By: Adam White, @FOSAdam
Front Office Sports is proud to have sat down with Michelle (Sports X), Freelance Social Media Marketing/PR for www.sxmsocialmedia.com. A graduate of Boston University with a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice, Michelle was working on her Ph.D. when social media changed the course of her career. Once having aspirations of being a teacher, Michelle is now doing free lance work as well as hosting her own radio show @MidnightMancave every Friday night at 12 am ET. She was gracious enough to offer up her time and insight into how social media and sports go hand in hand, her do’s and don’ts of social media use and why she would tell her self to be patient if she could go back in time.
You have an interesting story as to how you got to where you are today. What has that journey been like?
“Honestly, I fell into sports by accident while I was finishing up my Ph.D. It has been an amazing journey and something I never saw coming. I absolutely love what I do. I got involved in a fundraiser for Steve Smith, an Oakland Raider who had been diagnosed with ALS after someone had shared something on Facebook. From there, everything took off and snowballed one after another and now here I am today”
Throughout the journey, you’ve met and worked with some amazing people. What have been some of your takeaways from these experiences?
“I always enjoy meeting former athletes who are very down to earth, kind and respectful. We tend to forget that athletes are regular people with regular families, who are just like everyone else outside their athletic abilities.”
Social media helped build your presence and helped you get to where you are today. What are some of your do’s and don’ts when it comes to using social media?
This is a topic Michelle has a passion for. One day she would like to speak on this topic to educate others. “In my opinion, one of the don’ts of social media is don’t be afraid of it. It is such a great medium to reach your fans, peers, and professionals.” She often times sees many people practicing one of her don’ts when they are venting their frustration and anger. Another do, is always think before you tweet and spread positivity. The last do for her is to remember that it is a tool and a resource and a very good one at that! Michelle cautions everyone to “always be mindful and don’t be rude…there is always someone watching.”
What is the biggest mistake you see students making when it comes to social media use?
“One of the biggest mistakes I see is sharing inappropriate information or violating someone’s privacy.” Her belief is that eventually, like any other class offered, there will be a social media class to teach students proper etiquette.
If you could go back and give your younger self one word of advice, what would it be and why?
“I would tell myself to trust and to be open to other positions and opportunities. When all is said and done, if you follow your intuitive compass, everything will fall into place. Another thing is to live in the moment and not worry about where you are going, just live each day and be patient.”
Parting wisdom?
Working in sports is hard, but it is fun and, for her, people need to remember to “enjoy the positions and have fun.” Even though it is a business and is something you need to take serious, she wants people to remember, “You have a passion and love for sports. Don’t let go of it.”
We would like to thank Michelle for her time and insight and we wish her the best in her future endeavors! You can follow her on Twitter here!
You can listen to her radio show @MidnightMancave every Friday night at 12 am ET.
