Everything is Relational: Andrew Agro’s Story
The key to cultivating a relationship-oriented leadership style.
Heading into his 10th season with the New York Jets, Andrew Agro knows a thing or two about building relationships in sport.
In his role as the Director of Corporate Sponsorship & New Business Development, his core responsibilities for the team consist of generating revenue through the securing of new business partners, and through the renewal of existing partners that he has brought into the fold in past years.
During his first three years with the organization, he worked within the Sponsorship Activation team, and was responsible for the execution of their corporate sponsorships, on a day-to-day basis with the client.
All of these experiences have helped shape Andrew’s view on leadership, and what traits he values the most.
An important learning moment for me came early in my career at the Jets, when I was listening to our (former) General Manager speak to local business owners about how he managed people within our organization. He noted that he attempts to treat everyone in the building the same, whether they are the custodians, to middle-management, to the President of the team. Since then, I found that to be invaluable advice to adhere to, whether managing down, managing horizontally or managing up — it is a principal that has relevance every day of the week, at work and in life.
Living in the Big Apple hasn’t phased Andrew’s journey in sports business. Upon asking him about the importance of being recognized as one of the five recipients of this year’s 5 To Watch Canada’s Sports Business award, he notes that his Canadian roots are very important to him.
It means a great deal to be identified within this 2017 group in the sports business industry, which continues to grow considerably in Canada between Sports Teams, Leagues, Brands, Agencies & Governing Bodies. The market is extremely competitive and I was fortunate to be recognized for some things that I have accomplished professionally in the New York market. I grew up in Canada (Burlington, Ontario), and I attended undergraduate school in Canada (Wilfrid Laurier University), my whole family and many of my friends live within the Greater Toronto Area, so it is meaningful to be recognized where much of my personal network is rooted.
Indeed, the Canadian sports business industry has grown immensely over the years. One of the contributing factors to this rise is attributed to the evolving sport sponsorship landscape in North America. The digital age has changed marketing channels forever, opening up doors for sponsorship activations which now extend interest beyond its hardcore fans.
The industry excites me, and has always excited me because every day is different. Every day a new business vertical will emerge as the next great sponsorship opportunity, every day a new company will come into North America from Europe, or Asia or the Middle East. Every day there is an opportunity to explore a new conversation. In 2017 and beyond the sponsorship world is very much a customized discussion Gone are the days of “plug-and-chug” sponsorship deals, sales people are being tasked to work harder and smarter to tailor proposals and sponsorship deals to the exact liking of the client and the client company. Listening to client needs and attention to detail are winning deals today. Boiler plate proposals will not cut it anymore.
From the start of their journey, aspiring sports business professionals should also strive to tailor their own professional and personal network. Although the CSBN team is devoted to making it easier for you to connect with professionals like Andrew, it’s ultimately up to you to build a foundation for a relationship, and to treat it with genuine care as you progress through life. Andrew echoes this sentiment.
My one piece of advice would be to build relationships. Quality is better than quantity in relationships, it doesn’t matter how many you have, it just matters how many meaningful ones you have. That applies to business and life. Don’t build relationships when it is 2 weeks before graduation and you need a job. Build the foundation far in advance, so the relationship is in place. Once in place, it is much more appropriate to ask for favors when someone knows you well and trusts you. It takes time for someone to be willing to go to bat for you for a job, because ultimately they are putting their own reputation on the line by endorsing you.
Congratulations, Andrew!
Andrew Agro is the Director of Corporate Sponsorship & New Business Development for the New York Jets. To learn more about Andrew’s story, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.
Will you be attending this year’s 5 To Watch?
The 5 to Watch Awards are presented annually to five Canadian sports business professionals who have achieved remarkable career success prior to their 40th birthdays. Canadian Sport Business Network is proud to be a community partner for the 2017 5 To Watch Awards, taking place on Thursday, June 22.
For more information about the event, please visit the event website.
