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[00:00:00]
Booth: Today on the Carolina Women's Collective Podcast, I am joined by Elizabeth Loosink. Elizabeth is a decorated athlete, having played Division 1 volleyball, where she was a Coca Cola All American, President of the Student Athletic Advisory, and recipient of the Student Leadership Award.
After college, Elizabeth began her career at the Big Ten Conference and Big Ten Network and then on to Fox Sports, where she was a field analyst, SEC reporter, Atlanta Braves Clubhouse reporter, and social media correspondent. Elizabeth is now currently the team [00:01:00] program account manager Lululemon, overseeing relationships with professional, collegiate, and national teams.
Welcome to the podcast today.
Elizabeth: Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Booth: So, obviously, we're going to talk a little bit about sports and how they can impact your life and your career.
So, sports and athletics a passion for you. Growing up, did you know you wanted to have a career focused around the sports and athletic industry?
Elizabeth: 100%. I did not. Um, wanted to be a teacher that I wanted to be a lawyer. I always knew that I wanted to be a mother. But I, when I, when I reflect back when I'm asked that question, I loved being an athlete. I loved sport. I loved the aspect of a team, but in full transparency, at that stage in life, I did not realize all the opportunities that were [00:02:00] out there for women specifically in sports.
and in high school and college, I knew that my job was to be an athlete. And it was hard for me to even think beyond that, if that makes sense, that I was an athlete. I was a volleyball player in high school. I was a three sport letter winner. And so kept me so busy that keeping up with school and with sports,
Yeah, I don't think I was, like, also that mindful or aware of what I truly wanted to do when I grew up.
Booth: Well, I'm still wondering what I want to do when I grow up, so that's obviously acceptable at that age. So, you kind of started to allude to it just then. The teenage years can be a difficult time for young women.
So how did pursuing volleyball and the other sports you were playing and then pursuing it at the college level kind of help shape and guide your path and the person you were becoming at that age?
Elizabeth: [00:03:00] Yeah, it's a great question, especially raising to. young girls that are still young. Um, it taught me self confidence.
It taught me how, um, to work as a team. But truly when I think about, um, high school, I went to a small Jesuit prep school and there was a lot of really, really smart people there.and so where I maybe didn't fit in a hundred percent with that crowd. I definitely, you know, being an athlete going to high school a little bit earlier than everyone else to play volleyball.
yeah, I think it, I was just saying my sister is here and she played volleyball. I thought I was going to be a basketball player. I was going to be the first female to play in the NBA. Um, growing up in Indiana, basketball is in, literally in the water, in our blood. And when I got to high school, my sister literally forced me to try out.
Which just seems wild looking back. I was like, I don't want to wear those [00:04:00] short shorts. That's so girly. Um, and she was already on the varsity team and she convinced me to try out or made me. And I ended up making the varsity team with her. And Booth when I'm telling you like I had no idea what I was doing.
I was like standing up just like trying to block people.Being a teenage girl is hard. I can't even imagine being a teenage girl now. Um, but what I was so. Lucky enough to have was a built in set of friends within my team, within my travel teams.
it taught me how to be a leader and with that, I think it really, when you asked what it taught, what it like being a girl at that age. I didn't need to fit in. I didn't need to try really hard. I didn't feel like I needed to go out and drink or smoke or do any of these things that. Some of my friends might have been doing, um, because I literally, like, we had a zero tolerance policy at our high school, and so I was so [00:05:00] scared of not being able to play and not being, like, letting my coach down, letting my parents down, um, and I'm not answering your question at all.
Booth: No, you are that's so good. I mean, the part where you said it made it. So you didn't have that urge where you have to fit in. I, that is just huge because you were you were confident in who you were. So that was no, you did answer the question. Very well. And I
Elizabeth: still was a was a teenage kid who was 6, 1, 115 pounds soaking wet and awkward.
Um, so I'm not going to act like I was. You know, prom queen or anything like that, but yeah, things like that. I didn't, I didn't, I didn't want to be that I wanted to be an athlete and I wanted to do good in school. Um, and then I knew from that, that I wanted to play division one volleyball.
Booth: Awesome. Well, going on [00:06:00] to play the college recruiting process is a lot like a.
Very competitive job interview. How was the process for you? And what did you learn from it?
Elizabeth: Um, having my sister go through it first was definitely very helpful, especially for my parents. Um, where my sister went on the five visits. I did not, I wasn't allowed to go on any of them with her, but obviously I got to hear all about it.
And then when she ended up choosing Davidson far away from Indianapolis. I, it was really inspiring to me and it was also was watching her go through it. I, I wasn't that nervous about it. Um, we were actually just talking about this. I got my first recruiting letter in the mail, which I'm like, I don't even know if they still send things in the actual mail.
