We were lucky to catch up with Jackie Gutierrez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jackie, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
One of the ways I keep my creativity alive is by reading. One of my favorite books is called ‘Steal Like An Artist’ by Austin Kleon and when I first read it in college, it allowed me to see my work in a whole new way. This book fosters creativity in your work to a whole other level that I didn’t realize I was missing out on and actually inspired me to create and self-publish two soccer magazines, which sold out as thousands of soccer fans from around the world were able to enjoy them.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
With my company, Women Kick Balls, I wear a few hats as my goal is to grow the exposure of women’s soccer in the USA. As an independent sports journalist, I cover the U.S. Women’s National Team and the National Women’s Soccer League. Additionally, I also am a freelance content producer as I specialize in writing, photo, video, graphic design and social media and offer these services to clients in the soccer industry. I’ve been very grateful to create and produce content in collaboration with brands such as Forbes, AYSO, TOGETHXR, Nike, The Gist, and others.
As I provide free soccer updates, one way for fans and email subscribers to support my work is through the coffee side of my business where each bag of coffee contributes to the growth of independent journalism. Each coffee bag also includes a soccer crossword puzzle and fun soccer prizes!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in my journey are:
1. being a creative problem solver
2. spending more time asking thoughtful questions and listening to others
3. being a student in all aspects of life while treating others with kindness and respect
These skills/qualities have helped me because being an entrepreneur in the soccer industry comes with a lot of unknown charted territory, but if you utilize every situation (especially the bad ones) as a learning opportunity, it will only allow you to grow into a better version of yourself.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My Uncle Joe has been one of the most helpful people in my career. When I was 17 years old, I struggled a lot academically in school. In fact, I had the bare minimum GPA to go to college and was told by people in my life to not pursue sports journalism. However, my Uncle Joe always believed in me and at a young age, he encouraged me to overcome my self-doubt and it pushed me to begin my journalism career at a young age.
From his encouragement and the times he’s challenged me in my work, it’s allowed me to have the confidence to be in rooms that I never would’ve imagined. From getting a masters degree in journalism to interviewing high-profile athletes, my journey is one that has been filled with having the odds against me, yet, having people like my family and close friends in my corner has allowed me to learn and grow so much along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://womenkickballs.com/coffee
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenkickballs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenkickballs/
- Twitter: https://x.com/womenkickballs
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/7WILjDUUg48?si=JliZYZGB5wrMvclh
- Other: Buy coffee here: https://womenkickballscoffee.com/collections/all
Image Credits
Brown shirt photo, credit: San Diego Wave FC
pink bib photo, credit: Jackie Gutierrez
family photo, credit: Sandra Velez-Lopez
Jackie with ball photo, credit: NWSL
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
