If you start thinking about that now, you will be ahead of the game!

Prologue: Today, we reflect on the past, present, and future with one of the alumni of?The Underground Agency?at?NKU Haile College of Business - Hannah Siefert , Fan Experience Manager at FC Cincinnati ,?who left us back in 2018. If you wonder on this beautiful morning how someone gets from an uncertain college graduate with low confidence and no soccer experience to a passionate fan experience enthusiast who loves creating memorable experiences (that sell out TQL Stadium) for soccer fans with a humble confidence, well, just relax and enjoy reading our 47th interview.?

David: How are you, Hannah?

Hannah: I am doing pretty good! On a professional note, I planned and executed the first Young Sports Professionals Symposium in Cincinnati through FC Cincinnati . On a personal note, I am living in Fort Thomas with a nice 8-minute drive downtown for work. I recently went on vacation to Riviera Maya with my boyfriend, very relaxing after a long season. I can’t wait to see where we go this year!

David: Clearly, the travel bug we incepted into your heart back in 2016 during our study abroad trip to Prague had a long lasting impact on you. I am sure we will circle back to it later. Now, I am more curious about your job as a Fan Experience Manager. The title sounds incredibly exciting. So, how is your job?

Hannah: As you said, I am the Fan Experience Manager and have been with the club for 2 years. My daily duties are all about creating memories for our fans. I loved planning out my parts of our home opener and I have enjoyed seeing Washington Park filled again this season. We have a lot in store for the fans. I also have been working on our events calendar for 2023! We have a lot of great events planned for our season ticket members. My favorite part of my job is building memorable experiences. I love match day and the excitement that fills the city. Sports requires real passion and dedication. We work a lot of hours, so you must love your job, your sport, and your coworkers. I am lucky to love all three!

David: You have no idea how happy I am, knowing you are in a happy place. When you love what you do, work does not feel like work. Even when it is hard and tiring. And your hard work certainly pays off....like the recent sellout of 25,513 ahead of #CINvPOR match. Tell me, how did you get this job - the job you love?

Hannah: Networking! I know that is something everyone hears but it truly helps. I had worked at the Florence Y'alls for almost three and a half years and was ready for a change. I began to look at TeamWork Online (the sports job hub) more frequently. I came across my position at FCC and I knew I had to throw my hat in the ring. It was all the parts of my job that I enjoyed and the chance to work for a major league club in Cincinnati. Once I applied, I sent my resume to the Director of Ticketing at the time. I had met him at an event where we were both speakers on the panel. We connected after that event and stayed in touch. I do believe that helped me in the interview process. I went through three rounds of interviews, meeting different staff members each time. I got the call offering my job and it was a mix of emotions. I was excited for this new opportunity but scared to leave the job that I had been at since I graduated. I am very happy that I have overcome that anxiety and took this job. I have grown professionally and personally here at FCC beyond my wildest dreams.

David: I can only imagine how difficult it had to be, to leave the comfort of the known and dive into the unknown. I am very proud of your courage! Speaking of courage, we do not become courageous overnight. It often takes years of experience. So, what experiences had the greatest impact on your personal and career development and, in that sense, your courage to learn and grow?

Hannah: First, my Internship with NKU Athletics – I had always wanted to work in the news industry or a PR firm. It wasn’t until my internship with NKU Athletics that I discovered my passion for sports. I took a marketing and promotions internship to see if sports might be for me. After my first men’s basketball game and my first time wearing the promotions headset, I was hooked. I loved helping create and execute fun and engaging experiences for the fans. I didn’t even know promotions was a career path and I am forever grateful for this internship and Brandon Hays .

Second, NKU Networking Events – I broke into the sports industry by meeting the General Manager of the Florence Freedom at a Sports Business event. I almost did not attend because I was tired and just wanted to go home. I pushed through and met a lot of people in the sports and entertainment industry in Cincinnati. I left feeling good about the connections I made. The next morning, I received an email from the General Manager of the Florence Freedom saying that I made an impact on him and he wanted me to come on for the summer. The rest is history.

Third, saying Yes – I do not mean be a people pleaser, which is something I struggle with. I mean seeing opportunities that are given to you and taking the chance. I would get asked to come speak at different college classes or on different panels in the city. I always said yes because it is great to meet new people and build your network. It might be taking a couple hours out of your day but I have met so many amazing people through these opportunities. I met my connection at FCC at a college student panel hosted by Cincinnati Cyclones . You never know what might happen.

David: Everything you said will certainly make Jennifer Gardner , Joe Cobbs , and Bridget Nichols very happy! And I am sure they will happily share the interview with you with their current students. It certainly makes me happy because you nailed it. Internships are a great way to try different roles and positions to discover what you love and hate. Second, networking is still number one when it comes to getting your feet in the door. Finally, saying yes, especially early in your career as it is a great way to discover your talents - your element. Back in 2016, you said yes to our study abroad with integrated client project for one of our clients in Czechia. Selfishly, I have to ask you: What impact did that experience have on you?

Hannah: As you said earlier, the trip to Prague did give me the travel bug! I love seeing new places and experiencing new cultures. I think one of the biggest things this experience gave me was confidence. If I could help develop a marketing plan for a company across the world, I could do anything I set my mind to! I learned so many skills throughout the process that I use in my everyday life. I will be forever thankful that I decided to do this study abroad!

