Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Andrea Nava. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Andrea thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

Having an open mind is the first step to understanding the power of positive nihilism, radical acceptance, and creative freedom; Success looks different for everyone, so understanding the navigation behind finding what makes you happy is key.

I couldn’t tell you what it takes to be successful. I believe that is a selfish point of view to offer. However, I can tell you that there’s an infinite amount of possibilities when you accept the fact that you are not in charge of what happens to you, but rather how you react to what the universe throws at you day to day. You are how you see the world, and how you react to it. The rest falls into place.

When you know what calls your heart, your attention, your mind, one naturally becomes stubborn and drawn simultaneously. When those tendencies become inadequate to society it’s easy to pull back and find secondary options. In my case, there were no other options. There was no “plan B” nor did I ever plan for one. I listened to my intuition the way you would a grandparent. I think being in a state of acceptance, no matter the situation, allows you to mentally proceed with a better idea of what you prefer, mostly because of the lack of judgment from your own heart.

I never questioned whether I needed a “plan B”. I never questioned my stubbornness, I welcomed it as you would the feeling of happiness. Working in the sport that cherished me in its own hands growing up, that held me and gently presented me to the global definition of what “sport’ meant, left me with no need to seek a further meaning of what “community” meant. I have deep admiration for my old teammates, for old coaches, for old coworkers. The sport in and of itself continues to bring me rejuvenating connections. Theres history and empathy and time and memories and pain and frustration and confusion and exhaustion and every volatile adjective you could think of that could define this sport and the souls you meet along the way. To accept it all with an open mind, to me, that is success.

For me, success nor happiness was about getting paid six figures. It was not about getting opportunities like these to get to project my own story. Because to me, success is being able to establish a platform capable of showcasing others’ stories within the beautiful game. To highlight the heartbeat of others’ stories through the world of social media is one of the greatest successes I’ve been able to achieve.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a hispanic woman with eyes as vessels and an open heart, all which fuel my ability to create. I was unaware of the specifics of my future, as we all are. But what I did know, is what brought me joy, and what I was skillfully drawn to. I saw the beginning of my path as a simple math problem; Passion + Skill = Endless Possibilities. On my first day of college orientation I made the decision to major in Sports Administration from the University of Houston. Really only because our orientation guide asked us and I panicked and said the first thing that came to mind– An intuitive reflex that should always be taken with an open mind. I didn’t know the exact role I would play in this industry, or what role the industry would play in my life. I just knew I wanted to surround myself with what made me happy and interested. My heart aches to be intrigued with the unknown, and there’s infinite layers to what sports is, so to me this was an endless vault to constant learning experiences within the sport I deeply admire.

I grew up around sports my entire life, whether I was the one wearing the jersey or admiring others who did. Grew up watching FC Barcelona matches and then became an avid supporter of the Houston Dash back nearly a decade ago after the Women’s World Cup. I began going to every match, as professional women’s football was not potent at that time by any means and for my home city to have a professional team meant everything to me. I began integrating myself in the community of women’s football and that same community embraced my passion.

My freshman year of college I accepted an internship with the Houston Dynamo within their partnership department. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into– Only that I was placing my foot in the door and surrounding. myself with the environment in which my heart resided; Football.

Having an open mind and accepting each opportunity that comes your way is crucial. Even if it doesn’t work out, at least you know that opportunity wasn’t for you. That’s a lesson always worth appreciating. I learned I never wanted to work in the world of sponsorship, but I did learn these opportunities will introduce you to the most authentic people of all time. I still keep in touch with everyone to this day. Funny enough, they were part of my panel interview when I joined the Houston Dynamo FC content team.

Life comes full circle when you let it. Later on I learned the main reason I was hired was because I had a fire inside of me waiting to ignite those around me. I was only a freshman.

I didn’t know what I specifically wanted to do with sports after that sponsorship internship, only that I wished to be surrounded by the riveting atmosphere and emotions and stories it told, always. I started off as an athletic marketing intern with UH’s athletic marketing department without knowing anything about what the position required, but I took it with an open mind and open heart and the rest is history.

