WAGS Work: Lindsey Barrera
The WAGS Work Series aims to show our readers that we are more than the stereotypes you might be familiar with--we're creative, hard-working, driven, and willing to do whatever it takes to make this lifestyle work. We also hope to inspire women in all walks of life to get creative and think outside the box when it comes to working and creating the lives of their dreams. Please reach out to the women featured in this series if you have questions or want to learn more about what they do.
TELL US WHO YOU ARE, HOW YOU GOT INTO THE BASEBALL WORLD, AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND.
Hi OBL Fam! My Name is Lindsey Barrera, my husband is Tres Barrera, and he plays for the Washington Nationals!
We are both from Texas and we met in college at The University of Texas at Austin. He played baseball, and I played softball. Go ahead and ask him who the better hitter was. 😉
We’ve been married for 3 years and have two fur babies!
TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR JOB, WHAT DO YOU DO, AND HOW LONG YOU’VE BEEN WERKIN’ IT.
I’ve been in marketing for 6 years. I am a Marketing Consultant for SheIS and a Channel Marketing Manager at K12. I am responsible for all things marketing strategy, digital marketing, graphic design, website design, event management, and more!
SheIS is a nonprofit organization that is focused on the awareness and growth of women’s professional sports.
K12 (now Stride Inc.) helps students reach their full potential through inspired teaching and personalized learning.
HOW DID YOU FIND THIS JOB?
I found the job at SheIS on LinkedIn. Being a former athlete, I followed a lot of organizations focused on sports (specifically women in sports). One day I saw the job posting for the position and I immediately wanted to get involved, so I applied. Turns out it was a perfect fit; I was so excited to be able to get back into sports and contribute to the growth of women’s sports!
I also found the job at K12 (Stride Inc.) on LinkedIn. When I got into the baseball world 5 years ago, I was working corporate and wasn’t able to travel that much. I knew that I wanted to work because I’ve always loved working! On the other hand, I also knew I didn’t want to get sucked into a corporate world that didn’t understand work/life balance. I knew I wanted to eventually get to a place where I didn’t have to sacrifice my career or enjoying this once in a lifetime experience with my husband.
I had a few conversations with some women in the baseball world experiencing the same thing, and K12 came up in a few conversations. So, I followed K12 on LinkedIn way back then. Last year, COVID19 made business BOOM at Stride Inc. and I saw a job posting that was a perfect match with my past work experience and I knew I had to apply. It was another match made in heaven!
HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR WORK AND LIVING THE BASEBALL LIFE?
For me when it comes to balancing work and baseball I have to plan as much as I can and as far in advance as possible. Since I work with a team for both companies, I over-communicate, I try to schedule meetings on a bi-weekly or monthly cadence, and I put time blocks on my calendar to ensure I have time to execute work.
As we all know there is no controlling the baseball life, so I just focus on being as prepared as possible for work and to expect the unexpected with baseball.
P.S. Always have a laptop charger, phone charger, and headphones!
HOW DID FINDING THIS JOB IMPACT YOUR LIFE PERSONALLY, AND FOR THE TWO OF YOU?
Both of the jobs I currently hold are 100% remote, so it GREATLY impacted our lives for the better when I made the initial transition. Having the ability to be able to be with my husband during the season lifts a weight off of our shoulders!
WHAT’S A TYPICAL WORKDAY LIKE FOR YOU?
6:30-8:30 – Rise & shine, get dressed, get breakfast & tea in the system, & respond to emails/build out my to-do list for the day.
8:30-11:45 – Meetings with the team
11:45-1:00 – Lunch & workout
1:00-3:00 – Meetings with the team/or execution of work
4:00-6:00 – Execution of work and preparing for the next day
6:00 ‘til – Depending on how much work/personal obligations I may or may not continue to work. It’s okay to work a little late on some days, but ALWAYS prioritize personal time. You have to prioritize your emotional, mental, and physical health, otherwise you won’t be able to efficiently work or enjoy life.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER WAGS WHO ARE TRYING TO BALANCE BASEBALL WITH THEIR OWN GOALS?
I am a true advocate that no one has to give up their goals for the benefit of others. We may have to make short term sacrifices, but my advice is while you’re making those short terms sacrifices begin setting yourself up for the future you want. That way, you have the network, the education, or the resources to eventually have the best of both worlds.
You won’t achieve your goals by waiting for them to come to you, you must actively be searching and working to put the puzzle pieces together.
WHAT’S THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB? WHAT’S THE BEST?
The hardest part of my job is time management. Since there are so many moving pieces I must stay on top of managing my time for each component of my job.
The best part of my job is seeing all of the hard work come to life. All of my projects start with just an idea and over weeks, if not months, they turn into inspiring websites, videos, social media campaigns, and even events! It’s so rewarding!
WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH EVERYONE KNEW ABOUT BEING A WAG/BASEBALL LIFE?
Being in this baseball life is not always sunshine and rainbows. This entire industry is full of people just trying to make it. Whether it’s our significant others on the field, or us in our careers, finding housing, starting families, or keeping existing families from going crazy. We are all seriously just trying to make it and make the most of it while doing so.
Don’t window shop on other people's lives, because you never really know the totality of what they are going through.
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE / HOW CAN WE KEEP UP WITH YOU?
If you have any questions or just want to chat please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Follow me on Instagram: @lindseynbarrera
Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lindseystephens/
