good mentors – BaylorS3.com

How two brothers made it big in pro sports: Colin Faulkner, Chicago Cubs and Chris Faulkner, Denver Broncos

kirk_wakefield 2016, S3 Spotlight, Work ethic November 5, 2016October 31, 2018Broncos, character, Cubs, good mentors, Marlins, overcoming rejection, Rangers, Rockies, Stars, Success, work ethic 0 Comment

by Kirk Wakefield – November 2016

Note: In this re-release (first posted April 1, 2013), we congratulate Colin Faulkner, and the 2016 World Champion Chicago Cubs, for catching up to brother Chris Faulkner, whose Denver Broncos won the 2016 Super Bowl.

S3 Board Member Spotlight

Brothers. Friends. Sports.

These three words bind Chris and Colin Faulkner together as one of the few sets of brothers in the business of sports.

Colin is the Vice President of Sales & Partnerships with the Chicago Cubs. Chris is Manager of Club Seat Sales and Service with the Denver Broncos. Each took different routes getting into their careers.

Overcoming rejection

Colin’s experience with Baylor’s call center and the Waco Wizards (surprise: a defunct hockey team) reinforced his desire to enter sports after graduating from Baylor (1998).

Part of Colin’s motivation today stems from his early days searching for an entry level position. The S3 program’s own, Dr. Darryl Lehnus, then Associate Athletic Director over sales & marketing, spurned Colin for an internship while Colin was working towards his undergraduate degree. Then following scores of applications, Colin’s resume eventually landed in the hands of Shawn McGee of the old Dallas Burn where Colin received his only offer. What happened to all those rejection letters? Fifteen years later they still have their own special place in Colin’s desk.

Colin went on to prove himself as an account executive with the then combined Texas Rangers/Dallas Stars group before moving to roles with the Stars as the Director of Ticket Sales (2002),Vice President of Ticket Sales (2004), Sr. Vice President of Ticket Sales & Service (2007), and Sr. VP of Marketing (2009). Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Colin was selected as the Vice President of Ticket Sales & Service with the Chicago Cubs (2010) before his recent promotion this spring to include corporate partnerships.

Operations, IT or Sales?

Chris started out with idea of working in operations or IT for a professional team after graduating from Baylor (2001). In his search, Chris quickly learned the lifeblood of an organization was in sales – and the best entry point. After beginning with the Colorado Rockies, Chris moved into a senior account executive position with the Texas Rangers (2003) before promotions to Group Sales manager (2005) and then Director of Ticket Sales (2007). Following, Chris moved west as the Director of Ticket Sales for the Colorado Crush (2008) before moving across town to sell premium seats for the Broncos (2009) to ultimately assume his current position as Manager of the department (2010).

Work ethic = Success

The brothers share beliefs about what leads to success. Working for good managers helps paves the way. They believe in working hard, having a good attitude and working smart. As Chris points out, sales is purely an effort-based position, “Put in the work and put in the hours.”

Mentors play a role in the success of anyone who moves up the ranks. Geoff Moore, Colin’s mentor, is quick to share his thoughts on Colin’s work ethic and attitude:

“Colin has true character. He is competitive, intelligent and curious. But, his most important quality is his optimism. He believes his hard work will make a difference. This combination of talent and work effort make him a great employee and leader.

Similarly, Andy Silverman, shared from his experiences with Chris:

Chris is a true professional at every level. From my many years working alongside Chris at the Texas Rangers, to his current role running Premium Sales at the Denver Broncos, Chris not only has my utmost respect but admiration as a true sales professional. I consider Chris a master of his craft and even more importantly a trusted friend and confidant.

Having a Brother in Sports

Chris and Colin get along, well, just like brothers. They benefit from each other’s experiences, frequently texting each other to share updates, bounce ideas off the other, and share in each other’s successes. Although Chris feels some pressure to keep up with his older brother, they don’t feel like they compete with each other since both have done well in their careers. Colin said that if he had the option to hire Chris to work for him, he probably wouldn’t because Chris is in such a good situation right now.

Two well-known brothers in sports are the Leiweke brothers, Tim and Tod, and the Yormark brothers, Brett and Michael. Give the Faulkner brothers a few years. When you see them on the front of Forbes magazine, remember you saw them featured first on the S3 Report!

8 Tips to Getting Promoted in the Sports Industry

kirk_wakefield 2015, Careers, Lead, Learn, Personal Development, S3, Work ethic October 30, 2015October 31, 2018break into sports, career, excellence, get ahead, good mentors, jobs, promotion, sports 0 Comment

by Rocky Harris – October 2015

Managing expectations

I get asked all the time what it takes to get promoted in the sports industry. Over the last 15 years the industry has encountered rapid growth, which has provided more professional opportunities and raised expectations for getting promoted faster.

When I got my first full-time job with the San Francisco 49ers, I felt lucky to have an entry-level position. It was highly competitive. No one seemed to get promoted or leave for other jobs. Upward mobility was more aspirational than realistic. Today, people enter the industry expecting to become athletics director, president or general manager by the time they are 30. Somewhere along the way, we stopped worrying about excelling at our current jobs and only focused on reaching the next step.

How to advance in 8 easy steps

Instead of trying to reverse the course of the industry, I have some direction for those looking to advance their careers.