And it was from UCLA. And I was like, I am getting the hell out of Indiana. I'm going. As far away as possible, um, I'm going to be this, you know, [00:07:00] UCLA, like when the PAC 12 back then, this is going to be amazing. And my dad was like, honey, I think they send that to any female over six feet tall. Cause it was literally like a standard male.
It wasn't like direct, like they do nothing about me. Um, and so I went from that to narrowing it down to five schools andI visited Murray State, um, Miami of Ohio, Rhode Island, SMU and Butler. And so what the process really taught me was, um, look, I know I needed a school that was smaller, that I wanted to be a big fish in a little pond, but more importantly, that I, I knew about myself that I needed to go to class with 50 kids instead of 5, 000.
Um, the process was fun. And it was. Kind of, you know, from knowing me, how I am very competitive and I wanted a full [00:08:00] ride at my parents have never, ever told me or my sister that we had to play. Um, we had to finish whatever we started, but truly, I believe, and I hopefully will do the same for my girls is that I never felt.
Pressure to have a scholarship. My dad knew how to work me in that, uh, in a, in a very good way that knowing how competitive I was, he would pay for me to go to IU or Purdue and state, or I could get somewhere on my own. And so that's what I did. I ended up getting a full ride to Butler and it was something that I had worked very hard for, but also that my parents had.
When I think about the driving and the commitment, um. That I wanted to do something where it saved them. I say a few hundred thousand dollars, but, um, probably when all said and done, but I also, yeah, I did not feel the pressure to do that. So the process was really fun. It was exciting. And it was also, I signed [00:09:00] the second I could at Butler early on into my, or at the end of my junior year.
So I felt like I had that pressure off me of where. I was going what I was committed to. Um, and I could, I mean, have fun. I say my senior year, but I still had to play three sports and play club volleyball to continue, you know, um, on my trajectory to go to Butler where a lot of my friends, even when they, even the ones that were athletes had no idea what they were doing.
They hadn't gotten any visits. Um, so it was really fun and it taught me to really take a look at. Places of where I knew I would fit for school as well, knowing I, I knew I was never going to go play pro. Um, I wasn't good enough. I'm just gonna, I'm not gonna lie. I'm not like I literally was not good enough, um, to play pro and back then women were not making any sort of money to go overseas.
So, yeah, I, it was really fun [00:10:00] and it was, like you said, for sure, um, a very competitive job interview where, um, especially then when the coaches came to your house to do a home visit, you felt like you really had, my mom and dad felt like we really had to, like, turn it on in a good way. But I also always felt like I could be myself.
And, um, that's what I still try to do in my some of my job interviews, but
Booth: awesome. So playing at the college level, especially division 1 is really a different college experience from the party scene. And you kind of talked about that with high school, the whole zero tolerance thing. How did the need for self discipline during this time help you grow as a person?
Elizabeth: Yeah, I mean, that's that's a really good question. We also had a zero tolerance policy at Butler And so I knew again if I were to get caught doing anything that we weren't supposed to do That I my scholarship would be gone. And so [00:11:00] when I think about self discipline, I think more about like us like my schedule I had to Being a D one athlete, knowing my classes that I could take had to be in a short window of time when we practice in the morning and in the evening, um, I thought it was a good idea to join a sorority and then could never go to anything.
So I learned very quickly that, you know, after a year, um, was not a great fit for me, but I still wanted to continue to try things. And with Butler being a smaller school, and, um, you know, again, not to downplay Butler, we weren't, we weren't winning the. Final four or the NCA championship. And so I do think it was not that it was more relaxed, but it wasn't as high intensity as the big 10, you know, Pac 12 volleyball situation was, but it definitely, you know, when I talk about when we think about time management and blocking out my, my schedule, there was no time for really anything else.
[00:12:00] I didn't, I could not have a job. I, um, I could not get in trouble, but I also spent a lot of time with my teammates and I was also very, very lucky, especially all of the years now after college working in college volleyball and college sports. I truly had no idea how lucky I was to be a part of a team where we genuinely got along.
Um, for the most part, you know, there's always going to be times, um, that the self discipline was from the top down within the team. My teammates truly, um, my coaching, the coaching situation was a little unique. I will use that word. Um, but my captains when I was a freshman sophomore, they taught the discipline and the time management to be able to really succeed on and off the court.
And that's something that I, I try to. And still in my girls, but also in my own professional life to be able to, as [00:13:00] you know, being a working mom, to juggle it all and to, to stay on, to stay on task, especially yeah. Trying to do all that.
