I have always been a prolific reader. Even when I was little, I was begging my mom to take me to the bookstore multiple times a week or checking out as many books from the school library as I could carry home. Reading is one of the ways I love to learn about the world, and it’s something I’ve continued to enjoy well into young-adulthood.
When I was in Inside Sales with the Atlanta Hawks, I was amazed by how much I could improve my game on the phone by doing the recommended reading. I was very lucky that our VP of Ticket Sales at the Hawks was also an avid reader, and one with a comprehensive library. In sales (especially Inside Sales), you get out what you put in, and I was always determined to put in as much as possible. I firmly believe that one of the keys to my growth as a young professional has been reading whatever I could get my hands on, then finding ways to apply what I’ve learned. I’m not the only one; when I look around at my friends in the industry who have had the most success, almost all of them are avid learners. Of course, applying information is much easier when it’s been thoroughly hashed out with a group. That’s how The Playbook was born. It’s the only virtual “book club” in sports, and we’re excited to launch the initiative today!
I saw in theClubhouse a group of similar individuals, those who are hungry to succeed and grow in the sports industry, and I knew these were the people I wanted to learn from. I hope you’ll join me by reading one book per month. It’ll likely be a non-fiction title, one that has a proven tie-in to sports, selling, or leadership. After reading, we will get together via virtual chat to discuss the book. One of my favorite things about book club is the number of different messages that can be pulled out of a single book, and I’m so excited to hear what other members of theClubhouse are hearing when they read.
Our first book will by Rejection Proof by Jia Jiang. Rejection is something we face daily in sales (or in life, for those of us who might not be on the ticketing side of the industry). Jiang’s book retells the story of his mission to be rejected for 100 days in a row. Spoiler alert: he learns a lot along the way. We’ll be discussing Rejection Proof on Thursday August 29, at 9a PST (12p EST), and you can RSVP to join our first discussion here: https://clubhouse.sportsbusiness.solutions/webinars/53-The-Playbook--Volume-1-Rejection-Proof-By-Jia-Jiang
Hope to see you there!
Carson
Carson has been in the sports industry for 3+ years, most recently with the Atlanta Hawks and Madison Square Garden Sports. She’s currently a Client Relationship Specialist at MSG where she manages a book of clients across MSG sporting properties. She’s an avid learner and reader and the Playbook was her idea! We’re excited to give her the opportunity to put this group together and feel thankful she brought it to theClubhouse. You can connect with her and learn more about her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carsonholden/