27 Aug Beyond The Metrics: Kayla Wilkinson, Director, Digital & Communications, Winners Alliance
At Zoomph, we champion the power of partnerships, marketing, business intelligence, and social media. Our Q&A series puts the spotlight on industry leaders, giving you an inside look at their expertise, strategies, and perspectives – beyond the numbers. Join us as we uncover valuable insights straight from the minds shaping the industry.
Tell us a bit more about your background
I grew up in Maryland and to my parents’ dismay, I was set on going out of state for college. I attended UNC Chapel Hill (Go Heels!) and studied Media & Journalism with a focus on Strategic Communications. I thought I would work for a PR agency because I didn’t know what else was out there. Thankfully, I stumbled into the sports world instead, building a career focused on digital media, communications, and content marketing. Before joining Winners Alliance, I held roles at Octagon, D.C. United, and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Tell us a bit more about Winners Alliance and how you are helping your clients:
I oversee marketing and communications for Winners Alliance while also serving as an extension to our affiliate companies’ teams. Each day is different, and each partner has unique goals and needs, but my work primarily focuses on internal and external communications and content marketing across all relevant channels.
Share a professional accomplishment that you are extremely proud of, or share a campaign, organizational success, or win that you are proud of:
I’ll throw it back to my Octagon days when I led social media and content strategy for our athlete clients. I supported SC30 Inc. (Stephen Curry’s company that manages his off-court business interests) with Stephen’s personal accounts and his business venture accounts. It was amazing to collaborate around milestone moments like the launch of Curry Brand, the debut of Underrated Golf, and Stephen’s career-high 62-point game. I took a lot of pride in working with the SC30 team to consistently deliver innovative, best-in-class work in support of one of the most iconic athletes in the world.
What is your favorite part about working in the sports industry?
The industry’s natural capacity for storytelling and community building. Very few things bring people together like their favorite athletes, teams, and sports, and the industry is a hotbed for such a wide variety of inspirational, unique, and just plain fun stories.
What is a trend you are keeping an eye on in the sports industry?
This is not the most original answer, but AI. It’s already changed several of our processes and workflows, and it will continue to reshape how we strategize, execute, and analyze success.
What advice would you share with young professionals who want to work in the sports industry?
Protect your peace and remember you’re more than your job. Don’t confuse your role or your company with your identity. The industry can be extremely demanding and always-on, but you can only put forth your best work if you take care of yourself outside of work.
What is one skill you wish you had learned earlier in your career, and why?
How to connect specific role or department goals to broader business objectives, and how to communicate that effectively to senior leaders. It’s easy to get caught up in the weeds of your own work, but when you can see the bigger picture and frame your contributions in the context of company-wide goals, you gain stronger buy-in from leadership and peers. Always connect the dots so others understand how your work helps drive the business forward.
What is your favorite product feature or specific use case of Zoomph that you’ve used at Winners Alliance?
I love Zoomph’s earned media valuations for social tracking. It’s great to have industry-standard cost-per rates in one place and to have EMV calculated on post and account levels. This makes analyses and performance reporting much easier.
Do you have a favorite experience or memory from your time working in the sports industry?
A core memory, and the only time I’ve ever screamed in a press box, was Wayne Rooney’s insane tackle and Lucho Acosta’s iconic stoppage-time goal for D.C. United vs. Orlando City in 2018. It was a do-or-die moment that kept D.C. United’s playoff hopes alive, and the highlight still gives me chills:
What is a TV show (or movie) that you recently streamed/binged/watched that you really enjoyed?
This is a random one, but my partner and I are obsessed with Couples Therapy. If you’re interested in psychoanalysis and the complexities of being human, check it out. It’s fascinating.
What would be your ideal/perfect vacation?
I’m a beach bum. I want to be by the water from morning until sunset and lie in the sun, swim, read, chit chat, go on walks, nap, etc. No itineraries and very little screen time.
What is your favorite OR most-used mobile app?
Find My Friends (with a small group of best friends only). I feel like I’m living vicariously through my favorite people!