Booth: Yeah. Yeah. Very impressive though. So, as you transitioned from student athlete into your career, were there particular life skills you had learned as an athlete and teammate that helps you more easily and successfully make that transition?
Elizabeth: Absolutely. And I try to always. Again, I'm going to instill this in my girls is I believe there's very few things in life you can control and being on time is one of them. I was taught from a young age, if you're 15 minutes early or late, which Annie literally can't stand because we're always the first people at school.
Um, but I think of the little things to being an athlete, being on time, staying late, putting in the extra effort. We talked about, you [00:14:00] know, the time management, the discipline, the competitiveness. I also think is a huge. Reason why I've been sort of successful in the past 20 years in my career. Um, but I do think it's the, the little things of always being on time, of always being reliable, of, of showing up fully and present, giving it your all, um, that I tried to do on the court every day.
Are things that if you weren't a part of a team or an athlete or a dancer or whatever, these other things that people, um, are heavily, uh, you know, involved in in high school is, um, also just always having something to work towards, whether it is a win, whether it's getting the starting position, whether it's breaking a record or whatever that is, um, that the big things about being an athlete, I think definitely, Got me to where I am, but the day to day, I truly [00:15:00] think the small things that are a part of my DNA as dramatic as that sounds.
Um, I, I won't even be late for dinner, like for a girl. So I'm always there early as you know. And it's, again, it's like, it's, it seems like the silly little things, but I truly do believe in my career. It's given me that advantage of, of being on time, being early, being prepared and also Showing up fully present and and all in.
Booth: Yeah, for sure. The little things really do add up to be the big things in the end. So that was great advice there. So, your time with Fox sports had to be really fun and exciting and people tend to think of going to games and things like that, whether it be a football or a Braves game as just pure fun and entertainment.
So what is it like having that be your. Quote unquote office and can you tell us a bit about what goes on behind the [00:16:00] scenes that the general public never really seized.
Elizabeth: Oh, geez. Do you really want to know how much time you have? Um, yeah. And again, when you act, when you ask the question, growing up, did I know I wanted to work in sports where I've been really lucky for the most part in my TV career is there have been a significant amount while I would say three or four women who really took me underneath their wing and that.
I also shared with me that when they were five years old, they were holding a microphone and, you know, watching, college football and NFL, and they were interviewing their, their dad and their brother. And that just wasn't me. That wasn't, um, you know, good, bad, or different. I, I didn't grow up wanting to be.
On the sideline. I didn't grow up wanting to be a sports reporter. And so I always say my my journey is beyond unique in that way. Um, but then being an athlete was my identity for so long. Um, [00:17:00] yeah, on on paper on everything. It looks really fun. And I'm not going to lie. Sometimes it was really fun. But the amount of prep that goes into just 1 SEC football game, um, is an entire week of studying of traveling there early of meeting with six or seven different coaches, a meeting with five or six different players, getting those stories.
And then, um, you know, preparing for a Saturday. I always had the Saturday night SEC football game. So you're literally there. Thursday to Sunday, um, away from your family, away from your friends. And as a sideline reporter, if the game is good, you maybe get three of your stories in, in a halftime interview that the coach has to give you in a post game.
If the game is terrible, you might get in 15 stories to be able to, to take up that time. Um, what I love and hated truly [00:18:00] about. live events like that was me walking in with stacks of stories. I would, you know, either print them out or write them out. Um, and then all the notes you take during the game. And then when you're done, it's like, I would literally throw it in the trash.
That would never be the game ever played again in that, you know, in that year. Um, and so I think that, yeah, the preparation of going into it again, from being in this, that side of the business for so many years, um, I, I even, I got this question two weeks ago from someone that works at me for, at Lululemon.
He asked me if somebody is. And my earpiece was telling me the questions to ask and what to say. And, or if I had a teleprompter and I was like, I'm literally have a blank camera. I'm looking into a blank camera and no one is talking to me. They're telling me when to rap or they're talking over me while I'm talking.
They're not helping me. Um, [00:19:00] and yes, of course they. I always was lucky enough to have the nice set for the most part, um, directors and producers that were great, but no one is telling you what to ask. No one is telling you what to say. the grind, as you know, of baseball is wild. Um, it was truly, I, the second the clubhouse opened at two o'clock on a 7 0 5 game, I was the first person there.
I was every home game, every away game, which, uh, again, looking back on, I don't even know how I was like functioning, but, um, there is something, yeah. I mean it, what, what I saw before I got intv into TV was that like, I thought it was so glamorous. Someone was gonna bring me my clothes, someone was gonna do my makeup.
