Leaning In with Lisa Ferkul
It is very fitting to be staging our SponsorshipX event with Lisa Ferkul of the Toronto Tempo next week, as we first met when she was a delegate at our forum some fifteen years ago.
At that time Lisa was employed at a small but growing marketing agency, which she had joined after a stint at the Toronto Argonauts. While she hadn't been at the agency for long, the owners recognized they had a rising star in their midst and were investing in both her industry profile and professional growth.
Fast forward to today: Lisa is in her dream job as Chief Revenue Officer at the Toronto Tempo, which she joined when it had fewer than 5 employees and is now steaming towards being a 70-person entity. An entity that represents so much.
In the past few years, the PWHL, the NSL, brands such as Canadian Tire, and multiple Olympic teams & athletes have begun to fulfill the long-anticipated moment. The moment when the expression « Everyone Watches Women's Sports » is no longer just printed on a t-shirt, but a measurable reality. Multiple stakeholders have bravely jumped in where others have not gone before, conducting advance missions that have supported the WNBA's arrival in this country. More on that in a minute.
Many years ago, Lisa (Ferkul) faced a decision. Stay with the agency she was employed at, which was supporting her rapid advancement, or jump to Scotiabank, where she was being wooed to join their sponsorship team.
Lisa leaned in.
She leaned into an opportunity to be part of a blue-chip brand with a blue-chip portfolio that wanted to make their mark. She stepped into the unknown, where perhaps she was unproven, trusting herself to handle anything thrown at her. She learned to take risks, which paid off as she piloted a run at the bank that culminated in her becoming the head of Canadian sponsorship marketing. That decision eventually led to her role with team Tempo today.
If you know Lisa, you know she leans in. When I asked her to partner with SponsorshipX, she didn't rely solely on our professional relationship, personal friendship, or her experience attending. She did her homework to ensure the opportunity would work for her brand, the Tempo, the crown jewel of the women's sports movement in Canada.
Women's basketball and then the WNBA have never been hotter. Fans have been chomping at the bit for its arrival. Angel Reese, A'ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark. The WNBA is on fire, and Lisa and her team have massive ambitions to become the highest-revenue-generating team in a league riding this cultural heat wave. Every partnership they launch needs to fit, be additive, and be on brand.
Lisa leaned in to confirm we matched those criteria, and once she had determined we would, she leaned in constantly to ensure we were successful. I am truly grateful. Next week's Event has an All-Star lineup of speakers, many of whom agreed to speak because they believe in Lisa.
Believing in Lisa is no surprise.
I personally know a good many people who have worked with, for, or in support of Lisa. I didn't need to interview them to prepare this article because I know they would say the same things I know. Lisa leans in for tasks big and small. Lisa leans in for her people and wants them to receive accolades in excess of what she would. Lisa leans into community - WISE, Black North Initiative, SMCC- and shares her equity and influence to the benefit of others.
I don't want to gloss over this construct of Lisa leaning in for others, because I personally think it's her superpower. Regardless of her role, her title, her budget, Lisa prioritizes relationships. Not as currency. Not as a tradable bit. Not as a badge. A relationship with Lisa is both a sacrament and a testament.
For all who read this, I hope at some point that you get a chance to meet Lisa, get to know Lisa, hang with Lisa.
If you do, lean in. It will be well worth it.
Mark Harrison - Host, The Convenor