speaker 1: dress in more fashion forward looks in the Tunnel and

422
00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,520
Speaker 1: she wore the tel Far bag and everyone went crazy

423
00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:39,640
Speaker 1: over that, just because what tel Far represents and you know, culture,

424
00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:41,679
Speaker 1: and the fact that she pulled it off in the

425
00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:43,120
Speaker 1: way that she did it was just.

426
00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,480
Speaker 4: Like it blew everyone's mind. But yeah, you know, we.

427
00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:50,680
Speaker 1: Announced a partnership with se Nails and they signed Ellie

428
00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,679
Speaker 1: or I don't I can't remember the official term, but

429
00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:58,520
Speaker 1: it was like she's like the first ambassador of their brand,

430
00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,800
Speaker 1: and they approached us and said, you know, asked us

431
00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:07,320
Speaker 1: to consider putting nails on Ellie's costume. We didn't even hesitate, honestly,

432
00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,400
Speaker 1: because it's just again the evolution of her look.

433
00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:11,960
Speaker 4: She's just so glamorous.

434
00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:16,639
Speaker 1: She's walks red carpets and worn gowns, and it just

435
00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:19,920
Speaker 1: felt like, yeah, this is a natural next step for her,

436
00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:23,199
Speaker 1: so yes, let's talk about it. She has, you know,

437
00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,919
Speaker 1: helped us launch our away partnership. So it's just really

438
00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,800
Speaker 1: fun to work with brands and partners who are also

439
00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,480
Speaker 1: thinking out of the box and not afraid to try

440
00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:37,720
Speaker 1: new things and really understand who we are as a brand,

441
00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:42,560
Speaker 1: who Ellie is as an asset to us as an influencer,

442
00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:45,399
Speaker 1: and we just get to try so many cool things.

443
00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,040
Speaker 3: Taking a break from Jday's episode to talk to you

444
00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,919
Speaker 3: about my sponsor at Element, stay hydrated without the sugar,

445
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449
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450
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452
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453
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Speaker 3: I'm talking hiking, beach days, volleyball workouts, whatever you have

454
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455
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456
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Speaker 3: and I don't want to slow down. I don't have

457
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Speaker 3: time for that. Again, this is why Element is my

458
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459
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460
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462
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464
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465
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Speaker 3: Element flavor or share with a friend.

466
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467
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Speaker 3: That url to get your free eight count sample pack

468
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Speaker 3: of their most popular drink mixed flavors is drink l

469
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470
00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:33,400
Speaker 3: love to ag One. It's a big week for ag

471
00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:39,119
Speaker 3: one because they recently announced their first ever three new flavors.

472
00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:43,679
Speaker 3: We've got Barry, We've got Citrus, and we've got Tropical.

473
00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,240
Speaker 3: I'm gonna say it here, Citrus is my new go to.

474
00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,840
Speaker 3: These flavors reflect so much research and development and listening

475
00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,320
Speaker 3: to feedback about what could make ag one even better

476
00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:57,520
Speaker 3: for those who want more flavor and variety in their

477
00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:01,679
Speaker 3: daily multivitamin and gut helps of routine. So let me

478
00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:04,240
Speaker 3: give you the rundown. Tropical. It tastes sweet.

479
00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:04,920
Speaker 2: It's vibrant.

480
00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:07,680
Speaker 3: It's bright, like papaya and passion fruit. It's for people

481
00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,679
Speaker 3: that really want a louder flavor. Citrus my go to.

482
00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:14,560
Speaker 3: It's sweet and tangy, tastes like orange, lemon berry is

483
00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:17,200
Speaker 3: I would say, the lightest sweet of them all. Tastes

484
00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:22,440
Speaker 3: like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and for many it's a fan favorite,

485
00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:24,960
Speaker 3: and of course can't leave out the original. It's got

486
00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,679
Speaker 3: those hints of pineapple and vanilla. It's the least sweet

487
00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:31,120
Speaker 3: of them all, but more of a purists favorite if

488
00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:34,399
Speaker 3: you will. All four flavors are available now in AG

489
00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:37,400
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490
00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:41,080
Speaker 3: travel packs. I've been on the AG one train for

491
00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:44,280
Speaker 3: years now. As you know, it helps me feel better

492
00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,439
Speaker 3: in my body and makes me feel more energized and

493
00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:52,520
Speaker 3: capable to take full advantage of my day with prebiotics, probiotics,

494
00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:57,439
Speaker 3: adaptogens and superfoods. Get in on AG one today by

495
00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:02,240
Speaker 3: heading to drinkag one dot com slash hurdle. That's drinkag

496
00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:05,880
Speaker 3: one dot com slash hurdle, where you can get a

497
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Speaker 3: free welcome kit, including five free travel packs and a

498
00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:13,920
Speaker 3: year's supply of vitamin D three K two with your purchase. Again,

499
00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:18,240
Speaker 3: that website for your free welcome kit is drinkag one

500
00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,439
Speaker 3: dot com slash hurdle.

501
00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:31,679
Speaker 2: Let's get back to it. I want to go back.

502
00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:35,080
Speaker 3: To talking about Shana and speaking about not being afraid

503
00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:38,080
Speaker 3: to try new things. So you did work at ESPN

504
00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,200
Speaker 3: for a considerable amount of time and then you tried

505
00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:42,960
Speaker 3: a new thing, which was going out on your own.

506
00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:45,640
Speaker 3: Talk to me about how that felt for a little

507
00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:49,640
Speaker 3: while being your own boss, and if that felt at

508
00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:51,560
Speaker 3: the time like it was something that really resonated with you.

509
00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:53,000
Speaker 4: It did at the time.

510
00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,120
Speaker 1: So I was at ESPN for three years and I

511
00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,840
Speaker 1: felt like that was long enough. It was long enough

512
00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:03,400
Speaker 1: for me, and I remember telling my parents and my

513
00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,960
Speaker 1: brother when I was considering leaving. I was like, I

514
00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:10,000
Speaker 1: think I'm going to quit and I want to start

515
00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:14,720
Speaker 1: my own thing. And even my friends everyone's reaction was like, what,

516
00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:18,480
Speaker 1: you know, who leaves ESPN. That's everyone's dream job. And

517
00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,760
Speaker 1: my reaction was, yeah, it was my dream job too

518
00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,560
Speaker 1: until it wasn't. And I don't want to stay somewhere

519
00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:30,840
Speaker 1: just because of you know, it's ESPN. I had a

520
00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:34,680
Speaker 1: mentor at a time, and she and This is something

521
00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:37,840
Speaker 1: that I still live by today, and it's also something

522
00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:41,120
Speaker 1: that I share a lot when I speak publicly. And

523
00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:43,880
Speaker 1: she said, use the letters, don't let the letters use you.

524
00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:49,000
Speaker 1: And you think about working for ESPN or working for Google,

525
00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:52,959
Speaker 1: working for Apple, working for Nike, like these, you know,

526
00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,440
Speaker 1: amazing brands that everyone wants to be a part of,

527
00:29:56,600 --> 00:30:01,320
Speaker 1: or say like I'm the insert whatever title here at

528
00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:06,760
Speaker 1: this company, and you realize though you're unhappy every day,

529
00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:10,280
Speaker 1: you know, every time my phone would buzz, I would

530
00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:10,880
Speaker 1: get like a.

531
00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,280
Speaker 4: Pit in my stomach, and I was like, I can't

532
00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:14,480
Speaker 4: live this way.