Excel at your current job: Many people think all they have to do to get promoted is meet the minimum expectations for their current positions. I always tell my staff that the first step is to excel at what you were hired to accomplish. AEG Senior Vice President Nick Baker, who started at AEG as an intern and worked his way up, explained: “You have to have proven excellence in your current role before you can be considered for additional responsibilities and opportunities.”
Impact other departments: Once you effectively manage all current responsibilities, the next step is to positively impact and contribute to other departments. It shows you are a team player. Other leaders within the organization will notice your contribution in helping them reach their goals.
Focus on solving organizational objectives: I was told early in my career to solve the problems of the most senior decision-maker in the department (president, athletics director, owner, etc.). After perfecting the job you are hired to do and helping other departments reach their goals, spend your spare time figuring out ways to solve organizational problems. Delivering a solution to an issue that keeps the team owner up at night will help you get noticed and promoted.
Know your strengths and weaknesses: Focus on using your strengths to deliver short-term results. Develop and display a skill set relevant to the objectives of the organization. Example: If your boss is a luddite, and you are tech-savvy, your technology skills can deliver value to the organization that no one else can that sets you apart.
Dress for the job you want, not the one you have: One employee asked for a promotion because he felt he was ready to take on a more senior role. I told my boss about his desire for advancement and we were considering it. The next day, the employee walked in to the office with tennis shoes and his shirt un-tucked. My boss said he refused to promote him, regardless of the work he produces, until he learns professionalism.
Find mentors: I wouldn’t be where I am without the help of others. It is critical to your professional development. Mentors can help you develop your personal plan and provide much-needed guidance.
Build relationships: Have a positive attitude. Be the kind of person people want to work with. Leaders can easily identify divisive people. Dividers will not be promoted regardless of the results they drive.
Be open to change: Executive Director of Compliance at Arizona State University, Steve Webb, has lived in four different states to pursue his goals in the sports industry. Webb said, “In the sports industry, you have to be willing to change jobs, move and take on new roles in order to grow. The more flexible you are, the more likely you will move up the ladder quicker.”

These steps do not guarantee you will fast-track to the top of an organization. But, if that is your goal, these pointers will give you the best chance to reach your career goals.

Cover photo courtesy of Pascal.

S3 Board Member Spotlight: Kelly Cheeseman, AEG Worldwide

kirk_wakefield About S3, Careers, Lead, S3, S3 Spotlight, The S3 Program, Work ethic February 10, 2013November 2, 2018advice, AEG, career path, good mentors, LA Kings, mentors, NHL, sales careers, Success, work ethic 1 Comment

by Jerry Ruiz – February 2013

Congratulations to S3 Board Members in their new positions: Kelly Cheeseman, Chief Operating Officer of AEG Worldwide, and Chris McGowan, President of the Portland Trailblazers.

This is a story about the value of good mentors.

Kelly Cheeseman started his career as the Manager of Marketing at Rancho Cucamonga Quakes before coming to the LA Kings/AEG in 2001 as an Account Executive in ticket sales. In short order, Kelly advanced to Senior Sales Executive and then to the Manager of Ticket Sales. By 2005, Kelly was the Director of Sales & Service. Three years later, he was promoted to Vice President, Sales & Service, followed by a move up to Senior Vice President in 2012. When Chris McGowan left the COO position at AEG Worldwide to become the President & CEO of the Portland Trailblazers, Kelly was, as always, prepared to step in.

“Kelly has the best work ethic of any sports executive I have ever seen,” said Chris McGowan. From his experience, beginning in 1996 at AEG, McGowan sees the COO position at AEG as a true privilege. Having worked alongside Cheeseman for over a decade, Chris said what’s obvious to everyone is that, “Kelly is extremely passionate about the sports industry and dedicates a lot of time and energy into learning every aspect of the business.” Kelly would say he’s been helped by seeing it modeled by his mentor, Chris McGowan.

Giving back

In turn, Kelly has always taken the time to mentor others. Two graduates of the inaugural Baylor S3 class in 2006, Todd Pollock and Brett Christenson, began in ticket sales at the LA Kings/AEG. Cheeseman took the two under his wings and helped them get off to a good start within the industry.

“Kelly has been a great mentor. Aside from his knowledge and business-savvy mentality, he has always been a great leader with his staff, whom he cares about greatly. His willingness to develop skill sets and train his staff makes him one of the best executives in the sports world today,” said Pollock, currently General Manager of Sales & Service at Temple University.

Under Cheeseman’s mentorship, Pollock moved from inside sales to account executive to Manager of Sales & Service for the LA Kings in less than two years, before becoming Manager, Ticketing & Suites, at the San Francisco 49ers. Cheeseman, like his mentor McGowan, share the qualities of all good mentors.

Christenson landed at FC Dallas in corporate sales, before completing his MBA and moving into corporate business intelligence and database analytics.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-bottom-right” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Qualities of Good Mentors:

genuine concern for your best interest
willingness to share what they know to help you get ahead
willingness to be available to you when you need help—not just at their convenience
ability to identify your needs or deficiencies and to develop strategies for overcoming such obstacles to your success
respectfulness, trustworthiness, honesty and supportiveness

Source: Achieve Solutions [/dropshadowbox]

Learned along the way

Looking back at his career, the biggest challenges came during the two NHL work stoppage. Facing such obstacles out of your control, Cheeseman says, “will truly test your ability to maintain good relationships with customers and challenge your mental strength.”

When asked about some of the best career tips he’s ever received, Cheeseman recalled words shared by McGowan that stuck with him:

Hard work can never be beat.
There are no shortcuts.
Always look for ways to be innovative.
Don’t get stuck in a rut.

What is Cheeseman’s advice to others wanting to succeed in sales management in this business?

Hire a great team properly organized to work together. Focus on the structure.
Develop a measurable business plan you can review against key performance indicators.
Hire an analytics team to support your staff.

Of course, it always helps to have a positive mindset. “Clients and co-workers really enjoy working with Kelly because he has a great personality,” McGowan added.

Thanks

The students in the Baylor S3 program look forward to continued success stories from those fortunate enough to work with Mr. Cheeseman and Mr. McGowan. Thanks for giving back!