Tabling, passing out fliers, handing out giveaway items, setting up posters around campus.

Not much creativity going on there… But it was only a matter of time. Everything is always a matter of time.

After tabling, my director asks, “Do you mind taking a few photos on my phone of tonights post-match huddle to post on Twitter?”

I took what my heart told me to and instead of simply snapping a few photos and sending them through, I decided to edit them just a bit with altering lighting and highlights and contrast, made the photos look more pleasant to tell the story of a winning team; I received an automatic response.

“Talk to the manager of marketing about social media. I’ll give you his email.”

That was all it took to change the trajectory of my life, really. Had it not been for being open minded enough to accept a basic marketing internship, I would’ve never had the opportunity to snap said photos and offered the opportunity to contribute to the University of Houston’s Athletic social pages, one of the most prestigious universities for athletics in the country,

I was given a phone stabilizer, a camera, and a whole lotta luck (UH if you’re reading this I’m so sorry I haven’t and will probably never return either).

I took those materials and ran with it, better yet I sprinted. I began creating video edits and taking photos at football, basketball, soccer, tennis, track, baseball, and softball events. I cannot express how much of a pleasing rush it was to edit videos on the spot that captured and told the story of every individual competing for something more than just themselves.

There was no such thing as a “social media internship”, however I was given the opportunity to be the trailblazer behind such a craft and for that I’ll be forever grateful. As proud as I am of capturing content of student athletes who are now professionals in the NFL, MLB, and competing in the Olympics, I’ll always be the most proud of my ability to have the pairing of an open mind and open heart

Beginning my last semester of senior year in college, I was hired as a Digital Marketing Manager for the Houston Dynamo. I had to quickly re-organize my courses to be all online as I was traveling with the team across the globe by late February. I was now a full time employee and also a full time student. Neither felt like a heavy weight, because both felt right. I’ll always be proud of that. I graduated on my lunch break.

I’ve always known I love this sport and its counterparts, and I’ll feel as much joy as one does sadness when you devote yourself to such a beautiful game. I suppose that is what sets me apart from others. From the players, to the fans, to the staff, to those beginning to engage in the abundance of art that is football, there resides a foundational relation between us all. I am more than grateful to transmit that relation out to the world.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The essence of the human being is never “perfect”. Understanding each end of the mental and spiritual spectrum and allowing those around you to be themselves without harm is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a creative. More specifically, there is an underlying trust that lies behind “marketing” an athlete in the public eye. I hate the word in and of itself because no human should be a product. I have the freedom and creative platform to mold whatever life throws at us, into something beautifully steadfast. That’s an opportunity and skill I’ll never take advantage of.

The creative freedom and social awareness behind what I do day-to-day is an eye-opening aspect. The superstars you see on your social media feeds don’t always have “super star” days. They, as much you and I, deserve to have trust and a peace of mind behind knowing their emotions and feelings are being put first, and in front of any “marketing need”. To play the middle man here is important.

Not every result in the sports world is sunshine and roses, but our freedom to create, can be.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The grand majority of those outside of the sports industry, even a few within, still believe social media marketing is a one-dimensional simplicity capable of being taken care of by an intern. I’ve had experiences with past football clubs I’ve been with, where not even our own chief marketing officer had respect nor understanding for what the role meant.

Our responsibility is not only to capture content on our phones. Our responsibility is not only to tweet and post pictures of training.

I could sit here all day and justify what I do. But along with an open mind comes the understanding that radical acceptance requires no justification to anyone, and that allows me to concentrate fully on the job at hand. It allows me to focus fully on the fact that my job is not the exact same everyday, and that my job is unpredictable in every sense– Win or lose.

Understanding partnerships, legal standards, media handbooks, language and brand requirements, run of shows, chronological storytelling; Social media marketing is pivotal in the sports industry.

Understanding life, emotions, ambitions, dreams, difficulties; Social media marketing is pivotal in the sports industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gondola.cc/Andrea04Nava
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreaxnava/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-nava-6992561b9

Image Credits

Taylor Banner, Alana McCallion