This week’s featured young sports business professional is Steven Gibbs from Hoop Mountain.

Name: Steven Gibbs

Age: 24

Name of Company(s) Hoop Mountain Basketball, Zero Gravity Basketball, Team New England Select Basketball, The Pingree School

Web Site: www.hoopmountain.com

Favorite sport to play: Basketball

Favorite sport to watch: Basketball

Favorite professional team(s):
Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Bruins

Favorite college team(s):
Boston College Eagles, Syracuse Orange, UMass Minutemen, Harvard Crimson

Please briefly describe your background in sports business:
Director of Event Operations and Marketing for Hoop Mountain Basketball Corporation, a partner of the New England Recruiting Report. I also serve as managing partner for the Zero Gravity Basketball Tournament Series and coach basketball at Pingree, the current New England Prep School Basketball Champions.

If you could change one thing in sports business what would it be?
Exploitation of intercollegiate student-athletes. For example, John Wall brings in millions of dollars to the University of Kentucky, but will be forced to leave Coach Cal and company after just one year to support his family and go to the NBA. I feel as there should be a way for superstars like this to get a taste of the income they bring in which could possibly help college athletes stay and graduate before turning pro.

What’s your most prized possession that you display at your desk and why?
I proudly display a John Calipari signed “Refuse to Lose” Basketball on my desk. This gives myself the motivation to “Refuse to Lose” any business deal, any basketball game, and conflict that comes up while I am in the office.

Do you think you have encountered any unique challenges or advantages because of your age?
I feel that being in a decision making position at the age of 24 presents both its challenges and advantages. A challenge is certainly the fact of having to manage, and direct peers that are much older. A positive advantage of my age is the fact that I am not as tied down as an older professional who is married and has children, this allows me to work 80 hours a week, that is something some that are older simply cannot do.

What campaign do you think is working right now?
Title IX. I feel that this has made women’s sports grow leaps and bounds all the way from the youth to the college level. It is really been impressive to see the youth participation numbers among females playing athletics, and the rise in popularity in Women’s sports such as NCAA Women’s Basketball and the Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament.

What’s one issue in sports that needs to be addressed immediately for the betterment of the sport?
There are two major issues I see that need to be addressed. First would be all of the cheating and scandals in NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Recruiting. The second and most obvious is the Bowl Championship Series, we must crown a true national champion on the field.

What’s the toughest part of your job and what’s the easiest part of your job?
Being in the events industry, outsiders often feel the hardest part of running a high quality event, is directing the actual event. I strongly, feel the most difficult part of event planning is the sales/marketing and operational planning prior to the event and the easiest part is actually operating the event on site. This holds true in both my current role in the basketball industry and my past role, in event operations at the NCAA Division I level.

If you could give one piece of advice to young sports business professionals coming up the ranks behind you, what would it be?
Network, Network, Network!!!

This week’s featured young sports business professional is Jessica Lichtenberg from Shade Global Inc.

Name: Jessica Lichtenberg
Email: Email Jessica Here
Age: 24
Name of Company: Shade Global Inc.
Web Site: www.shadeglobal.com
Favorite sport to play: Tennis, soccer
Favorite sport to watch: Basketball, baseball, soccer
Favorite professional team(s): Knicks, Yankees
Favorite college team(s): University of Michigan, Syracuse University

Please briefly describe your background in sports business:
My passion for sports and ingenuity led me to a position in athlete representation and sports marketing in New York, where I am responsible for the development of sponsorships, organic marketing ideas and creating commercial opportunities for client projects.

If you could change one thing in sports business what would it be?
A greater push towards using the power of sports and entertainment to positively change the world.

What’s your most prized possession that you display at your desk and why?
A picture of my family because it makes me smile and reminds me of who I am. My family has always been behind me and they are my biggest supporters. They taught me to follow my dreams, to keep trying until I succeed, to have passion for what I do and to never settle for mediocrity. From an early age they instilled that hard work, dedication and integrity are important values that will carry me through life.

Do you think you have encountered any unique challenges or advantages because of your age?
Yes, it has definitely presented me with both unique challenges and advantages.
As a young female in this industry I think I had to perform to a higher standard to earn the same respect and confidence from colleagues. I felt like I had more to prove for people to take me seriously because of my age. However, this has also had its advantages. Coming in at a young age I have the opportunity to make my own mark in the industry. Making a great effort to constantly soak up everything I can by watching others and by testing the waters, I have learned more and gained more exposure than I ever imagined I would have by this point.

What campaign do you think is working right now?
NBC’s “Countdown to Vancouver.” The Olympics is truly a spectacular affair that captivates the world. Athletes of all trades train their entire lives for a chance to compete in the world’s greatest sporting event.
The “Countdown to Vancouver” coverage is doing an excellent job piquing interest by sharing the stories behind these incredible athletes- who they are and how they got there- and previewing highlights of the upcoming Winter Games.
The series engages viewers to become a part of the excitement. You connect to these individuals; you feel the genuine passion, the trials and triumph of these athletes, their commitment to excellence and the sacrifices they have made. Olympians not only represent themselves, but they represent their entire country on the world’s stage. Only a handful of people in the world ever earn the chance to do that.

What’s one issue in sports that needs to be addressed immediately for the betterment of the sport?
Athletes’ awareness of the responsibility they hold as role models in society. These individuals have a great ability to influence others through their actions.

What’s the toughest part of your job and what’s the easiest part of your job?
The toughest part of my job is the intense, high-pressured, 24/7 nature of this industry. The easiest part of my job is stirring up creative concepts to pursue.

