{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6352eb7294b2d7001268be30/693895a9e521382d95907fe8?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"From Unpaid Intern to $13 Million Sports Marketing Empire at Florida State","description":"<p>Join us for an inspiring conversation with Jason, who oversaw over $13 million in contracts annually at Florida State University. From working 60+ hours a week for free at Georgia Tech to creating groundbreaking events like the Friday Night Block Party and Doak After Dark, Jason shares the gritty reality and incredible rewards of building a career in college athletics marketing. This episode reveals the strategies, sacrifices, and mindset shifts that transformed a struggling graduate into one of college sports' most innovative entertainment executives</p><p><br></p><p>[00:00:00] - The Struggle Begins</p><ul><li>Jason's early career anxiety making $12,000/year in Atlanta while pursuing his master's degree</li><li>Key quote: \"I got a college degree. I just started my master's program. I think I was making $12,000 a year living in Atlanta, trying to pay rent, go to get my master's. It wasn't working.\"</li></ul><p><br></p><p>[01:04:00] - Introduction and Achievements</p><ul><li>Overview of Jason's impressive track record, including $450K merchandise sales record and $30M scoreboard projects</li></ul><p><br></p><p>[05:42:00] - The Sports Agent Reality Check</p><ul><li>How a practicum with a sports agent completely changed his career trajectory</li></ul><p><br></p><p>[10:41:00] - The Power of Outworking Everyone</p><ul><li>Why Jason chose to work 60+ hours per week for free and the mentality that drove him</li></ul><p><br></p><p>[13:38:00] - Essential Career Advice for Students</p><ul><li>Practical tips including getting involved early, learning Adobe Creative Suite, and building extended experience</li></ul><p><br></p><p>[16:49:00] - Rapid Career Progression at FSU</p><ul><li>How Jason went from marketing assistant to director within months through competitive mindset</li></ul><p><br></p><p>[26:39:00] - Creating the Friday Night Block Party</p><ul><li>The origin story of FSU's signature entertainment event was born from necessity</li></ul><p><br></p><p>[33:43:00] - The Greatest Night of His Career</p><ul><li>How the throwback 90s spring game concert drew 60,000 fans and made national headlines</li></ul><p><br></p><p>[38:42:00] - The Art of Selling Your Vision</p><ul><li>How listening skills and earning trust enable successful leadership and innovation</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>KEY TAKEAWAYS:</strong></p><ol><li>Success in sports requires outworking the competition and making sacrifices early in your career</li><li>Building relationships and earning trust through actions (not just words) opens doors to opportunities</li><li>Innovation comes from taking calculated risks and putting fan experience first</li><li>Technical skills like Adobe Creative Suite are now essential, not optional, for sports marketing roles</li><li>Extended experience at one organization carries more weight than multiple short-term internships</li><li>Great leaders share credit for success and help others advance their careers</li></ol><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>","author_name":"Charles Stewart III"}