169. Finding the Opportunity with CEO of WeCOACH Vanessa Fuchs

169. Finding the Opportunity with CEO of WeCOACH Vanessa Fuchs

 

Introducing Vanessa Fuchs

Today I’m talking to the CEO of WeCOACH Vanessa Fuchs about finding the opportunity.

Her Career Journey

Vanessa earned her BS in Communications and Media Production from Florida State University, where she also played basketball. She then interned with the ACC helping to plan conference championships. This inspired her to get her MA in Sport Administration from UNC Chapel Hill and began a second internship, this time with the NCAA. Vanessa worked with the NCAA for seven years, ultimately becoming the Associate Director of Academic and Membership Affairs before returning to her alma mater. At Florida State, Vanessa served as the Director for Compliance, Interim AD, and Senior Associate AD in her 14 years. She is currently the CEO of WeCOACH, a non-profit organization focused on developing and retaining women coaches in all sports at all levels.

Finding The Opportunity

Vanessa encourages young professionals to focus on finding the opportunity hidden within each role they take on and to keep an open mind in order to maximize their chances for growth. In her current position as CEO at WeCOACH, she brings with her the lessons she learned in each role at every institution to be a well-rounded leader.

Inside this episode:

  • Vanessa took that first internship with the ACC thinking that she was pursuing a career in sports broadcasting. Rather than being disappointed, she looked for opportunities to grow where she was placed and developed passions she otherwise wouldn’t have.
  • She encourages young professionals to stay open minded when beginning their careers and not become too hung up on a specific city, organization, or salary. She also encourages everyone to seek out mentors with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
  • Vanessa expects to be challenged when starting a new job. If the role were to seem too easy, she would question if the move was even necessary. 
  • She stresses the importance of finding balance when working in a demanding field like sports. Vanessa tries to prioritize exercising, traveling, and spending time with others in order to create time for herself.

Resources

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