Get inspiration straight to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

podcastwithmolly

Episode 3- Val Ackerman on Reinventing Your Career

From serving as the first President of the WNBA to heading up the Big East Conference, Val Ackerman has made her mark on the sports…

Episode 3- Val Ackerman on Reinventing Your Career

From serving as the first President of the WNBA to heading up the Big East Conference, Val Ackerman has made her mark on the sports…

From serving as the first President of the WNBA to heading up the Big East Conference, Val Ackerman has made her mark on the sports industry. On this episode, Val talks about the importance of women in leadership and why you shouldn’t be afraid to reinvent your career.

Follow Val:  Website

Show Notes

  • How she approached coming aboard the Big East (2:01)
  • How she’s leading through the changing landscape of college sports (4:22)
  • The way she creates structure to help move things forward amid such a fast-paced business (7:00)
  • The hardest part of her job (9:25)
  • What some of the proudest moments and toughest challenges in her career have been (11:20)
  • Her crusade to better women’s leadership in sports, especially internationally (14:27)
  • The biggest gaps that need to be closed for women’s sports to be where she wants them to be (15:03)
  • How to close the revenue gap between men’s and women’s professional sport (16:24)
  • Things she learned from David Stern (17:53)
  • Her words to describe David Stern as a leader (20:05)
  • Advice for people who are afraid to make a change (21:38)
  • What it was like leaving her position as president of the WNBA (25:17)
  • How she juggled work and family (26:54)
  • Life isn’t always a straight line…don’t be afraid to zig and zag (28:04)
  • Biggest fear (30:12)
  • Her life motto (30:55)

Resources / People Mentioned

Recommended For You

Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:

And read:

Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and leave a rating or review!

Do You Like to Get What You Want…But Don’t Like Negotiating?

Our immersive Game Changer 360 Negotiation Workshops will teach you and your team how to negotiate more effectively and build stronger relationships in and out of the workplace.

Schedule a Workshop Today

Share This Post

Get Molly’s Free 5-Minute Morning Routine to Build Better Relationships

LATEST BOOK

Dynamic Drive

The Purpose-Fueled Formula for Sustainable Success
“A very special book about finding your purpose, getting amazing things done and leading your finest life.”

Robin Sharma,

#1 Worldwide Bestselling Author of
"The Wealth Money Can't Buy" + "The 5am Club"

A #1 USA TODAY BESTSELLER

Dynamic Drive

The Purpose-Fueled Formula for Sustainable Success
In a world fixated on fleeting success, a bold framework for pursuing your goals unapologetically without compromising what matters most. This isn’t just another self-help theory: Dynamic Drive is your practical guide to unlocking your true potential. Through her decades of experience working with top athletes and peak performers across industries, renowned keynote speaker and leadership expert Molly Fletcher has created a proven formula backed by research that outlines the seven keys to sustainable success. The truth is fulfillment doesn’t come from setting and accomplishing goals in isolation. It comes from Dynamic Drive—a holistic approach that connects all parts of you with your purpose and allows you to engage in meaningful growth, both personally and professionally. Unlike traditional approaches that dilute drive into a mere means to an end, which can lead to burnout, Dynamic Drive is a way of life, a mindset. It’s about figuring out the parts of your life where you are playing small or safe or are dissatisfied. Dynamic Drive is the process by which we implement and sustain intentional change. The greatest reward isn’t in what you achieve, but who you become in the process. Your path to sustained high performance in all areas of your life begins here. This is your manual for an aligned, joyful, and relentless pursuit of a better you.
“A very special book about finding your purpose, getting amazing things done and leading your finest life.”

Robin Sharma,

#1 Worldwide Bestselling Author of
"The Wealth Money Can't Buy" + "The 5am Club"

Recent Episodes

Dusty May

It’s easy to focus on the results. The wins. The numbers. The next big milestone. But what if the secret to achieving more is focusing less on the outcome and more on what you do every day? Two years into his first head coaching job, Dusty May called his wife...

Danny Meyer

If your team is growing, you’ve probably asked some version of this question: How do we hold on to what makes this place special? Danny Meyer spent years trying to answer it, until he realized it was the wrong question. Danny is the founder of Union Square Hospitality Group and...

Priya Parker

We all have conversations we know we should have, but keep putting off. Maybe it feels too small to bring up, or we worry that saying something will only make it worse. But avoiding the conversation rarely makes the issue go away. According to conflict resolution facilitator Priya Parker, the...

Kerri Walsh Jennings

What does it take to stay hungry when you’ve already reached the top? Kerri Walsh Jennings is the most decorated beach volleyball player of all time. She’s a five-time Olympian, three-time gold medalist, and one of the most dominant athletes of all time. But what fueled that level of sustained...

Sasha Hamdani

Have you ever been told you’re too sensitive? Maybe you take things too personally, overthink, or have a hard time letting things go. According to psychiatrist and ADHD specialist Dr. Sasha Hamdani, some of us are simply wired to process emotions more intensely. And that sensitivity isn’t necessarily a weakness....

Steve Magness

Why do some people rise to the occasion under pressure while others tighten up? Whether it’s a big presentation or a job interview, pressure has a way of making us tighten up and second-guess ourselves. We think the goal is to eliminate stress. But what if that’s actually not the...

Search by Topics

Search by Guests

Matthew McConaughey
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
podcast-popular
Savannah Guthrie
podcast popular
Steven A. Smith
Simon Sinek