Adam Fraser: Laureus Sport for Good, Chief Executive – Work In Sports Podcast - a podcast by Brian Clapp - Work in Sports

Ever considered working for a purpose-driven organization? Adam Fraser, Chief Executive of Laureus Sport for Good joins host Brian Clapp on the Work In Sports podcast.Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…If I say the New York Yankees - you know who that is right? Of course you do…Big Ten Network -- you know them, familiar with their work recognizable brand…Adidas, Under Armour, Puma - sureUS Soccer Federation -- of course.  Have you heard of Laureus? Likely not. And yet, Laureus has made a larger impact on the world through sport, than any of the aforementioned brands we are all so familiar with.Sports is a simple industry. Athletes and events - everything in sports branches off these two pillars. Ticket sales, trainers, coaches, scouts, operations, travel, equipment, apparel -- it all branches off of athletes and/or events.   Laureus is a little different. They use sports as a means to change the world. You hear that phrase “change the world” and it sounds like an ad campaign from a brand trying to make you think, they are more altruistic than they are. They are trying to sell you a message rather than an action.Laureus lives that action. Change the World isn’t a banner ad for them, it’s a repeatable mission statement, put into action by their everyday. Founded under the Patronage of Nelson Mandela, Laureus Sport for Good uses sport as a powerful and cost-effective tool to help children and young people overcome violence, discrimination, and disadvantage in their lives. Over the past two decades, they have developed a worldwide charitable infrastructure to use the power of sports to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage. It was Nelson Mandela who said, “Sports has the power to change the world.”And while most of us hear those words and agree, but do nothing about it. Laureus is actively working to make it happen. It is my honor to introduce you to this purpose-driven sports organization, who is changing the world through sport. Here is Laureus Sport for Good Chief Executive, Adam Fraser.Questions for Adam Fraser, Laureus Sport for Good Chief Executive1: There is so much I want to talk about in regard to Laureus and all the organization does to improve the lives of people through sports – but I want to dig a little into your background and personal story first.You’ve gone on quite the journey in your career – the first 5 years of your career after graduating from the University of Leeds, was in journalism. What led you to sports and why was working as a journalist your first career choice?2: It’s quite the transition going from reporting on the World Cup and Formula One to the foundation/advocacy/fundraising side of the industry. Where were you and what was happening that led you to this dramatic shift not only in career but overall purpose?3: You became the executive director for Sports Industry Group and Communication Director for Benchmark – their tagline is “creating and investing in purpose-driven businesses” so this was your transition move in a way, starting you down this path of sport for good.What was that initial feeling like being involved with a company with a different set of goals than others you had worked for prior?4: Going from journalism to the Public Relations/Communication Director side seems like a pretty natural transition, what were the biggest challenges transitioning to this role?5: After Benchmark you transitioned to your current organization – Laureus Sport for Good. I want to dig into your roles within the organization, but first, let’s look through a broader lens.Nelson Mandela, famously said “sport has the power to change the world” – I’ve read this quote a thousand times. I had never listened to him actually say it until...

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