Today we’d like to introduce you to Nate Thompson.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
In April ’19 I joined the City of Houston, Mayor’s Office of Innovation as an Innovation Advisor after spending the last three years with the Houston Astros as an Implementation Specialist, responsible for the end-to-end management of external and internal projects for technology solutions. Primarily related to information technology – coordinating & prioritizing project tasks, documenting business requirements, managing project plans, and communication to users & various stakeholders.
Before that, I managed the ticket operations for the Houston Astros focusing on the strategic implementation of the digital ticket initiatives, development of the loyalty program, and improving business operations processes.
Prior to joining the Astros in 2015 I worked with the Cleveland Indians where I was responsible for managing, researching, and implementing emerging technologies that supported the team’s organizational efforts to improve the fan experience and increase revenue.
I graduated from the University of Cincinnati and went to grad school at St. Thomas University in Miami, FL.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Fortunately, the journey wasn’t a smooth road for me – the most challenging times were also educational and a test of patience, faith, and being sure of myself and what I wanted. Specifically, struggles following grad school were the toughest where I thought I had the professional experience, education, and network to help land that first full-time gig but wasn’t getting the shot I thought I deserved. It took me nearly a full year from grad school graduation to landing the first job, but overall I think going through that period helped me refine how I presented myself and was able to articulate skills & passions and pursued the career I was seeking.
Please tell us about Thompson Sports Group.
Thompson Sports Group started out of personal interest and wanting the ability to pursue sports & tech initiatives outside of the workplace, where I felt there were opportunities I could be a part of that didn’t necessarily fit previous employers priorities at the time.
Using the company as an extension of what I do in “real-life” I specialize in similar types of work; process improvement, project management, providing business insights through analytics, and starting to advise/consult startups & entrepreneurs that are interested in breaking into the sports industry. Another aspect of the work that’s been important to me is that I leverage these prior experiences and relationships to help other minorities that are looking to pursue careers in sports navigate that landscape and help create opportunities to get in front of decision makers.
What sets me apart from others I view as just a result of relationships (more importantly friendships) with peers across sports organizations, time spent in the industry and curiosity & willingness to continuously expand my skillset to learn more.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Pizza on Mondays! Every Monday, my dad would order pizza for me and my brother and watch some combination of WWF, Monday Night Football, Sportscenter, and Fresh Prince.
Contact Info:
- Email: nate@thompsongroup.pro
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate.thompson/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/natethompsonjr
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ngthompson/
Image Credit:
@shotbydubs (one image looking down into bottom right of pic)
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