533
00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:16,960
Speaker 1: So I knew I had to make a change for

534
00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,920
Speaker 1: myself in order to really feel fulfilled in the work

535
00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,320
Speaker 1: that I was doing, and I also wanted to be

536
00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:27,080
Speaker 1: It was also about impact, and I just felt like

537
00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:29,960
Speaker 1: there was a ceiling and I wasn't really able to

538
00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:31,360
Speaker 1: contribute that much.

539
00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:34,160
Speaker 4: There, and I was just like, it's just time to go.

540
00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:38,920
Speaker 1: And I also read the room in terms of seeing

541
00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:43,960
Speaker 1: how people who had been at the company didn't necessarily

542
00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:48,840
Speaker 1: there weren't really opportunities for them to grow. There were

543
00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:53,240
Speaker 1: a lot of lateral movement, but that was about it.

544
00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:56,240
Speaker 1: And I was like, I'm not going to be stuck here,

545
00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,600
Speaker 1: and so I made the decision to leave and start

546
00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:03,000
Speaker 1: my own. At the time, it was a sports marketing company,

547
00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:06,280
Speaker 1: and I had previously worked in fashion, and so the

548
00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:10,920
Speaker 1: vision was to be an image consultant who not only

549
00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:14,680
Speaker 1: helped athletes with their marketing and endorsements, but also like

550
00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:19,880
Speaker 1: styling and image and branding. And this was in twenty ten,

551
00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:24,400
Speaker 1: in twenty eleven, and the NFL was on a lockout

552
00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:26,240
Speaker 1: at the time, and the NBA was on a lockout

553
00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:31,320
Speaker 1: at the time, and women athletes were way more underpaid

554
00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:34,200
Speaker 1: than the now, and so the timing of it just

555
00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:38,200
Speaker 1: wasn't great for me and my brother, who's also an entrepreneur,

556
00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:41,240
Speaker 1: and my family like, we're very direct, we do not

557
00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:46,680
Speaker 1: sugarcoat anything. So my brother was like, this is not

558
00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:48,920
Speaker 1: working for you, you know. And at the time, I

559
00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:52,440
Speaker 1: also started a blog where I was just like writing

560
00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:57,920
Speaker 1: about sports in New York and sports culture in the

561
00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:01,440
Speaker 1: intersection of those two things, and that really started to

562
00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:07,000
Speaker 1: present itself as being more lucrative for me in a

563
00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:11,120
Speaker 1: way that the marketing agency part of the business wasn't.

564
00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,719
Speaker 1: And my brother was like, I think you should like

565
00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:18,200
Speaker 1: lean into this and put that on hold for now

566
00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,880
Speaker 1: and like, let's just go all in. And he supported

567
00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:24,440
Speaker 1: me in terms of like helping to fund a lot

568
00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:27,240
Speaker 1: of the production stuff that I creative ideas that I

569
00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:31,440
Speaker 1: had around video series and recording a podcast.

570
00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,160
Speaker 4: And all of that, and so he was like.

571
00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:37,560
Speaker 1: Super supportive in that and it helped open a lot

572
00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:41,480
Speaker 1: of doors for me. Eventually, ESPN hired me back as

573
00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:44,520
Speaker 1: a writer. I wrote a couple you know features for

574
00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:48,840
Speaker 1: Bleacher Report. I was asked to go on air to

575
00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:52,120
Speaker 1: be a talking head around you know, issues related to

576
00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:55,840
Speaker 1: sports or sports activism or sports and culture, you know,

577
00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:57,200
Speaker 1: just hot topics.

578
00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:00,120
Speaker 4: And that opened up a lot of doors for me.

579
00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:03,240
Speaker 1: And then as a result of that, I was able

580
00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:07,400
Speaker 1: to work my way back into sports marketing and I

581
00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:10,160
Speaker 1: was started to consult and so I was just like

582
00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:12,320
Speaker 1: juggling all of these things and.

583
00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:13,400
Speaker 4: It was fun. You know.

584
00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:17,680
Speaker 1: It was a grind financially, you know, I initially had

585
00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:20,360
Speaker 1: a savings and then you blow.

586
00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:22,880
Speaker 4: Through that so much faster than you think.

587
00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:26,640
Speaker 1: I remember when I would pitch clients, I'd take them

588
00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:30,240
Speaker 1: to dinner and then eventually it turned into lunch and

589
00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:33,600
Speaker 1: then eventually just turned into coffee, you know, because I

590
00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:37,560
Speaker 1: was like I can't spend two hundred dollars on taking

591
00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,720
Speaker 1: this person to dinner and it yields nothing, you know,

592
00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:42,000
Speaker 1: So I just had to.

593
00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:46,200
Speaker 4: Be smarter about it. Would I live in Harlem, so.

594
00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:51,440
Speaker 1: I would walk over to Columbia and use their law

595
00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:55,000
Speaker 1: school lobby because they had AC and I didn't want

596
00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:56,640
Speaker 1: to use the AC in my apartment.

597
00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:00,800
Speaker 2: Dude.

598
00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:02,760
Speaker 3: I had a cousin when I was like a young

599
00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:06,560
Speaker 3: entrepreneur I'd say, like nine years ago, and he worked

600
00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:10,120
Speaker 3: for we Work, and so he gifted me like a

601
00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:12,200
Speaker 3: hot desk membership where I could go into the Wee

602
00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:14,160
Speaker 3: Works and work. And it was such a gift because

603
00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:16,960
Speaker 3: I also couldn't afford to run my air conditioning all

604
00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,040
Speaker 3: the time and work from home, and so I was

605
00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:20,759
Speaker 3: popping in and out of we Works like I mean,

606
00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:21,399
Speaker 3: it was my job.

607
00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:23,200
Speaker 2: I was living inside who we Work.

608
00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:26,520
Speaker 1: So you get really creative in terms of like, Okay,

609
00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:30,359
Speaker 1: I really need to stretch this twenty dollars for the

610
00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:34,359
Speaker 1: next two weeks, So where can I cut? Because I

611
00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:36,919
Speaker 1: wasn't making money, you know, but I still had rent

612
00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:40,799
Speaker 1: to pay. I also still wanted to have somewhat of

613
00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:43,920
Speaker 1: a life and be with my friends. But I remember

614
00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:47,280
Speaker 1: you know, they would go on vacations and the invitation

615
00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:50,080
Speaker 1: stopped because they knew I just didn't have it.

616
00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:52,160
Speaker 4: And it was a moment where it was like.

617
00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:55,239
Speaker 1: Yeah, guys, just don't even bother asking because I don't

618
00:34:55,239 --> 00:35:00,920
Speaker 1: have it. But I was happy. You know, it didn't

619
00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:04,120
Speaker 1: matter that I wasn't making money. I was so fulfilled

620
00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:07,080
Speaker 1: in what I was doing, and I was so committed

621
00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:10,960
Speaker 1: to living and walking in my purpose that I knew

622
00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:13,120
Speaker 1: that eventually it will work out for me.

623
00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:16,400
Speaker 4: And my parents didn't understand.

624
00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:19,880
Speaker 1: You know, I was writing one day, I was hosting

625
00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:23,680
Speaker 1: a podcast another day, I was on air doing something

626
00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:27,040
Speaker 1: another day, and not all of those opportunities were paid opportunities.

627
00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:29,680
Speaker 4: I was also like an adjunct professor.

628
00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,719
Speaker 1: I was doing so many things, but it was all

629
00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:37,279
Speaker 1: related to women in sports or sports activism, so there

630
00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,840
Speaker 1: was a common theme. And that's where I was really

631
00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:43,640
Speaker 1: able to just like establish.

632
00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:44,840
Speaker 4: A name and a brand for myself.

633
00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:48,279
Speaker 1: And then people started to associate me with that and

634
00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:51,640
Speaker 1: really respect me for like put in the work in

635
00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:55,200
Speaker 1: and paying my dues, especially at a time when you know.