No one is doing that for you when you start out, even at Fox Sports. I was doing my own hair and makeup. I was wearing my own stuff. Um, and for, what, three years, I was One of two females [00:20:00] in the entire, um, clubhouse slash Fox, situation. and yeah, it's also just a grind and a different way of, being a reporter.
Baseball taught me, A, I, I knew about, I knew a lot about baseball, but nothing like I know now or that I had to learn. So now my long winded, um, answer is not really an answer, but I had no idea all that went behind the scenes. and just like with the weather, how, how like really, truly exhausting it can be.
Um, whether it's a heat wave in Milwaukee. The first time I ever threw up and didn't turn my microphone off. Don't worry. I didn't go over there, but everyone in the TV truck heard it, um, to, you know, snowing sideways in D. C. randomly in April, um, that part of it and standing out on the sideline for that long.
Is so [00:21:00] exhausting in a different way of you have to be on. you don't want to miss anything.
Booth: Yeah. Yeah. So you said you were 1 of 2 females. So obviously a very male dominated, uh, industry. What were some of the pros and cons of being a female in that space and having proven yourself athletically did that?
Make a difference with credibility for you.
Elizabeth: Definitely the credibility. I also just think like by sheer size, truly, um, of being able to like talk, you know, talk to these guys that are six, three, six, five, um, and not have to, you know, get on my tippy toes or that sort of thing. Um, but yes, no, being an athlete and depth and sharing that with, um, especially cause I was with the Braves every day for a hundred and felt like 300 days.
Um, I think there was a some credibility, but what I also [00:22:00] share when people ask me that question is I also had to earn it. I had to earn it with my football analysts that I worked with for years. Um, I had to earn it with, you know, the, the GM, the manager, the, the players, um, in a way of there is a stereotype.
Let's just call it what it is around females in sports. I feel like it's way better now. But when I was there, it was, you only got this job because. Someone thinks you're pretty and blonde. Um, and I definitely had to prove myself. I, that's why I was always the first one there. I always, um, I asked if it was record, if I would, you know, the segment was recorded and it wasn't live.
I always tried to make them, the athlete look better than the situation might have been a few weeks ago when I was interviewing them. I'm not gonna lie it for for a long time. It was hard, especially in [00:23:00] baseball. The other female was in the truck and she was born and raised a Braves fan and she knew more about the Atlanta Braves than probably the Atlanta Braves players did. Um, she was, she literally could tell you like. What color socks somebody was wearing 25 years ago in a press conference, um, And so I also had to prove myself to her because I didn't grow up a Braves fan.
I, you know, yeah, I loved baseball, but, it sounds cheesy, but sometimes it did get incredibly lonely being the only female. I, you know, I didn't care if they, like, you know, poked fun at me or whatever on the, on the chartered flight or all those different things. Um, and it was a different time.
And I know, again, it came so far when I was there, but that was, what, 8 years ago? 9 years ago? you still You know, I, it was, it is still an old, you know, an old boys club, especially baseball. Um, and [00:24:00] so yes, where I think that I had an advantage being a female. I also, I'm not gonna lie.
It was taxing and it was hard. And it was again, people think of this like glamorous lifestyle and I'm like, I'm literally sitting, trying not to get hit by a foul ball. Uh, In like the photog. I'm sitting on concrete. Um, and, Yeah, it's, there is one, I'm just gonna go sideways with this story. I wanted to tell you, I wanted to share this when I was on that panel for you.
Um, and I don't, I don't think I did. But, maybe I did. Um, I'll never forget, Chris Johnson was, he replaced Chipper Jones at third base. It's the year that I took full time over for the Braves and we were, I was like, you know, I don't know, six or seven months in with them and we were maybe at the hotel bar in LA.
I was with my crew. A bunch of the players came up [00:25:00] and Chris Johnson came over and sat next to me at the bar. And was like, can I ask you something? I was like, Chris, I have no idea what's ever going to come out of his mouth. He's usually very kind. And he was like, why do you want to do this? And I was like, like, do this.
I actually don't want to be at this bar, but like, what are you talking about?
Booth: Yeah.
Elizabeth: Like if I had a daughter, I would never ever let her do what you do. And Booth, I'm not even kidding you. I, my like jaw almost hit the bar. I was like, how dare you say that to me? You have no idea how hard I worked. And then I like stopped myself.
I'm like, why am I justifying this to him? And I'm not going to lie. It like really got to me. Like it, what he said it in a way of like, true. Authenticity, honesty, and I was like, because I want to pave the way for other women to I've been given this opportunity, right? I didn't go to [00:26:00] school for it. I didn't, I wasn't holding a microphone when I was five years old wanting to be Aaron Andrews or Sage Steele.
