Media, Entertainment, and Sports (MES) are alluring industries for MBA students. As a career coach in this space for nearly a decade, I’ve had many conversations with students who can envision the finish line in MES, but don’t always understand what it takes to get there.

Landing in these industries is deeply competitive. Employers do not typically recruit on campus (they receive plenty of applications without traveling to campus, so they don’t need to). The recruiting process can be less structured, and the money may not meet some MBA students’ expectations.  

Still, Fuqua students intern and accept full-time jobs in MES every year. Fuqua offers classes and opportunities to gain hands-on exposure through experiential learning, including the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP) and the Duke Sports Fellowship, a mentored study program.

Fuqua is also fortunate to have a deep bench of alumni in these industries. I’ve been lucky enough to work with these alumni when they were students and/or leaders of the MES club. I stay in touch with them through conferences, recruiting conversations, inviting them to participate on panels, alumni coaching, and seeing them during Week-in-Cities treks. To understand more about their career journeys, I posed the same question to these Fuqua alumni working in MES: What’s been the most challenging or unexpected part of building a career in MES, and how did you navigate it?

Sam Marks, MBA ’20, Vice President, Strategy & Analytics, The Washington Spirit

The hardest part isn’t what you’d expect. Breaking into the sports industry is genuinely difficult in a space this small and relationship-driven, but Fuqua prepared me well for that, and I’m forever grateful for that foundation.

The real challenge comes after you’re established. Opportunities find you regularly in this industry, and each one requires a genuine leap of faith to pursue seriously: faith in the people you’ll be working with and for.

It’s rarely as simple as chasing the best title or salary. Each potential organization requires serious consideration of whether this is a place where you will thrive and be forced to grow into the best version of yourself.

What has guided me through those decisions is leaning on a trusted network of mentors — many of them fellow Blue Devils! — who give me honest and candid perspective when I need it most. And over time, I’ve learned to trust my own instincts too. That combination has carried me through every major call I’ve had to make.

Tanya Assar, MBA ’19, Global Sports Marketing & Strategic Planning, Nike

As many MBAs can attest, we are highly driven by results, so it’s no surprise that we want to grow our careers quickly. However, career growth in an industry where no one leaves their job because they’re living out their dream role is extremely limited.

Like many who work in sports, I love my profession. Not many people can say it’s their job to watch ESPN, read Bleacher Report every day, and work with some of the most talented athletes in the world.

A mentor once told me, “If you align your goals only to promotions, which may only be three or four during your career at our company, you’re going to have a hard time.” I’ve learned to enjoy the journey, appreciate that I’m in my dream job, and find other ways to drive job satisfaction beyond an “upward” trajectory.

Nick Olindo, MBA ’23, Sr. Manager, Business Strategy, AMB Sports & Entertainment

To pursue an MES career, saying “I love sports” is not enough. You have to be intentional about building and nurturing relationships over time. Sports is a smaller industry than most, and the more genuine relationships you build across it, the better positioned you will be.

At the same time, sports moves fast, and many leaders want someone who can contribute immediately, not someone they have to bring up to speed. Being able to articulate your transferable skills while also demonstrating the learning ability and work ethic to quickly close any knowledge gaps is absolutely critical.

You also need to be able to carry the emotional weight of the job. When you work for a team, you are no longer just a fan — you are living it day-to-day. That is incredibly rewarding when things are going well, but when a team is underperforming, it weighs on you in a way that most jobs simply do not, since team performance is mostly out of your control.

Learning to stay grounded and keep doing your job at a high level regardless of what is happening on the field or court is something I did not fully anticipate going in. That said, those harder stretches are often where the most learning happens — you are forced to think critically and find creative ways to drive impact in a way that winning seasons rarely demand.

Will Bartlett (ME), MBA ’25, Engagement Manager, 3C Ventures

One thing that surprised me is how non-linear careers in media, entertainment and sports can be. Early on, I assumed there was a more defined path, but I’ve found that many of the best opportunities come from being curious, building relationships and staying open to experiences that might not fit neatly into whatever long-term plan I built in my head.

My own career has included time in media with The Athletic, getting my MBA at Fuqua, and now working in commercial advisory at 3C Ventures. Those later moves were never part of some master plan, but each has given me a different perspective on the industry and helped me develop skills that, I think, have proven valuable in unexpected ways. I’ve learned to focus less on finding the perfect next move and more on finding opportunities where I can learn, build relationships and stay close to industries I’m genuinely passionate about.

Peter Oesterle, MBA ’21, Strategic Partnerships & Business Development, Amazon Music

One of the most challenging parts of building a career in MES is the lack of clarity and structure around how to get into these industries and how to progress toward your ideal roles. While it seems that industries like finance or consulting have defined steps and checkpoints from entry-level onward, there are not really ‘pipelines’ in the same sense for MES (outside of agencies or the assistant path). It can often feel like you’re on your own to figure out how to get your foot in the door and then navigate industries with highly competitive job openings and that are quite dynamic (business model disruptions, companies merging, roles changing). 

One key way I’ve navigated this ambiguity is by developing and investing in relationships throughout my career. I think it’s critical to build strong connections with the people you work with, no matter their job level. Not only will this make you happier and better at your job, but these people will give structure to your professional network and career trajectory. They will guide and support you when you feel lost or uncertain, and they will connect you with the roles and opportunities that will move you forward.

It’s also important to stay curious and proactive about meeting new people — saying yes to mutual connections or reaching out to people you want to meet and learn from. Every job I’ve gotten in this industry has been initiated through some existing relationship or mutual connection, and that will continue to be the case.  

These alumni, though they work for different employers or from different corners of MES, have connections in their stories. From gaining experience and telling your story to managing ambiguity, investing in relationships, and utilizing mentors, themes emerge. And they are all enjoying the journey.

What will your journey look like? I can’t wait to hear your story.