636
00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:58,080
Speaker 4: Think about that that's like fifteen years.

637
00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:02,360
Speaker 1: Ago, being on and quote unquote like the Forefront of

638
00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:06,680
Speaker 1: women's sports in a league that's now turning thirty next season.

639
00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:10,720
Speaker 1: People didn't care about the WNBA or women's sports period

640
00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:15,920
Speaker 1: fifteen years ago. So now when people who know me

641
00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:18,960
Speaker 1: from then see where I am today, they're like, well,

642
00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:22,120
Speaker 1: you've been doing this, you know for years. You've been

643
00:36:22,520 --> 00:36:25,080
Speaker 1: making a name for yourself and telling people for years

644
00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:28,120
Speaker 1: and no one listens. So everyone is really happy that

645
00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:31,640
Speaker 1: it's like paid off for me. But I mean I

646
00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:34,280
Speaker 1: didn't care about that. Like for me, it was really

647
00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:37,040
Speaker 1: just like this is where I really where I feel

648
00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:41,719
Speaker 1: called to be, and so whether I was making one

649
00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:46,760
Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars or one thousand dollars, I was really committed.

650
00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:47,279
Speaker 4: To that at the time.

651
00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:52,720
Speaker 1: And so I'm happy, you know, obviously with the growth

652
00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:55,720
Speaker 1: and the trajectory of women's sports and that I'm still

653
00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:58,560
Speaker 1: a part of it, you know, as it's being celebrated

654
00:36:58,600 --> 00:36:59,440
Speaker 1: in the way that it is.

655
00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:03,400
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's so awesome and wonderful to see that you

656
00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:07,000
Speaker 3: really stood in your purpose and your passions and you

657
00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:10,239
Speaker 3: were able to follow that along your path to happiness.

658
00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:13,200
Speaker 3: I always talk to people when they asked me about

659
00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:15,399
Speaker 3: being an entrepreneur, and they're saying, like I'm not sure

660
00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:17,319
Speaker 3: what to do, and I say, all right, I want

661
00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:19,200
Speaker 3: you to make a column A, a column B, and

662
00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:21,600
Speaker 3: a column C. And A is all the stuff you're

663
00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:23,960
Speaker 3: doing right now that you absolutely love, and B is

664
00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:26,000
Speaker 3: the stuff you're doing right now that's like fine and

665
00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:28,760
Speaker 3: you don't mind it. And C is the stuff that probably,

666
00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:30,440
Speaker 3: like right when you begin, like you're doing a lot

667
00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:31,920
Speaker 3: of stuff in C you don't want to be doing

668
00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:33,960
Speaker 3: it at all, but like that's the stuff that maybe

669
00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:37,160
Speaker 3: that pays the bills. When you were in this period

670
00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:40,080
Speaker 3: of flux and working for yourself, what would you say

671
00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:41,520
Speaker 3: was the most in column A?

672
00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:50,239
Speaker 1: Hmmm, I think it was using my voice like a

673
00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:56,319
Speaker 1: like establishing my voice and using it in a.

674
00:37:56,320 --> 00:38:00,520
Speaker 2: Way that amplified others voices.

675
00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:05,640
Speaker 1: Why I started writing, or why I started my blog

676
00:38:06,239 --> 00:38:10,720
Speaker 1: was because you know, sports media was largely white male,

677
00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:15,320
Speaker 1: and growing up, I wasn't an athlete, but I consume

678
00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:21,480
Speaker 1: sports like no one's business, like avid sports fans. So

679
00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:24,839
Speaker 1: I would read the newspaper, read magazines, I would watch

680
00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:28,040
Speaker 1: all the sports documentaries. I would listen to sports talk

681
00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:30,000
Speaker 1: radio on the car with my dad. In the car

682
00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:34,319
Speaker 1: with my dad and my brother, we constantly would debate it.

683
00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:39,680
Speaker 1: I watched every sport you could imagine, and I just

684
00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:44,440
Speaker 1: noticed that the coverage was always very slanted. The tone

685
00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:47,640
Speaker 1: of it also had a lot of microaggressions in it,

686
00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:53,840
Speaker 1: and it lacked humanity towards majority black athletes, men or women,

687
00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:57,800
Speaker 1: and I just felt it just didn't make me feel great,

688
00:38:57,880 --> 00:39:00,560
Speaker 1: and I felt like what was missing was a voice,

689
00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:03,840
Speaker 1: someone who could really humanize these athletes. And while my

690
00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:07,440
Speaker 1: little corner of the internet, you know, was so tiny,

691
00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:11,400
Speaker 1: I was like, I don't care if one person reads

692
00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:14,560
Speaker 1: one of my stories and tells someone about it or

693
00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:19,120
Speaker 1: it makes them think differently about an athlete than I

694
00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:22,280
Speaker 1: feel like it's worth it. And so that was something

695
00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:26,880
Speaker 1: that I was really really proud of. And everything that

696
00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:30,000
Speaker 1: I wrote wasn't heavy, you know, like I would write

697
00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:34,000
Speaker 1: about which athletes showed up at the met Gala, which

698
00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:39,919
Speaker 1: this may Stewie JJ and Sabrina and Clara Wussai who

699
00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:42,200
Speaker 1: owns The Liberty, they all attended the met Gala. So

700
00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:44,799
Speaker 1: that was like a complete full circle moment for me.

701
00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:47,200
Speaker 1: But it was like, you know, just like tapping into

702
00:39:47,239 --> 00:39:50,080
Speaker 1: that intersection of sports and culture, regardless of how that

703
00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:53,160
Speaker 1: showed up, whether it was fashion or music or art,

704
00:39:53,239 --> 00:39:56,400
Speaker 1: whatever it was, the business side of sports was also

705
00:39:56,440 --> 00:39:59,840
Speaker 1: really important to me in highlighting the discrepancies between me

706
00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:04,080
Speaker 1: sports and women's sports, but then also just covering, you know,

707
00:40:04,239 --> 00:40:08,239
Speaker 1: stories through a lens of a black woman in America

708
00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:13,160
Speaker 1: and understand how racism is prevalent and a lot of

709
00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:16,560
Speaker 1: the way that the media covers sports, and so being

710
00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:19,319
Speaker 1: someone who would speak out about that. So that was

711
00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:23,680
Speaker 1: something that I was extremely passionate about and ultimately why

712
00:40:23,719 --> 00:40:25,960
Speaker 1: I said yes to working for the New York Liberty

713
00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:30,440
Speaker 1: because the values of the organization really reflected who I

714
00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:34,640
Speaker 1: am as a black woman, and that was special for

715
00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:37,759
Speaker 1: me to be able to show up at work and

716
00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:41,080
Speaker 1: not feel like I had to be silent about who

717
00:40:41,120 --> 00:40:44,919
Speaker 1: I am or you know, even my ability to wear

718
00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:47,120
Speaker 1: my hair the way that I do and in its

719
00:40:47,200 --> 00:40:50,640
Speaker 1: natural state. Like when I worked at ESPN, I didn't

720
00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:53,400
Speaker 1: feel like I had that freedom. And it's not because

721
00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:56,200
Speaker 1: anyone said anything to me. I just didn't feel like

722
00:40:56,600 --> 00:40:58,600
Speaker 1: I could truly show up the way that I do

723
00:40:58,719 --> 00:41:02,440
Speaker 1: today then, And so that I would say was like

724
00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:06,839
Speaker 1: really what inspired me to get up every single day

725
00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:11,080
Speaker 1: and you know, I would be up watching sports until

726
00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:14,560
Speaker 1: like one o'clock in the morning because like those ten

727
00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:17,080
Speaker 1: PM games, which, by the way, did you hear that

728
00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:20,040
Speaker 1: they're going to be airing NBA games at eleven pm?