And I also was taught and I truly believe part of being an athlete is if you're given an opportunity. You need to show up. You need to, you know, if it's something you want to pursue, then you should try it. Um, and I will always call it the wild, the wildest roller coaster of my life was being in TV for that long.
And I, I've never had somebody ask me something like that ever. It's usually like, oh, can you, my sister's boyfriend's girlfriend wants to be in TV. Do you think you could do it? Coaching session with her meet you. Like, can she have your autograph? I'm like, she does not want my autograph. She has no idea who I am.
Booth: I literally called my mom the next day, like in the morning in tears and was like, why would he ever say that to me? I've proven myself to him.
Elizabeth: [00:27:00] I am not doing this to meet a husband. I'm not gonna lie. It stuck with me for a really long time. Um, you know, I feel like always that as, as people, but more as females we're questioning ourselves on, on our worth, on our, um, on our journey, on our path. And It's like, really stung for a while.
And then I was like, why am I, he got traded the next year.
clearly, like, I feel like sometimes I'm still processing it. Like, why would he ever say that to me? And, um, everyone's, everyone's path is different and.
Booth: For sure, for sure. Well, that really segues great into my next question, because I think what you just said is going to have a lot to do with the answer to this 1.
so your journey took you from sports broadcasting to your current management role at Lululemon. What motivated [00:28:00] that transition and how did previous previous experience prepare you for the new role?
Elizabeth: Yeah, I always joke. I feel like I've had 100 lives under careers. Um,
The end of my second year with the Braves, I'll never forget. I wasn't on the team plane. I had a football game in Mississippi state and then I had to meet the team in Colorado and I got off the plane and I'm not even kidding you. I had no idea. I'd fallen asleep. I had no idea where I was. I could not remember the last time I had been home and I was like, I cannot keep doing this.
I was probably 30, 29 or 30. I knew that I wanted to get married. And I also knew at that stage of my life working, going from base MLB baseball to hosting an sec show into college football into the [00:29:00] Atlanta Hawks. Well, I was gonna keep repeating this cycle of I mean, I didn't even have time to like go visit my family So let alone ever find a husband And so I knew from that point that I needed to make little changes I obviously wasn't gonna quit my job and my agent would have killed me but um, I knew that I needed to slowly start making different changes that I needed to research, researching different opportunities, um, and that I couldn't sustain that lifestyle truly anymore.
Even if I didn't want to get married or have children, um, I like physically could not do it. Uh, so from there, I Uh, again, in full transparency, my three year contract with Fox was up in at the end of August and on the last day I got a call on a Friday at 5 30 from the new executive producer who told me they were downsizing and I [00:30:00] no longer had a job and I was like, I went from literally having 250 almost events a year to nothing and.
Where I do think the universe forces you sort of in situations. I mean, I, I think it's God and the universe is I was never going to slow down unless someone forced me to. Um, and also a huge ego, like, like cake to my ego. I didn't think it would be that sudden. I also thought maybe I would like phase out of it.
Um, and I was lucky enough to be able to freelance for the next two years. And, um, yeah, from there I. I had worked part time at Lululemon, um, in Charlotte, uh, the, the year before I started with Fox Sports. Super part time. I didn't, I didn't even know what Lululemon was. I was like, you do not want me to be working retail.
Definitely don't. [00:31:00] I'm gonna like, probably, we're gonna get sued. Um, but I worked super, super part time. I loved the brand. Um, and truthfully, I never thought I mean, on the 14th, I just celebrated 12 consecutive years at Lululemon, and 15 total. If you have told me that 15 years ago, I would have been like, you are truly insane.
There is no way I would ever do that with my, with my life. Um, but what's, what's, what I love about Lululemon is the true spirit of entrepreneurship and community and grassroots. And I My, my husband in Atlanta, uh, right after I got like literally, I think I met him the July and then I got let go the end of that year.
Um, so he got to sort of experience, but he got to experience. me hosting a Wednesday night show and then being gone Thursday to sometimes Monday for three months. Um, [00:32:00] but from there I, I, again, I knew I needed to slow down and I knew the only way I was going to do that is if I somewhat got out of TV, but I was again, lucky enough that I could at least still freelance to, to make my mortgage.
Um, but yes, from there I, I opened four different Lululemon stores throughout the Southeast. We moved to Northwest Florida and I started pitching this job to corporate, uh, me knowing working in especially professional sports, the need for a wholesale department. I didn't even know what wholesale meant. I literally Googled it and was like, when I was like putting together this proposal, um, I knew nothing about the wholesale side of any sort of company, but I knew there was a need.
Because all the Braves loved Lululemon. They thought it was way cooler that I worked once every sixth Sunday at the store. Um, they thought that was way cooler than me being their clubhouse reporter. [00:33:00] And, um, then I started to see the need with some bigger football guys that I worked with, these athletes that, like, they literally didn't even know I worked at Lululemon.
