Hello friends! 👋

We have some exciting news…

Doors to the SportsGrad Community are closing at 5pm AEST tonight (trust me, it’s exciting).

This is a heads up to let you know that if you want a guaranteed place in the SportsGrad Community at the current price, today is your last day.

Why the close? For lack of a better analogy, our stadium is under redevelopment!

We’re beefing up the Community to make it even easier to grow your network, become a confident professional, and land the job of your dreams in sport (which we love).

Another heads up, when we start letting people in again, there will be limited spots. 40 to start with. Then each month we’ll do a new intake with a select group of people.

If you miss out, dw there’s a waitlist you can join to make sure next intake you can snap up a membership.

Anddd another heads up, the price is going up too. I know, I feel your groans, but even at the new price point I guarantee you’re going to get a ton of value from it.

Last time we changed the price was Jan 2022 over 18 months ago, back then there was only 200 Members and no exclusive jobs, since then the value of the network (550+ now) and access to job opportunities has risen a shit load (to be frank), not to mention what’s coming.

Final heads up, because the new Community is going to be stacked with value, we’re removing the ‘first month free’ offer is retiring.

So if you want guaranteed entry, and the last chance to jump in at the current discounted price, you have until the end of the day.

Anyway, on with today’s newsletter…

Welcome to this ✨  free edition ✨  of the SportsGrad Newsletter. Each week we take a deep dive into ‘how to get a job in sport’.

Meet Joanne Stephan, owner of LimeBlu Media - an epic production house that specialises in video marketing, drone operation and photography. Find out more about her story below 👇

“I recently was asked by the Sydney Swans Social Media Manager to shoot at one of their events and that was a connection I made through SportsGrad.”

What made you want to work in sport?

I was a professional athlete since a very young age and grew up competing on the pro tennis tour with a ranking of number 2 in Australia by the time I was 15yrs old. So you could say that sport was my identity for most of my life, and even now with my new found career as a content creation specialist, my love for sport has never been lost (just buried) and now it's time to unleash and get out there to achieve my goals and dreams in the world of sport, creating content for brands and shooting at world stage sporting events.

What was the biggest challenge you found trying to get your foot in the door?

Since having to give up my career as an athlete due to an accident, the biggest challenge was trying to find what was next. Who am I? What is my new identity? What can I give to the world again, or be remembered for? Since picking up a camera in my early 20s, I found a new passion and fire within and the real challenge now, after so many years developing my craft, is getting in front of the right people in the industry. I’ve had to make solid connections with the right people who see my potential and hunger for what I do, and how I can help them achieve their goals through my skills and experience telling visual stories.

What have been some of your key work experiences?

Working for a University here in Sydney allowed me the opportunity to shoot and create content for Unisport Australia. I have also had experience creating cinematic stories and photos for a range of clients and brands.

How has networking played a role in your journey?

It has played a huge role in getting as far as I have in my line of work. Especially now that I am running my own business, I have found that as soon as people knew I was doing my own thing, there were a few people from my past work connections who reached out and wanted to work with me again. I believe it's so important to leave a good mark on people when you meet them and especially if you've worked with them in the past. It's definitely a small world and you never know who you will bump into again, so making a good impact on people is something that you should strive to do as the first step. If your work is great but you're a jerk, it won't matter, you won't matter, and no one will want to work with you or connect with you. Your personality is your brand!

What does a day in your new role look like?

I left my full-time job at the university to pursue my own goals and now running my own business LimeBlu Media. It's only been 4 months since I went full-time doing my own thing but

A typical day (working from my home studio) would look something like this:

Wake up, shower, do mobility exercises, have breakfast, check emails, edit previously shot video content, have lunch, continue my creative work, do some exercise, cook dinner, head back into the studio (answer any unattended emails, quote new jobs etc.), continue creative edits, and then complete the day!

Alternatively, a typical day (working on set filming or photography) would look something like this:

Early wakeup, have breakfast on the go, get to the location of the shoot, begin shooting, have lunch, continue filming throughout afternoon, pack down and go home, have dinner, and charge all the batteries and gear for the next day.

This is only 1 scenario of many - and I love that my job is always changing and no 2 days are the same. I love the variety (beats 9-5 any day) :) and I never ever get Monday-itis!

How did being a SportsGrad Member help you break into sport?

Being a SportsGrad member has been great! I have made some connections and there are many more to be made. I recently was asked by the Sydney Swans Social Media Manager to shoot at one of their events and that was a connection I made through SportsGrad. I'm sure there are plenty more opportunities to come across the board!

What do you love most about working in sport?

I just love sport in general. It's in my blood and growing up as a professional athlete has really cemented who I am as a person and therefore working in the sporting industry is where I see myself thriving. I love the atmosphere, the vibe, and the connections you can make. Everyone has a story and I want to tell their stories through what I do. I believe that sport really does have the power to change the world, as it brings people together and you can very much see that happen during world sporting events. It's amazing to see how far the human spirit can be pushed and what can be achieved!

What advice would you give to someone else trying to break into sport?

I would tell them not to give up! First point of call is to reach out to your network, and make those connections. If you are studying, ask your educators what sort of internships are around, join your college sport programs and perhaps even get involved to help organising events.

Loved Jo’s story? Check out her work here.

Want to land an awesome job in sport?

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P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways we can help you:

1. Grow your network in the sports industry with like-minded peers and professionals at our Meetup Events

2. Join over 550+ Members who have landed 400+ roles in sport in the SportsGrad Community and get exclusive jobs, resources, events and discounts.

3. Grow your team with young guns in half the time and at a fraction of the cost. Post a job or let us recruit for you