729
00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:23,560
Speaker 2: Absolutely not that absolutely not.

730
00:41:23,880 --> 00:41:24,960
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's insane.

731
00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:27,440
Speaker 2: Well you know what less fans for the NBA.

732
00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:31,600
Speaker 4: Yeah, I can't. I will not be saying watching those games.

733
00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:32,560
Speaker 4: Why it's crazy.

734
00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:33,080
Speaker 2: Yeah.

735
00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:35,600
Speaker 1: And then I would like wake up at five am

736
00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:40,000
Speaker 1: every morning because I wanted to get my blog posted before,

737
00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:42,440
Speaker 1: you know, so it would be ready on people's morning

738
00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:45,160
Speaker 1: commutes or whatever. And so I was only getting like

739
00:41:45,239 --> 00:41:49,680
Speaker 1: four hours of sleep at night. But it mattered to

740
00:41:49,719 --> 00:41:52,279
Speaker 1: me because you know, it's you know, as you know,

741
00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:54,840
Speaker 1: it's like all about consistency. And there were days that

742
00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:56,520
Speaker 1: I did not want to show up, or I wanted

743
00:41:56,560 --> 00:41:59,040
Speaker 1: to stay asleep, or I didn't feel like there was

744
00:41:59,080 --> 00:42:01,200
Speaker 1: any I didn't feel inspired to write.

745
00:42:01,480 --> 00:42:03,080
Speaker 4: But I was just like, all right, I just have

746
00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:03,680
Speaker 4: to do it.

747
00:42:03,760 --> 00:42:06,560
Speaker 1: You know, I can't skip a day because I don't

748
00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:09,320
Speaker 1: want people to forget about me or Yeah. So I

749
00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:15,600
Speaker 1: would say that that that was probably like what was

750
00:42:15,640 --> 00:42:18,640
Speaker 1: primarily in my alumn Yeah, my column is.

751
00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:20,560
Speaker 3: You know, early on in the podcast, a mentor of

752
00:42:20,560 --> 00:42:23,360
Speaker 3: mindset something that was so valuable to me. He said,

753
00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:26,759
Speaker 3: just make sure you give your audience a realistic expectation

754
00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:30,200
Speaker 3: of when you'll be around. So, if you're someone and

755
00:42:30,239 --> 00:42:32,480
Speaker 3: this is like a common issue with podcasting and why

756
00:42:32,520 --> 00:42:34,480
Speaker 3: so many of them just don't survive, it's because someone

757
00:42:34,480 --> 00:42:36,719
Speaker 3: gets very excited about the beginning and they realize that

758
00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:40,480
Speaker 3: the reason that they started the show wasn't really rooted

759
00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:44,600
Speaker 3: in themselves at all. It was for external validation or

760
00:42:44,719 --> 00:42:48,080
Speaker 3: external reasons. So the goal is to be consistent and

761
00:42:48,120 --> 00:42:50,400
Speaker 3: say like, Okay, if I'm going to launch this podcast

762
00:42:50,719 --> 00:42:53,960
Speaker 3: and say like I only have the maybe actual bandwidth

763
00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:56,680
Speaker 3: and then emotional bandwidth to do it every other Monday,

764
00:42:56,920 --> 00:43:00,000
Speaker 3: then stick to every other Monday, right until you feel

765
00:43:00,239 --> 00:43:02,520
Speaker 3: like you can have a reasonable expectation that, Okay, maybe

766
00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:04,799
Speaker 3: I'm going to try doing it every Monday or then

767
00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:06,840
Speaker 3: twice a week or whatever feels right for you. You

768
00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:08,799
Speaker 3: want to make sure that you're giving your audience a

769
00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:11,319
Speaker 3: reasonable expectation of when you're going to show up, and

770
00:43:11,360 --> 00:43:13,200
Speaker 3: so I can really relate to you when you say,

771
00:43:13,239 --> 00:43:15,319
Speaker 3: like I wanted to show up every morning, like that

772
00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:19,040
Speaker 3: felt right for me. That's what I was conveying for me.

773
00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:24,440
Speaker 3: Now I also really appreciate this acknowledgment of your values

774
00:43:24,719 --> 00:43:28,520
Speaker 3: and that you have put in a certain amount of

775
00:43:28,560 --> 00:43:31,920
Speaker 3: work to understand what it is that is important to you.

776
00:43:32,080 --> 00:43:34,920
Speaker 3: And then we're able to take a step back and

777
00:43:34,920 --> 00:43:38,120
Speaker 3: look at the liberty opportunity and say, this really aligns

778
00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:40,880
Speaker 3: with who I am. Talk to me about how you

779
00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:43,759
Speaker 3: were able to discern that, because I think that a

780
00:43:43,800 --> 00:43:47,560
Speaker 3: lot of people might struggle with that when it comes

781
00:43:47,640 --> 00:43:50,840
Speaker 3: to choosing a job that's a fit for them, their values,

782
00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:54,520
Speaker 3: their lifestyle. Right, So what was it about this opportunity

783
00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:56,359
Speaker 3: specifically that you felt like.

784
00:43:56,600 --> 00:43:57,680
Speaker 2: Really aligned with you?

785
00:43:58,200 --> 00:44:00,280
Speaker 1: So I never thought I would go back to corporate

786
00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:03,840
Speaker 1: in America. I thought I can't imagine it myself. So

787
00:44:04,440 --> 00:44:06,360
Speaker 1: I hear you, Yeah, I never thought I would go

788
00:44:06,400 --> 00:44:08,560
Speaker 1: back to corporate America. I thought I would work for

789
00:44:08,640 --> 00:44:12,400
Speaker 1: myself forever. Again, my brother is an entrepreneur and he's

790
00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:16,319
Speaker 1: worked for himself for about twenty years. My mom and

791
00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:19,399
Speaker 1: dad have had their own businesses here and there.

792
00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:25,120
Speaker 4: They're both retired now. But so that was something.

793
00:44:24,760 --> 00:44:27,360
Speaker 1: That was modeled for me, and I thought that I

794
00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:31,920
Speaker 1: would just follow in those footsteps. But then I also

795
00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:35,879
Speaker 1: had to be honest with myself as I often as

796
00:44:35,920 --> 00:44:38,760
Speaker 1: I always try to be, and I was like, chasing

797
00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:45,040
Speaker 1: checks is exhausting, you know, and not having insurance is

798
00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:47,680
Speaker 1: not great, you know. So I really had to sit

799
00:44:47,760 --> 00:44:50,960
Speaker 1: and think about what mattered to me. And as you

800
00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:54,640
Speaker 1: get older, your value shift and you have to be

801
00:44:54,719 --> 00:44:58,799
Speaker 1: honest about Okay, yeah, yesterday I cared about being able

802
00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:00,680
Speaker 1: to sleep in and make my own schedule.

803
00:45:01,360 --> 00:45:03,640
Speaker 4: Today not so much.

804
00:45:03,440 --> 00:45:03,640
Speaker 2: You know.