But if you're interviewing them and it's like, you know, even before NIL was like, if you ever were to be sponsored by a team, by a, you know, apparel company, it was like Lululemon, Lululemon. Um, so yeah, I was lucky enough in, at six months pregnant, which they didn't know. Cause it was a zoom interview process.
Um, I interviewed with 25 people at Lululemon, which seems wild. pretty much everyone besides the CEO at the time, uh, for this job. So in, I pitched it to them in 2016 and then in June of 2017 out of 10, 000 people that applied, I got the account manager role for the entire U S. Which, again, looking back on it now, seems, I was one person.
Um, it was like, oh, by the way, I'm six months pregnant. That was also, like, such [00:34:00] a hard thing for me. I'm like, why am I, like, literally, like, grappling with this? What I love about Lululemon is, like, they, they, they preach honesty and open communication and all that jazz. And I was like, if I was a man, it wouldn't matter.
If I'm the best person for the job, it should not matter if I'm pregnant. Um, and thank God my manager was great about it. I mean, I shouldn't say thank God. They. Should be great about it. Um, so yes, I would say my what I loved most about sports was storytelling working in sports TV was was storytelling and getting to know the athletes and getting to know the analysts and coaches that I worked with to be able to share their story.
I loved when they were, you know, connected to a foundation or in their community. And I knew, I also loved about Lululemon. What I love, still love about Lululemon is the product. And so to be able to blend those and then use the connections that I built [00:35:00] over 10 years of working in sports TV have definitely, definitely played a role into my success with my portfolio.
my first couple of years in the role, I had the whole budget of being able to product seed for the, for the U S which was a lot of money at cost. And I would be like, Oh, you were nice to me. Here's seven boxes of clothes. Oh, sorry, you were not nice to me.
Uh, you get one, boxer. Uh, but, also just like, you know, in anything in life, how you treat people, how you show up. Um, I'm just such a firm believer that everything comes back around and I'm so lucky, truly, to have the journey that I had, the ups and the downs, but also the network that I truly, um, I created, that I fostered, um, now I get to spoil them in my, for the most part, in my, um, current job at Lululemon, so to be able to, uh, Still go to these conferences to be able to see Brian snicker.
Um, he was [00:36:00] the third base coach when I was there and now he's, you know, just re signed his manager deal with the Braves. Um, it's also what I love about sports is like the whole family, truly, um, community side of it, um, has been super fun to blend both of them.
Booth: Yeah, it sounds like it. So, I mean, you kind of.
Took charge and became a leader pretty quickly at Lululemon because you saw these opportunities and you brought them and you brought them to light. So what are some of the specific strategies? So to speak that you've kind of learned along the way that foster this team collaboration and drive performance and help grow the company.
Elizabeth: Yeah, it's a good question. I'm like, I'm gonna need the recording for this for my performance review. I'm kidding. You already knew that. I think it all goes back to being prepared. [00:37:00] Um, I think, no, I think what I know about Lululemon is I've had to get out of my comfort zone, whether it's writing goals down, whether it's, um, giving peer to peer feedback, whether it is, um, trying something that I don't think is probably going to work, um, that getting outside of my comfort zone has definitely helped in my leadership in a way of bringing people along.
But when you ask about strategies, what I. What feel like I'm really good at in my job is finding the problem, seeing the problem before people do. And my work will always be to find a solution, but also to, to, to bring people together to find that solution, um, and not lead with complaint, but with solution, um, oriented thinking.
And, it's my passion, my passion for the product, my passion for, [00:38:00] um, inclusivity when it comes to sizing. Again, we are not known as a company that is inclusive to everybody, um, when it comes to our size curve, I'm just going to call it what it is. Um, and what I, what I am most proud of in my work is six years ago when it was just me and then the Canadian account manager, Candice, we.
We saw this need for larger than a three X bigger than a size 38 for our ABC sideline pants. And we went from having zero SKUs in men's to now we have 27. Um, so we are, you know, the need for that sizing to be able to truly fulfill a team, right? I joke like you cannot fit the volunteer assistant. Um, that's a size 28 if you also can't.
So, yeah, that that part of it has been really rewarding [00:39:00] for me to see, especially in an environment of a male dominated pro business. Um, that. They get millions of dollars from their sponsorships. The apparel side of it is terrible. Like, things I would never think were this bad, like the quality of the product, and that these teams, specifically the NFL with the larger sizes, um, they choose to pay for our product to travel in, to wear on the sideline, to go to the NFL combine in, to train in, um, even though they're technically not supposed to, is that they're choosing our product because it truly is superior to what they're given.
