I was laid off on Tuesday, May 26, 2020.
For almost two years, I was the Director of Strategic Development for Intersport in Detroit, responsible for leading business development and launching new initiatives. My main project was the Rocket Mortgage Classic, the first-ever PGA TOUR event held in Detroit.
After having a big part in our success of winning three PGA TOUR awards in 2019, the bar was raised much higher going into 2020 and I was looking forward to exceeding expectations.
Then, the Coronavirus Pandemic happened.
Like +/- 50 million other Americans, I found myself out of a job.
Ironically, my last project was spending all Memorial Day weekend working on a 20-page report to deliver to Gov. Whitmer on how the 2020 RMC would meet all of her coronavirus requirements to run the event without fans in attendance.
Sent that final copy over at around 10pm Memorial Day Monday; twelve hours later, I had my boss tell me over Zoom how my position with the company no longer exists.
I was told it was not at all performance-related, I was just a victim of cost-saving cutbacks.
It is what it is.
Not the first time I've been laid off for things out of my control, and it probably won't be the last.
In any sales, marketing, or business development role, you are only as important as the revenue you bring in today or tomorrow. Yesterday doesn't matter.
Working in sports & entertainment, you operate events/games/concerts on a seasonal basis. When your event/game/concert gets cancelled, or operates at a loss by not having fans in attendance, salaries become expendable very quickly to improve the bottom line.
I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of history and work with great people, who are some of the best in the business.
However, that chapter of my career is done, and it's time to move on to what's next.
So... what is next?
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