805
00:45:03,920 --> 00:45:06,560
Speaker 1: Or you get to a point where you can be

806
00:45:06,640 --> 00:45:09,040
Speaker 1: a little bit more flexible with your schedule, not in

807
00:45:09,080 --> 00:45:11,480
Speaker 1: the same way that you could have before, but there

808
00:45:11,560 --> 00:45:14,720
Speaker 1: still is an opportunity for that. And so I reached

809
00:45:14,719 --> 00:45:19,480
Speaker 1: a point where I also wanted to. For me, has

810
00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:21,879
Speaker 1: always been about impact, and so when I thought about

811
00:45:21,920 --> 00:45:25,479
Speaker 1: the New York Liberty opportunity and understood that they were

812
00:45:25,640 --> 00:45:28,720
Speaker 1: being relocated and up and were put up for sale

813
00:45:29,360 --> 00:45:32,320
Speaker 1: and that ultimately the goal was to get them to Brooklyn,

814
00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:35,919
Speaker 1: even though at the time there was no not even

815
00:45:35,920 --> 00:45:37,800
Speaker 1: an owner. So when I came on board in twenty

816
00:45:37,840 --> 00:45:42,560
Speaker 1: eighteen as a consultant, Kia Clark, our CEO, was still

817
00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:47,239
Speaker 1: interviewing prospective owners and we didn't know who was going

818
00:45:47,280 --> 00:45:50,040
Speaker 1: to come and purchase the Liberty, but she told me, like,

819
00:45:50,120 --> 00:45:53,120
Speaker 1: the goal is to get this team sold and bought

820
00:45:53,160 --> 00:45:55,000
Speaker 1: by someone who will keep them in New York and

821
00:45:55,040 --> 00:45:58,160
Speaker 1: hopefully bring them to Brooklyn. So that was something that

822
00:45:58,320 --> 00:46:01,200
Speaker 1: was exciting to me because it was a challenge and

823
00:46:01,520 --> 00:46:06,520
Speaker 1: I love marketing women's sports, and as someone who's from

824
00:46:06,560 --> 00:46:10,200
Speaker 1: New York. At the time, there were probably about four

825
00:46:10,360 --> 00:46:12,959
Speaker 1: or five players on the team who were actually from

826
00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:16,920
Speaker 1: New York. So the idea of being able to market

827
00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:22,040
Speaker 1: and rebrand a team that's from New York and it

828
00:46:22,040 --> 00:46:24,080
Speaker 1: has about four or five players who live in New

829
00:46:24,160 --> 00:46:26,600
Speaker 1: York on the team, like that was super exciting to me.

830
00:46:27,120 --> 00:46:29,720
Speaker 1: By the time we actually got to Brooklyn, the makeup

831
00:46:29,760 --> 00:46:31,799
Speaker 1: of the team was so different than what it was

832
00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:35,120
Speaker 1: when I signed on, but it didn't matter, Like I

833
00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:38,240
Speaker 1: was completely bought in, And I just also was really

834
00:46:38,960 --> 00:46:44,600
Speaker 1: excited about the challenge of just re establishing the identity

835
00:46:45,680 --> 00:46:49,880
Speaker 1: for this original franchise in the WNBA. I recognize like

836
00:46:50,040 --> 00:46:52,319
Speaker 1: this is kind of a once in a life opportunity,

837
00:46:52,440 --> 00:46:55,480
Speaker 1: lifetime opportunity and you really only get to do it

838
00:46:55,520 --> 00:46:57,839
Speaker 1: one time, you know, and we had to get it right.

839
00:46:58,400 --> 00:47:02,440
Speaker 1: And at the time, I'm like Kean and I were

840
00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:05,839
Speaker 1: like the only two employees. I think we also had

841
00:47:05,880 --> 00:47:09,240
Speaker 1: like someone from sales who actually are ticketing, who's actually

842
00:47:09,320 --> 00:47:14,040
Speaker 1: still with us, But from just thinking about how we

843
00:47:14,080 --> 00:47:16,960
Speaker 1: wanted to show up in Brooklyn, it was just the

844
00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:20,000
Speaker 1: two of us making these big decisions, and ownership just

845
00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:23,160
Speaker 1: trusted us, and that's what it also felt, right like

846
00:47:23,239 --> 00:47:29,759
Speaker 1: she respected my expertise and my judgment and she just

847
00:47:29,800 --> 00:47:32,640
Speaker 1: trusted me to just lead and go and.

848
00:47:32,560 --> 00:47:33,400
Speaker 4: That was great for me.

849
00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:37,759
Speaker 1: So I still felt like I had the autonomy as

850
00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:40,279
Speaker 1: I did when I was an entrepreneur. You know, I

851
00:47:40,360 --> 00:47:44,239
Speaker 1: obviously had to like run things past her for approval,

852
00:47:44,960 --> 00:47:49,319
Speaker 1: but I was fine with that. And also she gets it,

853
00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:52,920
Speaker 1: like she understands like what my vision is and the

854
00:47:53,040 --> 00:47:56,200
Speaker 1: identity that I was proposing for the team and the organization.

855
00:47:56,400 --> 00:47:57,520
Speaker 4: She was on board with it.

856
00:47:57,560 --> 00:48:00,680
Speaker 1: So it was really just a matter of her trusting

857
00:48:00,719 --> 00:48:04,120
Speaker 1: me and and just like because she has so many

858
00:48:04,120 --> 00:48:09,360
Speaker 1: other things to focus on, and so for me that mattered.

859
00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:12,520
Speaker 1: I didn't feel at the time that I was like

860
00:48:14,640 --> 00:48:18,680
Speaker 1: going back into this major corporate culture just because it

861
00:48:18,840 --> 00:48:21,440
Speaker 1: we were such a small and nimble team and we

862
00:48:21,520 --> 00:48:25,160
Speaker 1: still are a pretty small team when you compare the

863
00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:29,120
Speaker 1: number of dedicated Liberty employees to the number of dedicated

864
00:48:29,200 --> 00:48:32,120
Speaker 1: NETS employees. So we still very much have like this

865
00:48:32,440 --> 00:48:38,200
Speaker 1: entrepreneurial startup spirit about us, which is something that I love,

866
00:48:38,360 --> 00:48:41,560
Speaker 1: you know. So it's not corporate. It's not suit and tie,

867
00:48:42,360 --> 00:48:45,120
Speaker 1: you know, like we all show up to work.

868
00:48:44,880 --> 00:48:48,480
Speaker 4: In Jean's and j's or you know, it's just like

869
00:48:49,080 --> 00:48:50,120
Speaker 4: a hoodie, you know.

870
00:48:50,239 --> 00:48:52,480
Speaker 1: So it's like a very dressed down culture, which you

871
00:48:52,480 --> 00:48:55,560
Speaker 1: would what you would expect in sport. And it just

872
00:48:55,600 --> 00:48:58,759
Speaker 1: suited who I was and where I was at that

873
00:48:58,840 --> 00:49:00,520
Speaker 1: time in my life when I made that decision.

874
00:49:00,719 --> 00:49:01,960
Speaker 2: Two things to double click on.

875
00:49:01,960 --> 00:49:04,279
Speaker 3: One, how does it make you feel that there is

876
00:49:04,440 --> 00:49:08,160
Speaker 3: such a discrepancy between the let's just say sheer numbers

877
00:49:08,160 --> 00:49:10,920
Speaker 3: of the people that work for the Liberty Organization versus

878
00:49:10,920 --> 00:49:11,840
Speaker 3: the NETS organization.

879
00:49:12,800 --> 00:49:13,680
Speaker 4: I think it's okay.

880
00:49:13,800 --> 00:49:17,680
Speaker 1: Actually, like we have a small but mighty team and

881
00:49:17,719 --> 00:49:20,680
Speaker 1: we are able to draw in resources from the NETS.

882
00:49:20,760 --> 00:49:25,000
Speaker 1: So we have organizationally what we refer to as the platform.

883
00:49:25,120 --> 00:49:29,040
Speaker 1: So there's like the platform that sits across various functions

884
00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:34,480
Speaker 1: and then they support the departments within the organization and.

885
00:49:36,200 --> 00:49:37,399
Speaker 4: It's it's fine, Like.

