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Jordan, Merchandise & Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis: Advize Career Interview

A journey from kinesiology to Major League Table Tennis reveals the exciting path of a Merchandise & Marketing Manager.

Exploring diverse roles, discovering a passion for table tennis, and pursuing a sports management degree paved the way for a unique position building a professional league from the ground up.

This role involves everything from managing merchandise sales at nationwide events and online, to crafting promotional strategies, securing brand partnerships, and nurturing fan engagement.

While traveling across the US to connect with table tennis enthusiasts, enthusiasm, a willingness to learn, and quick decision-making prove to be invaluable skills.

Despite the challenge of a startup environment lacking historical data and facing immense pressure to perform, there is joy in fostering a community, witnessing a beginner's passion ignite, and contributing to a fun, recreation-focused industry.

Success in this dynamic field requires persistence, thick skin, and a continuous pursuit of skill development.

Valuable lessons include the importance of retail planning, budgeting, handwritten thank you notes, consistent networking, and a deep understanding of academic concepts alongside cultivating relationships.

Aspiring professionals can gain experience through internships and part-time sales roles, promoting events, selling tickets, and engaging students.

This is a chance to witness firsthand how building relationships leads to lasting opportunities and impacts the sport, and this professional's career path is a testament to what can happen when hard work and passion collide.

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Jordan Yee

Merchandise & Marketing Manager

Major League Table Tennis

CSU Long Beach

CSU Long Beach MA Kinesiology Sport Management

Medical, Sciences & Related

Sports

Sales and Client Management

None Applicable

Watch all of this Advizer's videos below

Career Path Of A Merchandise And Marketing Manager At Major League Table Tennis

Jordan's career path began with a kinesiology degree, initially driven by the perception of physical therapy as a stable career, but after realizing it wasn't a long-term fit, began exploring diverse roles in retail, customer service, and parks and recreation to identify strengths and weaknesses. This exploration eventually led to a role at a local table tennis club, sparking a passion for the sport and identifying a need for greater professionalization in the US, leading to a sports management graduate degree and ultimately a position as a Merchandise & Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis, helping build the foundation for "something that's never been here in the US before."

Career Path Of A Merchandise And Marketing Manager At Major League Table Tennis

Responsibilities of a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis

Jordan's main responsibilities as a Merchandise & Marketing Manager involve handling merchandise sales both in-person at Major League Table Tennis events nationwide, where they "set up the booth and...handle transactions," and remotely through the online shop, focusing on advertising, promotional strategies, brand partnerships, and managing customer inquiries to offer a deeper experience than "just selling a t-shirt." They also seek feedback at events to inform future product development and enhance fan engagement.

Responsibilities of a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis

A Day in the Life of a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis

A day in the life of a Merchandise & Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis involves traveling to in-person events across the US to handle transactions and gather customer feedback on merchandise, selling everything "from t-shirts to ping pong equipment" while also gauging interest in more team-focused or locally relevant items. When working remotely, the role focuses on online meetings to integrate merchandise with marketing, ticket sales, and fan experience, alongside building partnerships with brands, local clubs, and passionate ambassadors to "help push" Major League Table Tennis and encourage participation in the sport.

A Day in the Life of a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis

Most Important Skills For A Merchandise And Marketing Manager At Major League Table Tennis

For a Merchandise & Marketing Manager role at Major League Table Tennis, Jordan emphasizes soft skills like a "positive and willing to learn" attitude, enthusiasm, and perseverance are critical, particularly when facing difficult people and high-pressure situations in sales. Quick decision-making is also important, as is the ability to separate work and life to maintain a good attitude and passion for the job.

Most Important Skills For A Merchandise And Marketing Manager At Major League Table Tennis

Favorite Parts of Being a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis

Jordan surprisingly enjoys meeting new people and connecting with the table tennis community despite considering themself an introvert, finding it rewarding to travel to different cities, learn about diverse backgrounds, and encourage beginners to embrace the sport, noting that "everyone comes with like...so many different talents and skills." Witnessing a beginner's passion ignite and spread is also a significant source of enjoyment in the role.

Favorite Parts of Being a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Merchandise And Marketing Manager At Major League Table Tennis

As a Merchandise & Marketing Manager at a Major League Table Tennis startup, the biggest challenge is the lack of historical data to guide decisions, as "everything is just starting from the ground up," requiring constant justification without past precedents. This is compounded by the immense pressure to perform and grow rapidly as a professional league, creating a demanding environment.

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Merchandise And Marketing Manager At Major League Table Tennis

Favorite Parts of Working in the Sports Industry as a Merchandise and Marketing Manager

Jordan enjoys being in the sports industry, as opposed to healthcare, because one gets to work with people who are there "for leisure and for recreation" in an environment that is fun and where "people want to be there". Furthermore, as a kinesiology major, Jordan believes that "we need to be constantly focusing on our physical health. And sports is a very easy medium to do that."

Favorite Parts of Working in the Sports Industry as a Merchandise and Marketing Manager

What Type of Person Thrives in the Sports Industry, According to a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis

To thrive in the sports industry, particularly in roles like Merchandise & Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis, persistence and "thick skin" are crucial, as is the ability to market oneself effectively. Jordan highlights the high-expectation, high-turnover nature of the industry, emphasizing the need to accept change and "keep sharpening your skills" to navigate potential career shifts.

What Type of Person Thrives in the Sports Industry, According to a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis

What A Merchandise Manager At Major League Table Tennis Wishes They Knew Before Entering Sports Merchandising Industry

Jordan, a Merchandise & Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis, wishes someone had emphasized retail planning and budgeting before entering the industry, including procurement, design production, and understanding the "fulfillment aspect" of getting products to customers. Despite this, Jordan values on-the-job learning and mentorship within the field.

What A Merchandise Manager At Major League Table Tennis Wishes They Knew Before Entering Sports Merchandising Industry

Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Merchandise And Marketing Managers At Major League Table Tennis

Jordan, a Merchandise & Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis, highlights that entry-level opportunities for students include internships, exemplified by a recent hire for the tech team, and part-time sales positions focused on "promoting events," "selling tickets," and introducing the table tennis format to a new audience, especially leveraging the sport's popularity amongst students. These sales-focused roles are particularly valuable because students are instrumental in encouraging their peers to engage with the sport.

Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Merchandise And Marketing Managers At Major League Table Tennis

Significant Career Lesson From a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis

For Jordan, the most significant lesson learned is the power of handwritten thank you notes and consistent networking, a practice that, while seemingly "archaic" has been instrumental in career advancement. By following up with informational interviewees, professors, and supervisors with personalized notes, and by actively engaging in unpaid volunteer work within the small table tennis community, Jordan has fostered valuable connections, leading to job opportunities and lasting recognition.

Significant Career Lesson From a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis

College Experiences That Helped a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis Succeed

To prepare for a career, Jordan focused on staying engaged in college by deeply learning subjects rather than just memorizing facts, recognizing the importance of understanding the "big picture" to translate academic tasks, even those that feel like "busy work," into professional settings where focus and dedication are key; Jordan also emphasized building relationships with professors and developing interpersonal skills, recognizing that "every job is really just... having relationships with individuals."

College Experiences That Helped a Merchandise and Marketing Manager at Major League Table Tennis Succeed

Advizer Personal Links

www.linkedin.com/in/jordanyee3478

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