🏆 A Career at the Heart of Sports & Business Development

A Career in Business Development

Growing up in Boston, Rachel's passion for sports developed early. "I’ve always been competitive and big into playing sports," she says. At Cornell University, she captained the club hockey team and managed the football team's operations, filming games from a scissor lift, and learned the intricacies of behind-the-scenes football operations. After college, she set her sights on working in the NFL and accepted a role with the Miami Dolphins in operations. However, she quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit, partly due to limitations on women in certain on-field roles at the time. This realization prompted her to pursue a Master’s in Sport Management and an MBA at UMass Amherst. During grad school, an internship with the PGA TOUR in business development shifted her career focus.

Rachel joined the PGA TOUR full-time, excelling in business development and helping to craft multimillion-dollar partnerships. Her career next took her to Los Angeles, where she worked with AEG’s diverse portfolio, including Crypto.com Arena (formerly STAPLES Center), Coachella, with a focus on the LA Kings. Later, she returned to Boston to join FSM, achieving success as the Red Sox won a World Series during her tenure. When the COVID-19 pandemic led to budget cuts at FSM, Rachel was laid off. However, while pitching an event at Fenway Park, she caught the attention of Hudl’s head of partnerships. This serendipitous connection led to her current role, where she now leads strategic partnerships.

The Art of Partnerships

Throughout her career, Rachel has worked with a wide range of successful people and noticed a few consistent traits among them. “In partnerships, you need to blend two core areas: sales and customer service,” she explains. “You’re constantly selling, but you’re also ensuring the customer’s needs are met.” She emphasizes the importance of negotiation skills and the ability to bounce back from rejection. “You can’t just accept ‘no’ and walk away. You have to find other ways around that.”

It’s not just about pushing a product or asset – it’s also about understanding what the customer needs. She shares an example from her time at the PGA TOUR: “They did an excellent job of understanding a customer’s goals and tailoring solutions to meet those.” Rachel also recognizes the power of different sales tactics, noting that some are more direct while others, like her own approach, are relationship-driven. “It’s about finding your voice and knowing how to read people,” she says. “Being well-prepared and understanding both your needs and theirs will make you the most successful.”

Hiring Insights and Career Lessons

When hiring, Rachel looks for candidates who truly understand the role they’re applying for. “A lot of times, people come into interviews talking about things that aren’t even relevant to the job,” she observes. She stresses the importance of thoroughly reading job descriptions and coming prepared. Beyond that, she seeks two key qualities. First, she values relationship-building skills. “We’re a small team within a large organization, so we have to collaborate with various departments. Being able to build strong internal and external relationships is crucial.” The second quality she looks for is organization skills. “We work with close to 150 partners, so strong organizational skills are essential. It’s about managing your time effectively while keeping communication flowing with partners,” she explains.

Reflecting on her career, Rachel wishes she had done a better job of staying in touch with some of the people she met early on. She recalls receiving valuable introductions during college, particularly from coaches who connected her to key industry figures, but she didn’t always follow up. “If I had kept in touch with those people, I’d have a much stronger network within the industry.” Her advice for younger professionals is to consistently follow up and maintain relationships, even if it seems like a small effort at the time. “One in fifty people do it, but those who do stand out.”

The Key to Fulfillment at Work: The People

Rachel’s “why” begins and ends with people. “I’m a firm believer that people leave people, not jobs,” she says, emphasizing the importance of surrounding yourself with a team and culture you love.

For Rachel, work becomes fulfilling when shared with individuals who are equally committed and passionate. “I’m fortunate to have the most phenomenal team. They’re amazing, and it makes coming to work every day so much more rewarding.” She finds energy in hearing about their challenges, working collaboratively to overcome them, and celebrating their successes.

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