886
00:49:37,440 --> 00:49:39,120
Speaker 2: We what I'm hearing you say, is you feel like

887
00:49:39,120 --> 00:49:40,279
Speaker 2: you have the resources that you need.

888
00:49:40,360 --> 00:49:43,960
Speaker 1: I do, yeah, And that's something that ownership has been

889
00:49:44,120 --> 00:49:47,160
Speaker 1: great about since the beginning. When, like I mentioned, when

890
00:49:47,200 --> 00:49:48,960
Speaker 1: I started, I was a team of one and I

891
00:49:49,000 --> 00:49:53,759
Speaker 1: did everything and now on like my marketing team specifically

892
00:49:53,800 --> 00:49:57,520
Speaker 1: who touches the brand every day, I would say it's

893
00:49:57,560 --> 00:50:02,680
Speaker 1: about maybe under fifteen people across graphic designers to content,

894
00:50:02,880 --> 00:50:07,000
Speaker 1: to social to brand. You so, and then when I

895
00:50:07,080 --> 00:50:09,840
Speaker 1: zoom out a little bit more and think about game press,

896
00:50:10,280 --> 00:50:11,160
Speaker 1: there's even more.

897
00:50:11,239 --> 00:50:13,560
Speaker 4: So I feel like very well supported.

898
00:50:13,640 --> 00:50:14,279
Speaker 2: Yeah. I love that.

899
00:50:14,520 --> 00:50:18,680
Speaker 3: You also said that you feel really excited and purposeful

900
00:50:18,719 --> 00:50:20,560
Speaker 3: with the work, but that doesn't mean that it always

901
00:50:20,560 --> 00:50:24,400
Speaker 3: feels easy to do it. Over the last eight years,

902
00:50:24,440 --> 00:50:28,440
Speaker 3: what would you say personally has been the biggest challenge

903
00:50:28,520 --> 00:50:35,360
Speaker 3: for you as you've really poured yourself into this opportunity.

904
00:50:35,400 --> 00:50:37,440
Speaker 3: For me, like, I'll give you an example, over the

905
00:50:37,480 --> 00:50:40,680
Speaker 3: last eight years, as I've been building solo, I have

906
00:50:40,920 --> 00:50:44,480
Speaker 3: not at all like prioritized my personal life. And it

907
00:50:44,600 --> 00:50:46,959
Speaker 3: is not lost on me that it probably makes sense

908
00:50:47,000 --> 00:50:49,719
Speaker 3: that my last serious boyfriend was literally eight years ago.

909
00:50:50,400 --> 00:50:53,680
Speaker 3: So while I am making a conscious effort right now

910
00:50:53,719 --> 00:50:54,880
Speaker 3: to date.

911
00:50:54,719 --> 00:50:56,479
Speaker 2: More and like put myself out there.

912
00:50:56,760 --> 00:50:59,080
Speaker 3: I do think that between like my personal life and

913
00:50:59,160 --> 00:51:01,600
Speaker 3: dating and then other I have let certain things fall

914
00:51:01,640 --> 00:51:03,560
Speaker 3: by the wayside because I've been so.

915
00:51:03,800 --> 00:51:06,400
Speaker 2: All in on my career. Yeah, I can relate to that.

916
00:51:06,640 --> 00:51:10,080
Speaker 1: Yeah, my last serious relationship now was about three years ago.

917
00:51:10,239 --> 00:51:14,320
Speaker 1: And I think the reason we and we were together

918
00:51:14,400 --> 00:51:16,200
Speaker 1: for about three years, and I think the reason that

919
00:51:16,239 --> 00:51:20,400
Speaker 1: we're no longer together is because I am very into work.

920
00:51:20,920 --> 00:51:24,000
Speaker 4: Also, I don't.

921
00:51:23,640 --> 00:51:27,640
Speaker 1: Know how to like be soft at home, you know,

922
00:51:27,840 --> 00:51:30,920
Speaker 1: because I am responsible for a lot at work.

923
00:51:31,000 --> 00:51:31,800
Speaker 4: When I come.

924
00:51:31,600 --> 00:51:35,799
Speaker 1: Home, I bring work home, and I don't necessarily know

925
00:51:35,920 --> 00:51:38,840
Speaker 1: how to just like shut that out and just be

926
00:51:38,880 --> 00:51:41,680
Speaker 1: a girlfriend or a partner or whatever.

927
00:51:42,480 --> 00:51:45,480
Speaker 4: And I think it became challenging and our relationship. I

928
00:51:45,560 --> 00:51:46,799
Speaker 4: also have.

929
00:51:46,920 --> 00:51:53,440
Speaker 1: Experienced in previous relationships men who are intimidated by women

930
00:51:53,480 --> 00:51:56,919
Speaker 1: who are successful and have strong personalities. And I've had

931
00:51:57,880 --> 00:52:01,319
Speaker 1: male friends tell me you look like you have it

932
00:52:01,360 --> 00:52:04,920
Speaker 1: all together, you know, and men need to feel needed,

933
00:52:06,040 --> 00:52:06,799
Speaker 1: and I'm just like.

934
00:52:06,800 --> 00:52:10,839
Speaker 2: I'm just sitting here really right, I'm sorry. What never

935
00:52:10,880 --> 00:52:12,840
Speaker 2: makes the internet? I'm just like biggest iroll.

936
00:52:13,200 --> 00:52:16,880
Speaker 3: Yeah, So I think that's what makes you great. I

937
00:52:17,000 --> 00:52:21,239
Speaker 3: do and I understand. I do think that there can

938
00:52:21,280 --> 00:52:26,880
Speaker 3: be space for both. I believe that it is amazing

939
00:52:26,920 --> 00:52:30,279
Speaker 3: and wonderful to be someone who is I like these

940
00:52:30,280 --> 00:52:32,360
Speaker 3: things this kind of way, and I am used to

941
00:52:32,400 --> 00:52:34,960
Speaker 3: working hard and I bring that home with me. And

942
00:52:35,200 --> 00:52:38,799
Speaker 3: also there's something to be said for allowing yourself the

943
00:52:38,840 --> 00:52:42,480
Speaker 3: grace to be soft, and that is something that I too,

944
00:52:42,760 --> 00:52:43,600
Speaker 3: have really been.

945
00:52:43,520 --> 00:52:45,080
Speaker 2: Working on over the last few years.

946
00:52:45,120 --> 00:52:48,600
Speaker 3: Personally, I've seen a lot of benefit from working to

947
00:52:48,719 --> 00:52:52,960
Speaker 3: embrace that. Do I think that that puts me ultimately

948
00:52:53,360 --> 00:52:56,239
Speaker 3: in maybe a better position to find someone to be with,

949
00:52:56,280 --> 00:52:58,279
Speaker 3: because I'm willing to open that up a little bit,

950
00:52:58,320 --> 00:52:59,880
Speaker 3: probably probably down the line.

951
00:53:00,080 --> 00:53:04,200
Speaker 1: And I think like one thing that I try to

952
00:53:04,239 --> 00:53:10,680
Speaker 1: prioritize now is even being softer with myself, you know

953
00:53:10,719 --> 00:53:15,960
Speaker 1: what I mean, like romanticizing the little things in life.

