Parallel Career Path Strategy:

While attending Michigan State University, Asia initially planned to pursue a career as a sports agent or the president of BET Network. Still, after waiting to receive any callbacks for internships, she developed a plan to work parallel for brands and companies related to sports and then transition into the sports industry. After interning at BET, she realized it was not the right fit, reinforcing the importance of evaluating opportunities and discovering her preferences. Her first role out of college was with an agency named Carat, where she got the opportunity to work on the General Motors account. Asia specifically had a chance to work on the Chevy x Manchester United kit campaign. While working at Carat on the Cadillac account, she also discovered the importance of multicultural marketing. This led her to MEC Global, working on L'Oréal’s multicultural beauty business, but she also realized that just because she enjoyed make-up, hair, and nails didn't mean she enjoyed marketing them. Despite everything, she was determined to pursue a career in the sports industry. This experience taught her how big brands like General Motors and L’Oreal spend money on marketing and advertising, and she used her expertise with Chevy to break into the sports industry.

Creating Impactful Marketing Campaigns:
Her initial job in the sports industry was as a social media strategist for the Orlando Magic. Her boss at the Magic, who had previously worked for the NFL, often spoke of a group he worked with that had a similar interest to her, the integrated marketing and sales team. Shortly after, she secured a job as an integrated marketing manager with that team, which involved integrating sponsors into NFL digital content. The most appealing aspect of the job was that she didn't create or sell anything. Instead, she had to find ways for the two groups to collaborate and execute plans. She learned that it is expected to face challenges in business, and as long as she could prevent both sides of the company from being upset, she became more adept at navigating through difficulties. With her positive attitude and perseverance, she was able to turn these challenges into opportunities for growth and improvement.

With dreams of one day becoming a CMO, she enlisted the help of mentors to help her understand what types of experiences she needed to gain.  They advised her to gain experience in ticket sales by joining a team that needed to sell tickets, not one that relied on its brand relevance. In 2021, she started as a Marketing Director at the Jacksonville Jaguars and eventually became the VP of Brand Marketing. Her job involved overseeing all revenue-generating marketing activities. The Jaguars were a team willing to take risks and open to all ideas. To create campaigns that would resonate with fans regardless of the team's record, the team's goal was to establish a brand persona that embodies the personality of the city and its fans. By doing so, the brand would be positioned as a true reflection of Jacksonville.

MLB in the Horizon:

Having found success in basketball and football, Asia now looks forward to the challenge of Major League Baseball. She wants to become a well-rounded sports executive with experience in basketball, football, and baseball and not be limited to working in just one sport. She believes that baseball has the potential to continue to become more culturally relevant, and she wants to be a part of its growth. As a Detroit native, she is experienced with Detroit's lifestyle and language and aims to market to her familiar consumer base while honoring traditional methods. This mindset is also reflected in her approach to staffing. 

When hiring, she prioritizes candidates with project management experience, particularly in marketing. Team marketing serves as an internal service agency within an organization, handling various tasks such as brand development, sales and ticket promotions, and communications.

Asia believes that in marketing and advertising, it is crucial to find a niche that one is passionate about, such as design, copywriting, strategy, or content creation, and to share this expertise with others.

What’s Happening in Sports

🏀 Alabama makes a first-ever appearance in the NCAA Men’s Final Four, accompanied by Cinderella team N.C. State, & top-seeded UConn and Purdue.

🏀 Women’s Final Four is set. #1’s South Carolina, UConn, Iowa, and #3 seed NC State head to Cleveland.

🏟️ Washington Wizards and Capitals make a deal to stay in DC after the Alexandria, VA plan is scrapped.

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