If you could give one piece of advice to young sports business professionals coming up the ranks behind you, what would it be?
It’s going to be a wild ride so hold on tight! Take every opportunity to learn everything you can and ask a lot of questions. Don’t be afraid to initiate a new idea or try a new avenue because you think no one will listen- stand out and make yourself known.

This week’s featured young sports business professional is Brian Gainor from Partnership Activation.

Name: Brian Gainor
Email: bgainor@partnershipactivation.com
Age: 26
Name of Company: Partnership Activation, Inc.
Web Site: http://www.partnershipactivation.com
Favorite sport to play: Basketball
Favorite sport to watch: College Football
Favorite professional team(s): Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat
Favorite college team(s): Florida Gators

Please briefly describe your background in sports business:
I began my career in sports at the University of Florida as a student assistant in the Sports Information Office while completing my undergraduate degree. That opportunity led to internship positions with the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and a role with the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe. I went on to pursue an MBA/MSA degree from the Ohio University Center for Sports Administration and then moved to Charlotte to work for GMR Marketing (who I still currently work for). In February 2008, I launched Partnership Activation, Inc., as a side venture dedicated to sharing marketing/sponsorship best practices, a medium that hopefully will continue to serve as an industry resource for years to come.

If you could change one thing in sports business what would it be?
For brands to view their relationships in sports as true partnerships, where both parties (corporate partner and property) demonstrate a commitment to fully understand and drive one another’s business. It needs to be a two-way street.

Even as a leader, most young professionals are still sitting in a cubicle at this point in your career. What’s your most prized possession that you display in your cubicle?
The Ohio University Sports Administration Alumni Directory. There isn’t a graduate school program in the country that does a better job preparing young professionals to be leaders in the sports industry.

Do you think you have encountered any unique challenges or advantages because of your age?
I try to live by the mantra that there will always be challenges along the way but those who work hard will have good things happen to them. Those who are passionate, hard-working team players with integrity will succeed in this world. Young sports professionals should continue to search for ways that they can use/apply social media to sports – this will help them overcome a lot of challenges/disadvantages they might perceive are out there.

What campaign do you think is working right now?
The Chick-fil-A Wave campaign (there aren’t too many brands out there leveraging their sports investments better than Chick-fil-A right now)

What’s one issue in sports that needs to be addressed immediately for the betterment of the sport?
Rising salary cap issues. This continues to affect everyone in the business (fans, corporate partners, owners, etc.)

If you could give one piece of advice to young sports business professionals coming up the ranks behind you, what would it be?
I would focus on six things: think of yourself as a brand, work to understand the sports landscape, make networking your number one priority, get as much experience as fast as you can, learn every day, and do the little things that make a big difference to differentiate yourself from others.

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This week’s featured young sports business professional is Jeff Brunelle from Carrot Creative and Lacrosse All Stars.

Name: Jeff Brunelle
Age: 23
Email: jeff@carrotcreative.com
Company: Carrot Creative, Lacrosse All Stars
Website: http://carrotcreative.com
Favorite professional team(s): Portland Trailblazers, Seattle Sonics (RIP), Yankees
Favorite college team(s): Oregon Ducks, Alabama Crimson Tide, Gonzaga

Please briefly describe your background in sports business:
I am currently Director of Sports & Entertainment at Carrot Creative, a new-media marketing agency located in New York City. Specializing in social media, our sports and entertainment department provides custom development and communications planning for athletes and sports organizations. Prior to Carrot, I worked in Time Inc’s Consumer Marketing division as an assistant marketing manager for Sports Illustrated. Before working full time for Sports Illustrated, I was a campus representative throughout college and I did a summer internship in Consumer Research for SI. After graduating college, I also co-founded LacrosseAllStars.com with my friend Ryan Craven; the site is now a leading content hub for lacrosse news and fan commentary.

Even as a leader, most young professionals are still sitting in a cubicle at this point in your career. What’s your most prized possession that you display in your cubicle?
My younger cousin Patrick made a lacrosse player out of clay for me when I graduated college. It has a green and yellow jersey and wears #12 like I did. Patrick is a HUGE Oregon State fan, so the fact that he made something in University of Oregon colors meant a lot. I’ll always keep it with me.

Do you think you have encountered any unique challenges or advantages because of your age?
Yes and no. When I worked in a corporate role I often felt like my age hindered my opportunities, especially since many of the people I worked with were older. When I switched over to Carrot, I felt like my age was a positive thing. They recognized my drive right off the bat and offered me a lot of responsibility. Now whether or not it’s a challenge or an advantage usually depends on the client I’m working with.

What campaign do you think is working right now?
I want to say something else besides Nike, but I can’t. Those Nike Pro Combat commercials with Adrian Peterson are one of kind; when it comes on TV I stop everything to just watch. In terms of social media, another great example is Nike’s Leroy Smith campaign (The Man Who Motivated Michael Jordan). They made a lot of noise with that one.

What’s one issue in sports that needs to be addressed immediately for the betterment of the sport?
Depression. That might sound odd, but if you look at today’s athletes we’re seeing more and more come out publicly with their problems. Take Stephon Marbury or Michael Beasley for example, pro athletes have so much weight on their shoulders – if I could change one thing it’d be to take a few pounds off.

If you could give one piece of advice to young sports business professionals coming up the ranks behind you, what would it be?
Work hard and mind the details. People remember if you make mistakes, but if you get things right every time you’re accountable. That can go a long way.