954
00:53:16,040 --> 00:53:19,400
Speaker 1: I watch Tracy Ellis Ross's solo travel series and I

955
00:53:19,440 --> 00:53:23,440
Speaker 1: am a big solo traveler, and it was just so

956
00:53:23,600 --> 00:53:28,359
Speaker 1: inspiring to see her be herself and you know, take

957
00:53:28,360 --> 00:53:30,680
Speaker 1: herself out on dates and you know what I mean,

958
00:53:30,760 --> 00:53:33,680
Speaker 1: and just like enjoy her own time. And I'm the

959
00:53:33,760 --> 00:53:37,200
Speaker 1: same way. Sometimes I think I enjoy my my personal

960
00:53:37,280 --> 00:53:40,799
Speaker 1: time too much. And that's why I'm like, Okay, I'm

961
00:53:40,880 --> 00:53:44,120
Speaker 1: off you, you know, I don't need to be with you.

962
00:53:44,840 --> 00:53:47,680
Speaker 1: And then I also watch Megan Markle series, which I love,

963
00:53:47,800 --> 00:53:51,719
Speaker 1: and just the way that she creates her bouquets of.

964
00:53:51,680 --> 00:53:53,880
Speaker 4: Flowers and goes to her garden, you know.

965
00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:57,960
Speaker 1: So it's like finding those moments in this chaotic New

966
00:53:58,040 --> 00:54:02,480
Speaker 1: York city where I I can just like romanticize the

967
00:54:02,560 --> 00:54:06,200
Speaker 1: little things and aspects of my life, cooking.

968
00:54:06,040 --> 00:54:07,320
Speaker 4: Cleaning, like whatever.

969
00:54:07,360 --> 00:54:11,120
Speaker 1: It is, just lighting a candle while I'm cleaning the bathroom,

970
00:54:11,520 --> 00:54:14,200
Speaker 1: you know, just like those little things that allow me

971
00:54:14,280 --> 00:54:17,359
Speaker 1: to just like be softer in my day to day

972
00:54:17,480 --> 00:54:20,200
Speaker 1: so that, you know, when I eventually meet my man,

973
00:54:20,960 --> 00:54:23,360
Speaker 1: it's easy for me to do that because I've already

974
00:54:23,400 --> 00:54:24,520
Speaker 1: been doing that for myself.

975
00:54:24,600 --> 00:54:24,920
Speaker 2: Yeah.

976
00:54:25,000 --> 00:54:28,000
Speaker 3: Less centering men, more like what feels good for us,

977
00:54:28,080 --> 00:54:28,920
Speaker 3: Yeah exactly.

978
00:54:29,400 --> 00:54:31,920
Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, what would you say right now?

979
00:54:32,360 --> 00:54:35,839
Speaker 3: Is really exciting you about what's coming up the pipe?

980
00:54:35,920 --> 00:54:37,040
Speaker 2: Down the pipe for the Liberty.

981
00:54:37,520 --> 00:54:41,160
Speaker 1: The regular season's ending soon, so hopefully that means another

982
00:54:41,480 --> 00:54:45,680
Speaker 1: championship run. That's something that I'm really excited about, I think,

983
00:54:46,160 --> 00:54:48,480
Speaker 1: you know, just being able to experience that for the

984
00:54:48,480 --> 00:54:51,759
Speaker 1: first time last year we didn't know what we were doing,

985
00:54:53,360 --> 00:54:55,560
Speaker 1: and we like, you know, we went to the finals

986
00:54:55,600 --> 00:54:59,279
Speaker 1: in twenty twenty four, we didn't or in twenty twenty three,

987
00:54:59,400 --> 00:55:02,960
Speaker 1: rather we didn't win, so we like started to put

988
00:55:02,960 --> 00:55:03,560
Speaker 1: a little bit.

989
00:55:03,480 --> 00:55:05,000
Speaker 4: Of the pieces of the puzzle together.

990
00:55:05,320 --> 00:55:07,840
Speaker 1: But being able to see it all through last season

991
00:55:08,480 --> 00:55:11,640
Speaker 1: really opened our eyes. And so if we have the

992
00:55:11,840 --> 00:55:14,719
Speaker 1: good fortune of repeating, we are ready and we know

993
00:55:14,760 --> 00:55:17,280
Speaker 1: what to do. And I think, you know, the city

994
00:55:17,400 --> 00:55:20,160
Speaker 1: showed up for us last season and so excited to

995
00:55:20,160 --> 00:55:22,600
Speaker 1: see even more of the city turn out for us.

996
00:55:22,600 --> 00:55:25,439
Speaker 4: So that's something that is extremely high on my list

997
00:55:25,480 --> 00:55:25,879
Speaker 4: right now.

998
00:55:25,920 --> 00:55:28,280
Speaker 2: How did that feel for you last year?

999
00:55:28,640 --> 00:55:33,319
Speaker 1: When so gratifying, so gratifying, I you know, it's one

1000
00:55:33,440 --> 00:55:37,200
Speaker 1: as a New York sports fan just understanding like what

1001
00:55:37,280 --> 00:55:40,520
Speaker 1: sports represents in this city and the fact that we

1002
00:55:40,560 --> 00:55:43,719
Speaker 1: had never won in franchise history, so to be part

1003
00:55:43,719 --> 00:55:46,440
Speaker 1: of the team that does it, you know, and brings

1004
00:55:46,440 --> 00:55:49,680
Speaker 1: a championship, brings a WNBA championship to New York, like

1005
00:55:50,360 --> 00:55:52,400
Speaker 1: I can't even really put that into words.

1006
00:55:53,520 --> 00:55:56,239
Speaker 4: And then also my family was around to be a

1007
00:55:56,280 --> 00:55:56,719
Speaker 4: part of.

1008
00:55:56,680 --> 00:56:00,640
Speaker 1: It, like they're you know, huge Liberty fans and for

1009
00:56:00,760 --> 00:56:03,600
Speaker 1: them to be able to experience that with me was

1010
00:56:03,680 --> 00:56:08,040
Speaker 1: really special. And then also just like we're like the

1011
00:56:08,080 --> 00:56:11,200
Speaker 1: Liberty Squad like outside of the players, like, but the

1012
00:56:11,239 --> 00:56:15,719
Speaker 1: business and the basketball operations teams, we're so close and we.

1013
00:56:15,800 --> 00:56:19,160
Speaker 2: Really have a family friendly environment.

1014
00:56:19,400 --> 00:56:22,320
Speaker 1: So the team and the players are able to travel

1015
00:56:22,400 --> 00:56:25,840
Speaker 1: with their spouses or their kids or their parents. And

1016
00:56:26,080 --> 00:56:29,520
Speaker 1: we also welcome our immediate family to be a part

1017
00:56:29,560 --> 00:56:33,440
Speaker 1: of us as we're like all because they they sacrifice

1018
00:56:33,480 --> 00:56:36,080
Speaker 1: so much for us to do what we're able to do.

1019
00:56:37,080 --> 00:56:40,680
Speaker 1: So it's nice that at the height of the moment,

1020
00:56:41,040 --> 00:56:43,239
Speaker 1: we're able to invite them to be a part of that.

1021
00:56:43,880 --> 00:56:46,280
Speaker 4: So that's something that is really exciting.

1022
00:56:46,440 --> 00:56:50,160
Speaker 3: Yeah, I would imagine that a. I think that's awesome

1023
00:56:50,320 --> 00:56:53,520
Speaker 3: that everyone can be integrated. Yeah, But also because of

1024
00:56:53,560 --> 00:56:56,640
Speaker 3: the closeness of your relationships at work, I would also

1025
00:56:57,239 --> 00:57:00,720
Speaker 3: imagine that at times that can be really challenging because

1026
00:57:00,840 --> 00:57:04,640
Speaker 3: there is business to do. Yeah, and sometimes it's like okay, well,

1027
00:57:04,880 --> 00:57:06,520
Speaker 3: in a regular friendship, you're like, well, I don't want

1028
00:57:06,520 --> 00:57:07,320
Speaker 3: to hurt your feelings.

