The Moment That Mattered

The Moment That Mattered: Kari Irons

Becky Fine, Chief People Officer for Topgolf Callaway Brands, shares an extended amount of wisdom in this special Women's Equality Day episode. She focuses on being an 'obstacle remover' and a growth mindset throughout her career and gives tangible ways to grow in self confidence and the workplace. 4 Year Track: To grow self confidence in the workplace. Year 1: LEARN. Year 2: Self-Driven Results. Year 3: Comp-Over Year 2's Results. Year 4: Confidence & Competence Flourishes. Becky's Hot Tips: 1. Have a growth mindset - the world changes fast! 2. Create a safe place to learn and grow. 3. Be social - in PERSON! 4. Tel people what your goals are.

Ashley Groth, Director of Marketing for Topgolf Media, shares her story of finding her way to Topgolf Media through connections made on the soccer field. She opens up about her journey with her own mental wellbeing and how it's shaped her as a leader. Ashley shares ways to use your passion to find ways to learn and grow in order to develop opportunities in the workplace. Be the best team player you can be by taking advantage of some of our resources available via Spring Health.

Juliana St. Thomas, Director of Operations at Topgolf Tampa, shares her story of chasing a dream at a young age. How that dream led to moving her family to a new country and eventually led her to chase even bigger dreams. She shares how she shifted to putting herself first, second & third; and why we should all learn to do the same. She found ways to bridge the Opportunity Gap by not letting the word "no" stop her from proving her worth!

We're back with Season 2 of the Moment that Mattered podcast.  Presented by Topgolf WIN: Women's Impact Network. Hosted by: Tiffany Brush & T.J. Johnston Produced & Edited by: Nicole Mayberry Content by: Linzy Cummings Music by: Jenae Cherry

Gen Gray, Chief Operating Officer for Topgolf USA, shares the story of her upbringing in a Southern family that instilled the core principles of hospitality in her life from a young age. She shares how her career path and development in this industry has led her to her position today and shares words of wisdom from lessons she's learned along the way.

Tish Blakey, Sr. Director of Talent Management, oversees recruitment, associate development, and diversity and inclusion for Topgolf.  She joined the brand as a Director of Operations and became a National Director of Operations quickly.  We discuss the challenges that she has faced both personally and professionally in the past 2 years, and we talk through what diversity and inclusion really means in an organization.

Valerie Baker, Manager of Project Management in Technology Innovation department, tells us all about her start in the internet marketing field and how that led to her current role. She has a unique approach and creative ways to overcome just about any obstacle both personally and professionally. 

Tiffany Brush, Director of Charitable Initiatives, gives us the background story of how her position came to life after a career shift that led her to take on an unexpected role within the Topgolf organization. She shares how customizing the needs of an individual's experience is the key to being a successful salesperson and asking questions is the driving force to making meaningful connections. Tiffany's wisdom and advice for the next generation of leaders will leave you feeling inspired and motivated! Special thanks to Producer, Annie Cazares, for the role of co-host during this episode!

T.J. Johnston, Vice President of Topgolf Cares, helped to develop the organization after identifying a need in the playmaker community across the Topgolf brand in 2015. In this episode we learn about Topgolf Cares and she tells the story of her career path that has brought her to her current role as Operations Manager at the Schaumburg venue. T.J. shares how her reputation throwing all-out themed parties led to 10 years of serving on the planning committee for the Global Star Awards and the infamous Suits & Boots event. Together we celebrate the victories of Topgolf Cares, as well as the weight this 501c3 charity holds for our playmakers that have been supported by the organization, plus how you can help to raise funds during Topgolf Cares month in July.

April Sanders, National Director of Sales, leads over 500 sales associates across the brand. She shares her experiences in career shifts, entrepreneurship, her hidden music talents as well as the family influences that instilled the values she holds today. April's background in ticket sales and her self-competitive nature combined with her mindset of putting herself in the "next role" mentality to position herself to be the top choice for new opportunities. 

Natalie Duncan, Manager of Talent Acquisition Programs focuses on recruiting new talent to the venues across the brand. She has found her calling and her very specific passion has led to feeling truly fulfilled. Her career journey to land this role has been one of chasing potential passions and deciding that being true to herself is more valuable to than settling for a career she does not fully love. Natalie shares stories of that journey and gives some sage advice on how to figure out what type of career is the right one for you. 

Kristi Maynor, Chief People Officer for Topgolf Entertainment Group, talks with us about the diverse body of work that lead her to Topgolf, the principles she lives and leads by and, for the first time publicly, Kristi shares her personal struggle with mental wellness.  *This episode contains sensitive conversations around death by suicide and mental health struggles. If you or anyone you know is struggling, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 800-273-8255.*

Carrie Bachman, Senior National Director of Operations for Topgolf, shares how she combined her love of sports with her willingness to explore new opportunities. She shares her story of growing her career and her family at the same time, as well as some ways she manages work/life balance.

Liz Bonesio, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel for Topgolf shares her experience and advice for real-life negotiation scenarios. She credits Amy Cuddy’s 2012 TED Talk for teaching the famous “Power Pose” that can support to boost confidence. Liz shares many tactics and tips to prepare for a negotiation conversation.

Kara Barry, Head of Communications, tells the stories of shifting perspective throughout her career. By seeing things from a different person's vantage point you can shift your own perception and in turn, shift your reality. Kara says: "Whatever your authentic self is, it's good to be you, you're great the way you are."

Annie Cazares, Chief of Staff for Topgolf USA, gives us insight into her background that includes her time serving with Teach for America, Amazon and eventually Topgolf. Her experiences along the way lend to creating innovative advancements throughout her career. Annie guides us through her approach to innovation and the steps to take to get the ball moving!