How Identity Has Influenced A Director Of Business Development Sport At Exos's Career
Mariah's career in sports, a male-dominated field, was shaped by the realization that "men play football, men coach football, men also run the football departments," yet an all-girls high school instilled a leadership mindset, enabling her to confidently navigate challenges. This experience motivated a commitment to fostering inclusivity, creating a welcoming environment for other women by actively hiring female interns and ensuring they felt supported, ultimately contributing to increased female representation in sports.
Overcoming Challenges, Leadership, Mentorship, Women in Sports, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mariah Martin
Director of Business Development, Sport
Exos
University of Arizona, 2014
N/A
Business Management & Admin
Sports & Fitness
Business Strategy
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Mariah's passion for football led her to realize the male dominance in the field and the challenges she would face as a woman.
2. Despite initial roadblocks, Mariah focused on creating a supportive and welcoming environment for other women in sports, leaving a positive impact on the industry.
3. She highlights the importance of representation and mentorship, emphasizing how having women in leadership roles encourages more women to enter the field and how even small actions like inclusive hiring practices can improve their experiences
Transcript
As someone who identifies as a woman in sports, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
It's been the defining factor. Knowing that my passion was in football and sport, I knew right from the get-go, men play football, and men coach football. As I got closer to it, I realized men also run the football departments.
I knew it was going to be a challenge from the start. But I was very lucky because I went to an all-girls high school. When I was there, we were the class presidents, and we ran everything. We were completely self-sufficient.
I only knew a world where women were the leaders of my life. So I went into college with that same headspace. When I walked into the football office, I thought, "Here we go. What can I do?"
As my job and career progressed, it became more obvious where the roadblocks were. Although I was an intern or on the lower end of the coaching staff, I knew that me just being there was already a win. Then I thought, "What can I do for the next girl? What can I do for the next person that's going to have my job to make it a little bit easier for them?"
I always tried to hire an equal amount of men and women interns. I also tried to make it comfortable for any intern or colleague working with me. I would make sure she always felt important. I wanted her to feel like she had an ally, and I focused on those little things.
Before you know it, more and more women are popping up in strength and conditioning rooms and other areas. It really just takes one or two women in every program to create a welcoming environment for more women to follow. That was huge for me.
I knew I wanted to do that in whatever role I held: ensure women around me always felt confident, supported, and heard. So, definitely gotta make everyone feel at home and welcome.
Advizer Personal Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinmariah/, @exossports