Episode 11: Proving that mission and capital can co-exist with Jessica Smith
Jessica Smith oversees revenue generation for Angel City FC, the widely celebrated, celebrity-backed women’s national soccer team that will play in a brand new stadium in Los Angeles in 2022. Jess is responsible for the 10% sponsorship model where funds from each partnership benefit the club's pillars of Equity, Essentials, and Education. She is a proud Mom of two young girls, a skilled relationship-builder, and a business leader with a passion for designing revenue models with purpose.
In this episode, Jess talks about the influx of brands and categories that are putting their dollars behind Angel City… well before they have stepped foot on the pitch, how GenZ will influence the future of the sports sponsorship model… and why HER leadership strategy.. To always do what is right, NOT what is easy – has taken her far, as a parent AND a professional, in her journey to the top.
“We had to be a little bit of a 'see it, be it' of an organization, because a lot of the naysayers are like, 'women's sports isn't profitable, brands aren't going to sign up for that, there's no way somebody would buy this or that.' And we just had to say, we're not listening to any of that. We know what we're building, we know what the value is and what the value should be.” - Jessica Smith
Pushing Towards Equity
Angel City FC came onto the scene in 2020 and quickly made a name for themselves long before they will take the pitch for the first time in Spring 2022. Self-described as “a brand on a mission to make a difference in this world,” ACFC is about way more than wins and losses.
“A big reason that we exist, like the reason we exist, is to push towards equity,” said Jessica. “And some of that includes voice equity and making sure that we're giving as much lightness and shine to every person that joins our ecosystem, especially those incredible athletes that will be joining us on the field.”
Finding the Right Partner(s)
A key to being able to grow their business the way they want to has been to find the right partners to do it with. Partners that understand it is more than a traditional sports sponsorship.
“We very quickly learned through some conversations how we wanted to approach this given our purpose-driven model, that it was more about targeting companies that we thought we had a shared alignment with and just having honest conversations with them. Why we exist and what our motivations are, how we're going to make that a reality and how they could truly be a tangible piece of that, while also getting all the benefits that they would from a sponsorship.”
What ACFC has found, according to Jessica, is that they are “a sports property, of course, but our partnership model is really sports and purpose and pop culture mixed in one. So it's not being evaluated next to another traditional sports sponsorship.”
She lists Birdies and Klarna as two examples of partners that were on the same page as ACFC in terms of purpose. “To see how we've been able to build these together and see the appetite for the purpose from the brand side and how important that is to them. And to see them continue to show up has been unbelievable.”
Doing What’s Right, Not Easy
Jessica was a natural fit for ACFC’s purpose-driven model, aligning with her mantra of doing what is right, not just what is easy.
“How I lead is to do what's right, not what's easy. And it's such a simple statement, but something that I keep in my head when I'm thinking through, representing the brands, representing the properties that I've had the opportunity to do that in, making sure that I'm building something that's right. That's right for both of them. That's right for the fan base. That's right for the community. And that feels good.”
Mission and Capital Can, In Fact, Co-Exist
Is it possible to do things the right way and for the right reasons and still make money? There’s no doubt about it to Jessica and ACFC: a resounding yes!
“You're building something that actually has purpose, that helps propel women’s sports, and there's a variety of ways you can do that. So setting the bar in the revenue side, it’s important that the industry gets used to spending what's warranted for women's sports.”
Jessica and her team are setting the bar high for everyone involved in their ‘ecosystem,’ as she calls it. Partners, fans, community, players - everyone. And hoping that they set the new example for women’s sports.
“We were very unapologetic when we went to market. We said absolutely not. We're charging this. But it should allow others, and we've seen others already, have the confidence to go to market asking for money.”
It’s Not Just About Us, It’s About Others
What ACFC has been able to do so far in their short existence is leading the way for continued progress in other women’s teams and leagues. And they don’t take that responsibility lightly.
"Our merchandise has been sold in 49 states and in 31 countries and we just launched. So people are looking to us as a beacon of sorts. What are we going to do with that responsibility, is what's on my mind and what's coming next. And there's some different ideas that will allow us to really hone in on our continued purpose and why we're here and then it's not just about us, it's about others.”
Sports and Life Intertwined
In this episode Jessica also speaks about the role sports have played in her personal life and the effect the two sides can have on each other.
Starting to play baseball at age six after watching Oakland A’s games, Jessica credits playing sports for the person and professional she is today.
“Playing sports was a huge outlet and a huge opportunity for me to build my personal community and teach me skill sets. Having coaches and teammates and watching other families have different life circumstances, getting access to conversations, it opened up the opportunity to build that world and start to have outside resources to know what could be possible for me that wasn't just within my small inner family circle.”
Balancing It All
Fast forward to current day, when Jessica is now a mom to two youngsters, juggling parenthood and a career. And not just any career, but one that is traditionally 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Parenting has taught her boundaries that she didn’t previously have, helping her to focus on both her personal and professional lives. She hopes to set an example in that area as well: women don’t have to choose one or the other, a family or a career.
Companies and their employees should have the “opportunity to cultivate environments where yes, am I going to have to be at our games, of course, and I want to be there, that's what I built. But are there other ways that our lives can be flexible, that allow me to be present with my family, versus being in an office 24/7, plus games and events? Absolutely. And COVID has shown the world that. I think we're at a crux in time where people are looking for both of those things.”
“We have to be able to give people the opportunity to find their breaths of air to dive back in and operate within this industry at a high level, but not burn them out so that they leave when they have to choose between personal and professional…because you shouldn't have to.”
Thank you, Jessica, for your inspiring insights!
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