1029
00:57:08,200 --> 00:57:12,480
Speaker 1: I don't think we Yeah, So we're very honest with

1030
00:57:12,520 --> 00:57:15,560
Speaker 1: each other. I think, like I mentioned, the culture that

1031
00:57:15,600 --> 00:57:19,720
Speaker 1: we've established is very entrepreneurial. Kia and I our offices

1032
00:57:19,720 --> 00:57:22,080
Speaker 1: are right next do her to each other, and all

1033
00:57:22,080 --> 00:57:23,200
Speaker 1: we do is laugh all day.

1034
00:57:23,920 --> 00:57:26,840
Speaker 2: We just have the absolute best time at work.

1035
00:57:26,960 --> 00:57:29,600
Speaker 1: But we're actually getting work done, like we're actually talking

1036
00:57:29,640 --> 00:57:33,800
Speaker 1: about real important things that matter. But we just have

1037
00:57:33,920 --> 00:57:37,640
Speaker 1: so much fun that we're constantly laughing all day. So,

1038
00:57:38,760 --> 00:57:41,040
Speaker 1: you know, and I'm not afraid to throw out a

1039
00:57:41,080 --> 00:57:44,560
Speaker 1: bad idea and she tell me no, or Morgan, our

1040
00:57:44,640 --> 00:57:47,400
Speaker 1: VP of bops tell me no, or Sharen who's our

1041
00:57:47,440 --> 00:57:50,040
Speaker 1: comms person, might throw out an idea and I'm.

1042
00:57:49,840 --> 00:57:51,320
Speaker 4: Like, no, We're not doing that, you know.

1043
00:57:51,400 --> 00:57:54,000
Speaker 1: So to be able to just like cut through the

1044
00:57:54,080 --> 00:57:59,200
Speaker 1: bs immediately and say no, but what about this, or

1045
00:58:00,240 --> 00:58:02,640
Speaker 1: you know, let's maybe approach it this way, so we

1046
00:58:02,800 --> 00:58:04,280
Speaker 1: just have a ton of fun together.

1047
00:58:04,400 --> 00:58:06,479
Speaker 2: I love that. Yeah, you mentioned that.

1048
00:58:06,640 --> 00:58:08,960
Speaker 3: You know, sometimes you can be seen as someone that

1049
00:58:09,120 --> 00:58:12,120
Speaker 3: is hard and very involved in your work and what

1050
00:58:12,160 --> 00:58:15,000
Speaker 3: you do. But when you look in the mirror, what

1051
00:58:15,120 --> 00:58:16,960
Speaker 3: is it that you see looking back at you?

1052
00:58:17,200 --> 00:58:22,400
Speaker 1: Shana, Oh my goodness, I see someone who was brave

1053
00:58:22,520 --> 00:58:26,240
Speaker 1: and courageous and not afraid to bet on herself, like

1054
00:58:26,320 --> 00:58:32,840
Speaker 1: someone who really believed in herself, took risks and trusted

1055
00:58:32,880 --> 00:58:35,120
Speaker 1: that it would be okay. Like I led with faith,

1056
00:58:35,480 --> 00:58:38,160
Speaker 1: I didn't always have the answers. I didn't always see

1057
00:58:38,160 --> 00:58:39,960
Speaker 1: the light at the end of the tunnel. But I

1058
00:58:40,120 --> 00:58:44,160
Speaker 1: just like trusted in God and trusted in myself, and

1059
00:58:44,200 --> 00:58:46,320
Speaker 1: I'm proud of myself for that, as you should be.

1060
00:58:47,160 --> 00:58:49,600
Speaker 3: Right now, you have an opportunity to offer yourself a

1061
00:58:49,640 --> 00:58:52,080
Speaker 3: piece of advice. Going back to let's say, when you

1062
00:58:52,120 --> 00:58:54,120
Speaker 3: told your friends to stop inviting you on the trips.

1063
00:58:54,320 --> 00:58:56,320
Speaker 2: You were like, Yo, we're just in it.

1064
00:58:56,320 --> 00:58:58,600
Speaker 3: Right now, and this is what we're doing and it

1065
00:58:58,680 --> 00:59:01,280
Speaker 3: wasn't always fun, but you we're walking in your purpose

1066
00:59:01,760 --> 00:59:04,880
Speaker 3: knowing what you know. Now, what advice would you give

1067
00:59:04,880 --> 00:59:06,640
Speaker 3: to yourself during that hurdle moment?

1068
00:59:07,600 --> 00:59:09,840
Speaker 4: Just be patient, Be patient.

1069
00:59:11,120 --> 00:59:15,560
Speaker 1: Something that I always share with younger audiences is that

1070
00:59:15,600 --> 00:59:18,800
Speaker 1: the dots always connect right. So it's not linear, it's

1071
00:59:18,800 --> 00:59:22,000
Speaker 1: not a straight line. There are detours along the way,

1072
00:59:22,160 --> 00:59:23,760
Speaker 1: there are stop signs.

1073
00:59:24,040 --> 00:59:24,720
Speaker 2: You're going to.

1074
00:59:24,680 --> 00:59:27,240
Speaker 1: Trip and fall, You're going to hear a lot of nose,

1075
00:59:27,440 --> 00:59:30,600
Speaker 1: way more nose than the yes is. But if you

1076
00:59:30,720 --> 00:59:34,440
Speaker 1: really are tapped into your purpose and where you truly

1077
00:59:34,520 --> 00:59:38,760
Speaker 1: believe your call to be, then the dots will always connect,

1078
00:59:38,880 --> 00:59:40,640
Speaker 1: so you just have to be patient and trust.

1079
00:59:40,920 --> 00:59:41,960
Speaker 2: Be patient and trust.

1080
00:59:42,040 --> 00:59:44,920
Speaker 3: You said before that at one time at ESPN it

1081
00:59:44,960 --> 00:59:46,720
Speaker 3: was your dream job. Would you say that right now

1082
00:59:46,760 --> 00:59:49,680
Speaker 3: you have your dream job? Yes, Can you imagine another

1083
00:59:49,760 --> 00:59:50,320
Speaker 3: dream job?

1084
00:59:50,520 --> 00:59:50,600
Speaker 1: No?

1085
00:59:51,080 --> 00:59:53,000
Speaker 2: I love that, Yeah, I love that. Shana.

1086
00:59:53,360 --> 00:59:55,160
Speaker 3: So happy to have you here on Hurdle for those

1087
00:59:55,240 --> 00:59:56,720
Speaker 3: that want to keep up with you, that want to

1088
00:59:56,760 --> 00:59:57,640
Speaker 3: follow along with you?

1089
00:59:57,840 --> 00:59:58,680
Speaker 2: Where do we find you?

1090
00:59:58,800 --> 01:00:02,920
Speaker 1: On the Internet is where I'm most active, and my

1091
01:00:03,280 --> 01:00:06,120
Speaker 1: I G handle is at It's Shane Rene I T

1092
01:00:06,320 --> 01:00:08,920
Speaker 1: S S H A N A R E N E E.

1093
01:00:09,320 --> 01:00:11,640
Speaker 2: And then of course she's hanging out at the Barclays time.

1094
01:00:11,800 --> 01:00:15,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm at Barclay Center all the time, so any

1095
01:00:15,720 --> 01:00:16,480
Speaker 1: Liberty game.

1096
01:00:16,920 --> 01:00:20,320
Speaker 3: She's a woman of the people. I'm over at Emilia

1097
01:00:20,400 --> 01:00:24,640
Speaker 3: Body and at Hurdle Podcast. Another Hurdle conquered. Catch you

1098
01:00:24,680 --> 01:00:25,320
Speaker 3: guys next time