𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝙐𝙥: 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙀𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆.

Erin Parker never thought she’d work in sales.

Growing up, she had the old-school idea of sales:

“You have to be a shark.

The smartest one in the room.

Maybe even a bit manipulative.”

And that just wasn’t her.

But when the pandemic hit, her plans were tossed aside.

She was a former athlete working for Ohio State’s Athletic Department.

Suddenly, sports shut down.

And she had to figure out how to make a living.

So she took a sales job in Austin, Texas.

Minimum wage.

Retail.

Starting from scratch.

Not what I envisioned after earning her bachelor’s degree.

But guess what?

While it was one of the hardest decisions she made, it was also one of the best.

She learned to respect the grind.

The power of showing up every single day.

Especially when it’s tough.

And she realized that sales doesn’t have to be about being cold-hearted.

It can be about connecting with people.

Listening to their needs.

And helping them find solutions.

From that first job, she kept putting herself out there.

She networked with everyone she could.

Across industries.

Past the nerves.

Or feeling out of place.

She was committed to growth.

To asking questions.

To building relationships.

And that made all the difference.

It’s the same reason she moved back to Chicago.

It brought her closer to family.

And a retail job with Nike.

“They told me it would be a great way to round out my skills.”

And it was.

It taught her the importance of playing the long game.

And developing a holistic understanding of the industry.

Today, she’s back in the sports world.

In roles with Chicago Fire FC and WISE Chicago that combine her love for connecting with people, her passion for sports, and her commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Her advice to anyone looking to break into the sports industry?

1. Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom.

It’s where you learn the most.

2. Network like crazy.

Be genuinely curious.

Put yourself out there.

Even if it’s uncomfortable.

3. Redefine what success looks like for you.

Is it just the title or the paycheck?

Or finding roles and teams that align with your values?

She never imagined she end up here.

But it’s funny how the unexpected paths lead to the best destinations.

So keep pushing today.

Keep connecting.

And don’t forget to enjoy the journey.

***

Know a highly motivated student looking for a chance to join the sports industry?

Reading Erin’s story is an incredible opportunity to learn how to get hands-on experience with a premier pro sports teams.

If you know an undergrad or grad student who’s interested in a career in sales or DEI, reach out with this post.

And thank you Erin for diving into your truly inspiring story of resilience and leadership in the game!