Courtesy of Sarah Kettler
Sarah Kettler
Director, Brand and Partnership Marketing, SeatGeek
Age: 28
Born: Orange County, Calif.
Education: University of California, Berkeley, B.S., business administration
About you
Most common misperception of your generation: It’s a misperception that our generation is lazy. We work in different ways — mobile means extended “working hours,” communication happens via 10 different mediums, and jobs look different than they used to — but my peers are some of the hardest working people I know.
Your go-to person when you need help: Too many to name. SeatGeek has built an incredible team that I’m lucky to get to rely on for their brains, support, and epic work.
In 10 years I hope to be … : Making decisions that help drive our industry forward and growing the next generation of leaders while still prioritizing the family and friends that give my life real meaning.
If an organization and the people within it are dedicated to a cause, then they 100% should join the conversation and use their power for good in a way that is authentic to them.
In the Industry
Biggest surprise at career’s start: I had this preconceived notion that a “career” was a linear progression, and every decision I made included the possibility of placing a ceiling on my growth. I learned pretty quickly that advancing isn’t a product of individual “career choices,” but rather a result of working hard, working smart, making connections, and taking full advantage of the opportunities you get.
Most exciting aspect of sports business: Though it’s easy to forget while in the middle of the grind, our industry truly facilitates magical life-changing experiences for people through their connection with sports. The work we all do that helps to grow this industry allows for more people to experience that, and to me, that’s pretty motivating.
Questions for networking: I believe that good networking (the kind that doesn’t make you go “ugh”) is real conversations, not a set formula. Caring about what other people care about, sharing information and just treating people like humans and not a to-do list item is what makes for real connections that ultimately result in effective “networking.”
