[BEYOND THE GAME] Have a Compass, Not a GPS

BEYOND THE GAME | THE INTERVIEW SERIES — EPISODE 01

Why building a career in sports business is less about following the perfect plan; and more about knowing when to explore a different route.

What if your first career decision didn’t have to define your future?

For students entering the sports industry, passion is often the starting point. But turning that passion into a career raises questions that aren’t always easy to answer. Should you specialise early?

How do you know which opportunities are worth pursuing? And what happens when your interests begin to change?

For the first edition of Beyond the Game, our new interview series exploring the people, perspectives, and realities behind careers in sport, we spoke with Montserrat Lorente Martinez, Career Coach for the MSc in Sports Business Management at the International University of Monaco.

Working closely with students as they navigate their professional choices, Montse offers a perspective that challenges the pressure to have everything figured out from the beginning.

Her advice? Start with a direction. Leave room for discovery.

Students who are passionate about sport often feel they need to make the right career decisions very early. What tends to surprise them most when they begin exploring the industry professionally?

What surprises me most is how much pressure students put on themselves to make the right career decisions so early on, as if one wrong move could define their entire future.

I always remind them that your first career decision doesn’t have to be your final destination.

In fact, the beginning of your career is probably the best time to explore, experiment and discover what you’re good at, what energises you and where you can create value.

I’ve seen students who already had significant experience in one sport discover that their interests were taking them in a completely different direction. And I think that’s a great example of why it’s important to keep your options open early in your career. Just because your background points in one direction doesn’t mean your future has to follow the same path.

The goal isn’t to make the perfect choice from day one. It’s to make choices that help you learn, broaden your perspective, and make more informed decisions along the way.

Is there a recurring misconception about building a career in sport that you find yourself challenging?

One misconception I often challenge is the idea that the earlier you specialise, the more successful you’ll be.

For example, a student might decide very early on that they want to work exclusively in football. And there’s nothing wrong with that ambition. But what happens if, a few years later, they discover a passion for another sport or a different area of the business?

I encourage students to think beyond the sport itself and focus on the skills and expertise they want to build, whether that’s marketing, partnerships, event management or business development.

Sports may be the industry you choose, but your skills are what give you career mobility.

Specialisation can be valuable, of course. But ideally, it should be an informed choice, not a limitation you impose on yourself too early.

When you think about the students who make real progress, what do they tend to do differently?

I’ve noticed three things that tend to distinguish students who make real progress.

First, they have a sense of direction. They don’t necessarily know exactly where they’ll end up, but they understand their strengths, what motivates them and the kind of impact they’d like to make.

Second, they treat networking as a habit, not something they do only when they’re looking for a job. They’re curious, they attend events, they ask questions, and they genuinely invest in building relationships.

And third, they take initiative. They don’t wait for the perfect opportunity to appear. They create opportunities to learn, contribute and gain experience.

What makes the difference isn’t necessarily having the clearest plan or the strongest CV. It’s being proactive about your own career rather than waiting for someone else to open the door.

Students often feel pressure to have a clear career plan. How important is it to know exactly where you want to go, and how much room should there be for exploration?

I think there’s a big difference between having a sense of direction and having a rigid career plan.

You need an internal compass: some understanding of your values, strengths, interests and what you want to achieve. But you also need to remain open to opportunities you might not even know exist yet.

And this is particularly relevant in the sports industry, where careers can develop across different sports, organisations, countries, and business functions.

I often tell students: Have a compass, not a GPS. A GPS tells you exactly which turns to take. A compass gives you direction while allowing you to discover different routes.

And sometimes, the most interesting career opportunities are the ones you hadn’t originally planned for.

If you could encourage every MSc Sports Business Management student to do one thing differently this semester, what would it be?

I’d encourage them to be more intentional about networking. One of the advantages of studying at IUM, particularly in Monaco, is the opportunity to connect with professionals from different parts of the sports ecosystem.

But networking isn’t just about attending events or collecting LinkedIn connections. It’s about being genuinely curious about people, their experiences, and the challenges they’re working on.

So, my advice would be simple: At every event, try to leave with at least one meaningful conversation, not just another business card.

Ask thoughtful questions, listen carefully, and follow up. You never know where a conversation might lead; not necessarily to a job tomorrow, but perhaps to an opportunity you couldn’t have anticipated today.

One final question, which we’ll be asking every guest in our Beyond series: What’s one thing you wish someone had told you when you were starting your career?

Your career is not something you find. It’s something you build.

Early in our careers, we often think there’s a perfect job, a perfect company or a perfect path waiting for us somewhere.

But careers rarely unfold exactly as planned, and they’re certainly not always linear. They’re shaped by the decisions we make, the people we meet, the experiences we pursue and the unexpected opportunities we’re willing to explore.

When I started my own career, I had no idea I would eventually become a Career Advisor and Executive Coach. What I did know was that I wanted to make a difference by helping people. That became my compass, and I remained open to different opportunities that aligned with it.

So, my advice to students would be: Don’t get too caught up in finding the perfect first job. Focus instead on understanding what drives you, building valuable skills and creating opportunities along the way.

You don’t need to know exactly where you’ll end up. But you do need to take an active role in shaping how you get there.

Beyond the Game is part of IUM’s Beyond series, bringing together career coaches, alumni and industry professionals to explore the choices, experiences and perspectives that shape professional journeys.

Dernière modification le 05/11/2026