David: And we are forever thankful that you said yes to that experience because it would not be what it was without you. You helped us make it memorable because of the blood, sweat, and tears you invested into it. Without that investment, you would not build that confidence. So, thank you! And since we are talking about the discovery of your confidence, what do you think is your element - the things you are good at and actually enjoy?

Hannah: I think my element is in experiences. I love to plan and execute special events for people. I remember cool sporting events I went to as a child and I want to help be responsible for creating those memories for others! The planning process is my favorite part. I am a very organized person. I love to create meeting agendas, layouts, runs of show and more which leads me to believe that I create memorable events. I pride myself on working with others in my organization to truly make an all encompassing experience.

David: Listening to you, you make me feel like you were born to create memorable experiences for other people. I would even dare to say you were born to create memorable experiences that actually change people. It seems like something that makes you happy. So, what does happiness actually mean to you?

Hannah: Happiness to me is in every moment. In that moment, you are content with your surroundings and how you got to this point. I am happy when my moments are filled with people I love. Or when I make others smile. Or when I experience something new.

David: Back to experiences and smiley people. Two things that make you happy. Are they also part of how you define success?

Hannah: Yes and no. Success to me is work-life balance. I don’t think you are successful in life if you love your career but it makes you miss life moments or if your life is great but you hate going to work. I will be successful when I find the perfect balance between living the life I want and looking forward to going to work every day. I think happiness and success go hand in hand for me.

David: I am sorry that I am getting a little off topic here but this is actually something I am very interested in (as it is in the heart of an evolving project we have been working on for one of our clients for over a year). Healthy and sustainable work-life balance is critical for our overall mental and physical well-being. As the term implies, however, work is part of that formula. And meaningful work can certainly help us feel a greater sense of balance in our lives. What does meaningful work mean to you, Hannah?

Hannah: Meaningful work to me is something that you are passionate about. It is something that makes you smile before, during, and after. For me, it is once I see an event or experience idea come to life, working with amazing people to make it happen, and then sitting back and looking at how successful the event was. It is in every smile or thank you. It's the feedback I get. I love a quick “I had an amazing time” or a simple quick note afterwards. I love seeing people posting about their experiences on social media. I love people in my company recognizing the hard work it took to make something happen. A simple “Great job!” goes a long way!

David: I love how your description is very personal, rather than a generic definition, and emphasizes the role of feedback. Clearly, you are doing meaningful work as a Fan Experience Manager at FC Cincinnati and it also looks you hear "great job" from time to time! It also reminds me of an experience I have had on my mind for many years and want to bring to our campus. I think you would love it. But that is for another time in, hopefully, not so distant future. Speaking of future, what do you see in your future?

Hannah: I am not sure what my future entails but I find that exciting. I could see myself staying in sports for a while longer, maybe outside of Cincinnati. Professional development is a passion of mine so I could see myself working for an organization that runs events for young professionals. My overarching goal for the future is good work-life balance. I want to work to live not live to work. I believe I am working on that right now with being in a career path I love but sports does take up a lot of your time. At some point, I will need to make a hard decision. However, I am only 27 so I have some time to figure it out!

David: Not being sure is a great way to go! Once we become sure, we often stop looking and exploring. We stop growing. And since you love professional development, you love growing and thus you actually love a healthy dose of uncertainty. And if it gives you any peace of mind, I have never stopped exploring and learning even though I am in a job that truly madly deeply love, especially because of the people (students and colleagues) I work with and my own purpose - to inspire discovery of human potential. So, Hannah, any advice for our current employees aka students?

Hannah: At the Young Sports Professionals Symposium, the keynote speaker spoke on aligning your passion and purpose. As I was listening, I was thinking about how your passion in life might not be your purpose in life. However, there can be a way to align the two to live a truly fulfilling life. My advice would be to take a look at what your are passionate about now. What do you love to do? Then, think about what you are good at. What is your purpose in this life? There is a way to align both, but it takes time and thought! If you start thinking about that now, you will be ahead of the game!

David: So true! A regular reflection on your element is a great way to grow and make progress towards discovering a truly fulfilling and meaningful career that does not feel like career. On another note, Hannah, I wholeheartedly agree that passion is often different from our purpose. I also think that you can be very passionate about your purpose. At least, that is my case. I am passionate about inspiring people to discover their element, their potential. And it has become an integral part of my job. I am also passionate about rock climbing and it has become my recluse from work. Anyway, thank you, Hannah! It has been truly memorable re-connecting with you and learning from you!

Epilogue:?Once and again, we end up on a nostalgic note. Those of you who read these interviews may recognize this photo from a recent interview with Alexander Rainford, MBA . Yes, Hannah took the same experience as Alex did. And if I recall correctly, James Weingand said yes to attending a big soccer game while in Prague which makes me wonder if that experience was the first seed of Hannah's passion for soccer these days. Clearly, I must repeat what I said last time: we should have a reunion of our 2016 class - a reunion that would bring?Eileen Weisenbach Keller?and myself together with?Ethan Smith,?James Weingand,?Austin Eibel,?Kelly Rainford,?Alexander Rainford, MBA,?Brittany Smith,?Savannah Purcell,?Hannah Siefert,?Lydia Epping,?James Schmidt,?Jacob Arnold,?Nicole Hagedorn,?Jamie Kohls,?Megan Pickett,?Ella Kremer,?Danielle Walker, and?Jessica Harsaran!

And for all those who made it this far in reading this interview, if? FC Cincinnati looks interesting to you, check their open positions on LinkedIn. And if you have more questions about life there, you know whom to connect with.