Booth: Yeah, it's, it's nice representing something that's quality, isn't it? For sure. Yeah, All right. I'm going to switch gears a little bit. So, um, you've already mentioned that you're a mom and your job with Lululemon still requires a good bit of travel. Not like you used to have to endure. So how do you balance [00:40:00] that with your family time?
Elizabeth: A lot of spreadsheets. I'm just kidding. I love a spreadsheet. I might need a new spreadsheet. Um, how do I, um, balance it? I am lucky at, well, my husband also travels a lot too. So that's been probably the most challenging part of it. Um, but where I'm lucky that now in my role, for the most part, there are like six or seven things a year I have to be at.
I can build my travel around him. So if I need to go to New York, I can kind of piece it together to when he's home. Um, also having a village, like I used to hate that saying, like truly, I'm like, come on, people can just figure this out on their own. Um, and my husband, God bless him is an incredible father, but he's not me.
It's not the mom. And I, it's. It's wild how many things are in my head that to have to put them on a piece of paper or to [00:41:00] type them out when I'm gone, um, is wild, but, um, truly building your village, whether it's one of our neighbors taking Annie to school so that, uh, Mary Thompson can also get to school in time.
Um, definitely being organized and um, you know, I do, I, I know I've told you this, I wrap the clothes up with the day of the week on it. So. You can find the socks and I do it myself. Like I said, like, Oh, no one does this for me, but I do it for myself. Right. I do it. So it's easier for everybody and I do it to make myself feel better that I have set everyone up for success when I'm gone.
Um, it also truly, truly, I do believe this for the most part. I don't love traveling for work since I did it for so long. But there are times when it is really nice. to have a little bit of a break. I'm not going to lie. Um, and is it a break working, you know, from eight to 9 PM at [00:42:00] night when I'm traveling?
No, but I also am really lucky to work with people that I thoroughly enjoy for the most part. Um, and so to be able to travel with them to places, um, I'm. 10 years deep with the gal that's the Canadian account manager and almost eight with the California Southwest and they're truly two of my best friends.
Um, so that part of it is fun and it, it does kind of give me a break to be able to think about something, um, and know that at home everything is fine, he can handle it, um, but also building your village and we, you know, have an incredible nanny. That I would never be able to have this job or, um, to be able to like, fully feel like I can go.
I can travel without knowing, um, that I trust her more than I probably trust myself. Or my husband delete that out
Booth: so your girls. I'm sure we're going to get involved in sports. You [00:43:00] know, they're they're still pretty young. And so, and I know you've seen this, there are kind of two extremes when it comes to moms. With how they approach sports for their kids. So you either have the mom that puts their child on every travel team starting at a young age to the mom that doesn't really want her child to play sports because it might inconvenience her schedule.
So, what advice would you give to moms about the importance of getting their children, especially their daughters involved in sports, but without overdoing it to the point of burning them out.
Elizabeth: yeah, I mean, it's interesting. I always thought I would have them in gymnastics one day, basketball one day, swimming the other day. And I, I honestly, like, I personally cannot get them to all these places. When we first moved to Carderock County, I signed Annie up for soccer.
And when she was three and a half or four, and the practices were Wednesday at [00:44:00] 3. 30. I was like, I'm sorry, what? Can we be on the 430 team? Like, I can't do that. Um, and so, my advice is, I'm letting them try everything, and again, just as it was instilled in me, you don't have to keep doing it, but you have to finish out the season.
We, anything we start, we finish, and I, I want her to love it, and I also am still in the mindset. She is seven and she's a not going to be great at everything all the time. those are like really two extremes booth. Is there someone in the middle? Can I be in the middle?
Booth: Yeah. Yeah. You can, you can definitely be the one in the middle.
That can be the advice is be the one in the middle. Yeah. Yeah.
Elizabeth: I would be the one in the middle and I would, I would make it fun. The first basketball game last year, Annie asked me never to come back very nicely because I was yelling. [00:45:00] But, um, my literally back was so embarrassed and I didn't even like realize I was yelling that much.
I'm just Into the game, the game. I'm competitive. Um, but I, and then when I look back at my own journey, yet, my parents had me in everything. Yes, but I didn't start playing volleyball till I was in high school. So, um, my advice would be to, to sign them up for different things and let them try them out, make sure they finish it.
Um, but also there's a very, you can definitely, you can find a balance between. the teams, the different sports and having them enjoy them and work hard at them and also being able to have your own schedule. Um, I also don't like just do moms have their own schedule in life. I
Booth: guess they try to at some point.
Yeah.
