CEO of Living Sport Talks Entrepreneurship with SMBA 22
Alicia Marinelli (left) speaking to SMBA ‘22 alongside student Tina Schirmeister (right).
Alicia Marinelli, founder and CEO of Living Sport, recently visited campus to offer career and entrepreneurship advice for students. Early in her sports business career, Marinelli learned that she had a passion for supporting young professionals as well as a strong love for travel. She was able to merge these two passions by creating her own business, which serves as a catalyst for young professionals to gain experience in the sports industry while exploring the world. She has taken young professionals to locations such as Barcelona, London, Athens, Dublin and more. On these trips, they’ve gained work experience at events such as the Red Hook Crit, the Royal Windsor Triathlon, and the Oceanman.
Marinelli shared her early career experiences with Sports MBA students and focused on the trials and tribulations of her journey as an entrepreneur. As a travel organization, Living Sport was greatly impacted by the pandemic. Marinelli told the class about how the pandemic caused her to pivot and explore new verticals, such as a podcast, and begin to offer domestic programs. These programs include opportunities at the NHL All-Star Game and Super Bowl LVI.
Current student Tina Schirmeister (SMBA ‘22) met Marinelli on the London 2018 program and they have remained close over the years. Schirmeister says “Alicia and Living Sport are a huge part of my early career development. Through Living Sport, I have gained work experience at two international events, served as alumni-relations committee lead on the board, and organized a reunion in Yosemite National Park. I am honored to call Alicia a mentor, but she’s also become a dear friend.”
Along with her early career experiences and creating Living Sport, Marinelli highlighted the importance of networking, continuing to work toward your goals in spite of failures, and being open to new experiences that may present themselves on your career journey.
