Episode 10: Making the stretch toward the future with Meka Morris

Meka White Morris is the Chief Revenue Officer for Major League Baseball’s Minnesota Twins. In her role as CRO, Meka is laser-focused on building strong teams that remain fiscally responsible while driving revenue and maximizing profits for the club.

In this episode, Meka discusses how the Twins are approaching the soon to be legalized sports betting in the state of Minnesota… the recent news of their Techstars Accelerator… she talks about her passion for talent development, diversity, and inclusion.. and shares that, ‘when you move selflessly, the long term repercussions are greater than you could have ever determined them to be.’

“We're on the precipice of all things new. You can feel this sort of energy happening, that things are going to be forever changed in a really new and exciting way. And so, however you can put some fingerprints on it and put your arms around it, we're all in for a really interesting ride in the evolution of sports and tech and entertainment and in all the things that surround it.”

Your phone is an extension of your experience.

People of all ages live on their phones more and more, so how does that translate to the fan experience at games and events? How do you engage fans through their phones?

“There isn't a moment that you go to a show and everyone in the building isn't holding up their phone, your phone is an extension of your experience,” says Meka. 

It’s all about the data – the data that is gleaned from where you go and what you do while at the events.  That data allows you to “really lean into the consumer behaviors and then drive the behavior we want from our customers”

So how does that data enrich the consumer’s experience?

According to Meka, “we've got to get into this mindset where we can still maintain the baseline of the classic fan, but also engage the casual fan. And the combination of the two will create sold out experiences and richer experiences for everybody.”

Change is Hard…but Necessary.

It is said that the only thing constant in life is change.  As Meka knows, change can be difficult, but is necessary to move onward and upward. 

“Change is hard, but it's when you grow the most as a person, both personally and professionally, when you push yourself outside of your comfort zone. You've got to be making yourself feel uncomfortable at some level to stretch. Otherwise, you're never growing, you're never really stretching yourself beyond where your core sensibilities are and that’s when real growth happens.”

It’s People that Make all the Difference.

When deciding to join the Twins this summer, working for a professional sports team again for the first time in 10 years was a big, but welcome, change for Meka.  As was working in baseball for the first time.

“It was really about being a part of baseball and using every bit of what I had done and seen in my past, but also the leadership of (Twins President and CEO) Dave St. Peter and the Pohlad family (Twins owners) and their visionary stance on a host of things, not just baseball and innovation, but their stance and belief on matters of equality.”

So Minnesota was the right place at the right time…and most importantly, the right people. 

There she has quickly found “people who share the same ideals, who support one another, who believe in the same things and want to go in the same direction. You're always looking for that balance of a right opportunity. But the right people too, and this just was the right fit for me.”

Bringing the Start-Up Mentality to Sports.

Having spent the last few years leading tech start-up companies, the Twins’ belief in and investment in technology was another element that attracted Meka to the organization. 

Minneapolis is rich was innovative talent, so “how do we be a part of it? And then how do we invest in women-led and minority-led tech businesses. This is the first step in a long road where you will continue to see the Twins at the forefront of investing into start-ups and trying to grow those verticals that help our industry advance and go forward.”

To Meka, part of innovation means disrupting the marketplace.

“When you're in a tech startup, you're betting on the disruption. There's a level of fearlessness, a level of creativity, a level of can-do that you bring in.”

So what does that have to do with baseball?

As Meka explains, “how do we bring the anchor of the history of the Minnesota Twins juxtaposed with the creativity and the fortitude of the start-up mentality and how do you fuse those things together? It really is at the cornerstone of why I'm here and what I'm attempting to bring forth.”

Growing your business by growing your people.

For Meka, while part of her career success so far has been the ability to identify and grow talent, it has also been taking it to a level beyond that.  Taking the time to understand people, what makes them tick and what they’re good at. 

“I spend my day trying to figure out what that is within the people that I get the pleasure of working with and then putting them in position to have that be at the cornerstone of what they get to do every day. So if you're doing your best work for what your talent is, and I'm doing my best work for what my talent is, together, we are unstoppable.”

When it comes to leadership, according to Meka, it is “by definition selfless and selfless means I'm going to do what's in your best interest, even though it creates more work for me, even though it isn't necessarily in my best interest. Because when you move selflessly, the long-term repercussions are greater than you could have ever determined them to be.” 

Finally Having the Permission to be Me.

Could there be anything better than being fully yourself? Really, truly, wholly yourself. 

“I've arrived at a place in my career, over a number of years, where I finally feel like I have the permission to be me,” says Meka. 

“You really made it to the other side when you finally feel that you have the permission to be you. And that permission isn't because it's granted by somebody else, it's because you've allowed and given yourself the permission. Because you say, you know, I am good enough just with who I am.”

“Your style, your energy, your vision, where you come from, all the things that make up who you are, giving yourself permission to be that. Because that authentic you is what attracts people to you. And so I think it took me time to allow myself the permission to be wholly and fully me.”

A Female Voice at the Table.

Thankfully sports isn’t just a ‘man’s world’ anymore, as more and more women get involved every day.  In Meka’s mind, it’s not just about having a seat at the table, but about using your voice once you’re there.

“Women bring something really special to the table and in this field our voices are needed. There are conversations we can have that a man frankly can't have. There is a way to position things that we can create, that’s different than our male counterparts. There is value to having a woman at the table, because the way that she's going to see things, position things, amplify things, engage people is different.  There's value, there's power and there’s strength there. 

Meka’s advice to women?

“I just encourage women to use their voice and don't be afraid to stand up and speak out. Because our voices have been woefully missing in this world of sports and entertainment. And the more we’re in the forefront, and our voices are heard, the more powerful and richer the industry becomes.  There’s no mistaking that.” 

Thank you, Meka, for your inspiring insights!
This interview was powered by WINS, a PR agency on a mission to influence gender equality in the C-suite across sports, entertainment, and the greater media. If you loved this interview and want to become part of our mission, we’d love to invite you to join our podcast membership community!