Elizabeth: I will say her little friend Baker, um, this was the [00:46:00] first year he could play basketball again after his accident and he said to Christina, he goes, I just, you know, I'm not, I'm not ready to have my weekends filled up.
Booth: I love it. He was like me neither. Okay. Yeah. Perfect. Yeah. He's he's on mom schedules what he's on.
There he is. He's
Elizabeth: like, Oh, nine o'clock on a Saturday. That sounds terrible.
Booth: Yeah.
Elizabeth: Make sure it's fun. Especially at this age. It, I mean, you know, we tried the competitive dancing, which was also wild. We did for a year. Um, and now they go, they do gymnastics and they go to that sweet sugarloaf dance place, which is still, you know, an hour and a half of tap and jazz and dance, but also just to make it fun.
It should be fun
Booth: for sure. Absolutely. Absolutely. Definitely fun. in all your spare time and your mom's schedule and these things, um, you have [00:47:00] recently begun teaching a class at downtown bar. So what motivated you to want to pursue that?
Elizabeth: Yeah, I've always loved working out. Um, I've always, my transition from being an athlete to especially working at Lululemon, um, Opened me up to different workouts.
I never thought I would enjoy or be possible. Um, so yeah, I, I love working out. I love the whole wellness fitness. Um, part of, of that and. In full transparency, I've had this team account manager job for nine years and where it is a ton of work and my portfolio continues to grow and grow and travel. Um, with Mary Thompson going back or going to school pretty much full time now, I needed a challenge.
Um, I needed something to, to work towards and, you know, I was working out there almost every day [00:48:00] and thought this would be fun if the, you know, if the certification, if I could actually like do the certification, um, I wasn't sure. Um, and so I just, yeah, I brought it up to Sam and, and Anna and thought I knew they would tell me the truth if they thought I would even be remotely good at it and I did the training in June and then started teaching.
I think like a month ago and I love it. I love it so much. It's different than any other bar or spin class that you would take there. Um, and honestly, I love to sweat like, I love to sweat. I love the infrared and my, my again, my class is different. And what I loved about. Living in Atlanta and Charlotte was that the instructors, um, not only were they inspiring, but they also would come adjust you or give you a little tips.
If you were doing things the wrong way. Again, taking the training, like, I've really been doing bar [00:49:00] wrong for 30 years of my life. Like, what? No, 1, are throwing back out. So, yeah, and I also, I just try to make it fun, truly, um, that an hour can go by so fast if you're, you know, being silly and also getting your heart rate up, um, and I also at the end love to, like, give a little message and to ensure that people, um, yeah, just feel a little bit more inspired, but also to make it fun.
Booth: I love that. Well, I'm doing your class tomorrow, so I'm super excited to,
okay. One last question. what is the best piece of advice, life, business, whatever, you have ever received that you can pass on to our listeners?
Elizabeth: Can I do two? Sure. To always be yourself, truly. And I, I think especially as women, like, we We struggle with that. and there was a quote, I think I might have texted to you during the women's [00:50:00] summit is, um, something around. That other women should not be our competition. Like, I truly had, I was always, I felt like I was always competing with other women, especially in TV.
Um, and when I started to truly look at it differently, Um, it opened up so many different aspects of my life. Of, I had no idea how closed off I was, especially to other women in sports. Um, and yeah, I just thought truly, If we can support one another instead of knocking each other down, it truly, um, I guess with all of that, my biggest advice would be that everybody can win.
Everyone can win. And I was the first person to really admit that I had no idea how cold I was being to people. I was just putting my head down. I thought no one, I, no one [00:51:00] really wanted, especially when I worked for the, for Fox Sports. Um. Yeah, and when you stop looking at other women as competition and instead of, um, as a friend or a mentor, it is truly wild what can open up in your life, but also to be able to let go of that if you are experiencing that from other women.
Because I was like, I can definitely, I can win you over. I'm going to win you over. There's a lot of women at Lululemon, a lot, and some of them I'm never going to win over, and that's also okay. It's that I'm not investing my energy there anymore.
Booth: Yeah, what a great thing to recognize, and just, you do you, for sure.
Elizabeth: Sure, and that like, truly no one cares. Right. Well,
Booth: yeah, yeah, I know you always hear that. Like, you might be dwelling on it, but they're not. So don't really have not thought twice about it. Right. Right. That is that is so good. So, Elizabeth, this has been absolutely [00:52:00] fantastic. I love all of the things you've learned from sports and applying it.
It's, it's so relevant to life and everything. So I just want to thank you so much for your time today and for being on podcast.
Elizabeth: Of course. I can't wait to come see Wood play. Yeah,
Booth: that's gonna be fun. So thank you. Thank you.