Throughout my journey of working in sports, I have had the opportunity to meet some incredible people. These two women are people who I look up to on a daily basis. Lauren and Taylor are some of the hardest-working people that I know. They are the definition of a girl boss and I am so honored to know them and to learn from them 

Meet Lauren Markwith.

She is currently the social media manager for CBS the Attacking Third. She previously worked with the Washington Spirit and Inter Miami CF. She was actually one of my coworkers at Inter Miami! Lauren previously played soccer at the University of Miami. She is someone who is so talented and is filled with wisdom and grace. One of the many things that she has taught me is to value yourself and your worth. Similar to me, Lauren moved to a new city to chase a new opportunity where she worked for the Washington Spirit. Following her time in Washington D.C., she transitioned to working for CBS. I asked her a few questions about her journey in sports: 

What was the transition like moving from the Washington Spirit to CBS? 

Lauren shared that working a sports season can be completely draining. With CBS, she has the opportunity to work in women’s soccer while leading the brand of Attacking Third. Something that is different from her previous jobs is that now she is a contractor. As a contractor, Lauren has the ability to freelance and make her own schedule. 

“I wouldn’t have gotten to this point in my career without Inter Miami and the Washington Spirit,” Lauren said. 

Laurens’s story is a great example of each step, each role, and each job that will lead you to whatever is next with hard work and determination. 

In her early career, Lauren started out as an intern at Inter Miami. Also being a former intern, I asked Lauren what advice she would have for a woman who is in an internship now and not sure if they should take the next time. 

What was her advice? 

It’s important to be real and honest about the amount of work you have put into the job. While also identifying the value that you brought to a job and how you bring value to the next job. It is also important to have a balance and understanding of knowing who you are. Something that Lauren has recommended is to find mentors who will help you navigate this industry while also giving feedback. 

Lauren brings up a great point! Mentors are so so important in this industry. They can help you see situations from a different perspective. They can also offer advice and support for you. My mentors have been so helpful to me. They have offered me advice and cheered me on along the way. 

And meet Taylor Morgan.

Taylor is a senior social media coordinator at Inter Miami CF. I also met Taylor while working as a digital intern at Inter Miami. She previously worked for the Portland Timbers and Thorns coming right out of college. Her story is pretty similar to mine in that she got a full-time job while still in school and finished her degree across the country. Taylor also played soccer at the University of Alabama. Taylor has taught me how to advocate and remain confident in myself. I asked Taylor a few questions about working in sports. Here they are: 

What is one moment that you’re proud of? 

Taylor said that the moment of her career that she is most proud of is when she was working in Portland with the Timbers and the Thorns. There were two people that made the social media team and her coworker had decided to leave. In the time span between her coworker leaving and when they found someone to add to the team, Taylor was running the social media for two teams for a few months alone.

“I didn’t think I could do that,” she said. 

For those that don’t know, social media management is not just posting tweets or posting on Instagram. There is a form of marketing, strategy and communication involved in social media. In addition to being creative and having original concepts. 

This challenge that Taylor took on was a monumental step in her career and showed her what she was capable of. 

“When given the ability to step out of my comfort zone I was able to do what was asked of me,” Taylor said. 

What advice do you have for women in sports? 

“It’s okay to be scared, it’s okay to be uncomfortable. But the way we are going to make ourselves into an industry and job field is [that] we are going to have to be uncomfortable but that doesn’t mean stop, the means keep going,” she said. 

*Mic drop moment*

I think that there is so much to be learned from those around us. We can gain different perspectives and understanding by listening to other people’s journeys. I am truly blessed to have both of these women as mentors. Taylor and Lauren have helped me navigate my journey working in sports. They have cheered me on along the way while sharing wisdom their wisdom with me. There is no ceiling for both of these women. If you don’t have women in your life that can mentor you, I would encourage you to reach out and network! We need to cheer each other on this journey of working in sports.

I hope you feel inspired and capable — because you are more than capable. 

Talk to you soon, 

Ari